MWLW1565 Multi Aperture
The Dual Band Dual Focal Length Infrared seeker shown in the photograph was inspired by the robber fly and the fiddler crab. The fly has a high-resolution fovea for targeting prey and a low-resolution, wide-angle periphery for flight navigation. The crab has a high-resolution equatorial zone for viewing along a mud flat, and a wide-angle periphery for detecting predatory seagulls. Like the robber fly and fiddler crab, the seeker’s two imaging zones are fixed in the optics; there are no moving parts to adjust the focal lengths. The multiple apertures are internal to the optics and are not visible from outside.
The seeker has two spectral bands: MWIR for detecting very hot targets; LWIR for detecting colder targets. The sensor and electronics were developed by DRS Leonardo to enable true simultaneous dual band capture without the need to dither back and forth between bands. Simultaneous capture is especially important for imaging high speed events such as explosions.
Its performance characteristics are listed below:
· Foveal FOV: 15.2 deg with FtanΘ distortion free mapping function
· Foveal Focal Length: 30 mm with 0.667 mrad IFOV
· Peripheral FOV: 65.4 deg with FΘ mapping function
· Peripheral Focal Length: 9.1 mm with 2.19 mrad IFOV
· MWIR Spectral Band: 3.6 – 5.20 µm across 640 x 480 pixels
· LWIR Spectral Band: 7.8 – 9.65 µm across 640 x 480 pixels
The video snaps below demonstrate the utility of the dual band feature as well as the dual focal length feature, where the foveal zone is the region inside the large circle.
Car as visible in Dual Fovea
Image of the flame:
Flame going through the heat-resistant tube:
Hands stretched out as visible in fovea:
Hands stretched out as visible in fovea (left arm and right arm):
Image of the solar light fixture in the lab ceiling, near the AC vents.
LabNE Solar
