Multispectral Detector Array Technology

Abstract

Abstract : A sensor is a device used to sense or measure physical phenomena. Thus, sensors may detect electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, tactile, or acoustic signatures of an object or scene. Objects that may be difficult to discriminate using a single sensor are often differentiated with a multiple sensor system that exploits several signature phenomena. The application of multiple sensors (and the fusion of their data) offers numerous potential performance benefits over traditional single sensor approaches. In our application, which is infrared target discrimination, employing multiple sensors, which respond to different signatures, increases the probability that a target signature will be found against a given set of weather, clutter or background noise sources. A multiple sensor system, in other words, diminishes ambiguity and uncertainty in the measured information by reducing the set of hypotheses about the target or event. Multiple sensors may also be used to reduce the vulnerability to false conclusions drawn from data of a single sensor. For instance, missiles may carry multiple sensors to better guarantee a hit or a radar can use multiple sensors to counter-jam incoming missiles.