Tuesday March 25 3:59 PM EDT
ESSI Probe 1 Hyperspectral Imaging Sensor to be flown aboard CMI aircraft with Data Processing by ASIT
McCALL, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 25, 1997--California Microwave Inc. (CMI) (NASDAQ:CMIC) announced that it has selected Earth Search Sciences Inc. (ESSI) (OTC:EDIS) to provide a Probe 1 Hyperspectral imaging sensor to be flown on-board a CMI Airborne Systems Integration Division aircraft.
Applied Signal and Image Technology Inc. (ASIT) of Millersville, Md., will be responsible for the reduction and analysis of data obtained from the Probe 1. ASIT is strategically aligned with CMI, ESSI, and the instrument manufacturer Integrated Spectronics Pty Ltd. of Australia. At present, it is anticipated that the Probe 1 will be delivered to ESSI in May of this year.
Hyperspectral imaging systems are important because they offer a potential increase in classification accuracy over multispectral systems like LANDSAT. Tailored processing of hyperspectral data allows for the unambiguous identification of many materials via their reflectance signatures, a capability that existing multispectral systems (which under-sample the spectrum) do not offer.
The superior capability provided by hyperspectral for material identification has applications in many areas including defense, environmental, agriculture, urban planning, global change assessment, and others.
The Probe 1 is designed to collect hyperspectral imaging which fully samples the fully visible and near infrared wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum through the acquisition of 128 spectrally contiguous image channels. A complete visible and near infrared reflectance spectrum can be extracted from any spatial element of a hyperspectral data set allowing a trained analyst to determine the identity of land cover units based on their unique reflectance characteristics.
Automatic processing of the data can be accomplished through application of proprietary algorithms developed by ASIT. These algorithms are hosted in the ASPECT and SENTINEL software packages as well as the PROSPECTRE near real-time adaptive spectral processing and analysis system. The PROSPECTRE system is being adapted specifically to the Probe 1 by ESSI and ASIT to ultimately provide real-time spectral processing of Probe 1 data that automatically determine major scene constituents and map those constituent materials.
The end result can be either abundance images wherein the brightness of each picture element is related to the abundance of the target material or classification images wherein each picture element is grouped into one of several classes determined a priori from the data itself.
Dr. John Peel, CEO of Earth Search Sciences said, "We are excited and welcome this strategic alliance. It is a milestone in ESSI's continuing development."
Dr. Joseph Harsanyi, president of ASIT stated, "Our adaptive spectral processing and analysis systems significantly reduce the time taken to extract useful information from these large, complex data sets. This is of key commercial importance when clients require fast post-mission delivery of results."
Dr. Terry Cocks of Integrated Spectronics has been working with ESSI to bring into operation a series of advanced airborne hyperspectral scanners capable of surveying the earth's surface at rates up to 1,500 square km per hour. "We are very excited about the Probe 1 scanners in that they will provide a quantum leap in mineral exploration capabilities.
"The Probe 1 scanners are far superior to any other commercially available system in such critical performance parameters as signal to noise ratio, spectral resolution and spectral coverage. ESSI is unique in its vision of having airborne imaging spectroscopy as a core technology in its mineral exploration programs," Cocks said.
California Microwave Inc. is a leader in wireless and satellite communications. Founded in 1968, the company operates facilities in seven states and sells into more than 11 countries. California Microwave is the number one supplier of microwave radios and telecommunications satellite earth stations used in wireless communications. Its strategy calls for significant expansion in the wireless area.
In fiscal 1996, its sales were approximately $460 million. California Microwave's commercial wireless and satellite communications facilities are certified to the ISO 9001 quality standard.
The CMI Airborne Systems Integration Division has announced that it will provide a dedicated aircraft obtained from their partner AGES Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla., to act as the airborne platform for the Probe 1. Sensor integration will be completed by the end of the second quarter of 1997 with data acquisitions to begin soon thereafter. The CMI aircraft with the ESSI Probe 1 will be on display at the Third International Airborne Remote Sensing Conference and Exhibition in Copenhagen, Denmark, 7-10 July 1997.
CONTACT: California Microwave
Kirk Griffin, 800/359-2228, ext. 1474
kirkgr@cmi-asi.com
OR
Integrated Spectronics Pty, Ltd.
Terry Cocks, 61 2 9878 0977
tdc@ozemail.com.au
OR
Earth Search Sciences
Larry Vance, 208/634-7080
earthsrch@aol.com
OR
Applied Signal and Image Technology
Joe Harsanyi, 410/729-3108
jcharsanyi@aol.com |
