LAMBDA METRICS LLC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: S4

Description

<p>We propose to investigate two new sensing modalities comprising the Multimodal Agile Ranging and Velocimetry INstrument (MARVIN) using a novel acousto-optic Structured Light Imaging Module (SLIM) previously developed under the NASA PIDDP program for planetary rover navigation and geomorphology.</p><p>Based on an acousto-optic illumination engine, SLIM consumes only 10-20W of power, weighs less than a kilogram, could fit in a shirt pocket, and uses space-proven components without moving parts to rapidly generate and precisely control laser illumination patterns.</p><p>Through modifications of SLIM hardware and algorithms, MARVIN enables triangulation-based wide-field active 3D imaging of nearby scenes with mm-scale resolution at distances up to 10m even in the presence of full sunlight, as well as multi-beam time-of-flight (ToF) cm-resolution ranging and Doppler velocimetry at distances of hundreds of meters, or potentially even further. &nbsp;MARVIN can switch between the two modes simply by moving a lens.</p><p>MARVIN computes each range point in parallel and independently, is robust across a wide range of ambient lighting and albedos, and is computationally simple, increasing rover autonomy day and night, and eliminating traverse and science operation down-times due to uplinks and heavy computation required by stereo vision. &nbsp;MARVIN can be used as a faster, more robust, high-precision primary range sensor for landed or close-proximity robotic exploration of planets and small bodies including Mars, Ocean Worlds, asteroids, comets, and planetary moons.</p><p>The proposed effort includes further feasibility and commercialization studies, algorithm development, noise and performance analysis, and a basic proof-of-concept lab demonstration&nbsp;of MARVIN in the near-infrared. We will also evaluate the use of telecom-wavelength sources and detectors to further improve MARVIN SNR for operation in sunlight and on icy bodies such as Europa. &nbsp;We believe the proposed effort will advance MARVIN from TRL2 to TRL3.</p>