Optical correlator for spectral pattern recognition

Robin D. Alcock; Neil A. Halliwell; Jeremy M. Coupland; Phillip Sutton; John Savage

doi:10.1117/12.304775

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23 March 1998 Optical correlator for spectral pattern recognition

Robin D. Alcock, Neil A. Halliwell, Jeremy M. Coupland, Phillip Sutton, John Savage

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Proceedings Volume 3386, Optical Pattern Recognition IX; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.304775
Event: Aerospace/Defense Sensing and Controls, 1998, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

The rapid classification and discrimination of images using spatial distribution of spectral information has widespread applications from remote monitoring of vegetation and pollution damage, to military surveillance and anti-stealth warfare. This paper describes the construction of a practical optical correlator capable of spatial and spectral pattern recognition. The method used here exploits the ability of optical correlators to process information in parallel with high space bandwidth product. For reasons of light efficiency and practical convenience, the spectral information is input into the correlator as a spatial array of coherence or 'white light' fringe patterns. This technique we have called coherence transform imaging (CTI). This paper discusses the relative merits of several interferometric methods to perform CTI including Michelson, Sagnac and Polarizing interferometers. A robust CTI camera utilizing a polarizing interferometer is then described and simple matched filtering operations are performed using CTI images recorded on photographic film. Finally an optical correlator capable of real time spectral discrimination and tracking of colored objects is demonstrated.

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Robin D. Alcock, Neil A. Halliwell, Jeremy M. Coupland, Phillip Sutton, and John Savage "Optical correlator for spectral pattern recognition", Proc. SPIE 3386, Optical Pattern Recognition IX, (23 March 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.304775

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