Abstract: A device for enabling the stripping of a selected portion of the insulation from an electrical lead on a rapid basis without damage to the conductor portion of the lead, involving the use of a rotatable optical unit. Our novel optical unit is equipped with an aperture at each end, with a first of these apertures being configured to selectively receive a variety of types of electrical leads whose ends are to be stripped of insulation for a certain length, and the second aperture being arranged to receive output energy from an adjacently located laser operating at a wavelength and power level such as will cause ablation of insulation at the specified location on the electrical lead. These apertures are located on the axis of rotation of the optical unit, and optical components are utilized in the unit such as will direct and focus a laser beam at essentially right angles to a nonrotating lead inserted through the first aperture.

Abstract: A forward looking infrared system in which the usual FLIR is augmented by the addition of active laser illumination in order to enhance the FLIR's capability to discern in a scene certain details, such as manmade objects, especially under conditions of thermal washout. The laser is coded, and appropriate decoding electronics are provided to enable the FLIR to differentiate reflected laser radiation from thermal radiation of the scene. Therefore, it is unnecessary to endeavor to increase the brightness of the laser to an extent sufficient to overwhelm the natural thermal radiance level of the scene. Both types of radiation simultaneously impinge on a common detector, thereby eliminating the necessity for dual detectors and/or dual optics, and avoiding registration problems normally associated with the use of dual components.