Hyperspectral surveillance techniques allow military personnel to be undercover.
Human eyes, unlike the eyes of some other animals, have a limited processing span and can only see visible light. Hyperspectral imaging techniques help us pick up on light across the electromagnetic spectrum. Hyperspectral imaging has many applications, including in military surveillance. However, this technique has its disadvantages as a surveillance tool.
Hyperspectral Imaging
Hyperspectral imaging is also known as imaging spectroscopy. This technique involves the use of sensors that pick up on light wavelengths that are not visible to the human eye, including ultraviolet and infrared light. The sensor can be set up to pick up on wavelengths within a certain wavelength range, depending on the distance of the target. Sensors can pick up many adjacent bands of wavelengths simultaneously, which provides a better picture of a target.
Surveillance
This technique finds use in surveillance applications. Military surveillance makes use of such techniques. It is useful as a way to avoid airborne surveillance techniques that could expose military personnel. Hyperspectral surveillance techniques involve the use of hyperspectral imaging to scan the light spectrum and identify objects. The military can identify these objects by scanning many wavelength bands.
Cost
One disadvantage of hyperspectral surveillance techniques is their cost. They involve the use of fast computers that tend to be expensive. They call for the use of sensitive detectors that are also expensive. And they require large data-storage capabilities in order to analyze the hyperspectral data. The data is multidimensional and could exceed hundreds of megabytes in size.
Complexity
Another disadvantage is that these hyperspectral surveillance techniques tend to be complex. Researchers have to program the satellites involved in collecting the hyperspectral input to sort through the data and only transmit the most important images back to the research stations. Otherwise, transmitting and storage of all the data could be very expensive. Because of such disadvantages, and because this is a relatively new technique, hyperspectral imaging techniques are not in widespread use.
Tags: surveillance techniques, Hyperspectral surveillance, Hyperspectral surveillance techniques, hyperspectral surveillance techniques, imaging techniques, military personnel