FluxData licenses multispectral imaging patent from Rochester Institute of Technology
FluxData (Rochester, NY, USA), a developer and manufacturer of multispectral and polarimetric imaging systems, has licensed a patent from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT; Rochester, NY, USA) entitled, "System and Method for Scene Image Acquisition and Spectral Estimation Using a Wide-Band Multi-Channel Image Capture" (No 7,554,586).
The technology was developed at the Munsell Color Science Lab at RIT and will allow FluxData to develop low cost, highly color accurate camera systems for use in a broad range of applications and markets, ranging from defense and agriculture to industrial and entertainment.
The patent uses commercial color sensors together with optical filtering techniques and image processing algorithms to achieve levels of color accuracy that exceed those of current cameras systems. High color accuracy performance can be obtained with a variety of system configurations including single or multiple imaging sensors (sequential or real-time) or by filtering the illumination sources.
FluxData plans to introduce the technology in a new line of Better Color camera systems and software application in the Q3 2011. Furthermore, the company will integrate the Better Color technology into their existing FD-1665 3CCD multispectral camera product line as an option to provide color discrimination and accuracy that exceeds existing RGB 3CCD cameras.
Dr. Roy S. Berns, co-inventor and Director of the Munsell Color Science Laboratory said, "It is very exciting to see our invention developed into a product. My research goal was to bridge the gap between RGB and hyperspectral imaging, providing a practical approach to both improved color accuracy and spectral estimation. Such a product is long overdue and I am gratified to see the positive results of our long-term collaboration between RIT and FluxData."
Bill Bond, Director of the RIT Intellectual Property and Licensing Office said "This is an excellent opportunity to not only bring this university technology to market in general but to also do so with a Rochester-based company that has taken root in the RIT incubator at Venture Creations."
Pano Spiliotis, CEO of FluxData, said "The addition of this patent to our IP portfolio will provide an important competitive advantage over existing color cameras. There has been a push from sensor manufactures towards high definition, higher frame rate and lower noise, however color accuracy has remained limited by CCDs with only 3 or 4 color channels.
"With the Better Color technology FluxData will be able to provide 6 color channels of image content in real-time, greatly increasing color accuracy and color fidelity over existing competitive systems. These advanced systems can also be configured to plug directly into existing workflows for many diverse application markets," he adds.
SOURCE:FluxData
Posted byVision Systems Design