Abstract: A system and method may include a manmade hypersonic object that generates a plasma stream in the atmosphere in response to the manmade hypersonic object moving at a hypersonic speed. There may be a first over-the-horizon (OTH) communication system at a first location. There may be a second OTH communication system at a second location that is over the horizon relative to the first OTH communication system at the first location. The first OTH communication system may be configured to transmit a signal to the plasma stream that is then reflected to the second OTH communication system. The system and method may also be utilized to track the object. The first OTH communication system may be self-localized with other communications located on the same side of the horizon.

Abstract: An optical detection system uses high-resolution holographic filters for target detection within a very-large field of view image acquired with a reflector. The holographic filter acts as an optical computer, mixing phase and amplitude information of known targets with light from the scene, automatically enhancing portions of the image that match threat objects or other object of interest. A lens forming a Fourier transform of the entire scene is used, and within that transform, the holographic information of a target or multiple targets is added. By acting as an inverse optical transfer function, the hologram gathers the target information to single point, and removes non-target background. Amplification is done by using a laser-illuminated hologram to create a phase-amplitude filter in a photorefractive material at the transform plane. By mixing the hologram and the scene at the transform plane, the matching is enhanced regardless of target location in the scene.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to characterize optical properties of a medium by determining a scattering rate of light through a medium, wherein determining the scattering rate of light through the medium is accomplished by utilizing polarized light transmitted from an optical source. The system and method performs a function based on the characterized optical properties of the medium, wherein the function is object ranging through the medium. One particular application of the function relates to assisting the landing and descent in altitude of a platform towards a surface in low-to-no visibility scenarios.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to characterize optical properties (Scattering, attenuation, de-polarization) of a light-transmitting medium and local environment, by determining a scattering rate of light through a medium, wherein determining the scattering rate of light through the medium is accomplished by utilizing polarized light transmitted from an optical source. The system and method performs a function based on the characterized optical properties of the medium, wherein the function is one of, for example: detection of objects embedded in the medium, object ranging through the medium, or deblurring of images acquired through the medium.

Abstract: An optical detection system uses high-resolution holographic filters for target detection within a very-large field of view image acquired with a reflector. The holographic filter acts as an optical computer, mixing phase and amplitude information of known targets with light from the scene, automatically enhancing portions of the image that match threat objects or other object of interest. A lens forming a Fourier transform of the entire scene is used, and within that transform, the holographic information of a target or multiple targets is added. By acting as an inverse optical transfer function, the hologram gathers the target information to single point, and removes non-target background. Amplification is done by using a laser-illuminated hologram to create a phase-amplitude filter in a photorefractive material at the transform plane. By mixing the hologram and the scene at the transform plane, the matching is enhanced regardless of target location in the scene.

Abstract: A laser transmission assembly for shearography and related systems utilizing transmissive geometric phase plate pairs in place of Risley prism pairs or movable mirrors therein. Transmissive geometric phase plates provide for a system that is more compact than systems utilizing mirrors or Risley prism pairs while maintaining or improving the adjustability of the system and further offering beamshaping to provide desired illumination patterns.

Abstract: An interferometry system and method thereof detects movements of the surface of a body of water in response to acoustic waves generated from a sub-surface source interacting with the surface. Movements of the surface of the body of water are viewed over multiple interferometric images that can be pieced together to generate an interferometric movie or video. The interferometric movie or video depicts the movement of the acoustic wave propagating through the viewing area. Once the movement of the acoustic wave propagating through the viewing area is known, then back propagation techniques are employed to determine or triangulate the location of the sub-surface source that generated the acoustic wave.

Abstract: An interferometry system and method thereof detects movements of the surface of a body of water in response to acoustic waves generated from a sub-surface source interacting with the surface. Movements of the surface of the body of water are viewed over multiple interferometric images that can be pieced together to generate an interferometric movie or video. The interferometric movie or video depicts the movement of the acoustic wave propagating through the viewing area. Once the movement of the acoustic wave propagating through the viewing area is known, then back propagation techniques are employed to determine or triangulate the location of the sub-surface source that generated the acoustic wave.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for determining a range to an object in a fluid. The system includes a polarized light source directed to the object in the fluid, a first imaging sensor, a second imaging sensor, and at least one processor. The at least one processor characterizes a depolarization rate of the fluid and determines the range to the object. The method includes generating polarized light via a polarized light source, polarizing an imager relative to the polarized light, transmitting the polarized light from the polarized light source into the fluid, receiving reflected light from the object, characterizing a depolarization rate of the fluid, based, at least in part, on the reflected light, and determining the range to the object, based, at least in part, on the depolarization rate of the fluid.

Abstract: An underwater imaging system is carried by a submersible platform to capture images that are processed into three-dimensional images stitched together to create a 3D dimensional video at video rate speeds that are transmitted to a control unit above the surface of the water. The imaging system utilizes a high speed image sensor or camera to capture sequential gated images that are synced via a gating module to two sequential laser beam pulses. The laser beam pulses illuminate an object in each gated image. When the object is within a gate overlap region, the two images may be processed using 3D imaging techniques to generate a 3D representation of the object in the overlap region of the two gates.

Abstract: A laser transmission assembly for shearography and related systems utilizing transmissive geometric phase plate pairs in place of Risley prism pairs or movable mirrors therein. Transmissive geometric phase plates provide for a system that is more compact than systems utilizing mirrors or Risley prism pairs while maintaining or improving the adjustability of the system and further offering beamshaping to provide desired illumination patterns.

Abstract: An underwater imaging system is carried by a submersible platform to capture images that are processed into three-dimensional images stitched together to create a 3D dimensional video at video rate speeds that are transmitted to a control unit above the surface of the water. The imaging system utilizes a high speed image sensor or camera to capture sequential gated images that are synced via a gating module to two sequential laser beam pulses. The laser beam pulses illuminate an object in each gated image. When the object is within a gate overlap region, the two images may be processed using 3D imaging techniques to generate a 3D representation of the object in the overlap region of the two gates.

Abstract: Underwater navigational systems and methods utilizing sunlight polarized via scattering through the water column that does not require an underwater vehicle to surface or use a global position system to maintain precise navigational positions and headings. These navigational systems and methods may be employed by manned or unmanned underwater vehicles and may be utilized by individual units and by units operating in a swarm.

Abstract: A self-localizing autonomous underwater vehicle swarm that is operable to accurately localize each individual unit within the swarm while only requiring a single node at a known location to do so. The methods described herein can localize all members of a swarm with minimal, if any, effect on the size, weight, power, and cost of a system.

Abstract: A shearography a system and method for regularizing phase resolved shearograms with an arctan regularization function to produce regularized phase resolved shearogram outputs is provided. The system and method of the present disclosure optimizes the processing of phase resolved shearography allowing interference fringe analysis techniques to be applied to the regularized phase resolved shearogram output results of the processing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for three-dimensional (3D) shape estimation of objects embedded in light-scattering media via polarimetry are provided. The systems and methods utilize polarization to exploit forward scattering in the light-scattering medium to mitigate backscatter interference (BSI).

Abstract: Systems and methods for three-dimensional (3D) shape estimation of objects embedded in light-scattering media via polarimetry are provided. The systems and methods utilize polarization to exploit forward scattering in the light-scattering medium to mitigate backscatter interference (BSI).

Abstract: Underwater navigational systems and methods utilizing sunlight polarized via scattering through the water column that does not require an underwater vehicle to surface or use a global position system to maintain precise navigational positions and headings. These navigational systems and methods may be employed by manned or unmanned underwater vehicles and may be utilized by individual units and by units operating in a swarm.

Abstract: A self-localizing autonomous underwater vehicle swarm that is operable to accurately localize each individual unit within the swarm while only requiring a single node at a known location to do so. The methods described herein can localize all members of a swarm with minimal, if any, effect on the size, weight, power, and cost of a system.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for determining a range to an object in a fluid. The system includes a polarized light source directed to the object in the fluid, a first imaging sensor, a second imaging sensor, and at least one processor. The at least one processor characterizes a depolarization rate of the fluid and determines the range to the object. The method includes generating polarized light via a polarized light source, polarizing an imager relative to the polarized light, transmitting the polarized light from the polarized light source into the fluid, receiving reflected light from the object, characterizing a depolarization rate of the fluid, based, at least in part, on the reflected light, and determining the range to the object, based, at least in part, on the depolarization rate of the fluid.