Gregory Cohen, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behavior and Development – Western Sydney University, Saeed Afshar, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behavior and Development – Western Sydney University, André van Schaik, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behavior and Development – Western Sydney University, Andrew Wabnitz, National Security and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division – Defence Science and Technology Group, Travis Bessell, National Security and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division – Defence Science and Technology Group, Mark Rutten, National Security and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division – Defence Science and Technology Group, Brittany Morreale, United States Air Force
Keywords: SSA, Event-based camera, Daytime operations, Silicon retinas
Abstract:
A revolutionary type of imaging device, known as a silicon retina or event-based sensor, has recently been developed and is gaining in popularity in the field of artificial vision systems. These devices are inspired by a biological retina and operate in a significantly different way to traditional CCD-based imaging sensors. While a CCD produces frames of pixel intensities, an event-based sensor produces a continuous stream of events, each of which is generated when a pixel detects a change in log light intensity. These pixels operate asynchronously and independently, producing an event-based output with high temporal resolution. There are also no fixed exposure times, allowing these devices to offer a very high dynamic range independently for each pixel. Additionally, these devices offer high-speed, low power operation and a sparse spatiotemporal output. As a consequence, the data from these sensors must be interpreted in a significantly different way to traditional imaging sensors and this paper explores the advantages this technology provides for space imaging.
Date of Conference: September 19-22, 2017
Track: Optical Systems