SBIR-STTR Award

Passive Wind Speed Measurement Through Image Analysis
Award last edited on: 2/19/2024

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : Army
Total Award Amount
$707,980
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
A18-154
Principal Investigator
Stephen Kozacik

Company Information

EM Photonics Inc (AKA: EE Solutions LLC~Lumilant Inc)

51 East Main Street Suite 203
Newark, DE 19711
   (302) 456-9003
   info@emphotonics.com
   www.emphotonics.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 00
County: New Castle

Phase I

Contract Number: W15QKN-19-P-0021
Start Date: 2/7/2019    Completed: 1/7/2020
Phase I year
2019
Phase I Amount
$149,924
Cross-wind speed is a key factor in computing a ballistic solution, particularly at long ranges. Reading cross-wind is one of the most difficult jobs of a marksman. Current automated cross-wind sensors are too large and expensive for large scale deployments. This effort focuses on developing a passive-optical-imagery-based software application for computing the cross-wind speed. Being software based, it could use existing cameras, optics, and computing hardware, making it inexpensive and easy to deploy. For scenarios where such existing equipment is unavailable, a minimum-cost kit consisting of a camera, optics, and compute device will also be specified to host our solution; the required camera and computation may potentially be provided by a standard smartphone. This technology will be integrated with fire control systems to provide the wind direction and magnitude to a ballistic solution algorithm to increase accuracy. EM Photonics has been developing image processing algorithms for over a decade. We have developed applications for mitigating and measuring atmospheric turbulence along a path. This application, ATCOM, will be leveraged throughout this effort. We also have the expertise to plan and conduct both the data collection efforts and live-fire tests that will form a key part of this effort.

Phase II

Contract Number: W15QKN-21-C-0019
Start Date: 7/8/2020    Completed: 3/18/2022
Phase II year
2020
Phase II Amount
$558,056
Accurate and timely measurement of wind information is vital to the performance of many weapon systems and is critical to maximizing soldier lethality; however, current electronic solutions utilize expensive devices with non-ideal size, weight, and power (SWaP) characteristics, limiting their deployment. One potential approach to solve this problem would be to attempt development of cheaper and smaller hardware devices. However, we have identified a solution that takes this concept one step further by providing the same information simply using software that can be paired with a soldierÂ’s or weapon systemÂ’s existing camera and optic, thereby eliminating the need for a dedicated hardware device at all. In this project, we will deliver software capable of measuring wind speed and direction by analyzing the video captured by a standard camera system. The resulting solution can be easily integrated with current and future fire control systems without adding SWaP. In addition, since no hardware is required, the cost for acquisition, deployment, and maintenance will be minimal.