LightShift Polarization-enhanced, Long-range, Wide-area, High-resolution Imaging System

A program to develop a compact, Shortwave Infrared through Midwave Infrared and Longwave Infrared (SWIR-MWIR/LWIR) SpectroPolarimetric Infrared Imaging Target Detection (SPIRIT-D) sensor is proposed.  This spectropolarimetric video-rate imager builds upon Surface Optics’ real-time spectral and polarimetric imaging activities, including our previous SWIR/MWIR spectral and polarimetric imaging work, or current LWIR spectral and polarimetric imaging work, our 3D full-motion video spectral imaging (FMV-SI) technology, and our MIDIS spectral image processor.  Simultaneously acquiring four polarizations and up to 24 spectral bands over a high-resolution two-dimensional field, the system is ideal for identifying threats and for tracking targets of interest to modern warfare, especially in a highly cluttered maritime environment when targets are small at long range.  Through a series of trade studies and preliminary design, the proposed program will develop and analyze an optimized design for a compact SWIR-MWIR/LWIR spectropolarimetric imager appropriate for maritime target detection, seeker sensor application, and other threat detection applications.  The system will include a compact, rugged, real-time spectropolarimetric imager plus a real-time spectropolarimetric image processor.  The processor includes all required calibration and processing to produce Stokes parameters (S0, S1, S2) and also the degree of linear polarization (DOLP) and angle of linear polarization (AOLP), along with other polarization-derived scene parameters. These parameters, along with SWIR-MWIR/LWIR spectra, feed algorithms developed by Surface Optics and Caltech, based on Surface Optics’ MIDIS multimodal image processor.  The proposed effort represents an extension of Surface Optics’ 32 years’ experience in high-speed imager design and miniaturization of SOC’s real-time spectral image processor for real-time target detection and tracking.  By building on Surface Optics Corporation’s experience in spectropolarimetric imaging system development, processor development, and algorithm development, the proposed program will produce a new full-motion video spectropolarimetric SWIR-MWIR/LWIR imaging system of unsurpassed capability.