Opportunities For Hyperspectral Imaging

Opportunities For Hyperspectral Imaging

by

Claire Winters

Even though the human eyes are amazing in many ways, they are restricted by what they can see when it comes to certain types of light and images. Humans can see certain colors of light (spectra), such as blue, green and red. These are generally known as the visible spectra. However, there is light that human eyes are not able to see on their own. These fall into the ultraviolet and infrared spectra. There are numerous kinds of devices that help the human eye in seeing spectra that are normally invisible. What if there was a way to observe things that looked the same, or were spectrally similar, and distinguish between them? This is what hyperspectral imaging does. It will allow for some of the most accurate and extensive information that can be gathered. A part of the reason that the data gathered by a hyperspectral imager is so detailed is because it does not only image more bands or wavelengths of light, but its measurements are also narrower and more continuous, so the detail is greater.

Hyperspectral imaging has important uses in a variety of applications. It can be used in the food and agriculture industry to analyze food that is produced, but also to examine soil samples and different blends. Using this imaging allows workers to use it during the production process itself so that the examination doesn’t slow down production. It also will not create any heat that can damage sensitive produce. The pharmaceutical industry also employs this type of imaging throughout their production. The distribution of chemicals in drugs can be essential to its usefulness. Hyperspectral imaging permits drug manufacturers to get a firm grip on their quality control because it doesn’t damage the products.

Mining is an additional industry that has application for this sort of spectral imaging, because it can be used by geologists to identify minerals in the soil or rock that can be extracted. Additionally, it can detect toxic substances and heavy metals that can be waste products of mining. This can be done on an active mining site to take care of waste or at an inactive mining site that needs to be cleaned up, for instance a superfund site.

Forensic workers use hyperspectral imaging to help with lawsuits of a civil nature and criminal investigations. It can both detect and establish the type of explosives which can be found in a fingerprint. Additionally, it can identify minute variations that can not be seen with the naked eye with regards to document forgery. Detecting and analyzing patterns created by blood spatter at crime scenes is also something that can be improved upon with this kind of imaging.

There are a variety of manufactured products, such as semiconductors, mirrors, and devices with photovoltaic lenses that require thin films. There are characteristics that these films have that are required for the end product. Manufacturers need to know the thickness of the films and even the reflectivity or the refractive index as well. Analyzing hyperspectral images provides this sort of information.

An additional interesting use of hyperspectral images is the analysis of works of art. It’s used by experts to detect forgeries and to assess what an original paint color was before it faded due to elements like light or the passage of time. This is often beneficial in restoration work. The field of hyperspectral imaging continues to grow as new applications for this sensitive imaging are identified.

Middleton Research supplies either separate components for you to design your

hyperspectral imaging camera

, or complete systems ready for use. More info on Middleton Research are readily available at the company’s website,

middletonresearch.com/

.

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Opportunities For Hyperspectral Imaging