Nova’s patented development of the “Variable Acuity Superpixel Imaging” (VASI™) technology was intended to provide an on-chip means to reduce the amount of image data from a focal plane array (FPA) required to be delivered by the device, and still retain the essential information content in the image. Operating much like that of the human visual system, the “most important” information is sampled at high spatial resolution, and “less interesting” image content is sampled at lower spatial resolution after performing on-chip spatial “binning” operations. This guarantees that:
Important image information content is preserved.
The total field of view is always monitored, in case other “interesting” objects appear in the periphery, and
The highest possible frame rates are produced for a fixed bandwidth, or alternately,
The lowest possible transmission bandwidth is required for a fixed output frame rate.
Nova Sensors has developed numerous camera systems that incorporate these unique FPAs that provide spectral response from the visible through the longwave infrared (LWIR) portions of the spectrum.
» 320 x 256 visible VASI image
320 x 256 visible VASI image showing region of higher spatial resolution around the eye:
» 320 x 256 MWIR VASI imagery
320 x 256 MWIR VASI imagery with various spatial configurations programmed into the FPA:
» 320 x 256 VASI NIR spectral response.
InGaAs has been hybridized to the 320 x 256 VASI device for NIR spectral response:
