Description: NASA is seeking an optical system capable of analyzing the attitude of wind tunnel models in real time, with a high angular resolution and robustness. To address this need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Plenoptic Attitude Monitoring (PAM) system, which utilizes a dual plenoptic imager to extract attitude information. The innovative dual plenoptic design utilizes one plenoptic imager to analyze and correct for turbulence effects introduced by airflow around the model, while the second imager extracts the attitude information from the model itself. This system is capable of providing real-time measurements with a high angular resolution of better than 9 arcsec. As an analytical imaging based system, PAM may also be placed in any location that provides it with a view of the model under test, thereby ensuring compatibility with existing monitoring technologies and enabling protection from wind tunnel temperature and pressure conditions. The compactness of the design also minimizes setup and calibration time, thereby fully compatible and reducing the impact on wind tunnel operations. During Phase I, POC will design and demonstrate the feasibility of the PAM system using a low-speed wind tunnel and modeling for higher wind speeds. By the completion of Phase II, POC will demonstrate the PAM system in subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic wind tunnel tests and finalize the design for production.

Benefits: The primary application of the PAM system will be for model attitude analysis in wind tunnels, enabling improved analysis of model design. With minor modifications, PAM can also be incorporated into land- and aircraft-based observation platforms, which will enable real-time analysis of flight systems under actual flight conditions. This will enable wind shear analysis of aircraft and spacecraft and also provide for a predictive flight path program based on the changes in position and attitude.

Non-NASA applications include military applications of the PAM system after modifications for installation in aircraft. PAM's ability to be incorporated into a predictive flight path program will enable it to rapidly forecast the flight path of an enemy aircraft or missile, thereby improving the response time for countermeasures. Commercial applications of PAM include civilian wind tunnels and the ability for physical analysis when it is necessary to eliminate external factors from the imagery. This includes shock analysis, tests of tensile strength for new materials, and rapid characterization of objects in motion to be incorporated into physics-based simulations.