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.