Fitchburg, MA -- In expanding the military and defense arsenal for chemical imaging, Headwall Photonics announced the availability of the High Efficiency Hyperspec imaging sensor for airborne spectral sensing missions that require significantly higher levels of imaging performance than previously available. By modifying the company's space satellite imaging instruments, Headwall has developed a new class of extremely powerful and cost-effective hyperspectral sensors for the SWIR, NIR, and Extended VNIR spectral regions.
The High Efficiency Hyperspec imaging sensor has already been successfully deployed by a number of military/defense agencies and prime integrators. The goal achieved by Headwall was to develop a much more cost-effective hyperspectral sensor solution than the current multi-million dollar airborne platforms offered by larger prime defense contractors and also improve the imaging performance and capabilities. "Innovative, deployable hyperspectral technology is the reason why the defense community looks to Headwall for imaging sensors" stated David Bannon, CEO of Headwall Photonics, "we have focused our research and development on a platform of robust hyperspectral sensors that can be easily deployed and used by a wider number of military personnel". Reducing the cost of hyperspectral sensors for the military was a key driver for this Hyperspec product. Available as a COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) product, the High Efficiency Hyperspec can be utilized for program deployment in volume on UAVs, piloted aircraft, and satellites.
Benefits of the High Efficiency Hyperspec sensor include imaging performance (optical throughput, spectral and spatial resolution), flight path efficiency, and athermalized design—all critical attributes for airborne missions. The Hyperspec platform is based on Headwall's patented, aberration-corrected, concentric sensor design. With peak optical throughput greater than 90%, the High Efficiency Hyperspec surpasses all other hyperspectral sensors.
Available spectral ranges for the High Efficiency Hyperspec sensor are:
Near Infrared (NIR) 900–1700 nm
Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) 900–2500 nm
Extended VNIR (E-VNIR) 550–1700 nm
About Headwall Photonics, Inc.
As a Massachusetts high technology manufacturer, Fitchburg-based Headwall Photonics is a world leader in the design and manufacture of optical instrumentation for military & defense, remote sensing, process monitoring & control, as well as non- invasive imaging technology for life sciences/biotechnology applications. Headwall's high performance spectrometers, spectral engines, and holographic diffraction gratings have been selected by OEM and end-user customers around the world for use in critical application environments. As a pioneer in the development of innovative spectrographs and imaging spectrometers based on optical technologies, Headwall enjoys a market leadership position through the design and manufacture of patented spectral instrumentation that is customized for application-specific performance. Headwall Photonics was formed in 2003 as the result of a management buy-out from Agilent Technologies.