PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
This is too cool...
BMW to offer true far-infrared night vision
- Thread starter PhotonWrangler
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COMSEUR
Newly Enlightened
I read something about that about a year ago, I think at the time they were talking about Jaguar and Lincoln, maybe their sites have something about that as well. One of them (can't remember which right now) also "peeked" around corners, sorta... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ken_McE
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 1,688
Rebadged Raytheon Nightdriver?
It seems to be the Raytheon "Nightdriver" thermal night vision system under a different name, maybe spruced up a little.
http://www.thermal-eye.com/productcatalog/product_NIGHTDRIVER.html
This unit is already available on Cadillacs and Hummers. I'm hoping to get a used one off eBay. The US probably doesn't let them out of the country, so maybe the unit in the link is made by someone in Europe
If you go into the sublinks they are working on active NV systems, and those are new to me.
It seems to be the Raytheon "Nightdriver" thermal night vision system under a different name, maybe spruced up a little.
http://www.thermal-eye.com/productcatalog/product_NIGHTDRIVER.html
This unit is already available on Cadillacs and Hummers. I'm hoping to get a used one off eBay. The US probably doesn't let them out of the country, so maybe the unit in the link is made by someone in Europe
If you go into the sublinks they are working on active NV systems, and those are new to me.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Re: BMW to offer true far-infrared NV (Raytheon?)
Hmm, yeah I do remember reading about that system from Raytheon. It could be the same thing.
BTW I tweaked the thread's title to include the original topic as well as your thought about Raytheon.
Hmm, yeah I do remember reading about that system from Raytheon. It could be the same thing.
BTW I tweaked the thread's title to include the original topic as well as your thought about Raytheon.
COMSEUR
Newly Enlightened
Re: BMW to offer true far-infrared NV (Raytheon?)
Ken McE: I stand corrected, Sir. It was Cadillacs and Jaguars I was thinking of, not Lincoln... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ken McE: I stand corrected, Sir. It was Cadillacs and Jaguars I was thinking of, not Lincoln... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
DarkLight
Enlightened
Re: BMW to offer true far-infrared NV (Raytheon?)
Call me stupid but how does taking your eyes off the road help?
Call me stupid but how does taking your eyes off the road help?
COMSEUR
Newly Enlightened
Re: BMW to offer true far-infrared NV (Raytheon?)
I seem to remember (Caddies I think) had the image projected to the windscreen, so basically you looked thru NVGs, sorta...
Do I make any sense?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
You look through a greenish square on the windshield...
I seem to remember (Caddies I think) had the image projected to the windscreen, so basically you looked thru NVGs, sorta...
Do I make any sense?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
You look through a greenish square on the windshield...
Ken_McE
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 1,688
how does taking your eyes off the road help?
The camera is seeing farther into the infra red than you can. It is seeing heat. Warm things like people and deer show up real good even though they are too far away for your headlights to show them up.
When you look away from your road you are looking at a live black and white picture of the road. The picture may show things you can't see by yourself.
The manufacturer says it should be used the same as you use a rear view mirror. You glance at it and then look back at the road, glance, look, glance, look.
On the page http://www.thermal-eye.com/learnmore/looking.html They have pictures you can mouse over to compare what the eye sees vs. what the camera sees.
How Raytheon says it is:
Drivers can:
"See three to five times farther than regular car headlights
Increase reaction time to avoid objects in front of the car
See beyond the glare of oncoming headlights
Clearly identify potential road hazards such as joggers, pedestrians, wildlife"
The camera is seeing farther into the infra red than you can. It is seeing heat. Warm things like people and deer show up real good even though they are too far away for your headlights to show them up.
When you look away from your road you are looking at a live black and white picture of the road. The picture may show things you can't see by yourself.
The manufacturer says it should be used the same as you use a rear view mirror. You glance at it and then look back at the road, glance, look, glance, look.
On the page http://www.thermal-eye.com/learnmore/looking.html They have pictures you can mouse over to compare what the eye sees vs. what the camera sees.
How Raytheon says it is:
Drivers can:
"See three to five times farther than regular car headlights
Increase reaction time to avoid objects in front of the car
See beyond the glare of oncoming headlights
Clearly identify potential road hazards such as joggers, pedestrians, wildlife"
Icebreak
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Police here.
Very nice. I've an outside security camera (Radio Shack) with 6 infrared LEDs on it. It's amazing to me how far away it will return an image from a cold black vehicle. Someone smoking a cigarette looks like they are holding a two-level flashlight in their mouth.
I think I could use peripheral vision along with glancing to make this system useful.
Very nice. I've an outside security camera (Radio Shack) with 6 infrared LEDs on it. It's amazing to me how far away it will return an image from a cold black vehicle. Someone smoking a cigarette looks like they are holding a two-level flashlight in their mouth.
I think I could use peripheral vision along with glancing to make this system useful.
Dr_Joe
Enlightened
Very cool indeed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
GM had very limitted commercial success with their system. I drove a De Ville with it a couple of years ago and was pretty impressed. The heads up display took a little getting used to though.
BMW buyers are inherently more "gadget" oriented, not to mention more accustomed to paying $1000+ for a convenience option. If BMW can make money with it, it's just a matter of time before Mercedes, Acura, Infinity, and Lexus offer it, then the next step will be everybody else.
Keep your fingers crossed.
GM had very limitted commercial success with their system. I drove a De Ville with it a couple of years ago and was pretty impressed. The heads up display took a little getting used to though.
BMW buyers are inherently more "gadget" oriented, not to mention more accustomed to paying $1000+ for a convenience option. If BMW can make money with it, it's just a matter of time before Mercedes, Acura, Infinity, and Lexus offer it, then the next step will be everybody else.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Canuckle
Newly Enlightened
Re: BMW to offer true far-infrared NV (Raytheon?)
[ QUOTE ]
DarkLight said:
Call me stupid but how does taking your eyes off the road help?
[/ QUOTE ]
Put simply, keeping your eyes on the road (in this instance) doesn't really help. With regular visible (head)lights, you'll see the target/object long after you'll see it using the IR system.
We're talking increased range here.
Cheers!
[ QUOTE ]
DarkLight said:
Call me stupid but how does taking your eyes off the road help?
[/ QUOTE ]
Put simply, keeping your eyes on the road (in this instance) doesn't really help. With regular visible (head)lights, you'll see the target/object long after you'll see it using the IR system.
We're talking increased range here.
Cheers!
Re: BMW to offer true far-infrared NV (Raytheon?)
Also.... you could see the potential benifits to cops/PI's and other agencies doing survaillance... They could kill their headlights to avoid detection ("prowler" mode) and still see what's going on in front of them.
Hmmm.....
Also.... you could see the potential benifits to cops/PI's and other agencies doing survaillance... They could kill their headlights to avoid detection ("prowler" mode) and still see what's going on in front of them.
Hmmm.....
