Many ISR applications require constant monitoring of targets from long distance. When capturing over long distances, imagery is often degraded by atmospheric turbulence. This adds a time-variant blurring effect to captured data, and can result in a significant loss of information. To recover it, image processing techniques have been developed to enhance sequences of short exposure images or videos in order to remove frame-specific scintillation and warping. While some of these techniques have been shown to be quite effective, the associated computational complexity and required processing power limits the application of these techniques to post-event analysis. To meet the needs of real-time ISR applications, video enhancement must be done in real-time in order to provide actionable intelligence as the scene unfolds. In this paper, we will provide an overview of an algorithm capable of providing the enhancement desired and focus on its real-time implementation. We will discuss the role that GPUs play in enabling real-time performance. This technology can be used to add performance to ISR applications by improving the quality of long-range imagery as it is collected and effectively extending sensor range.

Date Published: 19 May 2015
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 9460, Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems and Applications XII, 94600C (19 May 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2177575

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9460:
Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems and Applications XII
Daniel J. Henry; Gregory J. Gosian; Davis A. Lange; Dale Linne von Berg; Thomas J. Walls; Darrell L. Young, Editor(s)