This work consists of two parts and describes an original portable Long-Wavelength Infrared Range (LWIR) camera, which was developed based on a commercial uncooled bolometric matrix and aided by few approaches, aimed at the image acquisition improvement. In the second part of our paper, we focused on numerical methods applied for compression of the dynamic range, enhancement of the image details, and suppression of image noises. These algorithms were implemented in a hardware using the Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and the high-speed double data rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM). In our opinion, the described camera is capable of solving numerous demanding problems of IR optics and biophotonics.
KEYWORDS: Long wavelength infrared, Cameras, Calibration, Sensors, Staring arrays, Video, Black bodies, Field programmable gate arrays, Analog electronics, Nonuniformity corrections
Nowadays, imaging and spectroscopy systems operating in the long-wavelength infrared range (LWIR) are rapidly developed and extensively applied in numerous demanding branches of science and technology. This pushes further developments into the realms of improving the sensitivity and performance of the LWIR systems, as well as reducing their dimensions and cost. Among modern LWIR technologies, uncooled shutterless bolometric matrices form a favorable platform for addressing these challenging problems, being technologically reliable, compact, and cost-effective. Nevertheless, such detectors features high noises and require real-time digital signal processing. In this work, we developed a portable LWIR camera, which relies on a commercial uncooled bolometric matrix, and proposed few approaches aimed at the image acquisition improvement. We described algorithms for image calibration, compression of a dynamic range, and suppression of noises. This algorithms were implemented experimentally in a processing module relying on the Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and the highspeed double data rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM). The developed LWIR camera holds strong potential in such applications, as non-destructive sensing and medical imaging.
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