ADAPTIVE FOCAL-PLANE PROCESSOR FOR IMAGE ENHANCEMENT

THE PERFORMANCE OF IMAGING SYSTEMS IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE INTENSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF LIGHT ILLUMINATING THE SCENE. THE HUMAN VISUAL SYSTEM PERFORMS WELL OVER A RANGE OF SCENE BRIGHTNESS FAR GREATER THAN THAT WHICH MAN-MADE IMAGE SENSING SYSTEMS ARE CAPABLE OF OPERATING. ODETICS, INC. PROPOSES AN OPTICAL MODEL WHICH: GREATLY INCREASES THERANGE AND VARIABILITY OF SCENE ILLUMINATION; VASTLY IMPROVESTHE QUALITY OF THE IMAGE; SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF DATA BY SELECTIVELY ENHANCING AND EXTRACTING THE TARGET FEATURES. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH ARE TO DEMONSTRATE THE MODELON SPACE IMAGERY AND DESIGN A FOCAL-PLANE PROCESSOR WITH THEABOVE FEATURES. THE PHASE I EFFORT WILL CONSIST OF EXTENDING THE GAUSSIAN MODEL TO EXPONENTIAL AND OTHER FUNCTIONS AND TEST ON SPACE IMAGES AND DESIGNING A FOCAL-PLANE PROCESSOR IMPLEMENTATION.WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE PASE II EFFORT WILL RESULT IN A REAL-TIME ADAPTIVE FOCAL-PLANE PROCESSOR WHICH WILL HAVE BROAD APPLICATION ON SPACE, MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS.