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Posted May 21st, 2007 by adminNASA Tech Briefs INSIDER 05/21/2007
Infrared Night Vision Expands What Drivers Can “See”
Seven years ago, General Motors (GM) became the first automaker to bring the safety benefits of extended night vision to drivers. GM’s Night Vision system is based on thermal imaging, and creates pictures based on heat energy emitted by objects in the viewed scene. A refractive optical lens system gathers infrared energy, and a camera mounted on the car’s grille views the road ahead through an infrared-transparent window that measures about 3” in diameter.
Behind the window, refractive optics focus the infrared energy on a detector. Information from the detector is passed on to sensor electronics that translate the data into a monochromatic image. The image is projected by a head-up display (HUD) that lets drivers keep their eyes on the road. (Page 8a)
Look for this story in the June issue of Imaging Technology. Read previous published application stories here.
