Streak-Tube Imaging LIDAR (STIL)

In 1995-1997 (view timeline), Areté Associates developed and patented an innovative LIDAR technology that exploits the high spatial-temporal resolution of a streak-tube to generate extremely high-resolution 3-D images of scenes from a remote platform. This unique approach to 3-D imaging LIDAR enabled unrivaled object detection and classification in turbid media. Since then, Areté has developed several LIDAR systems for the mine countermeasures (MCM) community that utilize STIL technology to detect sea mines from air and underwater-borne platforms. Areté has developed new STIL architectures that exploited other detection modes, such as multi-spectral imaging and polarimetric discrimination to detect and/or identify man-made objects in highly cluttered environments. Our STIL-based collision avoidance system (CAS) allows high speed watercraft to detect and avoid floating obstacles, shallow bottoms, and submerged military targets at significant standoff ranges. Areté is continually upgrading our patented STIL technology to improve performance and reduce system size, power, and weight.

Traditional Streak Tube Imaging LIDAR works by projecting laser light in a fan shape. The image at the right shows this fan shape being projected in a tank of water. Towards the bottom of the image, you can see the 12 inch ball that was attached to the bottom of the tank about 20 feet below the surface. The ball reflects the laser light back towards the surface and can be detected by the patented streak tube imaging system. The amount of time that it takes for the laser light to return to the sending unit is used to determine the depth of the object.

The dark area below the ball is the shadow cast by the laser light. Since the STIL system moves across the water's surface during operation, this shadow also moves and can be used to more accurately determine the object's shape and depth.

Areté has recentlydeveloped a multi-slit STIL (MS-STIL) configuration that enables simultaneous detection of multiple spatial-temporal channels. These channels have been exploited in generating single-pulse 3-D "flash" LIDAR images, 3-D multi-spectral images, 3-D polarimetric images, and other variants.

Below is a Flash movie showing the streak tube operation