Goodrich to Develop Night-Vision Technology for DARPA

Goodrich Corp.'s ISR Systems division was awarded a three-year contract to develop night-vision sensor technology for helmet-mounted and micro vehicle applications by DARPA for its MicroSensors for Imaging (MISI) program. The ISR (intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance) unit makes prototypes of highly sensitive, lightweight cameras using shortwave infrared (SWIR) sensor technology. For the MISI contract, Goodrich's Sensors Unlimited Inc. (SUI) team will develop indium gallium arsenide-night vision (InGaAs-NV) SWIR sensors and incorporate them into a 640 x 512-pixel-resolution camera weighing less than 10 grams for use in hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicles. SWIR technology detects reflected light at wavelength bands between visible and thermal cameras that are invisible with current night-vision technology. The Goodrich system, which uses advanced materials and circuitry that allow it to run without cooling, is already used in applications such as noninvasive medical examinations and silicon wafer inspection. Edward Hart, vice president and general manager of SUI, said, "We expect this advanced InGaAs-NV technology to achieve dramatic reductions in size, weight, power and performance for a new generation of capability for the warfighter." The company will also deliver a 1280 x 1024-pixel head-mounted monocular. Work will be performed in Princeton, N.J.