For nearly three decades, the AN/PVS-14 monocular night vision system set the global benchmark, trusted by American and allied forces in operation around the world. BiNOD is set to redefine that benchmark and deliver the next evolution of overmatch for all parts of the maneuvering force, the company said.

“BiNOD is the modern night vision upgrade our soldiers need now,” said Erik Fox, senior vice president and general manager of Elbit America’s Warfighter Systems Division. “With BiNOD we’re delivering the visual overmatch required on today’s battlefield, while keeping the system lightweight and comfortable for Soldiers during extended missions.”

“As warfare evolves, one constant remains: dominance at night matters. At Elbit America, we create that advantage by building side by side with the soldier,” said the company’s President and CEO Luke Savoie. “From BiNOD to our next generation systems, we’re not just delivering night vision, we’re shaping it. Rugged, trusted and able to be produced in mass, BiNOD is offered at a price point for our customers to get them at volume. Elbit America gives our nation’s warriors the confidence to move first, see farther, and maneuver at night just like it’s the day. That’s why the U.S. Army counts on us as its night vision partner, and why we’ll keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”

The U.S. Army’s BiNOD program was previously known as the Night Vision Device-Next
(NVD-N) program.

Source: Elbit America

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The DNVT effort utilizes and continues more than two decades of Department of Defense (DoD) science and technology (S&T) research, development, and investment into digital visible, low-light level (LLL) and infrared cameras, image processing and display component technologies, and integrated systems. With QinetiQ support, the Army will continue to evolve capabilities via DNVT through development, integration, experimentation, and laboratory and platform test and evaluation including, but not limited to using digital imaging, display, processing, and network architecture technologies to support military operations.

DNVT will substantially enhance the warfighter’s situational awareness (SA) and decision-making abilities by developing digital night vision capabilities coupled with component technology enhancements including fused imagers, display enhancements, and image processing hardware and algorithms.

“Digital Night Vision Technology will better enable soldiers to view and understand information in tactical environments allowing them to react and respond to real-time data,” said Shawn Purvis, president and CEO of QinetiQ US “We are proud to support the critical needs of our U.S. Army customers.”

Source: QinetiQ US

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Current night vision (NV) systems are bulky and heavy, resulting in a significant torque on the wearer’s neck. This torque greatly limits the wearer’s agility and often leads to chronic injury over prolonged use. Additionally, existing NV devices only provide a narrow field of view (FOV) and are limited to the near-infrared (IR) spectral bands, greatly limiting situational awareness in varied night conditions. ENVision seeks to leverage recent advances in planar optics and transduction materials to develop NV systems that don’t require bulky image intensifiers, provide wider FOV, offer enhanced visual access across infrared bands, and are lightweight to reduce neck strain caused by today’s technology.

Five teams were selected in each of two technical areas.

In the first technical area, performers are tasked to develop multi-band, wide FOV planar optics and planar image intensifiers to demonstrate advanced night vision systems imposing near-zero torque on the wearer. The following research teams will work to develop these capabilities:

• Physical Sciences, Inc., Meta-Optic InfraRed-Enhancing (MOIRE) Eyewear
• Raytheon Technologies Research Center, Thin-film Avalanche Up-conversion and Imaging System (TAUIS)
• SRI International, Advanced Meta-optic and Planar-image-intensifier-system for Enhanced Dual-band NVG
• University of California-San Diego, novel low-noise gain processes for enhanced upconversion
• University of Washington, Scalable Hybrid-optics Integrated Night-vision Eyeglass (SHINE)

In the second technical area, teams will explore new methods to amplify photonic up-conversion processes from any infrared band to visible light to enable future “intensifier-free” night vision systems. Teams selected for this technical area are:

• Raytheon BBN, III-nitride flat optics device for broadband infrared to visible nonlinear conversion
• Stanford University, excitonic circuitry enables nightglow up-conversion
• University of Central Florida, coherent up-conversion by broadband extreme-confinement metamaterials
• University of Melbourne, efficient infrared-to-visible up-conversion with an upconverting nanoparticle micro laser
• University of Pennsylvania, broadband efficient up-conversion through bound states in the continuum in LiNbO3 photonic crystals

“The teams in the first technical area are developing technologies that could drastically reduce the bulk and volume of objective, intensifier, and eyepiece of a night vision system,” said Rohith Chandrasekar, ENVision program manager in DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office. “Teams in the second technical area are exploring ways to directly upconvert and amplify light from the infrared to the visible using new materials and up-conversion processes. These efforts could potentially lead to all-optical night vision systems in the future without the need for image intensifiers.”

Source: DARPA

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HWK1411 is the first low-light complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor to capture imagery during overcast starlight conditions. It combines a large photon-collection array with world-class light sensitivity (quantum efficiency), the ability to see small changes in contrast (low read noise), and reduced signal noise from electricity (low dark current).

“HWK1411 replaces larger and heavier legacy technology, and allows the military market to transition to the digital domain, creating a path to next-gen systems for the future,” said Robyn Decker, director of Sensor Solutions at BAE Systems. “Capturing digital images is the first step toward delivering data fusion and augmented reality technology that will transform how warfighters perceive the battle space in ultra low-light conditions.”

In addition to the Hawkeye sensor, the company has developed a compact multichip camera module (MCM) to simplify camera integration. The MCM combines the HWK1411 image sensor with a microprocessor, flash memory, power conditioning, a flexible cable for plug-and-play connectivity, and a high-performance glass lens for optimal field of view.

Source: BAE Systems

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Though portrayed in popular culture primarily as aids to military operations, night vision technologies are also important tools for responder agencies working to secure our communities in low- or no-light conditions. Night vision is crucial to spotting movement at checkpoints, for search and rescue efforts on the ground and by air, in maritime searches, for SWAT and other police searching and securing locations, and for EMTs supporting law enforcement operations and incident response.

Submittals to this RFI can be monocular or binocular and should utilize image intensification (I²) technology or integrated night vision capabilities. Devices having only thermal imaging capabilities are not being included in this market assessment.

“This project aims to provide information about advances in the image intensification type of devices commonly used by first responders,” said project lead Karin Decker.  “It will also highlight the benefits of devices that integrate that technology with thermal imaging, which responders may not have much experience with.”

“I² devices use light amplification to enable visibility in low-light environments,” explained NUSTL test engineer Joseph Jankovic. “Integrated night vision devices couple I² technology with thermal imaging to provide an image of the surroundings that also allows for the detection of objects or targets of interest by their thermal signatures.”

The market survey report—produced by NUSTL’s System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) program—will be posted to the SAVER Document Library on the S&T website, where the findings can be accessed by state, local, and federal response agencies making procurement decisions about this type of technology.

For more information on the RFI prior to the December 10, 2020, submission deadline, visit the solicitation page.

Source: DHS

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