NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT

Mini-MCA Incident Light Sensor                            PATENT PENDING                                    August 6, 2012

The Mini-MCA Incident Light Sensor is an optional accessory that enhances the radiometric precision of Tetracam’s popular Mini-MCA6 multispectral imaging system. This device is incorporated into one of the Mini-MCA’s existing channels. While the balance of the Mini-MCA’s channels continue to capture reflected radiation, the ILS is pointed in the direction of the illuminating source. 

Fitted with the same narrow band filters contained by the Mini-MCA, the ILS gathers down-welling radiation at the exact same wavelengths as the up-welling reflected radiation monitored by the system’s remaining channels. This allows the pixel values of reflected radiation that are stored in the Mini-MCA to be precisely related to the pixel values of incident radiation that is received at the monitored wavelengths.  The digital value of reflected radiation over the digital value of incident radiation shows the reflectance percentage at each pixel.  Radiometric measurements of incident light may then enable the absolute levels of reflected light at the wavelengths under observation to be determined.

The ILS consists of a Matching Band Pass Filter Array at the terminus of a fiber-optic bundle.  The Matching Band Pass Filter Array holds changeable up-looking filters that precisely match the changeable narrow band filters fitted into each of the Mini-MCA's other camera channels.   Each fiber in the ILS fiber-optic bundle conveys the light from one filter in the ILS array to the dedicated ILS image sensor in the Mini-MCA.  The result is an array of pools of illumination on the ILS image sensor that represent incident light illumination.

Fitted with the incident light sensor, a Mini-MCA6 system records five channels of up-welling image information, each filtered to the specified spectral band and one channel that records the down-welling radiation in the same five bands, all recorded simultaneously.  Beginning with version 1.0.7.5, Tetracam's PixelWrench2 image processing software (included with all Tetracam cameras) fully supports the ILS features.

Currently, the Mini-MCA Incident Light Sensor is only available for Mini-MCA6 systems.  The Incident Light Sensor may be ordered with new Mini-MCA6 systems or existing system owners may contact Tetracam, obtain an RMA, ship their Mini-MCA6 systems to our Chatsworth facility and have an ILS added to their system.  Contact our sales office at 818-397-0469 or send email to info@tetracam.com for current pricing or further details.