SBIR-STTR Award

An unexpected DoD issue recently arose when flight crews, field-testing their forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems, complained of poor contrast in their displays (the critical Human-System Interface), which prevents them from performing surveillance missions and even safely landing when flying in relatively low-temperature environments (e.g., 0o C .)  This led to an investigation by the USAF Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, which resulted in well-correlated  laboratory characterization of the problem and sufficient understanding of the underlying cause.  It was found that the noise performance of the FLIR was directly related to how full the integration charge well became in each frame; the higher the well fill percentage, the lower the noise equivalent target (NET) became with respective improvements in the noise performance of the imager. This project will capitalize on emerging IR sensor technology to rapidly field-test prototypes demonstrating significant improvements (5 10X) in operational capabilities.  Specifically, a new sensor control architecture will be integrated with advances in IR focal plane array (IRFPA) technology to continuously optimize the operation of the IRFPA (the critical sensor component at the front end of the FLIR system), so as to maximize the pilots display contrast over the full range of operational temperatures.

Benefits:
Optimizing the noise performance of the IRFPA over the full range of target and scene temperatures will permit improvements in the infrared imaging systems ability to produce a good display in spite of low contrast scene conditions.  Such real-time display contrast improvement will permit pilots to more effectively assess target conditions and will improve situational awareness.

Keywords:
Low Contrast, Infrared, Imaging, Mwir, Digital, Camera

This research developed a new technique for dramatically improving the performance of existing midwave infrared (MWIR) forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera systems. Prototype demonstration hardware was developed through the course of this project that permitted Nova Sensors to perform side-by-side performance comparisons with existing FLIR units currently in service by the United States Air Force at Edwards AFB. Under the Phase 1 SBIR project, a new sensor control architecture was implemented to continuously optimize the operation of the infrared focalplane array (IRFPA), the critical sensor component at the front end of the FLIR system, so as to maximize the pilot’s display contrast over the full range of operational temperatures. A prototype infrared camera system (hardware and software) was developed at Nova Sensors for this purpose; it was taken to the USAF Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB and testing was performed on this unit to verify that it was indeed producing optimized MWIR FLIR sensor data. The proposed Phase 2 effort seeks to commercialize this approach using two independent means and further the technology development by utilizing all-reflective optics and enhanced fixed-pattern noise reduction techniques to achieve background-limited performance (BLIP).

Benefit:
Significant improvements in the quality of MWIR video imagery over that produced by imaging systems currently in service by the USAF will be obtained by using the improved imaging systems produced in this project. Literally thousands of existing systems are currently fielded and these improvements have the potential to dramatically increase our warfighter’s ability to sense their surroundings. Using these improved imaging sensors, pilots will have the ability to see low contrast image content (e.g., tree branches, power lines, etc.) that, if unseen, could pose life-threatening conditions.

Keywords:
Mwir, Flir, Low Contrast, Enhanced, Performance, Autonomous, Reflective