NIR Vision System for Turbid Water Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional underwater imaging systems are limited in turbid or dark waters due to light scattering and absorption by suspended particles, resulting in near zero visibility for divers and users, causing fatigue, disorientation, and reduced mission effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes Near Infrared (NIR) wavelength optical energy for viewing and illumination, converting NIR energy into camera signals, and processing them to produce a human-eye viewable video signal, providing enhanced clarity and depth of view through turbid waters by reducing light scattering and absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If white light illumination sources are used to illuminate objects in aquatic environment, then objects can be lit up for viewing, but light scattering and absorption by suspended particles prevent useful vision beyond a few inches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of illumination from white light (visible spectrum) to Near Infrared (NIR) wavelengths (750-950 nm). This parameter change allows light to penetrate turbid water much farther because NIR wavelengths are less scattered and absorbed by suspended particles than visible light wavelengths, directly resolving the contradiction between illumination intensity and light scattering/absorption.
2Illumination intensity
If more illumination is provided to improve diver's range of vision, then brightness increases, but signal to noise ratio does not improve and vision range remains limited to a few inches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter to NIR, which fundamentally alters how light interacts with turbid water. At NIR wavelengths, the scattering and absorption coefficients are much lower, allowing illumination to penetrate deeper while maintaining a high signal-to-noise ratio. This resolves the contradiction by showing that increasing illumination intensity alone is insufficient without also changing the wavelength parameter.
3Measurement precision
If conventional white light imaging systems are used in turbid water, then imaging can be performed, but visibility is limited to two to six inches from the diver's mask
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter from visible light to NIR wavelengths (750-950 nm). This parameter change enables the imaging system to see through turbid water at much greater distances because NIR light is less affected by scattering and absorption from suspended particles, directly resolving the visibility range limitation imposed by turbidity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If NIR wavelength optical energy is used for illumination and viewing, then light scattering and absorption by suspended particles is reduced, but the system requires conversion of NIR energy to human-eye viewable wavelengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces NIR-sensitive cameras as an intermediary device that captures NIR light reflected from objects. These cameras convert the invisible NIR energy into electrical signals that can be processed and displayed as visible light images on monitors or headsets. This intermediary conversion process resolves the contradiction by enabling NIR imaging while providing human-viewable output, despite adding system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables real-time, high-resolution, 3D stereoscopic vision in turbid waters, reducing fatigue and disorientation, and allowing users to see objects at greater distances than with white light, while minimizing the impact of particulate scattering and absorption.
Implementation Method 1
The system utilizes Near Infrared (NIR) wavelength optical energy for viewing and illumination
Implementation Method 2
receiving NIR energy into at least one camera that is capable of receiving NIR optical energy and converting it to at least one camera video signal
Implementation Method 3
The received light energy is filtered so that only light energy having a wavelength longer than a critical wavelength is transmitted
Implementation Method 4
The at least one processed video signal is communicated to at least one video projector that converts the at least one processed video signal to at least one optical output video projection
Data Source
AI summary
A digital vision system for use in turbid, dark or stained water is disclosed. Turbid water is opaque to the optical wavelengths viewable by humans but is transparent to near infrared (NIR) light. Using NIR wavelength illumination in turbid water allows viewing of objects that would otherwise not be visible through turbid water. NIR light is used to illuminate an area to be viewed. Video cameras comprising optical filters receive the NIR light reflected from objects in the camera field of view, producing camera video signals that may be processed and communicated to projector that convert the video signals to independent optical output video that is projected to the eye of the at optical frequencies viewable by humans. The user is thus provided with a real time vision system that allows the diver to visualize objects otherwise not visible using white light illumination.