Department Optronics (OPT)
The Optronics Department develops and optimizes active and passive optronic systems and evaluates their performance by experiments as well as theoretical models.
We explore methods and create mathematical models for the design, evaluation and protection of innovative electro-optical sensors. With our laboratory evaluation systems and prototypes of novel detection methods we experiment with active and passive optronic sensors and sensor systems to evaluate their performance and possible applications. We use analytical and computational approaches to model the sensors and the imaging process. We also simulate thermal infrared (IR) scenarios to predict how the sensors will perform in different situations. In addition, we investigate, prepare and evaluate possibilities to protect the human eye and electro-optical sensors (visual and IR) to investigate how laser sources could threaten optronic systems.
Our TRM4 thermal domain model can calculate the performance of scanners and rigid thermal imaging devices and cameras using VIS, NIR, SWIR and thermal IR. TRM4 is valuable in both military and civil contexts and is continuously adapted to changing requirements. Our OSIS and TISIM models simulate static sensor images. They make it possible to replace high quality images with real scenes during the evaluation of an imaging device. Using advanced image processing the templates are degraded until the result is very close to the image the simulated device would show of the scene. The safety requirements for lasers such as high energy lasers (HEL) present a unique challenge - a challenge for which we have developed our dynamic water surface model IOSB_WOM. In order to estimate the hazard area of a HEL, the reflectivity of all objects in the investigated field must be known, including surfaces that are subject to statistical variations. IOSB_WOM allows the calculation of these values and has been validated in field tests on open water.