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Vibration, ionizing radiation, excessive temperature and pressure: all can define conditions that imaging components may be called upon to withstand. Whether the volatile vapor-laden setting of automotive applications, the hazardous environment of outer space or even inside the human body, suppliers conceive and build sensors, optics, displays and sub-systems to meet the rigors of extreme imaging.
In what, perhaps, was the firm's most laudable achievement, DALSA Corporation's (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) CCD sensors were installed aboard Mars Exploration Rovers, "Opportunity" and "Spirit." More than three years after launch, the chips continue to capture visually stunning images; proving that high performance can go hand-in-hand with robustness and reliability, even in the excesses of space.
Spirit successfully began transmitting high-resolution color images of the red planet a mere three days after touching down on the Martian surface. The space-qualified sensors, designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, Calif.), were manufactured at DALSA's semiconductor wafer production facility in Bromont, Québec.
Nine cameras are mounted aboard each of the two Rovers: three cameras for scientific investigation, including panoramic and stereoscopic imagery. Six others aid vehicle navigation. As the Rovers surveil the local terrain's mineralogy, texture and structure, the imagers search for prior geological evidence of liquid water and conditions which once may have been hospitable to life.
Spirit's high-resolution Pancam stereo pair was conceived at Cornell University (Ithaca, N.Y.) and built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It employs the DALSA chips and is the most sophisticated imaging system ever sent to another planet. Pancam does not take a color picture directly. Instead, as with other astrophotographic CCD-based cameras, a series of eight filters are applied to gather multiple monochromatic images that are blended together. The panoramic mosaics, so generated, are as large as 4000 pixels high by 24,000 pixels around, or about 275 megabytes each.
"We're extremely proud of the contribution our employees at Bromont have made to this landmark achievement in space exploration," said DALSA founder, Chairman and CEO Dr. Savvas Chamberlain. "We have a good working history with NASA/JPL and we're thrilled that we can once again play a role in such an important project." (The previous program to which Chamberlain alluded was the Mobile Servicing System: Canadarm2, the robotic manipulator instated at the International Space Station in 2001.)
Edmund Optics Inc's. (Barrington, N.J.) new line of rugged Micro Video lenses addresses industrial and machine vision needs. By incorporating precision optical components inside a sealed assembly, Harsh Environmental Optics—which weigh only a few grams—excel in washdown and other watery surroundings. Edmund Optics offers the lenses, designed for ½- and 1/3-inch formats, in four focal lengths with standard M12×-0.5 mounting threads. Finite conjugate versions are available for close proximity work in confined areas while two coating options make them ideal for visible or near-IR infinite-conjugate imaging. System integrators use Harsh Environmental Optics beyond typical lab and factory floor scenarios where standard lenses otherwise would fail.
Critical for first responders, law enforcement and security forces, thermal imaging systems must operate when needed, under severe situations and for lengthy intervals. eMagin Corporation's (Bellevue, Wash.) most familiar microviewer may well be found at the local firehouse. The Fire Warrior camera employs a heat- and flame-resistant display module that allows firefighters to "see" through smoke and darkness. According to the firm, Fire Warrior enjoys broad acceptance among professionals, performing admirably either in intense heat or cold.
Total Fire Group's (Dayton, Ohio) Micro Thermal Imager combines a thermal camera with eMagin's organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microviewer, granting hands-free access to potentially life-saving information from a helmet-mounted camera. The S-VGA+ microdisplay withstands temperatures to 85°C (185°F), a full 20 degrees higher than the organization's standard specification device. It's efficient, too: the entire unit—thermal camera, electronics and display—can run at least four hours on two AA batteries.
For other applications, eMagin integrates its OLED-on-silicon microdisplays with thin fiber-optic taper faceplates to create custom-tiled viewers. OLEDs deliver a unique combination of high contrast, flicker-free imagery and ruggedness. Because solid-state OLEDs are not liquid-crystals, they instantly switch on and off at low temperatures (-40°C/-40°F) and do not fade—know as clearing—at high temperatures (65°C/149°F), circumstances that are common to civilian security and military exercises.
"Increasingly, system developers are turning to OLED microdisplays for thermal imaging," noted Susan Jones, eMagin's Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer. "To perform effectively in night, fog, smoke and dust requires clear imagery and a reliable source of that imagery for extended periods of time. OLED microdisplays have proven to be both the most power-efficient and the most rugged technology for these applications."
WZ18 All-Weather Integrated Day-Night cameras from Extreme CCTV Inc. (Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada) are set to provide rare footage of some of the most endangered and mysterious felines. The video imagery is anticipated to impart a better understanding of Felis bieti (Chinese Desert Cat), Oreailurus jacobita (Andean Mountain Cat) and Panthera uncial (Snow Leopard) for the Wildlife Conservation Network's (Los Altos, Calif.) scientists and conservationists.
Operating around-the-clock and under exigent conditions, the WZ18 cameras will archive daytime color and active-IR night imagery. They are slated for installation in central Asia's alpine and sub-alpine mountains, inhospitable Andean deserts and sub-zero Tibetan highlands.
As increasing demand for natural gas drives exploration and development in Alaska and northern Canada, the petroleum industry looks to solve critical procedural challenges: acquiring high-quality images of areas characterized by wide, near-surface velocity variations; and, maintaining reliable field activities in bitterly cold surroundings.
Seismic geophones and ultrasonic imaging, which work well in warmer climates, often fail in very cold locales, are not efficient or result in compromised functionality. Shallow, variable, high-velocity regions present an arduous backdrop and require novel approaches, sensors and methods. Combinations of innovative field acquisition techniques and processing technologies can solve cold climate obstacles. Input/Output, Inc. (Houston, Texas) offers systems designed to enhance image fidelity and sustain field productivity in frigid weather settings.
Cost-effective seismic data are a ubiquitous requirement. Input/Output's Firefly and Scorpion collect three-dimensional analog or digital, full-wave (multicomponent) information in all environments—from the Arctic, mountain highlands and the desert to the jungle and marsh/transition zones.
Micron Technology, Inc. (Boise, Idaho) highlights two recent demonstrations under, arguably, some of the most extreme conditions: the Baja 1000 and the Dakar Rally.
Baja 1000 was a 1,000-mile (1,609-km) off-road race in Lower California from Ensenada, Mexico down to La Paz at the peninsula's tip. Micron executives drove four vehicles, each with two specially engineered automotive imagers on-board. One recorded a driver's-eye-view through the front windscreen while the other portrayed the racer in action behind the wheel. Every moment was captured digitally, allowing the public in on an experience from a never-before-seen perspective.
This past January, Micron obtained video of one of the racing world's most versatile drivers, Robby Gordon. Gordon drove the 29th Dakar Rally which began in Lisbon, Portugal, and ended 4,918 miles (7915 km) later in Dakar, Senegal. Like the Baja, a digital record of the competition was compliments of Micron's image sensor and advanced flash memory technologies, outfitted on Gordon's General Motors' Hummer H3 (jointly sponsored by Toyo Tire USA Corporation and Monster Beverage Company). In-car cameras were programmed to trigger at preset intervals or could be activated by Gordon, at will. Both events were a testament to the durability of Micron's MT9V125 ¼-inch system-on-a-chip and a unique platform to showcase their innovative solutions.
A business unit of DRS Technologies Inc. (Parsippany, N.J.), Night Vision Systems (Allentown, Pa.) offers uncooled thermal imaging systems, lasers and combat identification tools. The MX-2A thermal imager features 320×-240 resolution and is well-suited to airborne, ground and maritime military security and public safety. For surveillance, reconnaissance, target detection, search and rescue and general observation, MX-2A can be hand-held, tripod mounted or serve as a weapon sight. With a 25 μm detector, MX-2A is smaller and lighter than its predecessor. Reduced power consumption translates to fewer batteries. Multiple video ports and a detachable eye-pod make the camera ideal for remote and covert viewing.
"The MX-2 is a flagship product for us and has always been in high demand," said Chris Wright, Night Vision System's Vice President and General Manager. "We know the MX-2A will follow quickly in its footsteps. The excellent performance, versatility and unique ancillary equipment available for the MX-2A make it a distinctive offering for our troops abroad and those protecting our homeland..."
NEC Electronics Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) long has recognized opportunities for imaging, understanding technology in automotive and IT market segments. The company began research efforts in 1990 by focusing on parallel processing, essential for advanced recognition of and response to image content. NEC allegedly introduced the first single-chip image processor in 2003. In 2006, together with Denso Corporation (Aichi, Japan) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Tokyo), they announced the specialized IMAPCAR microprocessor. It detects other vehicles, pedestrians and lane markers in realtime, underpinning enhanced safety and collision mitigation systems.
IMAPCAR boasts 100 GigaOPS (billion operations per second) performance. Its 128 parallel processing elements endow realtime object identification. Additionally, 0.13 µm technology limits power dissipation to less than 2 watts. NEC believes IMAPCAR can aid automobile and automotive electronics manufacturers in developing more efficient occupant protection systems. Today, the Toyota/Lexus LS460 features IMAPCAR as the basis of its "Pre-Collision System."
Along with its partners, NEC continues to pursue image recognition, refining the technology for pre-crash avoidance as well as high- and low-end devices for security, gaming, robotics and factory automation markets.
Remote Ocean Systems' (San Diego, Calif.) Quad-Side Fuel Inspection System is an imperative for monitoring nuclear reactors from outside containment during refueling. Components of the modular solution are deployed above a reactor's upender so fuel assemblies can be inspected while the core is offloaded and reloaded. The four-sided video system employs independently controlled zoom cameras—on pan/tilt mountings—linked to a recording/playback console.
Developed specifically for close-up inspection in high emission areas, two video cameras are available for the Convertible Viewing System. The RTC-3 Enhanced Chalnicon provides higher temperature and radiation tolerance than any others of its type, allowing use through several reactor outage cycles without the need for tube replacement. An LED ring is built into the camera's face. And, a 3:1 non-browning zoom lens with additional 2×- analog magnification is included. The camera is interchangeable with the company's SC-18 shielded color RAD tolerant model which utilizes a high resolution SuperHAD (Hole Accumulated Diode) CCD coupled to a miniature 18:1 zoom lens. Remote Ocean Systems reports "outstanding results" from its installation last fall at TXU Corporation's Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant (Glen Rose, Texas).
DAVS 100, the Dual Aperture Visible Sensor from Rockwell Collins Optronics, Inc. (Carlsbad, Calif.) is compact, lightweight and rugged. It includes two paths, providing both wide and narrow fields-of-view. Selectable EIA RS-170A video output is compatible with various monitors and displays including Rockwell Collins' ProView SO35 monocular or head-mounted unit. Magnifications of 1.5-, 6- and 12-times empower target recognition from five meters to more than 400 meters (16.4 to 1,312.3 feet). Supplied with a rechargeable battery pack, the system also supports external input such as a thermal camera.
Imaging technology, for implantation in the body's sometimes caustic microenvironment, is a step closer to helping patients with degenerative eye disease one day regain some of their lost sight. In a collaborative effort with Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (Sylmar, Calif.), researchers at the University of Southern California''s Doheny Eye Institute (Los Angeles) just received an Investigational Device Exemption from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Rockville, Md.) to begin clinical trials of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System.
The second generation electronic implant, Argus II, essentially takes the place of damaged photoreceptors. It consists of an array of electrodes that attaches to the retina and is used in conjunction with an external camera and video processing system. While the first iteration of implants contained 16 electrodes, Argus II—with its 60 electrodes—should restore better visual acuity. The work is supported, in part, by grants from the National Institutes of Health's National Eye Institute (Bethesda, Md.) and the Office of Science at the Department of Energy (Washington, D.C).
Contributing editor and industry analyst, Lee J. Nelson, is at the forefront of emerging as well as evolving technologies for compute-intensive electronic imaging applications. Contact him at: 703-893-0744, lnelson@rcn.com or http://www.garlic.com/biz
author: By Lee Nelson