High Fidelity Infrared Background Clutter Generator Technology

To address the Army need for a high fidelity infrared (IR) clutter generator for scene projection in hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) test and evaluation of Missile Warning Sensors (MWS), Intellisense Systems, Inc. proposes to develop a new High Fidelity Infrared Background Clutter Generator (HIRACE) technology based on an innovative, flexible, multi-module, multispectral design integrated with high dynamic range spatial light modulators (SLMs), a vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) array, projection optics and dichroic beam combiners (DBCs). By innovatively implementing high dynamic range SLMs for pixelwise optical modulation and laser-induced IR emission from the VACNT, HIRACE enables large resolution (> 4k x 2k) projection of dynamic scene (8-16-bit) at high frame rates (~1000 Hz). The modular design enables the projection of dynamic imagery over a broad wavelength range, with each module covering a specific spectral regime (i.e., SWIR, MWIR or LWIR). It also makes the system reconfigurable (projecting multispectral scenes simultaneously, in sequence, or selectively) and capable of selecting a specific spectral band inside the SWIR, MWIR or LWIR regimes in each module. In Phase I, Intellisense plans to establish the technical feasibility of HIRACE by developing initial designs, analyzing the feasibility, developing components and modules tuned specifically toward dual color IR clutter generation, and integrating and evaluating a HIRACE proof-of-concept prototype. In Phase II, Intellisense will focus on the development of a detailed system design and will build a HIRACE prototype that functions as a dual-color IR clutter generator with needed software to test and develop IR models and scenes for HITL test and evaluation of MWS.