Simulation and Comparison of Infra-red Sensors for Automotive Applications
Abstract
This paper presents a simulation and comparison of two different infrared (IR) imaging systems in terms of their use in automotive collision avoidance and vision enhancement applications. The first half of this study concerns the simulations of a "cooled" shortwave focal plane array infrared imaging system, arid an "uncooled" focal plane array infrared imaging system. That is done using the United States Army's Tank-Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center's (TARDEC) Thermal Image Model - (TTlM). Visual images of automobiles as seen through a forward looking infrared sensor are generated, by using TrIM, under a variety of viewing range, and rain conditions. The second half of the study focuses on a comparison between the two simulated sensors. This comparison is undertaken from the standpoint of the ability of a human observer to detect potential (collision) targets, when looking through the two different sensors A measure of the target's detectability is derived for each sensor by using the TARDEC's Visual Model (TVM). The authors found the uncooled pyroelectric FPA to give excellent imagery and, combined with the advantages of the 7.5-13.5 band in the atmosphere and the higher blackbody existance in the 7.5-13.5 band, the 7.5-13.5 uncooled sensor is therefore the better choice for imaging through numerous atmospheric conditions compared to the 3.4-5.5 cooled sensor.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 19, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA479631
Entities
People
- Euijung Sohn
- Grant R. Gerhart
- Robert E. Karlsen
- Sridhar Lakshmanan
- Thomas J. Meitzler
Organizations
- Tank-automotive and Armaments Command