EAGLEVILLE, Pa. – Electro-optics specialist Clear Align LLC in Eagleville, Pa., is introducing the VZ 1200 series of medium-wave infrared (MWIR) multimodal wide area surveillance systems for long-range persistent-surveillance applications like perimeter security and border control.
These next-generation thermal or cooled MWIR cameras are for day or nighttime wide-area surveillance, and offer 26 to 42 percent longer range than their nearest competitors, based on testing conducted on 12-to-40-mile ranges in several countries, company officials say.
Performance enhancements of these electro-optical sensors are based on advances in MWIR camera design and image processing. Thermal imagers incorporated technical advances in material science for mid-wave infrared, high transmission optical coatings, optical component fabrication precision, and mechanical design.
Detection, recognition, and identification at long ranges provide additional time to assess, decide, and act on threats such as people, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), land vehicles, and boats.
Related: Long-range MWIR zoom lens for surveillance and intelligence introduced by Clear Align
Clear Align customers evaluated the cameras in the visible and MWIR spectra to human and vehicle targets. The evaluation of multimode surveillance systems for day and night imaging demonstrated an increase in target recognition ranges of 26 percent, on average, in side-by-side competition on measured ranges, when compared to five tier-one competitors.
Sensitivity improvements in the mid-wave infrared sensors outperformed the competition with data supporting up to 42 percent longer ranges without increasing camera size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C).
The VZ 1200 MWIR long-range camera system integrates a 1200-millimeter MWIR spectral range camera monitoring electrical transmission towers as far out as 38 miles. Also available for performance imagery are systems with 900- and 600-millimeter standard and high-definition cooled MWIR sensor technology.
MWIR camera or thermal camera sensors include either standard 640-by-512-pixel indium antimonide detectors or premium high-definition 1280-by-1024-pixel indium antimonide detectors.
The cameras offer integrated artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning that enable multimodal sensor systems automation to detect and recognize crewed and unmanned aircraft, land vehicles, people, and even weapons.
The Clear Align embedded processing architecture enables deployments either at the edge, or centralized processing at an operations center. Also provided is networking technology to link the Clear Align systems for automated command and control, target handoff, and local communications between users and the sensor suite.
This handoff can be done sensor-to-sensor and sensor to the user, whether they are deployed in the field, at the operations center, or at higher-level command centers.
The Clear Align integrated sensor systems implement a modular open system architecture (MOSA) to alleviate long-term electronic component obsolescence or COVID-era electronics shortages and supply chain disruptions.
MOSA design also enables software upgrades to maintain performance long term. The Clear Align open-systems architecture is upgradable, scalable, and designed to manage obsolescence.
The VZ 1200 series of MWIR camera systems provide 100,000 hours of electromechanical reliability when deployed in harsh environments such as arctic cold, and can deploy in temperatures from -32 to 65 degrees Celsius.
These cameras can incorporate radar, infrared cameras, daytime cameras, laser rangefinders, and other sensor technologies on mobile and stationary towers.
For more information contact Clear Align at https://clearalign.com.
