January 3, 2006, Tempe, AZ--The U.S. Department of Homeland Security for Border Patrol has awarded Nivisys Industries a production contract for thermal-imaging systems. The Department of Homeland Security chose the company's lightweight thermal-acquisition monocular, which contains a low-power, high-resolution organic light-emitting-diode (OLED) microdisplay from eMagin Corporation (Bellevue, WA).
The monocular has properties well-suited to extended use on night patrols, including instant startup, ruggedness, low power consumption, and crisp imaging regardless of ambient temperature, noted Byron Harding, president of Nivisys.
The monocular delivers IR imagery continuously for up to six hours on two standard lithium batteries. It can be quickly adapted to head gear, helmets, weapons, video output, extender lenses, and other equipment. The basic system delivers 1.5X magnification over a 17-degree field of view. Other components include a 0.5X lens for a wide field of view, a 3X lens, and a 3X lens extender. The imager is available in configurations that enable the user to assign temperature colors and provide standard NTSC video output for surveillance applications.
"As with other military programs such as the U.S. Army's Land Warrior and Mounted Warrior, performance comparisons with legacy display technologies underscore the superiority of OLED microdisplays for thermal imaging and situational awareness," said Susan Jones, eMagin's executive vice president and chief marketing officer.