BD&E to develop hyperspectral imaging system for U.S. naval periscopes
UNITED STATES - 24 SEPTEMBER 2009
Bodkin Design & Engineering (BD&E; Newton, MA) has been awarded a $70,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 contract from the U.S. Navy to develop a hyperspectral-imaging system for integration into Type 18 periscopes and AN/BVS-1 Photonics Masts to perform contact recognition and identification in marine environments.
(With an 18X magnification, image intensification, and digital-image-capturing capabilities, the Type 18 periscope is currently in common use on U.S. military attack submarines. The AN/BVS-1 Photonics Mast serves the purpose of a periscope, but, unlike a periscope, has no hull-penetrating optical system and thus exists entirely outside the hull.)
Hyperspectral imaging will enable the identification and tracking of targets in cluttered environments, as well as the reacquisition of targets after their movement out of view. There are many methods of capturing hyperspectral data; however, the device being built at BD&E will capture both spectral and spatial information in one instantaneous video frame. This eliminates motion artifacts that plague traditional scanned systems, enabling high-fidelity data to be obtained from both moving platforms and of moving targets.
The system is intended to support the Navy's need for automatic contact recognition and identification. The device allows the continuous collection and real-time transmission of hyperspectral data cubes. It will process the hyperspectral data and associate a unique hyperspectral tag with each contact. It has no moving parts and provides high-resolution spectra in a compact, ruggedized, low-cost package.
BD&E will work in collaboration with the Space Computer Corporation (SCC; Los Angeles, CA) to develop a hyperspectral imaging system covering the visible to short-wavelength infrared (SWIR). BD&E will combine its HyperPixel Array (HPA) imager and SCC's hyperspectral-image-processing capabilities to build the prototype system.
The SBIR program was established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation's small innovative high-tech businesses are a significant part of the federal government's research and development efforts. Success of the Phase I demonstration will lead to a prototype design to be built and tested in Phase II of the project.
BD&E holds contracts with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and the Missile Defense Agency for several optical-engineering projects. In addition, BD&E has overseen the introduction of products ranging from miniature IR cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards.
Source: Bodkin Design & Engineering
UNITED STATES - 24 SEPTEMBER 2009
Bodkin Design & Engineering (BD&E; Newton, MA) has been awarded a $70,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 contract from the U.S. Navy to develop a hyperspectral-imaging system for integration into Type 18 periscopes and AN/BVS-1 Photonics Masts to perform contact recognition and identification in marine environments.
(With an 18X magnification, image intensification, and digital-image-capturing capabilities, the Type 18 periscope is currently in common use on U.S. military attack submarines. The AN/BVS-1 Photonics Mast serves the purpose of a periscope, but, unlike a periscope, has no hull-penetrating optical system and thus exists entirely outside the hull.)
Hyperspectral imaging will enable the identification and tracking of targets in cluttered environments, as well as the reacquisition of targets after their movement out of view. There are many methods of capturing hyperspectral data; however, the device being built at BD&E will capture both spectral and spatial information in one instantaneous video frame. This eliminates motion artifacts that plague traditional scanned systems, enabling high-fidelity data to be obtained from both moving platforms and of moving targets.
The system is intended to support the Navy's need for automatic contact recognition and identification. The device allows the continuous collection and real-time transmission of hyperspectral data cubes. It will process the hyperspectral data and associate a unique hyperspectral tag with each contact. It has no moving parts and provides high-resolution spectra in a compact, ruggedized, low-cost package.
BD&E will work in collaboration with the Space Computer Corporation (SCC; Los Angeles, CA) to develop a hyperspectral imaging system covering the visible to short-wavelength infrared (SWIR). BD&E will combine its HyperPixel Array (HPA) imager and SCC's hyperspectral-image-processing capabilities to build the prototype system.
The SBIR program was established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation's small innovative high-tech businesses are a significant part of the federal government's research and development efforts. Success of the Phase I demonstration will lead to a prototype design to be built and tested in Phase II of the project.
BD&E holds contracts with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and the Missile Defense Agency for several optical-engineering projects. In addition, BD&E has overseen the introduction of products ranging from miniature IR cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards.
Source: Bodkin Design & Engineering
