Future Night Vision System

With the goal of providing aviators a new generation night vision system with a wide field of view (WFOV) and with sensitivity over a wide range of nighttime conditions, a new class of high resolution, low power, short wavelength infrared (SWIR) detector will be designed and demonstrated. The innovation makes possible a new generation of high performance, low profile, ejection capable, helmet mounted, solid state night vision system. The enabling monolithic SWIR sensor is designed in a compact architecture that is a direct precursor to future efforts which integrate the sensor, processing electronics, and display into a stacked, spectacle-sized night vision goggle. In addition to developing the enabling future night vision system (FNVS) solid state SWIR focal plane technology, the design of a flexible, helmet-mounted, multi-channel FNVS testbed will be furthered and each of the components fully specified. The FNVS will be capable of integrating several types and generations of solid state sensors and displays. Flexibility is achieved through a wide field of view optical prism assembly, which allows multiple high resolution flat panel displays to presend the video from multiple sensors in a seamless image before the aviator’s eyes.