Projects & Applications

Making the invisible visible 

This is our motto! We have got extensive experience in the development of complex electro-optical devices such as multi-spectral cameras. We can offer a wide range of OEM products ranging from the 1 channel Condor-1000 MS1 to the 5 channel Condor-1000 MS5.

What is multi-spectral imaging?

Multi-spectral imaging is a technology originally developed for space-based imaging. Multi-spectral imaging can capture light from frequencies beyond the visible light range, such as infrared. This can allow extraction of additional information that the human eye fails to capture with its receptors for red, green and blue. Multi-spectral images with more numerous bands or finer spectral resolution or wider spectral coverage may be called "hyper-spectral" or "ultra-spectral".

This technology can be of use for many different applications and markets. The main applications can be found in the following market segments:

Quest Projects is specialized in customer specific application development. Projects can comprise of custom camera development, machine vision applications and/or system integration. Because each project is different, we will work in close co-operation with our customers.

  • Defense and Security ( 1 Article )

    Perhaps these are the largest markets that already use multi-spectral imaging technologies. Applications in these segments are vast and the users have a lot of experience in using different multi-spectral systems. However new technological developments make it possible to have multi-spectral capabilities using only one instead of e.g. 5 camera's. The Quest-Innovations Condor-MS5 is such an example!

    Multi-spectral imaging makes it possible to increase the detection of anomalies and possible threats. However for most applications smaller and more robust devices are getting more and more important as is the integration of multiple solutions into one device!

     

    The applications in the military and security market of multi-spectral imaging are vast, some applications can be found in e.g.:

    • AUV's and UAV's for remote surveillance
    • Targeting (bore sight)
    • Gas detection
    • Image enhancement
    • Detection of man made objects in natural environments(e.g. mines)
    •  Forensics (e.g. on site blood stain characterization, 3D mapping)
    • Biometrics
    • Document security
    • Border patrol
  • Agriculture ( 1 Article )

    agricultural_thumbThe needs for new sensors and sensing technologies for rapid, non-destructive, and non-invasive inspection of food products have never been so great today due to economic globalisation and heightened awareness and/or increasing demand for food quality and safety by consumers and governments around the world. New sensing technologies have provided us with unprecedented capabilities to measure, inspect, sort, and grade food products effectively and efficiently.

    Multi-spectral imaging is among those emerging technologies that have made great impact in the field of non-destructive and non-invasive sensing for agricultural and food products. This technology is implemented for acquiring spectral images at selected discrete narrow wavebands (often less than 10) that would be more useful than conventional broadband imaging technology for detecting certain physical, biological, and/or chemical features from the product. In recent years there is a growing interest in this technology from researchers around the world.

    The technology has evolved rapidly as computers became faster and more powerful, and it has now entered a new stage of industrial applications for real-time inspection of food and agricultural products.

    Some examples of agricultural applications are e.g.

    • Advanced disease control
    • Quality control and sorting
    • Automatic harvesting robots
    • Environmental influences
  • Medical ( 2 Articles )

    Medicine and health-care are ever growing markets, new diagnostics and treatments are being developed continuously and patients are getting more and more aware of the technical and medical possibilities! Specific medical applications are eager to use the newly developed multi-spectral imaging capabilities!

    Using multi-spectral cameras and fluorescence for example it is possible to make certain cancers visible to the surgeon. Combining the visible image with the specific fluorescence image, and doing this in real-time, make it possible for surgeons to exactly know where to operate and thus making sure that all the harmful cancer cells are removed. This is a huge step forward in cancer surgery! Normal cancer surgery made it necessary to cut away more tissue surrounding the cancerous cells because the surgeon could not see during the operation to what extend the cancer was spread! This new technology will make it possible to increase the accuracy of such an operation dramatically; this will be a great benefit for the patient!

    Multi-spectral imaging technologies can also be used for e.g.

    • Diagnostics
    • Cancer surgery
    • Image enhancement for endoscopes
    • Dermatology
    • Minimal invasive surgery (3D imaging)
    • Non-invasive blood gas determination
  • Industrial ( 1 Article )

    industry_thumbThe industrialised world is now more aware then ever of the effect that they have on the environment and the impact this has globally. Different technologies are being developed to decrease the CO2 emissions and other harmful gasses into the atmosphere. Multi-spectral imaging cannot solve all the industrial problems, but using these new technologies it is possible to increase the control of production processes and the emission of harmful gasses! Next to these environmental issues, quality-,safety- and process- control are also issues that can be tackled using these new technologies.

     

    Applications of multi-spectral imaging for idustry are e.g.

    • Quality control
    • Environmental issues
    • Smoke stack control
    • Fire control
    • Real-time process control
    • Gas/Chemical/liquids detection
 
 
 

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