Bodkin Design to develop polarimetric sensor for Navy
Newton, MA--Bodkin Design & Engineering LLC has been awarded a $750,000 Phase II SBIR contract from the US Navy for development of a compact polarimetric imager for infrared (IR) and visible wavelengths. The polarimeter will aid in the detection of targets from airborne and ground based surveillance.
The polarimetric sensor is a passive device able to cut through cluttered environments to identify and locate military targets in real-time by exploiting the polarization properties of various targets and backgrounds. According to the company, its design provides an extremely compact device without cumbersome optics or specially fabricated focal planes.
The company says that the Department of Defense (DOD) has invested significantly in improving target detection and discrimination. As a leader in this area, Bodkin Design & Engineering has developed hyperspectral, multi-band and infrared imagers to assist the military in this task. Adding polarimetric capability to its family of image sensors, will enable Bodkin Design & Engineering to improve the warfighters' capability.
In this Phase II stage of the project BD&E will develop a prototype of the low cost, compact polarimetric sensor for the visible, midwave and longwave IR bands. Demonstration will be conducted in both the laboratory and field tests.
This twenty-four month project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation's small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government's research and development efforts.
To learn more, visit www.bodkindesign.com.
About the Author
Stephen G. Anderson
Director, Industry Development - SPIE
Stephen Anderson is a photonics industry expert with an international background and has been actively involved with lasers and photonics for more than 30 years. As Director, Industry Development at SPIE – The international society for optics and photonics – he is responsible for tracking the photonics industry markets and technology to help define long-term strategy, while also facilitating development of SPIE’s industry activities. Before joining SPIE, Anderson was Associate Publisher and Editor in Chief of Laser Focus World and chaired the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar. Anderson also co-founded the BioOptics World brand. Anderson holds a chemistry degree from the University of York and an Executive MBA from Golden Gate University.