PHYSICAL SCIENCES INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N221-016

Description

Physical Sciences, Inc. (PSI) will develop a metasurface optic, midwave infrared hostile fire indicator (MO-MWIR-HSI) featuring on-board, real-time detection and geolocation via spatial localization in concert with a novel, 1-dimensional convolutional neural network automated target recognition (ATR) algorithm.  The approach simultaneously captures snapshot, MWIR hyperspectral images of up to 100s of events from an ultra-compact (< 5 lb) sensor package compatible with Group 1 unmanned air vehicles (UAV) such as the Teledyne FLIR R80D SkyRaider.  The MO-MWIR-HFI data product will enable rapid discrimination of HF events from typical confusers at a 60 Hz update rate with nominal angular resolution better than 2.5 mrad and geolocation better than ± 1 m. The proposed effort will refine a system performance model that will be validated through the build and test of a breadboard MWIR-HFI in concert with a prototype ATR algorithm.  The model and results will be used to develop requirements and a conceptual design for a prototype MO-MWIR-HFI to be built and demonstrated in Phase II.