REAL-TIME OMNI-DIRECTIONAL HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGER

With both the funding from Phase I and Technest’s IR&D fund, we have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of an innovative, miniaturized, and lightweight hyperspectral imager called OmniGuard for periscope applications. The proposed OmniGuard will be able to fit below the existing Radome module which occupies the top of periscope. Optical ray tracing simulation proves that the designed 360 degree and dual zoom capability allows it to simultaneously acquire omni-directional images and zoom for targets at a few kilometers away. The innovative panning mechanism will also allow the system to track any target of interest viewed by the omni-directional optics. The integrated optics, camera sensor, and mechanics solution will allow the OmniGuard to stay aligned and shock-proof under harsh environments such as strong vibration and high heat. In Phase II and its option periods, we will validate the optical and mechanical design of OmniGuard from Phase I, complete the design and prototype of the sensor modules, and perform product engineering to make the optical sensor reliable and reproducible.