FIBER OPTIC WEAPONS SIGHT

IRON WEAPON SIGHTS HAVE THE PROBLEM OF THE EYE NEEDING TO FOCUS AT THE REAR AND FRONT SIGHTS AS WELL AS THE OBJECT, ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY-AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK. TELESCOPIC RIFLE SIGHTS SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY PERMITTING THE EYE TO BE FOCUSSED AT OR NEAR INFINITY, AND AT THE SAME TIME SEE BOTH THE OBJECT AS WELL AS A RETICLE FOR AIMPOINT ASSESSMENT. HOWEVER, THESE FORMS OF SIGHTS ARE COMPLEX OPTOMECHANICAL DEVICES WITH MULTIPLE LENSES AND IN SOME CASES PRISMS IN ORDER TO PRESENT THE USER WITH AN ERECT IMAGE. THIS SBIR WILL INTEGRATE COHERENT FIBER OPTIC BUNDLES INTO THE RIFLE SIGHT IN ORDER TO SIMPLIFY, RUGGEDIZE, AND REDUCE THE PRODUCTION COST OF WEAPONS SIGHTS. COHERENT MONOLITHIC FIBER OPTIC BUNDLES HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED WHICH ROTATE AN IMAGE BY 180 DEGREES, AND SUCH A DEVICE CAN BE USED TO ELIMINATE THE CONVENTIONAL ERECTING OPTICS (EITHER RELAY LENSES OR A COMPLEX PRISM ASSEMBLY). FURTHERMORE, TAPERED BUNDLES CAN INTRODUCE A MAGNIFICATION, AND THIS MAY PROVE ADVANTAGEOUS. IN THIS SBIR OPTICS 1, INC. WILL DEVELOP AND PRODUCE SIX LOW COST, RUGGEDIZED, AND SIMPLE WEAPONS SIGHTS USING COHERENT FIBER OPTICS BUNDLES. OTHER TECHNIQUES CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT BY OPTIC 1, INC. MAY BE ABLE TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE SIGHT TO ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF THE USER TO QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AIM THE WEAPON.