Panoramic Video Monitoring System for UGVs

"UGV platforms such as Gladiator and Man-Portable Robotic Systems need a new type of omni-vision system for full range viewing: 360 degrees horizontally and -45 to +90 degrees vertically. To address this need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes todevelop a new high quality, real-time, ultra-wide-field-of-view, low-bandwidth, panoramic video monitoring (PANVIM) system for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA). POC will for the first time bring panoramic imaging to real-timevideo. The PANVIM system uniquely combines the following subsystems for UGV RSTA and driving: innovative optics for ultra-wide-field-of-view acquisition through wide-angle reflectors or fisheye lenses with a 360x270 degree field-of-view; high-resolutionpick-up device (CCD or CMOS), preferably with a resolution of 5,000x2000 pixels and real-time cylindrical-to-Cartesian coordinate transformation in hardware; small IR sensor for night operation, video signal transfer subsystem for high resolution, and fullmotion video at 30 frames per second. The high bandwidth video will be compressed by POC proprietary hardware at up to 8000:1. At the control center, an operator will observe the panoramic view from the UGV on a high-aspect-ratio screen, which can bethree or more plasma displays, or a multi-projector system for seamless display. Several smaller monitors can display electronically zoomed areas of interest. The proposed PANVIM syste