CHELMSFORD, Mass., 15 April 2011. Mercury Computer Systems Inc., an ISR subsystems provider, is providing a SWaP-optimized hyperspectral image processing and storage subsystem for use in multi-INT wide area surveillance equipment on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The subsystem will locate individual adversaries and enemy tactical communications. The system’s design combines two configurations of Mercury’sPowerBlock 15 ultra-compact embedded computers with Intel Core i7 processing speed and FPGA capabilities to deliver a real-time sensor interface in an ultra-small form factor.

“Mercury’s expertise in developing ultra-compact, SWaP-optimized distributed computing platforms with exceptional processing power is an ideal match for the challenges faced by this prime contractor in delivering state-of-the-art surveillance systems for space-constrained environments,” explains Didier Thibaud, senior vice president and general manager of Mercury Computer Systems’ Advanced Computing Solutions business unit.

The hyperspectral image processing system designed by Mercury engineers includes two configurations of its PowerBlock 15 ultra-compact embedded computers: one for storage and one for image processing. The system will perform fast, high-quality hyperspectral imaging by collecting and processing information from across the electromagnetic spectrum.

The PowerBlock 15 units installed on board each platform communicate with each other and operate as a distributed computing system to maximize performance and minimize power consumption. The PowerBlock 15 units, having a chassis roughly the size of a disk drive, can be tucked into tight spaces as well as distributed and interconnected in multiple locations across deployed platforms, such as tactical UAVs and manned ground vehicles.