ULIS launches megapixel thermal image sensor offering large panoramic field of view and fast-target detection

Pico1024E GenII gives military equipment extra performance to detect threats, while maintaining all-important low-level power consumption standards

ULIS Megapixel Pico1024E GenII

ULIS, a leading manufacturer of thermal image sensors for commercial and military applications, today announces the availability of Pico1024E GenII, a high-precision energy-efficient megapixel thermal image sensor. Pico1024E GenII is a next-generation device in the ULIS PICO E product family for military applications. It brings important new advantages to military equipment needing extended infrared detection range, fast target detection and tracking, while keeping power consumption low.

ULIS’ PICO E products are already deployed in European and North American airborne local situation awareness and land vehicle driver vision enhancement applications. In recent events, PICO E products have also been selected for two European anti-surface missile programs.

These developments lead ULIS to have high expectations that Pico1024E GenII, by offering extra performance in wide field of view and faster target detection, will gain entry into other military applications.

“ULIS’ megapixel Pico1024E GenII meets the challenges in thermal image sensors for military applications that need to offer new capabilities and perform at very high standards, while operating with minimum energy,” said Jean-Francois Delepau, managing director of ULIS. “Pico1024E GenII has already stimulated interest from defense equipment customers. Its performance pushes the standards in image crispness, frame rate frequency and low power consumption to the highest levels. We expect Pico1024E GenII to open up new possibilities in the future development of thermal imaging systems.”

Pico1024E GenII, a 1024 x 768 17-micron pixel pitch thermal image sensor, has succeeded in maintaining power consumption at the lowest levels (200mW), while offering new performance attributes in higher thermal sensitivity and faster frame rate frequency. These enhancements have increased Pico1024E GenII’s overall attractiveness to a wider range of military applications demanding a larger panoramic field of view or extended detection range (3km - 5km).

Helicopter pilots and drivers of land vehicles can benefit from the real time thermal imaging capabilities that Pico1024E GenII enhances for night vision or for local situation awareness in all-weather conditions as well as smoke. Pico1024E Gen II can also provide airborne or ground-based troops with extra capability enhancements in operations, such as ‘man in the loop’ for anti-surface missiles.

Major upgrades to Pico1024E GenII consist of higher thermal sensitivity of lower than 50mK, offering 15 per cent additional thermal sensitivity over the previous generation.

Thermal sensitivity is a key parameter for indicating the image accuracy and visible details provided over a measurable distance, in this case up to 5km to detect a tank.

Other upgrades include a frame rate frequency of more than 100Hz for fast target tracking. This is close to double the frame rate frequency for this category of megapixel thermal image sensor. Significant progress has been made on lowering the power consumption of ULIS’ devices, down to 200mW, whereas competing products require two to three times more electrical power.