Agile, Detecting and Discriminating, Infrared Electro-Optical System (ADDIOS)

The use of staring infrared imaging systems provides significant advantages for military missions such as aircraft self-protection. Monitoring of wide areas at low resolution and switching to a narrow field of view to identify and track targets are of interest. Current systems use electromechanical zoom mechanisms that are slow, have limited zoom capability, and suffer from insufficient resolution. Because of critical importance of these systems to aircraft safety, this problem demands a solution. Applied Science Innovations proposes advanced development of the new Agile, Detecting and Discriminating, Infrared Electro-Optical System (ADDIOS). The first-generation prototype system will provide for virtually instantaneous switching between wide-area, low-resolution surveillance mode to a narrow-field, high-resolution discriminating mode, mimicking foveal vision characteristics of the eye. The high resolution area can be located anywhere in the wide field of regard. In addition, multiple high resolution areas and simultaneous low-resolution wide-area monitoring will be possible with the proposed prototype system. The Phase II project will produce a viable, functional first generation system. In Phase III, commercial applications of ADDIOS will serve the needs of the Air Force and other branches of the Armed Services, as well as civilian applications such as security and law enforcement.