Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Robotic Variable Interference Filter Imaging Spectrometer (R-VIFIS), Phase I
Project Description
The innovation is a fast, lightweight, and miniaturized Robotic Variable Interference Filter Imaging Spectrometer (R-VIFIS) for a 350-2500nm wavelength range. A pair of custom narrow band Linear Variable Interference Filters (LVIFs) is tailored with 350-900nm range (VNIR) and 900-2500nm range (SWIR) wedge coatings for a 35mm format CMOS Focal Plane Array (FPA) and a 384x288 pixel 24um pitch FPA respectively. A pair of monolithic LVIF-FPA devices, each having its VNIR or SWIR LVIF coating precisely aligned and mounted in contact with its FPA sensing surface, are designed and assembled. Miniaturized robotic devices are developed to precisely position the LVIF-FPAs at a fast speed. A prototype R-VIFIS integrates fast frame robotic positioning LVIF-FPAs behind a pair of co-boresighted 35mm film format lenses for fast LVIF HyperSpectral Imaging (HSI), taking 224 contiguous spectral bands into a 350-2500nm range datacube in <0.4sec, with an SNR>300 and a spectral resolution of 1% center wavelength at each band. Tightly integrated with GPS/INS with real time embedded computing, R-VIFIS collects directly georeferenced photographic perspective HSI measurement with a throughput up to 1.65GB/sec, providing simultaneously high spectral, spatial, radiometric, and temporal resolutions. A typical R-VIFIS photographic perspective datacube, consisting of well fused 6480x5400 pixel VNIR bands and 1580 x1300 pixel SWIR bands. R-VIFIS is versatile and easily-deployable. It is operational on a tripod, surface vehicles, aerostats, and fixed/rotating wing aerial platforms for field/aerial 3D imaging spectroscopy. It is also well suited to be gimbaled for wide angular field of view and long distance enhanced remote sensing.
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Anticipated Benefits
R-VIFIS is a portable and versatile photographic perspective imaging spectrometer system operating in the 350-2500nm solar reflective spectral range. It can be either pointing nadir or oblique for 3D HSI measurement or pointing up and down with various angles for non-imaging atmospheric environment spectral measurement. Its NASA applications include: 1) A NASA needed small (<30lbs) hyperspectral imager in a 350-2500nm spectral range with a SNR>300; 2) Instrument support for NASA's airborne science missions, particularly those utilizing the SIERRA-class, Dragon Eye and aerostats; 3) In situ imaging and/or non-imaging hyperspectral measurements of surface/water/atmospheric reflectance, absorption, and scattering aboard surface vehicles, hovercraft, and portable drone flyers; 4) In situ remote environmental irradiance measurements including the sun, the moon, and multi-angle atmosphere scattering; 5) Space-enhanced and deployed on Lunar/Planetary surface landers/rovers or orbital platforms for surface spectral reflective mapping to identify and/or quantify potential lunar/planetary resources; and 6) In situ biogeochemical measurements of marine and aquatic components and production rates, including but not limited to, nutrients, phytoplankton, and floating and submerged aquatic plants. R-VIFIS is a miniaturized, easily-deployable, camera-like hyperspectral instrument operating in a 350-2500nm range with a wide range of interchangeable photographic lens support for focused HSI and defocused non-imaging spectral measurements. Its potential non-NASA commercial applications include: 1) High sensitivity HSI aerial mapping, change detection, chemical detection required by US Army Geospatial Research Lab(GRL) & Federal Geospatial Agencies; 2) it is particularly suited to be integrated in to a long range wide area covering Gimbal system aboard stationary or slow motion LTA platform, such as aerostat and airship, for persistent surveillance applications; 3) A portable, versatile, tripod-mountable, low-cost, and easy-to-user HSI device for science, environment monitoring, food processing, mining, forestry, and agriculture; 4) A camera-like hyperspectral instrument for various industrial inspection and high-end security applications; and 5) Data source with its unique 3D photographic HSI information advantages for multidisciplinary big data GIS.
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Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextGen Imaging Technologies, Inc | Lead Organization | Industry | Windham, New Hampshire |
Ames Research Center
(ARC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Moffett Field, California |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
New Hampshire
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