Use of a miniature infrared COTS sensor in a several military applications

Abstract

The proliferation of small infrared cameras in high-volume commercial applications (e.g. firefighting, law-enforcement, and automotive) presents a tremendous opportunity for truly low-cost military micro-sensors. Indigo Systems Corporation's UL3 Omega™ camera is a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) thermal imager that offers ultra-small size (3.5 in 3 ), light weight (102g), and low power (< 1.3 W). It employs a 164x120 microbolometer focal plane array (FPA) and is currently entering full-scale production. Furthermore, a 324x240 upgrade is in development. While aimed primarily at the commercial market, small size and low-power consumption make UL3 well-suited for other applications, including miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) weapon-sights, and unattended ground sensors (UGS). This paper focuses on the key features of the UL3 family of miniature IR cameras and their utility in soldier systems.

Thermoelastic Stress Analysis - Emerging Opportunities in Structural Health Monitoring

“…As a result, these detectors have had a profoundly different development trajectory with miniaturisation, ruggedisation and low-cost production all part of a strong and continuing trend. This trend has significant implications for TSA, which were first recognised by the authors in 2002 with the market arrival of the Indigo Omega [7], a microbolometer not much larger than a matchbox 2 . For those well acquainted with photon detectors this device was nothing short of remarkable.…”

Thermal sensors for performance evaluation of protective clothing against heat and fire: a review

“…[7][8][9][10] Since 1821, thermal sensors have been extensively developed and used for a variety of industrial requirements: steel manufacturing, gas appliance safety, electrical and mechanical apparatus manufacturing, car manufacturing, power production, thermoelectric cooling, and chemical (oil, gas) processing. [11][12][13] From the middle of the 20th century, the application of these sensors gained popularity in the textiles and clothing industry; notably, these sensors have been successfully employed to evaluate the thermal protective performance (TPP) of firefighters'/industrial-workers' clothing. [14][15][16][17] Statistics shows that more than 75,000 on-duty firefighter/industrial-worker burn injuries and fatalities occur every year in the USA, and these injuries are prevalent due to the inadequate performance of their protective clothing.…”