Visual Irradiance Programmable Enhanced Range & Resolution Camera (VIPER2) Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Topic No.: N103-217 Topic Title: Visual Irradiance Programmable Enhanced Range & Resolution Camera (VIPER2) Proposal No.: N103-217-0531 Firm: Coherent Logix, Incorporated 1120 South Capital of Texas Highway Building 3, Suite 310 Austin, Texas 78746-2932 Contact: Martin Hunt Phone: (512) 826-2583 Web Site: www.coherentlogix.com Abstract: Coherent Logix, Incorporated proposes the development of a VIPER2 color camera system that will be capable of generating high definition (HD) level resolution and high dynamic range video imagery by combining the large dynamic range Fairchild sCMOS sensor, High Dynamic Range image fusion algorithm, and the massively parallel, high performance embedded HyperX computing architecture. This combination of hardware and software algorithms will result in a camera system with 120 dB of dynamic range, extreme low light sensitivity, and a broad spectral response. The base hardware platform for VIPER2 will be the SAFER camera currently being developed on another DoD program and this proposal leverages the close integration of the sCMOS sensor and the HyperX computing fabric. Close coupling of the compute function with the sensor enables a high bandwidth data flow path without excessive cabling, low latency and piplelined data flow with per frame feedback to sensor acquisition parameters, and the ability to run analysis and encoding at the point where the full depth of information is available. In addition the VIPER2 camera will be software reconfigurable and programmed using industry standard ANSI C and Message Passing Interface parallel processing protocol. Benefits: High Dynamic Range imaging as proposed herein addresses the unique challenges of visible wavelength scene sensing where the illumination can vary over a range 6 orders of magnitude. Information needed for accurate Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance can be obtained at a higher resolution and radiometric fidelity than is currently possible. Using a high performance parallel computing fabric that is software programmable facilitates algorithm and mission upgrades in the field without hardware changes. Additionally, by leveraging the ongoing development of an embedded smart camera the SWaP constraints that are demanded by many DoD applications are already being addressed. The commercial applications that are envisioned for this HDR camera include unmanned ground and air vehicles, unattended ground sensors, security cameras for stationary and mobile environments, and automobile applications. Return