UNDERWATER IMAGING FOR SMALL OBJECT LOCATING AND IDENTIFICATION

OBJECTS ON THE SEAFLOOR CAN BE LOCATED AND IDENTIFIED BY MEANS OF AN UNDERWATER OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEM. CURRENT SYSTEMS ARE PERFORMANCE-LIMITED BY THE ABSORPTION AND SCATTERING OF LIGHT IN SEAWATER--PROBLEMS INHERENT TO UNDERWATER IMAGING. PRESENT SYSTEMS RELY SOLELY ON LIGHT SOURCE-TO-IMAGER SEPARATION TO MINIMIZE BACK SCATTER; WE PROPOSE A BETTER APPROACH--USING A NARROW STRIPE OF LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE A SWATH OF THE SEAFLOOR, WHICH IS IMAGED WITH EITHER ELECTRONIC STILL CAMERAS OR CONVENTIONAL CCD VIDEO CAMERAS. THE NOVEL ASPECT OF THIS APPROACH IS THE USE OF VERY SMALL DIAMETER FLASH TUBES COUPLED WITH AN ADVANCED REFLECTOR DESIGN TO OFFER A PREVIOUSLY UNACHIEVABLE DEGREE OF BEAM EDGE CONTROL AND LUMINOUS INTENSITY. THIS APPROACH OFFERS AN IMMEDIATE, SIGNIFICANT, AND COST-EFFECTIVE INCREASE IN UNDERWATER IMAGING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE. THE LIGHT STRIPE APPROACH IS INHERENTLY MORE RELIABLE AND USEABLE IN ACTUAL WORKING CONDITIONS THAN COMPETING TECHNOLOGIES. RANGE-GATED AND VOLUME SCANNING SYSTEMS ARE COMPLEX, EXPENSIVE, AND POSE SIGNIFICANT DESIGN AN MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS. PHASE I WILL ENTAIL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF THE LIGHT SOUR REFLECTOR AND IMAGER, PROVIDING A BASIS FOR PHASE II, THE DEMONSTRATION OF A WORKING PROTOTYPE SYSTEM. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS - A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF STROBE LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY WILL RESULT FROM THE INCREASED BEAM EDGE CONTROL. DEEPSEA POWER & LIGHT RECOGNIZES COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL IN TWO VERSIONS OF THE LIGHT STRIPE IMAGING SYSTEM, A HIGH PERFORMANCE VERSION UTILIZING ELECTRONIC STILL CAMERAS AND FIBER OPTIC CABLE, AND A LOWER COST VERSION UTILIZING CONVENTIONAL CCD CAMERAS AND COAXIAL CABLE.