Chroma-Therm: Advanced LWIR Multi-Band Imaging System

This proposal seeks to enhance warfighter situational awareness and improve threat detection by developing an advanced thermal imager that processes and presents full-motion multi-band LWIR chroma video in accord with human color-vision processing. This will be useful in a variety of applications, including by dismounted soldiers (helmet-mounted or handheld), on small UAVs, as well as supporting autonomous navigation, target acquisition, and other tasks with both manned and unmanned ground systems. The proposed system will be a modularly designed thermal camera with multiple bands of chromatic imagery, as well as the potential to add other bands to address additional warfighter needs. An emphasis will be placed on balancing size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C) while optimizing system performance by combining off-the-shelf technologies with novel approaches to system design, thermal image processing, and scene-stable color processing.