A method for detecting an ice on a road surface includes: providing a spectral imaging camera; recording a first reflectance (R1) of the surface at 0.545 to 0.565 μm using the spectral imaging camera; recording a second reflectance (R2) of the surface at 0.620 to 0.670 μm using the spectral imaging camera; recording a third reflectance (R3) of the surface at 0.841 to 0.876 μm using the spectral imaging camera; calculating an ice index based on the first reflectance, the second reflectance, and the third reflectance; providing a thermometer; recording a surface temperature of the surface using the thermometer; and detecting a presence of the ice on the surface based on the ice index and the surface temperature. A system for detecting an ice on a surface is also disclosed.

Object: To provide a remote substance identification device that can identify an unidentified substance, such as a harmful substance, from a remote location. Solution: Provided are a remote substance identification device and method, the device comprising a laser device 10 that emits a laser beam to an irradiated space; a wavelength conversion device 20 that converts a wavelength of the laser beam emitted from the laser device into a plurality of different wavelengths and that emits laser beams of the different wavelengths to the irradiated space; a light collecting-detecting device 30, 40, 50 that collects and detects resonance Raman-scattered light generated from an irradiated object due to resonance Raman scattering; and a processor 60 that identifies the irradiated object on the basis of a result detected by the collecting-detecting device 30, 40, 50.

Systems and methods disclosed herein, in accordance with one or more embodiments provide for imaging gas in a scene, the scene having a background and a possible occurrence of gas. In one embodiment, a method and a system adapted to perform the method includes: controlling a thermal imaging system to capture a gas IR image representing the temperature of a gas and a background IR image representing the temperature of a background based on a predetermined absorption spectrum of the gas, on an estimated gas temperature and on an estimated background temperature; and generating a gas-absorption-path-length image, representing the length of the path of radiation from the background through the gas, based on the gas image and the background IR image. The system and method may include generating a gas visualization image based on the gas-absorption-path-length image to display an output image visualizing a gas occurrence in the scene.

An instrument and method for analyzing a gas leak. The instrument can obtain a time series of spectra from a scene. The instrument can compare spectra from different times to determine a property of a gas cloud within the scene. The instrument can estimate the column density of the gas cloud at one or more locations within the scene. The instrument can estimate the total quantity of gas in the cloud. The instrument can estimate the amount of gas which has left the field of view of the instrument. The instrument can also estimate the amount of gas in the cloud which has dropped below the sensitivity limit of the instrument.

A display apparatus includes a display screen, and a controller that causes the display screen to display a composite image in which a first image acquired by imaging a space by a camera and a second image representing at least one type of aerosol existing in the space are combined. The position of the at least one type of aerosol as seen in a depth direction in the first image is reflected in the second image.

An approach to remotely and noninvasively detect and evaluate the response of a plant or plant population to a man-made or natural treatment regime (e.g., herbicide, fungicide or fertilizer treatment) via spectral imaging methods and systems comprising the capture of a plurality of spectral images for a common plant scene, each associated with a selected wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum, the formulation of an index function from the spectral information indicative of the plant response over time, and the assessment of mathematical parameters quantifying the time-varying plant response to the treatment regime. The plant response to a treatment regime may be quantified in illustrative embodiments in a fraction of the time previously required by many conventional approaches. Applying varying herbicide dosages to segments of the same plant population enables easy determination of a dose-response curve.

A remote detection apparatus to detect an oil pollutant comprises a light emitting module, an optical receiving device including a first lens, a band-pass filter, at least two second lenses and at least an optical fiber configured to receiving a reflected beam, a detector module, and a micro-controller. The apparatus further comprises a house including an optical window configured to protect the light emitting module, the optical receiving device, the detector module, and the micro-controller from harsh environmental conditions.

Hardware and control software for use in the field of digital imaging and spectroscopy. More particularly, a hardware and software system that simultaneously measures electromagnetic energy as quantities of photons in distinct wavelength regions across the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectrum. The system records the measurements as digital data and employs a processor (preferably a programmable processor) that executes processing steps to enhance the spatial and spectral fidelity of the recorded signals. More specifically, the electro-optical sensor hardware is engineered to maximize the light collection efficiency, especially for low light intensities, by using multiple detectors, each of which is optimized individually to maximize its sensitivity to specific wavelength regions of interest. The detector system also employs a variable amplification process that is dependent on the signal intensity so that low signals can be increased for better detection while high signals are amplified less to stay within the dynamic range of the optical sensor that is used to convert the analog signal to a digital value. Solutions to existing problems of low light detection are provided as are new capabilities for data collection and analysis in previously undetectable low signal regimes. The systems and methods are applicable to a broad array of imaging applications in diverse fields from biomedical imaging to astronomy and remote sensing.

A method and system for imaging thermodynamic phase of clouds includes obtaining a spatially-resolved polarimetric image of a region of the sky containing a cloud using a multipixel image sensor having multiple channels corresponding to different wavelength bands, determining a value of the Stokes S.sub.1 polarization parameter of incident light on each pixel corresponding to a portion of the image containing the cloud for multiple channels corresponding to different wavelength bands, and determining the thermodynamic phase of the cloud within the image based on the values of the Stokes S.sub.1 polarization parameter. The Stokes S.sub.1 polarization parameter values determined for a first channel corresponding to a first wavelength band is used to determine a liquid thermodynamic phase, and the Stokes S.sub.1 polarization parameter values determined for a second channel corresponding to a second, shorter wavelength band is used to determine an ice thermodynamic phase.

An optical sensing system includes at least one electro-optical sensor having an adjustable field of view and at least one reflective member including a diffuse reflector surface positioned within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor. The system also includes at least one controller configured to generate calibration parameters for the at least one electro-optical sensor based on data for at least one exposure detected by the electro-optical sensor when the diffuse reflector surface is within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor. Methods for calculating the calibration parameters and for directly measuring reflectivity of objects in a scene with at least one electro-optical sensor are also disclosed herein.