The SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing 2016 conference and exhibition reflects some major advancements in defense, commercial sensing and imaging technologies that are evolving the defense and security sector worldwide in a variety of applications in such areas as machine vision, process control and counter-terrorism (among others).

This “leading global sensing and imaging event for defense and commercial applications” will be held April 17-22 in Baltimore. It comprises two co-located sessions — Defense + Security, and Commercial + Scientific Sensing and Imaging, in addition to a major exhibition of suppliers of IR cameras, sensors, imaging systems and other photonics technologies and products.

The Defense + Security portion of the conference is one of the largest meetings for defense technology (optics, lasers, imaging), attended by the world’s scientists, researchers and engineers from military, industry, academia and government agencies. It is also noted as “a prime event” for government acquisition, policy, and program executive representatives.

Numerous educational sessions will be held, focusing on IR Sensors and Systems; Defense, Homeland Security and Law Enforcement; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; Laser Sensors and Systems; Next-Generation Sensors and Systems; Displays; Sensor Data and Information Exploitation; Imagery and Pattern Analysis; Information Systems and Networks: Processing, Fusion and Knowledge Generation.

The best paper and best student paper awards for this symposium will be announced, as well, which are centered on numerous topics, including Signal Processing, Sensor/Information Fusion and Target Recognition; Algorithms for Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery; and Automatic Target Recognition; Infrared Technology and Applications; Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Sensing; and Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems and Applications.

The Commercial + Scientific Sensing and Imaging symposium is focused on commercial and industrial sensing technologies and applications. The photonics-based sensors realm is expanding, providing “a rich environment for the development and deployment of new technologies.” The potential for leveraging real-time data that is produced from a global network of distributed sensors (in smart devices) opens up a world of new opportunities, according to SPIE.

This portion of the show offers a look at the latest technologies, as well as their applications in such areas as health care, industrial processing, manufacturing, communications and transportation. It offers several educational sessions, too. Among them: Imaging and Sensing Technologies; Sensing for Industry, Environment and Health; Imaging and data Visualization; Information Systems and Networks: Processing, Fusion and Knowledge Generation.

Awards for best paper and best student paper will be handed out as part of this symposium. Topics include Image Sensing Technologies: Materials, Devices, Systems and Applications; Advanced Photon Counting Techniques; Thermosense: Thermal Infrared Applications; Smart Biomedical and Physiological Sensor Technology; Sensing for Agriculture and Food Quality and Safety; Energy Harvesting and Storage: Materials, Devices and Applications; Three-Dimensional Imaging, Visualization and Display; Autonomous Air and Ground Sensing Systems for Agricultural Optimization and Phenotyping.

Training and development courses will also be held, bringing focus to instruction from “some of the biggest names in industry and research.” There will be 35 courses offered in numerous technology tracks, as well as applications and approaches for lasers, sensors, imaging, IR systems, optical, and optomechanical engineering, among others.

A job fair will provide a forum for job seekers and some of the world’s top industry employers; recruiters from BAE Systems, DHPC Technologies, IPG photonics, L3, General Dynamics, II-VI and others will be available on the exhibit floor, alongside several hundred of the world’s top companies that will show off their products.