CIRCLE OPTICS INC — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: AFX20D-TCSO1

Description

Circle Optics has developed a low-parallax image capture technology via a device with multiple adjacent cameras built into an overall spherical or hemispherical form.  The camera lenses are designed to provide imaging with low residual parallax errors at the edges of the captured FOV. The opto-mechanical design then supports assembly of the multiple polygonal shaped cameras, in close proximity to each other, to provide an entire device.  As a result of the reduced parallax, this technology enables seamless image capture of real time panoramic images with little or no image stitching burden. This technology can be used for numerous imaging applications, including for security, surveillance, mapping, and entertainment. With respect to the present SBIR / STTR proposal, the Phase I research will target the development of improved exposure and color correction algorithms to support improved image tiling, and thus further reduce the image processing burden. Thus, this technology can support other real time functionality, including Artificial Intelligence based analysis of the image data. While Circle Optics and Lockheed Martin are considering numerous defense applications for this technology, for Agility Prime, our customer discovery activities would be directed at real time sensing for enhanced safety for flying vehicles.