360-deg. FLIR imager for networkable unattended ground sensor (UGS)

Abstract

An uncooled bolometric FLIR UGS camera is proposed that provides a full 360° FOV. This camera makes use of a 160x120 pixel bolometric FPA which is operated in random access readout mode and a ground-breaking optics forming image in all directions without moving parts, allowing such imaging with no increase in power consumption with respect to a camera with a unidirectional FOV. This novel IR imaging optics can be further equipped with a supplementary objective to provide passive observation of the sky or another fixed direction. The 360° FOV objective is expected to have f/1, to show an MTF value greater than 50% at the FPA Nyquist frequency, and to yield a thermal resolution better than 100 mK.