SBIR-STTR Award

Technest Holdings proposes to develop, without using traditional complex and expensive zoom structures, a real-time omni-directional and zoom capable hyperspectral recording and processing imager called Omni-Guard. Omni-Guard will quickly search for a target in any global view and provide a detailed or close-in image. It will use an innovative switching mechanism for high resolution imaging. Omni-Guard achieves 180 degree narrow FOV beam scanning by rotating, through mini-motors, a compact lightweight mirror instead of a PTZ camera. It uses compact mega pixel EO/IR and MWIR capable imagers for low power consumption (less than 1 w at 30 fps) and high dynamic range (120 dB). Importantly, the EO/NIR image sensor's capability of low light visible and near infrared imaging makes it amenable to outdoor, day and night ISR operations. Omni-Guard provides a modular and adaptive optical structure that is applicable for any spectral region and both multi-spectral and hyperspectral imaging. It achieves better image quality and system reliability by using a compact and long life cryocooler. Omni-Guard is lightweight (<2 lb) and small in size (a cylinder <6" diameter x 7" height).

Benefits:
We will market the Omni-Guard system suites to the surveillance and guidance market. There is a general need for small and powerful EO/IR hyperspectral sensors for covert operations on land and sea. The combination of compact optical structure with the SOS provides a wonderful fit as a small, affordable device that can be added to any surveillance or guidance to provide intelligence. Our Omni-Guard can also provide both wide FOV surveillance and directed narrow FOV zoom for target detection and recognition. From police departments to treatment plants, all can benefit from low-cost, highly enhanced eyes to deter crime in urban streets and protect perimeters. Due to the increase in the number of applications for lightweight, tactical surveillance, the success of the Phase II program will virtually guarantee non-federal follow-on investment for our Phase III product development. In addition, we will continue to work with other forms of overhead surveillance, including the US Army's JLENS program which uses towers and blimps to perform their surveillance. Recently, they have approached Genex to determine if Genex can resolve their current limitations: weight (200 lbs. Gimbaled FLIR unit) and size (large optical sensor form factor).

With both the funding from Phase I and Technest’s IR&D fund, we have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of an innovative, miniaturized, and lightweight hyperspectral imager called OmniGuard for periscope applications. The proposed OmniGuard will be able to fit below the existing Radome module which occupies the top of periscope. Optical ray tracing simulation proves that the designed 360 degree and dual zoom capability allows it to simultaneously acquire omni-directional images and zoom for targets at a few kilometers away. The innovative panning mechanism will also allow the system to track any target of interest viewed by the omni-directional optics. The integrated optics, camera sensor, and mechanics solution will allow the OmniGuard to stay aligned and shock-proof under harsh environments such as strong vibration and high heat. In Phase II and its option periods, we will validate the optical and mechanical design of OmniGuard from Phase I, complete the design and prototype of the sensor modules, and perform product engineering to make the optical sensor reliable and reproducible.

Keywords:
Hyper-Spectral Imaging, Spectrally-Matched Filter, Contrast Enhancement, Low-Light Level, Sensor, Real-Time Image Fusion, Cryocooler.