Wide-area infrared imagining with computational pixel imagers

Copious Imaging is commercializing a digital-readout integrated circuit (DROIC) technology that not only digitizes, but also performs computations on the signal at each pixel. When the DROIC is mated to a photodiode detector array, the device forms a Computational Pixel Imager (CPI). The technology was in development for many years at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and now also at Copious Imaging for new application areas. CPI technology is fundamental to the operation of WISP – the Wide-Area Infrared System with Persistence. WISP is a 500-Mpix longwave infrared (LWIR) motion imaging sensor that produces imagery covering the complete surroundings, more than 2π steradians, every 2 seconds. WISP utilizes a fast scanner to cover the scene quickly. The WISP sensor is coupled with a real-time processing system that stiches the scene together from scanned swaths, performs a non-uniformity compensation, stabilizes the imagery to sub-pixel accuracy, detects motion, and tracks all moving objects of interest. The system has machine learning built-in to aid in identifying objects of interest while ignoring clutter. WISP is in use for many applications and in development for several more. We are currently evaluating WISP for use in screening for fevers.