Irvine Sensors Vision Systems Scores DARPA Contract for Thermal Imager

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded the Vision Systems unit of the Advanced Technology Division of Irvine Sensors Corp. (Costa Mesa, CA) a $756,000 follow-on R&D contract for thermal imaging. The company will develop an infrared night vision camera weighing less than 1 lb and able to operate for days using AA batteries. The camera will use industry standard data formats so that it will be applicable to both military and commercial applications.

The camera will incorporate the company's chip stacking technologies and solid-state memories in a low-power architecture that will operate over a broad temperature range without coolers or other thermal stabilization. According to the company, this will allow the camera to operate in an instant-on mode rather than requiring temperature stabilization. This mode will also permit thermal still photography, a capability not available with stabilized thermal cameras.

Vision Systems is focused on the development of compact, economical, low power cameras. In addition to the long wavelength system described above, the company is working on visible and near visible (0.8 to 1.7 µm) devices.

Edited by Kristin Lewotsky, Photonics Online