Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) Innovation Network. Themed competition launch - novel electro-optic infrared technology.

1. Centre
Defence
Enterprise
for
Room 1 – Themed Competition Briefings

2. CDE themed competition
Novel electro-optic infrared
technology

3. Novel EOIR session scope
Military context
Technical challenges
Q&A
Case study – 2d3 Sensing

4. Themed competition
Requirements
Bounded
Specific

5. What else is on offer today?
CDE overview
Enduring
Proposals
Networking

6. Military Context
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

7. Demands of the soldier
• Longer ranges
• Higher resolution
• Multi spectral
• Size, weight and power (SWAP)
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl

8. Longer ranges
• Outperform enemy sensors
– Want to see the enemy before they can
see us
• Greater stand-off
– Harder to be detected
– Improve survivability
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

9. Higher resolution
• Better target identification
• Better battle damage assessment
• More accurate targetting
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

10. Multi spectral
• Harder to find the enemy
– Smaller targets
– Better camouflage and concealment
– Cluttered environments
– Battlefield obscurants
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl

11. Multi spectral
• Exploit other parts of the spectrum
– Use of thermal imagers during day to detect
– Demands for combat identification
• Near IR beacons can no longer
be used at night
• Thermal beacons too bulky or
hard to detect
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl

12. Size
• Optics
– Conflict between larger optics and
physical space on weapon system or in
payload bay
• Bulk
– Unbalances weapon
– Need for bipod/tripod
– Increase risk of damage
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl

13. Weight
• Dismounted soldier already
overburdened
– Typically carrying 56kg (40kg maximum,
25kg optimal)
– Heavy weapon sights or hand-held
imagers difficult to keep stable
– Need to carry both optical sights and
image intensifiers/thermal sights for night
time operations
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl

14. Weight
• Unmanned Air Systems
– Demand for smaller lighted systems
• Brigade Revivor
• Company Desert Hawk
• Section Black Hornet
– Limited to one sensor at a time
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl

15. Power
• Battery technology cannot keep up with demands of
the soldier
• Batteries make up a disproportionate part of the
soldier’s burden
• Need increased endurance for less power
– Systems kept running all the time so they are immediately
available
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl

16. Novel Electro-optic and Infrared Technology
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

17. Background
• Novel ideas and concepts that will shape EO/IR
technology over next 25 years
– Optical components (materials, detector, lasers…)
• Underpinning sensor technology that will impact the
land (base protection, vehicles, dismounts), air
(manned, UAV, space) and maritime (above water)
domains
• Seeking low TRL (2-3) concept demonstrations
• Expect to fund up to 10 projects
– expect 3-4 to go forward under phase II funding
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

18. Future requirements for sensor
technology
• Operations in complex environments
– Clutter, occlusion & obscuration, day/night, weather
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSFIED

19. Future requirements for sensor
technology
• Operations in complex environments
• Difficult target set
– Fleeting, discrimination of activities, long range
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSFIED

20. Future requirements for sensor
technology
• Operations in complex environments
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
• Difficult target set
• Intelligent sensors
– Computer assisted identification of
threats
– Sensors designed to complement
processing
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSFIED

21. Future requirements for sensor
technology
• Operations in complex environments
• Difficult target set
• Intelligent sensors
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
• Reduced integration costs
– Up-grade legacy platforms with
minimal integration cost
– Conformal sensors
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSFIED

22. Current systems
• Current EO/IR systems are very capable and already
provide multi-mode operation
– Laser spot tracker & range finder
– All mounted on a two-axis gimbal
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED
Image provided courtesy of
Northrop Grumman

23. Emerging technology
• Next generation systems likely to include:
– Larger format cameras
• thermal imagers and colour visible sensors
– Active imaging using designation laser
• 2D imaging
• 3D imaging
– Image processing
• super-resolution
• image stabilisation
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
EMRS DTC – Hydravision
– Selex ES
UNCLASSIFIED

24. Current constraints
• Multiple optical apertures
– Multiple different sensors and fields
of view
– Aperture diameter
• sets diffraction limit.
• controls sensitivity and
integration time
– Current approach limited by
• multi-band materials
• optical coatings
• legacy approaches
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
Courtesy of L3-Wescam
and FLIR Technologies
UNCLASSIFIED

25. Current constraints
• Multiple optical apertures
• Sight line stabilisation
– Vibration of the platform limits performance
– Expensive to develop and implement highly stable pointing
system
– Needs to be pointed accurately for duration of camera
integration time
– Detector sensitivity and the aperture size (F-number) control
the integration time
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

26. Current constraints
• Multiple optical apertures
• Sight line stabilisation
• Cryogenic cooling
– Current thermal imaging cameras need to be operated at
~100K
– Cooling engine adds size, weight and power (on the gimbal)
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

27. Current constraints
• Multiple optical apertures
• Sight line stabilisation
• Cryogenic cooling
• Inefficient laser designator system
– Diode (808 nm) pumped Nd:YAG – 1.064 µm, Q-switched laser
– Nd:YAG pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO) – 1.57µm
– Diode (50%) x Nd:YAG (50%) x OPO (30%) = 7.5%
– Plus cooling to remove the heat!
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

28. Current constraints
• Multiple optical apertures
• Sight line stabilisation
• Cryogenic cooling
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
• Inefficient laser designator system
• Compatibility with legacy standards
– NATO STANAG 3733 decrees (ref) - 1.06 µm, high-energy,
Q-switched laser
– Q-switched lasers don’t naturally align with other laser
requirements (see later)
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

29. Current constraints
• Multiple optical apertures
• Sight line stabilisation
• Cryogenic cooling
• Inefficient laser designator system
• Compatibility with legacy conventions
• Beam and sight-line steering
– Mechanical systems (gimbals) are limited in speed of response
– Pointing stability drives up the weight which impacts the power
and size
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

30. www.defenceImagery.mod.uk
Current constraints
• Multiple optical apertures
• Sight line stabilisation
• Cryogenic cooling
• Inefficient laser designator system
• Compatibility with legacy conventions
• Beam and sight-line steering
• Traditional optical focussing
– High magnification needs long focal length (even folded)
– Optical systems have substantial depth (size)
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

31. Technical challenges
• Chosen to address the increasingly difficult constraints
• Challenge 1 – Improving functionality and performance
of existing systems (credible, short-term solutions <10
years)
• Challenge 2 – Multi-functionality at the EO/IR system
level (feasibility studies for 10-20 year timescale)
• Challenge 3 – Future concepts and systems (what is
possible on longer timescale >20 years)
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

32. Challenge 1 - Improving functionality
and performance of existing systems
• Require novel approaches to multi-functionality at the
optical design, detector and read-out circuitry level
• Constraints to be addressed by challenge 1
– Multiple optical apertures
– Sight line stabilization
– Cryogenic cooling
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED
www.defenceImagery.mod.uk

33. Reducing the number of apertures
• Novel optical designs able to accommodate multiple
wavebands and multiple fields of view
– Novel materials / coatings
– High on-axis visual acuity plus situational awareness
EMRS DTC - Hydravision
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

34. Reducing the number of apertures
• Novel optical designs able to accommodate multiple
wavebands or multiple fields of view
• Detector spectral response / functionality
– Wide band spectral response
– Agile detector response (avalanche gain, polarisation, colour)
EMRS DTC – Hydravision - BAES
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

35. Reducing the number of apertures
• Novel optical designs able to accommodate multiple
wavebands or multiple fields of view
• Detector spectral response / functionality
– Wide band spectral response
– Agile detector response (avalanche gain, polarisation, colour)
EMRS DTC – Hydravision - BAES
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

36. Reducing the number of apertures
• Novel optical designs able to accommodate multiple
wavebands or multiple fields of view
• Detector spectral response / functionality
• Multi-functionality at the read-out level
– Range measurement, laser spot tracker, passive/active
• Needs a combination of optical design, detector
developments and intelligent read-out circuitry
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

37. Stabilization constraints
• Integration time of the cameras sets the pointing
stabilisation requirement
– High frequency vibrations (MHz) are easily damped
– Low frequency (kHz) vibrations create the greatest problem
• Larger apertures increase the light gathering
– Decrease integration time
– More expensive!
• More sensitive detectors will have reduced integration
time
– On-chip amplification
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

38. Cryogenic cooling
• Cryogenic cooling for mid-wave cameras consumes
power and volume
• Recent advances in high operating temperature
(HOT) detector arrays are promising
– Cold shield is becoming an important limitation
– Need novel designs and materials for cold-shields
• Alternative detector approaches for example
– Type II super-lattice
– Barrier detector (nBn) detector structure
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

39. Challenge 2 - Multi-functionality at
the EO/IR system level
• Laser designation constrains
system multi-functionality
• Can we change the laser and
still provide:
– Target designation, range finding
and active imaging
• But offer other laser sensing
capabilities
• For example…
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED
EMRS DTC – Hydravision II – Airborne Technologies

40. For example, incoherent multifunctional capabilities such as:
• High bandwidth optical communications
– Accurate pointing and tracking, fast modulation
• Multi-band infrared countermeasures
– Multiple wavelengths, accurate pointing and tracking
• 3D ground mapping and obstacle avoidance
– Range measurement and rapid scanning
• Depth profiling for long-range target interrogation
• Active spectral sensing for material characterisation
– Tuneable laser source
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

41. For example, coherent multifunctional capabilities including:
• Stand-off vibrometry for characterisation of decoys,
engines etc
– Local oscillator, Pointing and tracking
• Wind sensing for calculation of projectile and
dispersion paths
• Gas sensing
– exploiting the narrow spectrum of coherent sources
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

42. Challenge 3 – Future concepts and
systems
• Non-mechanical beam and sight-line steering to
remove mechanical gimbal
• Lens-less or compact imaging approaches to reduce
the depth of the sensor
By U.S. Air Force/SSGT Lono Kollars, via Wikimedia Commons
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

43. Exploitation of emerging science
and technology
• Meta-materials and other sub-wavelength
phenomena
– Focussed on the infrared waveband where material options
suitable for optical systems are limited
By Hou-Tong Chen (Los Alamos National Laboratory) via Wikimedia Commons.
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

44. Exploitation of emerging science
and technology
• Meta-materials and other sub-wavelength
phenomena
• Novel approaches to imaging through turbulence
– Exploiting redundancy in large format array, eg light-field
cameras
– Dual-band sensors to measure low resolution template and
high resolution at shorter (disturbed) wavelength
– Adaptive sensors operating at high frame-rate over the area
of interest (lucky imaging)
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

45. Exploitation of emerging science
and technology
• Meta-materials and other sub-wavelength
phenomena
• Novel approaches to imaging through turbulence
• Compressive sensing techniques
– Rapid progress but for military applications
• Need to operate in poor conditions with low contrast
imagery
• Can’t wait a long time to collect imagery (>10 Hz)
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

46. Exploitation of emerging science
and technology
• Meta-materials and other sub-wavelength
phenomena
• Novel approaches to imaging through turbulence
• Compressing sensing techniques
• Spatial light modulators
– Liquid crystal on silicon (dynamic holography) for beam
steering and dynamic focussing.
– Micro-mechanical mirrors for compact optical designs.
– Digital holography for lens-free imaging
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

47. Summary
Three challenges that address increasingly difficult current
constraints on EO/IR systems:
• Challenge 1 – Improving functionality and performance
of existing systems
• Challenge 2 – Multi-functionality at the EO/IR system
level
• Challenge 3 – Future concepts and systems
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

48. Important dates
• Webinar Thursday 6 March 12:30-13:30
• Proposal must be submitted by 17:00 hrs on
Thursday 8 May using CDE Portal
– Mark proposals with “Novel EO/IR Technology + challenge
number 1, 2 or 3” in the title
• Contract placement to start mid-June 2014
• Phase I research projects complete 28 Feb 2015
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

49. Further information
• Total budget for the call up to £600k
• Expect to fund 8-10 projects of value £30-70k
• Approximately three projects per challenge
• Expect to move into phase II, taking forward the 3-4
best projects
• Technical queries – dstlsensors@dstl.gov.uk
• General CDE queries – cde@dstl.gov.uk
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED

50. Seeing more than before: emerging
imaging technologies
• Aligned Technology Strategy Board (TSB) call
• Feasibility studies in pre-industrial research
• Deadline for applications 2 April 2014
• Emerging imaging technologies
– Multi-spectral /hyper-spectral imaging
– LiDAR detector technology
– Image processing
– Broad waveband/novel optics
• Further info – www.innovateuk.org
26 February 2014
© Crown copyright 2014 Dstl
UNCLASSIFIED
Technology Strategy Board

51. What next?
Interface
Acorn
Networking Hub
Room 2
How to submit
Webinars