Xenonics SuperVision
- Thread starter paul1149
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It's a long range night vision device, which is more directed at military/police applications. We don't seem to have much conversations here about night vision devices in this forum section.
No problem...and welcome to CPF's !!!
I have Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 2+, and three Gen 3 night vision scopes in a variety of configurations. I am very curious about A new product from a company that only produces high-end equipment marketing a night vision device that retails for $1,400. If it is Gen 3, Gen 4, or thermal it would be unequaled at that price.
If anyone has further information, please let me know?
If anyone has further information, please let me know?
Here's an excerpt from the co's PR:
bw,
p.
One reason for our confidence is the planned commercial roll-out of our patented SuperVision™ night vision device in fiscal 2007. With its unprecedented resolution and range, zoom capability, light weight, and attractive pricing, we believe that SuperVision has the potential to revolutionize the night vision industry. U.S. patents on our SuperVision technology have been allowed and international patents have been filed. We have ordered components for 10,000 devices for delivery between January and August 2007, and production of the first 3,000 units is set to begin in January at our facility in Carlsbad, California...
"The launch of SuperVision following more than two years of intensive development work will create significant new opportunities for Xenonics in law enforcement, public safety, recreational, and other large commercial markets...
I've also heard the co's chairman state that the product is digital. He claims there's nothing like it on the market, even very high-end, but they've kept the pricing down. I personally don't know; I'm just repeating what I've heard, and looking for more insight."The launch of SuperVision following more than two years of intensive development work will create significant new opportunities for Xenonics in law enforcement, public safety, recreational, and other large commercial markets...
bw,
p.
After searching further, the information that is being released is that it will be a new technology. The numbers "floated" were for a device weighing 13 ounces, 300 yard recognition resolution, with zoom capability. At $1,400, put me in line!
Ok, I did some digging, and got some info. Here's a diagram of the thing, and a description. It's fairly long, and I add a comment:
Eyepiece viewer 12 is optically coupled to the telescopic lens assembly 14 and can be rotated upward to be deployed at a user-selected angle of convenience or rotated downwardly to lie in a flush configuration within a receiving cavity 13 defined in body 11 of device 10. The actual image which is being optically received by telescopic lens assembly 14 can be directly viewed by the user through eyepiece viewer 12.
[0023] Similarly, telescopic lens 14 has deployed and stowed positions. Lens assembly 14 rotates out of a cavity 24 defined in body 11 for flushly receiving lens assembly 14 as a protective door 17 also moves or rotates out. The mechanical linkage by which such movements can be realized are conventional and not further detailed here. Lens assembly 14 will be forwardly directed when deployed and will be substantially aligned with or parallel to the optical axis of illumination head 15 or the beam of the device 10. Although lens assembly 14 will be normally aligned to coincide with the beam position at the preferred range, e.g. 400 m, it is to be understood that other ranges can be accommodated and a mechanism to allow variable alignment of lens assembly 14 in the field to virtually any beam position can be provided using ordinary design principles and modifications.
[0024] Lamp housing 15 contains a lamp and reflector apparatus internally (not shown). Rotatable bezel 16 is used to vary the beam spread of the illumination device of the present invention by effecting relative movement of the reflector with respect to the light source within lamp housing 15... Filter 18 is mounted in bezel 16 and is selectively included to filter out undesired wavelengths of light, e.g. to provide an infrared beam only or other selected portion or portions of the spectrum.
[0025] Video display 22 allows the user to selectively view an image scene or a selected portion of the scene captured by lens assembly 14. Video display 22 also has deployed and stowed positions. Display 22 rotates out of a conforming cavity 19 defined in body 11 of device 11, which allows display 22 to remain flushly within the envelope of body 11 for protection and storage. When deployed, display 22 swings out from body 11 and can be oriented on a conventional swivel connection to be angularly inclined at an arbitrary user-selected angle for convenient viewing...
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2, a simplified schematic of a circuit 20 of the present invention is shown. Long-range illuminator 10 has an optical filter 18 and projects a high intensity beam 36 of light. System 20 may be combined with separate or interchangeable telescopic lens assemblies 14 for infrared and visible light; or a single lens assembly 14 can be configured to handle both modes. Lens assembly 14 has objective lens 42 and collimating lens 44, as well as focusing lens 52. Although single lenses have been reference, it must be expressly understood that lens assemblies can be employed in each case and that the optical arrangement in device 10 can be readily modified to assume other configurations according to conventional design choices.
[0027] A user 55 can view the distant scene focused on image plane 54 through eyepiece 24. Partially silvered mirrors 46 and 48 are used to send the image to a collecting lens 40 and detector or charge coupled device 58, which is employed to capture a two dimensional image. In the event that device 58 is an analog imaging camera, its output may be coupled to analog-to-digital converter 62. A video output 64 from converter 62 is produced that may be transmitted by other appropriate digital transmission equipment to remote locations. The video signal may also be bidirectional so that the same digital transmission equipment coupled to device 10 could receive information, including graphic information from a remote site and display the same on display 22. The reconstructed digital image captured by lens assembly 14 is viewed on video display 22.
[0028] It must be understood that additional circuitry may be included to process the digital image produced by detector 58 and/or converter 62. In the case of an infrared image, the only image which will be visible will be displayed on display 22 after being converted into a visible video signal by display 22. Display 22 or detector 22 may include circuitry or digital processing capability according to well known conventional principles to select, edit, enhance or reduce various aspects of the received visual image. For example, false coloring of an image to represent the temperature of various portions of the image or false coloring to exaggerate the contrast of some portions with surrounding portions can readily be included. In addition, variable electronic magnification or zoom can be added to the variable optical magnification of lens assembly 14 subject to user control. Motion detection of the image can also be included, whereby any portion of the image which is moving relative to other portions of the surrounding image is highlighted or falsely colored to be readily visually identified.
[0029] Although in one embodiment image processing is contemplated as being performed in real time in the device 10, it is also within the scope of the invention, where output 24 is bidirectional, that image processing can be performed at a remote station and then returned in modified form to device 10. Such remote image processing may include selective mixing with other images derived from other devices 10 in the field or combined with information generated or collected at the remote site. In such a situation, display 22 could be modified to be an input/output device, such as a touch screen. In this manner the displayed scene on display 22 from wherever it may be derived, allows for interactive input by the user in the field. The remote fire control command center may, for example, process the image from device 10 for suspected targets, one or several of which will then be selected by touching the screen by the user in the field, which selection is then communicated back to the remote fire control command center, which in turns directs appropriate fire control to other units in the theater. Device 10 can thus be used in this manner of one of many interactive detection and input devices in an integrated battlefield fire control system.
=================
My comment: The image can be sent to a remote station, enhanced, and sent back to the unit, real time. Thus the unit becomes part of a more powerful detection system. I can see great uses for this in military and police work. I'm VERY impressed with this device. But I don't have much experience in this field. What do you guys think of this? What do you think of the $1400 price?
Happy New Year.
P.
Eyepiece viewer 12 is optically coupled to the telescopic lens assembly 14 and can be rotated upward to be deployed at a user-selected angle of convenience or rotated downwardly to lie in a flush configuration within a receiving cavity 13 defined in body 11 of device 10. The actual image which is being optically received by telescopic lens assembly 14 can be directly viewed by the user through eyepiece viewer 12.
[0023] Similarly, telescopic lens 14 has deployed and stowed positions. Lens assembly 14 rotates out of a cavity 24 defined in body 11 for flushly receiving lens assembly 14 as a protective door 17 also moves or rotates out. The mechanical linkage by which such movements can be realized are conventional and not further detailed here. Lens assembly 14 will be forwardly directed when deployed and will be substantially aligned with or parallel to the optical axis of illumination head 15 or the beam of the device 10. Although lens assembly 14 will be normally aligned to coincide with the beam position at the preferred range, e.g. 400 m, it is to be understood that other ranges can be accommodated and a mechanism to allow variable alignment of lens assembly 14 in the field to virtually any beam position can be provided using ordinary design principles and modifications.
[0024] Lamp housing 15 contains a lamp and reflector apparatus internally (not shown). Rotatable bezel 16 is used to vary the beam spread of the illumination device of the present invention by effecting relative movement of the reflector with respect to the light source within lamp housing 15... Filter 18 is mounted in bezel 16 and is selectively included to filter out undesired wavelengths of light, e.g. to provide an infrared beam only or other selected portion or portions of the spectrum.
[0025] Video display 22 allows the user to selectively view an image scene or a selected portion of the scene captured by lens assembly 14. Video display 22 also has deployed and stowed positions. Display 22 rotates out of a conforming cavity 19 defined in body 11 of device 11, which allows display 22 to remain flushly within the envelope of body 11 for protection and storage. When deployed, display 22 swings out from body 11 and can be oriented on a conventional swivel connection to be angularly inclined at an arbitrary user-selected angle for convenient viewing...
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2, a simplified schematic of a circuit 20 of the present invention is shown. Long-range illuminator 10 has an optical filter 18 and projects a high intensity beam 36 of light. System 20 may be combined with separate or interchangeable telescopic lens assemblies 14 for infrared and visible light; or a single lens assembly 14 can be configured to handle both modes. Lens assembly 14 has objective lens 42 and collimating lens 44, as well as focusing lens 52. Although single lenses have been reference, it must be expressly understood that lens assemblies can be employed in each case and that the optical arrangement in device 10 can be readily modified to assume other configurations according to conventional design choices.
[0027] A user 55 can view the distant scene focused on image plane 54 through eyepiece 24. Partially silvered mirrors 46 and 48 are used to send the image to a collecting lens 40 and detector or charge coupled device 58, which is employed to capture a two dimensional image. In the event that device 58 is an analog imaging camera, its output may be coupled to analog-to-digital converter 62. A video output 64 from converter 62 is produced that may be transmitted by other appropriate digital transmission equipment to remote locations. The video signal may also be bidirectional so that the same digital transmission equipment coupled to device 10 could receive information, including graphic information from a remote site and display the same on display 22. The reconstructed digital image captured by lens assembly 14 is viewed on video display 22.
[0028] It must be understood that additional circuitry may be included to process the digital image produced by detector 58 and/or converter 62. In the case of an infrared image, the only image which will be visible will be displayed on display 22 after being converted into a visible video signal by display 22. Display 22 or detector 22 may include circuitry or digital processing capability according to well known conventional principles to select, edit, enhance or reduce various aspects of the received visual image. For example, false coloring of an image to represent the temperature of various portions of the image or false coloring to exaggerate the contrast of some portions with surrounding portions can readily be included. In addition, variable electronic magnification or zoom can be added to the variable optical magnification of lens assembly 14 subject to user control. Motion detection of the image can also be included, whereby any portion of the image which is moving relative to other portions of the surrounding image is highlighted or falsely colored to be readily visually identified.
[0029] Although in one embodiment image processing is contemplated as being performed in real time in the device 10, it is also within the scope of the invention, where output 24 is bidirectional, that image processing can be performed at a remote station and then returned in modified form to device 10. Such remote image processing may include selective mixing with other images derived from other devices 10 in the field or combined with information generated or collected at the remote site. In such a situation, display 22 could be modified to be an input/output device, such as a touch screen. In this manner the displayed scene on display 22 from wherever it may be derived, allows for interactive input by the user in the field. The remote fire control command center may, for example, process the image from device 10 for suspected targets, one or several of which will then be selected by touching the screen by the user in the field, which selection is then communicated back to the remote fire control command center, which in turns directs appropriate fire control to other units in the theater. Device 10 can thus be used in this manner of one of many interactive detection and input devices in an integrated battlefield fire control system.
=================
My comment: The image can be sent to a remote station, enhanced, and sent back to the unit, real time. Thus the unit becomes part of a more powerful detection system. I can see great uses for this in military and police work. I'm VERY impressed with this device. But I don't have much experience in this field. What do you guys think of this? What do you think of the $1400 price?
Happy New Year.
P.
Paul1149,
Thanks for posting all this. It's interesting.
I make this device to be an "active" NVD, as opposed to a passive device such as a Gen 3 IIT. That would explain the higher resolution than with IIT devices. The downside is the illumination beam, even if not visible to the unaided eye, what about to IIT and other NVD? What frequency of light is the this device sensitive too, and what frequency can be produced by the illuminator?
I'm a big fan of passive devices, but not the big price tag that good ones usually come with, in addition to the lesser resolution compared to digital. It seems these digital devices are improving in the five years or so since I quit following NVD equipment (If one thinks that being a flashaholic is expensive, try keeping up with the NVD Joneses!). I don't even have the best Gen 3 and it broke the bank to do that! It has served me well though. As long as the illum. is not visible to the unaided eye, if this product delivers great resolution at this price, I may think about getting one!
Thanks for posting all this. It's interesting.
I make this device to be an "active" NVD, as opposed to a passive device such as a Gen 3 IIT. That would explain the higher resolution than with IIT devices. The downside is the illumination beam, even if not visible to the unaided eye, what about to IIT and other NVD? What frequency of light is the this device sensitive too, and what frequency can be produced by the illuminator?
I'm a big fan of passive devices, but not the big price tag that good ones usually come with, in addition to the lesser resolution compared to digital. It seems these digital devices are improving in the five years or so since I quit following NVD equipment (If one thinks that being a flashaholic is expensive, try keeping up with the NVD Joneses!). I don't even have the best Gen 3 and it broke the bank to do that! It has served me well though. As long as the illum. is not visible to the unaided eye, if this product delivers great resolution at this price, I may think about getting one!
Hey, I see a Gen 3 ITT night vision monocular for $4600 - and you get free UPS!! 
I wish I could answer your resolution/frequency questions, but I haven't seen a spec sheet. I can relay what the company has publicly said though. The unit will function with filters and combinations of filters. And they said to forget the fuzzy, green-toned night vision images we've all seen; by comparison, they claim this is HDTV.
How much of that is hyperbole? I don't know. It does seem to me that if the digital output is good, that very cool hinged optical eyepiece will be perhaps the least-used part of this device! After all, it's much easier to focus on a screen than to align your eye to an eyepiece, especially while trying to pan.
The first units are due to come out this month, so we shall see.
bw,
p.
I wish I could answer your resolution/frequency questions, but I haven't seen a spec sheet. I can relay what the company has publicly said though. The unit will function with filters and combinations of filters. And they said to forget the fuzzy, green-toned night vision images we've all seen; by comparison, they claim this is HDTV.
How much of that is hyperbole? I don't know. It does seem to me that if the digital output is good, that very cool hinged optical eyepiece will be perhaps the least-used part of this device! After all, it's much easier to focus on a screen than to align your eye to an eyepiece, especially while trying to pan.
The first units are due to come out this month, so we shall see.
bw,
p.
I bet this is something along the lines of the Weaver digital NVG scope. A good IR camera and an IR pointer alongside a small NVG type LCD display. The fact it is digital means little to the ability of the device to do cool things, except for the ones where they can pipe the signal out to a TV elsewhere or whatever. Think Sony NightShot camcorder. They even mention having a zoom!
For $1400/£700 you can get a very nice system, I bet. The Weaver is $200/£100, for reference.
For $1400/£700 you can get a very nice system, I bet. The Weaver is $200/£100, for reference.
If this device is purely an active system, would it not be of liitle military value. Even police might be concerned, in many circumstances of revealing position using an active device. It would yell "shoot me" to any opponents with the Gen 3, and 4 NVG's that many civilians now have. I wonder about Xenonics marketing.
Max52
Max52
Years ago there were a couple of companies developing active systems for police applications. Probably most departments are not greatly concerned about citizens with night vision even though gen I and II could probably see the active beams. It'd be a small percentage, especially in every day patrol type situations rather than raids, and you would still need to have an aiming system to use NV and shoot. The devices I'm thinking of were for mounting in patrol cars. Using near IR emitters of 940nm or more, so they should not even have a dull red glow to the eye. These types of systems may be more sensitive to that wavelength. At least the reason I was given that so many illuminators have 880nm is that most IIT devices are more sensitive to it, thus making for better range, etc. Not sure I believe that.
I'd still like to see more specs on this device, want to get a feel for the passive capability in low light. Devices such as the Weaver type just dont have very good passive capability. If they can increase the passive ability...!
I'd still like to see more specs on this device, want to get a feel for the passive capability in low light. Devices such as the Weaver type just dont have very good passive capability. If they can increase the passive ability...!
Ok, Xenonics has a picture and blurb of Supervision up on their website (they just cut a promotion deal with the NRA). It's not the same unit pictured here. Not a lot of detail at this point, unfortunately. If I find out more, I'll post.
p.
p.
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