Guardian Targeting Hyperspectral Services For Satellite Reconnaissance

SPACEWAR

Hyperspectral imaging, here, is used for mineral exploration near Cuprite, Nevada. The left image shows the area mapped as rendered in a near natural color version; the center image utilizes narrow bands that are at wavelengths in which certain minerals reflect energy related to vibrational absorption modes of excitation; in the right image, modes are electronic absorption. Shown here without the mineral identification key, the reds, yellows, purples, greens, etc. all relate to specific minerals. Credit: NASA.

Herndon VA (SPX) Feb 03, 2005
Guardian Technologies International, an innovative developer of intelligent imaging informatics technologies for homeland security threat detection applications, healthcare disease detection and radiology information systems, is leveraging the unique information extraction and identification processes of its PinPoint image identification technology to develop applications that will automatically detect specific objects and anomalies within hyperspectral images (HSI).

Hyperspectral imaging is a relatively recent advance in remote sensing that involves using an opto-electrical system that measures reflected solar irradiance to acquire images at multiple electromagnetic wavelengths simultaneously.

The spectral information in an HSI image, rather than the picture seen by the human eye, is what makes it unique and allows for more accurate identification of materials. The wavelength data creates a "signature" of the materials within the image.

With each pixel containing multiple - even hundreds - of wavelengths, it is possible to analyze the wavelengths to remotely detect and identify multiple materials by their spectral signature within a single pixel.

HSI has the potential to transform numerous industries, such as military reconnaissance and support; law enforcement; agriculture, environmental monitoring and restoration; and oil and gas exploration. However, hyperspectral imaging's huge quantities of spectral information have typically been difficult, time-consuming and often cost-prohibitive to process and analyze.

"We believe Guardian's PinPoint technology can dramatically reduce the analysis time for hyperspectral images and make it a viable option for a broader number of government, military and business applications," said Michael Trudnak, CEO of Guardian Technologies.

"PinPoint has the potential to cut the typical 2-3 days of an experienced analyst's time to process a typical data set down to mere minutes or seconds of automated processing. With processed information immediately available, it expedites critical decision-making processes and enables many more time-sensitive uses for the data. The ramifications for this technology are huge for a multitude of military and commercial purposes."

Many entities are adopting hyperspectral imaging for analyzing and identifying objects through aerial and satellite reconnaissance because it provide specific spectral information about the material composition of objects while avoiding the costly data gathering, storage and transmission requirements inherent with very high spatial resolution images.

Hyperspectral imaging data analysis can support a diverse range of commercial, government, military and scientific operations. There is enormous potential for camouflaged weapons movement detection, military forces identification, chemical detection/identification, illegal drug crop production and processing detection, creating geologic and soil maps, monitoring vegetation changes and thousands of additional applications.

Guardian's Chief Scientist Tom Ramsay noted, "In combination with existing hyperspectral methodologies, Guardian's research and development of PinPoint has shown that it may be a possible solution where the task is to search and locate targets that are generally unknown; generally small in the image (possibly sub-pixel in size because of camouflage), have a low probability of occurring in a scene, and generally can not be identified from prior knowledge or training of the software."

PinPoint's characteristics that make it so effective for threat detection in baggage appear to give it similar advantages over other hyperspectral analysis solutions. Some of these advantages include:

1. PinPoint incorporates a sub-pixel analysis schema that requires only two spectral samplings to find specific items and distinguish them from all other possible combinations of materials. Additional spectral depth greatly increases PinPoint's discriminatory capabilities.

2. PinPoint is capable of detecting very small traces of a material even when other objects obscure it.

3. PinPoint's process does not rely on an object's shape, size, position, scale, rotation, perspective or original statistical image, thus reducing the amount of computing time and overhead required to analyze an image.

SPACEWAR

Air Force Lab Exercises Option For X-band Thin Radar Aperture Contract

El Segundo CA (SPX) Jan 27, 2005
Raytheon Company's option to proceed with its X-band thin radar aperture (XTRA) contract has been exercised, allowing the company to produce the next generation radar antenna technology for the J-UCAS (Joint Unmanned Air Combat System) that could revolutionize manned and unmanned combat systems. The AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory) exercised the option following the proof of concept phase of the contract that was issued in April 2004.

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