The present disclosure relates to a tracking system for tracking the position and orientation of an object in an environment, the tracking system including: (a) a tracking base positioned in the environment; (b) a tracking target mountable to the object, wherein in use the tracking base is linked to the tracking target by: (i) a bidirectional light beam transmitted therebetween; and, (ii) a unidirectional light beam transmitted therebetween, said unidirectional light beam parallel to the bidirectional light beam; and, (c) at least one controller configured to determine a roll angle of the tracking target relative to the tracking base, the roll angle determined at least in part by signals received from a sensor housed in at least one of the tracking base and the tracking target that detects the unidirectional light beam.

Systems and methods for pointing photovoltaic arrays for optimal power generation. One or more methods among a plurality of methods for pointing an array may be used by a spacecraft control system to point the array. Example methods to use to point the photovoltaic array relate to analyzing current output, analyzing image data, and analyzing computational knowledge of reflective bodies or light sources. The spacecraft may be further controlled to reduce shadow by re-orienting, receiving light reflected off spacecraft, and orienting a photovoltaic array relative to incoming light sources based on topographic properties of the array such as cell grooves.

The method, implemented within a mission system that comprises an electro-optical camera which generates video images, detects movable/moving objects, and tracks a target object; and a radar sensor which generates signals and detects blips, consists of: acquiring a video image provided by the camera and blips provided by the radar sensor at the time instant of generation of the acquired video image; converting the geographic position of each acquired blip, expressed in a first reference frame associated with the radar sensor, into a geographic position expressed in a second reference frame associated with a camera pointing direction of the electro-optical camera at the time instant of generation of the video image; and correcting the geographic position of each blip in the second reference frame, according to the characteristic features of the camera, in a manner such as to obtain a position in the image.

A portable optical ground station can track a satellite with an amateur telescope mounted on a two-axis gimbal. The telescope is aligned with respect to an inertial, Earth-fixed frame using a wide field of view star camera. Star cameras are accurate to the arcsecond level and have the advantage of providing orientation with a single measurement. Using multiple star sensor measurements at different gimbal angles, it is possible to calculate the alignment of the gimbals in the Earth-fixed frame and the alignment of the star sensor in the gimbal frame. Once the alignment is obtained, satellite tracking can be achieved with a known orbit and precise Earth rotation model, such as the International Earth Rotation and Reference System Service (IERS). This alignment procedure can be carried out in less than one hour, making it practical to move and deploy the portable ground station.

A portable optical ground station can track a satellite with an amateur telescope mounted on a two-axis gimbal. The telescope is aligned with respect to an inertial, Earth-fixed frame using a wide field of view star camera. Star cameras are accurate to the arcsecond level and have the advantage of providing orientation with a single measurement. Using multiple star sensor measurements at different gimbal angles, it is possible to calculate the alignment of the gimbals in the Earth-fixed frame and the alignment of the star sensor in the gimbal frame. Once the alignment is obtained, satellite tracking can be achieved with a known orbit and precise Earth rotation model, such as the International Earth Rotation and Reference System Service (IERS). This alignment procedure can be carried out in less than one hour, making it practical to move and deploy the portable ground station.

Disclosed is a system and method for generating a model of the geometric relationships between various audio sources recorded by a multi-camera system. The spatial audio scene module associates source signals, extracted from recorded audio, of audio sources to visual objects identified in videos recorded by one or more cameras. This association may be based on estimated positions of the audio sources based on relative signal gains and delays of the source signal received at each microphone. The estimated positions of audio sources are tracked indirectly by tracking the associated visual objects with computer vision. A virtual microphone module may receive a position for a virtual microphone and synthesize a signal corresponding to the virtual microphone position based on the estimated positions of the audio sources.

Apparatus and related methods are provided for evaluating effectiveness of a visual augmentation system (VAS), such as night vision goggles (NVGs). The apparatus and methods illustratively measure the response time of the visual augmentation system (VAS) as a function of targeting detection, engagement, and scan angle.

Apparatus and related methods are provided for evaluating effectiveness of a visual augmentation system (VAS), such as night vision goggles (NVGs). The apparatus and methods illustratively measure the response time of the visual augmentation system (VAS) as a function of targeting detection, engagement, and scan angle.

Systems and methods facilitate autonomous image capture and/or picture production. A location unit is attached to each tracked object. An object tracking device receives location information from each location unit. A camera control device controls, based upon the location information, at least one motorized camera to capture image data of at least one tracked object.

The present invention describes a method for tracking a solar generator having a plurality of solar modules to the sun, wherein at least one electric output quantity of part of the solar module of the solar generator is detected and a tracker, on which the solar generator is mounted, is controlled such that the detected electric output quantity has a predetermined value. Further, a control for a solar plant and a solar plant having such a control are described.