• LED lumen ratings do not directly indicate the number of photons captured by a camera, necessitating conversion for precise illumination control.
• The process involves digitizing spectral power curves, normalizing them, and converting watts to photons per second using fundamental first principles.
• This methodology is crucial for applications involving rapid motion, where short exposure times are needed to prevent blurring while maintaining image clarity.
  

Figure 1A: Relative power output of a white LED (Ρ_n (λ) ), and the eye photopic sensitivity curve V (λ). A phosphor on the LED is used to convert the blue LED to white, but much of the power is outside the eye’s sensitivity range. 

Editor’s note: Bodkin Design & Engineering (Newton, MA, USA) confronted the issue of controlling motion blur in video imaging while working on a project involving high-speed helicopter blades. However, the idea of choosing the correct exposure for the camera applies to any project involving LED illumination—not just those involving motion, says Andrew Bodkin, the company’s founder. To set up the camera and LEDs correctly, you need to know how many photons are in a lumen of LED flux, he says. Because this information is not available in LED spec sheets, the Bodkin team developed a method to calculate the information and shares the step-by-step approach here. 

When designing a machine vision system, it is important to determine if there will be sufficient illumination for a good image. The lights must be selected along with the lenses, the image chip, and the layout of the camera and illuminators. Without sufficient light, even the best machine vision system can fail.

This is particularly critical if the subject is moving rapidly, requiring a short exposure to prevent blurring. There is a trade-off between exposure time and motion blur. The longer the exposure, the better the imagery but the greater the motion blur.

LED lighting has become the standard illumination source. LEDs are rated in lumens, which describe how bright they look to the human eye, not how a camera sees them. In fact, cameras pick up a wider range of wavelengths, which means much of the illumination falls outside the visual sensitivity curve used to define the lumen. There is actually more light in the LED lamp than described by the lumen rating. This works to our advantage for light-starved imagery.

To predict image quality, LED output must be converted into photons per second per wavelength and matched to the camera pixel spectral sensitivity. Since LED specs do not provide this information, it has to be worked out from first principles—a method engineers use to break a problem down into fundamental truths before building a solution.

This article will show how to convert LED ratings from lumens to spectral flux in photons.

Scene illumination is determined from the spotlight datasheets or from modeling.  Depending on lens f-number, pixel size, and object reflectivity, the illumination at the pixel can be calculated. For rapidly moving objects, the question is: What is the shortest exposure time we can use and still have reasonable imagery?

To evaluate this, we need to determine how much the exposure fills the detector well. To determine the well fill of the pixel and the resulting signal-to-noise ratio, the number of detected photons has to be calculated. For incandescent illumination this can be done using a blackbody calculator.  However modern lighting uses LEDs, whose spectral photon flux (the number of photons per second per unit area) is not available on the datasheets.

LED manufacturers report the total flux in lumens and the relative spectral power distribution as a normalized curve (Figure 1). We want to derive the scale factor used to normalize the curve from the lumen rating and convert the curve back to watts.

The curve was created by measuring the spectral output of the LED with a spectrometer in watts (P (λ) ), then dividing it by the maximum value (Μ) to give a normalized curve. To characterize the total power from the LED, the illumination is measured with a meter that is fitted with a filter to mimic the spectral sensitivity of the eye and read out in lumens.

Figure 1A: Relative power output of a white LED (Ρ_n (λ) ), and the eye photopic sensitivity curve V (λ). A phosphor on the LED is used to convert the blue LED to white, but much of the power is outside the eye’s sensitivity range. 

Figure 1B: Comparison of the LED to the Quantum Efficiency of the camera’s detectors, both monochrome and RGB.  The camera detects more of the LED output than the human eye.

To recover the spectral power curve in watts from the relative spectral power curve, we need to find (Μ) the maximum emission value that was used to normalize the curve.

We use a spreadsheet to determine the value of (Μ), and create the power curve of the LED in watts. This is then converted to photons/second with Planck’s constant and the speed of light.

Figure 2A: An example LED provides 1 lumen of power. When run through the spreadsheet math, the output in watts is plotted.

Figure 2B: That plot is converted to photons/second. It is this photon flux that is converted by the pixels to electrons and is recorded as the image data. 

We digitized the curves representing the LED relative spectral power distribution, the eye photopic visual efficiency, and the camera spectral quantum efficiency every 10 nm over the 400 to 750 nm range and entered them into a spreadsheet (Figure 3).

Figure 3: The digitized spreadsheet. The input is the lumen power from the LED, the normalized spectral output of the LED, and the camera spectral quantum efficiency for monochrome and RGB pixels (yellow). The output is the signal in photons/second from each detector. For this particular LED and image chip we find that the detected quantum efficiency is 68% for monochrome and is reduced to R-30%, G-52%, and B-18%. (This spreadsheet is available for download at https://old.bodkindesign.com/photon-to-lumen-calculator/).

Figure 3 shows the spreadsheet we used to calculate the photon flux from the lumen rating. LEDs can have different phosphors resulting in a different relative spectral power curve, and the image chip can have different QEs. Therefore, new curves will need to be digitized for each design.  Printed curves from the datasheets can be digitized using a free online application. For this particular LED, the total photon rate for 1 lumen flux is 5.9×1015 ph/s. And for this particular image chip, the monochrome net quantum efficiency is 68%, the red is 20%, blue 19% and green 35%.

To determine the image exposure for the camera, calculate the electrical signal from the pixel. To do that, determine the LED lumen flux on each pixel, convert it to photons/second, multiply by the quantum efficiency curve of the pixel and the exposure time. This will yield the charge in the pixel detector well. From this, the well fill, digitizing counts and signal-to-noise can be calculated. This process is the topic of a future article.

Author’s note: I would like to thank Jim Daly, chief scientist at Bodkin Design & Engineering; Adam Norton, optical consultant; and Mike Zollers, senior illumination systems engineer at Synopsys (Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for their support in developing this derivation.

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This innovation makes it possible to capture slow-motion video of the helicopter rotor as it is spinning at full speed.

“With this innovation we can see high-speed events as they are happening, and monitor and control systems that were previously uncontrollable.” — Andrew Bodkin, President of BD&E

NEWTON, MA, UNITED STATES, July 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — Bodkin Design & Engineering (BD&E) has been awarded a $180,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC). The funding will support the National Full-Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC) in conducting rotorcraft testing.

Instrumentation used for health monitoring, mounted on a helicopter rotor can come loose under centrifugal forces and vibrations. If not caught in time they can fail, and cause long delays, expense, and safety issues. This new system helps prevent that by delivering slow-motion video of the rotor as it is spinning at full speed.

Conventional high-speed cameras record video at a high frame rate and when played back at a low frame rate produce a slow-motion effect. However this is not useful for controlling real-time processes. The innovative system under development, utilizes the “Wagon Wheel Effect” to make the fast spinning rotor appear to stand still or rotate slowly.

The device will permit operators to watch slow-motion video in a live feed of the spinning rotor during wind tunnel testing. It will allow operators to diagnose problems prior to catastrophic failure. The innovation includes the synchronous illuminator, high resolution camera and custom electronics to “freeze” the motion, making it possible to observe the rotor on all sides as it spins.

“Gone are the days of waiting to download and analyze the data to figure out what happened.” said Andrew Bodkin, President of BD&E. “With this innovation we can see events as they are happening, and monitor and control systems that were previously uncontrollable.”

Although this instrument is being developed for rotorcraft testing, the same technology can be used to support research, product development, and quality control across the aerospace, transportation, and manufacturing sectors. It also provides useful stroboscopic data for rotary equipment inspection and vibration analysis. This synchronous video system can additionally find application in television studios to reduce power consumption and waste heat.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering
Bodkin Design and Engineering are the Imaging System ExpertsTM. Specializing in visible, infrared and spectrographic camera systems. They manufacture hyperspectral imagers, laser trimers, illuminators and infrared calibration equipment. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company offers custom design and build services to the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities.

About the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC)
Headquartered at Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee, the AEDC provides a comprehensive range of testing capabilities designed to simulate speed, temperature, pressure, and other conditions across a broad spectrum to support the needs of aerospace system developers.

Distribution A: Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited. AEDC PA 2025-442

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Bodkin Design & Engineering is proud to announce that our founder and principal, Andrew Bodkin, has been honored with the 2024 Outstanding Career Achievement Award from Tufts University’s School of Engineering. This award recognizes alumni who have made important contributions to engineering and technology.

The award was presented at the 26th Annual Graduate Awards Ceremony held on April 26th. The ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have demonstrated excellence in research, leadership, and professional achievement. Andrew’s decades of innovation in optics, imaging, and engineering technology have shaped both our company and the broader field. His work continues to drive advancements in how optical systems are designed and applied across multiple industries.

We congratulate Andy on this well-deserved recognition from his alma mater.

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In this article in Vision Systems Design, the technology involved is described in detail along with refinements that needed to be made during implementation.

Read the Full Article

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The developed system will provide Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) data on components as they age in the simulated space environment.

“We’re excited to support AEDC’s mission by providing a tool that will significantly enhance material testing capabilities and further the understanding of material aging in the space environment.”— Andrew Bodkin, Principal of BD&E

NEWTON, MA, UNITED STATES, February 12, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / — Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) has been awarded a $1,250,000 contract by the U.S. Air Force. The two-year Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will support the Space Threat Assessment Testbed (STAT) at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC).

The innovative system to be designed and built by BD&E will help characterize satellite components as they age within the simulated space environment. This pioneering technology will support AEDC in characterizing the optical properties of materials, providing crucial data on how materials change over time under space conditions.

“This project reflects BD&E’s commitment to advancing optical technology in space simulation,” said Andrew Bodkin, Principal of BD&E. “We’re excited to support AEDC’s mission by providing a tool that will significantly enhance material testing capabilities and further the understanding of material aging in the space environment.”

The developed system will provide Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) data on components as they age in the simulated space environment, offering valuable insights into the performance and longevity of materials used in satellite construction.

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Under this contract, BD&E developed the Spectral-Polarimetric Imager (SPI-640), a sensor that detects spectral patterns (Reststrahlen effect) and polarimetric changes due to the soil being overturned. The Reststrahlen effect is a spectral absorption pattern in the 8-9 μm wavelength range. When the ground soil is weathered, the smaller quartz particles are washed off the larger grains changing the spectral self-emission of the soil. Disturbing the soil removes this change, clearly indicating buried materials in the imagery. In addition to the Reststrahlen effect, the degree of linear polarization (DoLP) indicates disturbed earth. These two effects are complementary and, when used in conjunction with each other, maximize the detection in all soil types.

Additional application for this instrument includes defeating camouflage and detecting toxic chemicals. At 2.5 lbs., the battery-operated imager is lightweight enough to be carried by a UAV, mounted on a vehicle, or handheld.

SBIR funding allows small businesses like BD&E to develop innovative technologies that benefit both the DoD and the economy at large. BD&E has successfully converted SBIR research to commercial applications including thermal imaging for night vision, and spectral imaging for manufacturing, food analysis and biomedical research; and is currently paving the way for the next generation of new technologies.

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BD&E has been creating innovative solutions for over thirty years and distributes a variety of spectral imagers, including the Cubert ULTRIS series for targeted projects. In the recent webinar: “How to Design Machine Vision for Your Application: From Infrared to Hyperspectral,” Andrew Bodkin, the founder of BD&E, lays out the steps to selecting the components for a machine vision system to empower customers to consider the specific needs of their application to find the right spectral solutions as well as products.

At the show, we will demo the government-funded Spectral-Polarimetric Imager (SPI-640,) a specially designed imager that utilizes these two technologies to distinguish changes in the self-emission pattern of the soil which indicates disturbed earth. BD&E is also a distributor of Unispectral’s multispectral imager the Monarch II, a device that can easily be embedded in robotics and machine control systems and covers 680-920 nm. This is a low-cost option for those looking for real-time data from the palm of their hand.

Our team of scientists and engineers will be present to offer advice on which services and products will be useful to your application. Come and meet us in booth #405!

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Efficient characterization of military target infrared (IR) signatures is vital to any countermeasure. Examples of countermeasures include automatic detection and recognition of incoming threats as well as the design of aircraft and missile guidance seekers. In the last decade, the integration of IR-based technology in ballistic missile defense systems has been at the forefront of defense technologies.

The detection, tracking, and identification of a rocket are associated with the thermal emission and distribution within the combustion plume while the velocity is associated with the combustion species. Spectroscopy is widely used for combustion analysis using various diagnostic techniques. Hyperspectral imaging extends these capacities by generating 3D images with enhanced spectral and spatial information.

The MWIR-60 is an HPA imager that allows for 62 bands of spectra data and 40 x 40 spatial resolution. The system is delivered with its own ruggedized data acquisition computer system and it has a parallel processor that allows it to capture radiometrically-corrected hyperspectral data cubes (hypercubes) at 120 cubes per second. The supplementary software will allow the system to acquire test and calibration data. Please inquire with BD&E about our additional software packages that can perform chemical and temporal identification.

The MWIR-60 is ideal for moving platforms and transient events, which makes it great option for other applications such as geologic mapping, standoff detection, and chemical defense. The snapshot capability makes it great for conveyor and other fast-moving platforms. Reach out with any questions regarding your specific application.

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The Toucan is a small but efficient device with an expansive SWIR range of 400-900 nm. This range is unmatched in SILIOS technology, covering the range of two of SILIOS’ original models and splitting the information into 10 spectral bands. The mosaic filter also allows you to extract spectrum at multiple points of the image. And to make it even more accessible, the supplemental software offers raw, false color, and greyscale images to help you interpret the information.

BD&E is a leader in imaging systems and values promoting innovative technology like the TOUCAN. BD&E’s mission is to ensure customers have the right technology for their specific applications. We sell cutting-edge products and create custom solutions to meet these needs. For this reason, BD&E has partnered with SILIOS for several years to showcase some of their multispectral products and the many applications that they can apply to:

• Food safety and inspection
• Medical and healthcare
• Waste sorting and recycling
• Skincare and cosmetic manufacturing
• Authentication
• Fertilization and irrigation optimization
• Security and surveillance

TOUCAN is a great addition to the marketplace as an affordable option for a high wavelength range. Please contact us for more information.

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Bodkin Design will exhibit the new ULTRIS 5, the smallest hyperspectral imager on the market today. This imager uses light field technology to capture a snapshot data-cube in every frame.  The ULTRIS 5 covers the spectral range from 450 – 850 nm (VNIR) with 50 spectral bands, producing an unprecedented 250 x 250 pixels of spatial resolution.  It can be attached to any standard microscope or endoscope, making it suitable for bio/medical research applications.  And its low weight and small size makes it ideal for mounting on a wide range of drones and UAVs.

We invite you to learn more about our leading-edge technologies in person at the 2022 Photonics West (booth #3053) and BiOS Expo (booth #8053). Come meet with BD&E, the full-service engineering firm, to discuss your needs and fit you with the correct instrument for your application.

We invite you to explore our custom engineered products. From camera calibration systems and infrared cameras, to laser delivery, custom spectrometers and FDA approved biomedical sensors, Bodkin Design is your best source for creative and affordable solutions.

Discover how our cutting-edge expertise can solve your toughest problems!

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BD&E has been awarded $999,999.98 for Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding from the US Army Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD. Under this contract, a longwave infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral imager is being developed to detect CWAs and TICs. The unique instrument simplifies the design of the optical system, greatly reducing the size and weight, resulting in a first of its kind standoff chemical detection imager suitable to be hand carried, vehicle mounted or UAV borne.

Spectroscopy is a key tool in chemical identification and defense. Specifically, the LWIR region contains spectral signatures indicative of several important substances, including organo-phosphates, blister agents and TICs. Current LWIR hyperspectral systems are limited by both their large size and unsuitability for use in mobile platforms. The LWIR snapshot instrument developed under this program overcomes these limitations, has no moving parts and is capable of capturing spectral and spatial data-cubes at video rates.

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In crowded public spaces, such as office buildings, factories, stores, meat-packing plants, airports, train stations and courthouses, it is important to remove individuals who might spread COVID-19. To determine who is infected, the primary method is to use non-contact infrared thermometry. One method uses infrared cameras to make thermal images of a populated scene. By placing BD&E’s temperature reference in the scene, it is possible to get an accurate temperature reading from a low-cost thermal camera. A simple comparison by the operator can easily spot fevered individuals.

BD&E’s Thermal Reference is now being evaluated by the US Army, who has a stockpile of thermal imagers used for night operations. These instruments can be converted to non-contact imaging thermometers by using the BD&E Thermal Reference. It is also being evaluated by the NYC Transit Authority for use in rail stations throughout the Metro region.

Learn more about Thermal Reference for Fever Detection

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Not only does the Corning microHSI 410 offer the highest performance, but costs considerably less than competitive devices.

The Corning microHSI 410 is available as a standalone sensor, with a scanning platen for laboratory use and as a turn-key package for airborne reconnaissance with software and built-in GPS/INS.

Snapshot HSI is ideal for capturing high speed events or producing video rate data-cubes; by contrast, Slit-Scan HSI produces high resolution maps through airborne platform motion or a scanning mirror or moving conveyer belt.

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demonstrating the Cubert ULTRIS camera, a ground-breaking innovation in Hyperspectral Imaging. Producing an unprecedented 400x400x100 snapshot data-cubes at 6Hz. 

This instrument is a unique addition to our family of Snapshot and Slit- Scan Hyperspectral Imagers from Cubert, Silios, Corning and of course Bodkin Design.

Cubert’s new ULTRIS camera was developed based on Light Field technology. The camera features an Ultra-HD CMOS 20 MP sensor, lenslet array and continuously variable bandpass filter. The camera provides an image resolution of 400×400 spatial pixels with 100 spectral channels, covering a continuous wavelength range from 450nm to 850nm.

During image acquisition, the object is recorded with a multitude of images, each with its own linear variable bandpass filter with a different center wavelength. The unparalleled number of 160,000 spectra are acquired simultaneously with this unique optical processor. The 12-bit image sensor makes it possible to detect minute intensity differences in the spectral content while keeping the noise level exceptionally low, and the dual GigE camera interface guarantees a data-cube rate of 6 Hz.

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These Pixelated Filter Array cameras come in three varieties, for Color analysis, Vegetation and Security.

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The camera provides an image resolution of 400×400 spatial pixels with 100 spectral channels, covering a continuous wavelength range from 450nm to 850nm.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC will be exhibiting at Photonics West in San Francisco this January. Bodkin Design will be demonstrating the FireflEYE S185, along with new software capability, at their exhibition booth. The system is used extensively in UAVs for precision agriculture, and by other researchers, agronomists, geologists, chemists, and manufacturers to deliver unprecedented datasets for chemical analysis, quality control, pollution monitoring, and more.

Snapshot hyperspectral technology allows spectral and spatial information to be collected simultaneously into a 3-dimensional dataset or as a video stream yielding a 4-dimensional dataset.  Snapshot spectral imaging can be accomplished in many ways; however, the patented Hyperpixel Array^TM method employed in the Cubert FireflEYE^TM system benefits users with its ability to collect spectral information without temporal or spatial disparity that plagues scanning slit or filter array instruments.

Not only will the FireflEYE imager be on display, but Cubert GmbH plans to unveil their latest software interface. The new interface comes with the 2.1.0. Fuchsia software release, which comes tightly integrated with a new automatic classification toolbox. Users may install perClass Toolbox for Matlab® directly via the Cubert installer. Multi- and hyperspectral images, acquired by the complete range of Cubert cameras, may be directly imported into the perClass environment. A rich set of interactive visualization, data modeling and classification tools are available for rapid development.

Automatic classification and identification of fruit on trees.

Director of Sales at Cubert GmbH, Matthias Locherer, says, “The takeaway is that Cubert users can, within five minutes, record spectral images, create statistical classifiers for specific materials, and deploy the solution processing in a live data stream.” Bodkin Design’s principal, Andrew Bodkin, stated, “The unveiling of Cubert’s new software interface at Photonics West will allow our customers to make better use of their data in a very sleek, simple, and easy-to-use software environment without the need to switch between multiple software packages. This saves an incredible amount of time.”

We invite you to join the principals of Cubert and Bodkin at booth #2610 at Photonics West (January 30 – Feb 1, 2018) to learn how snapshot hyperspectral can help you succeed. Not planning on attending Photonics West? No problem. For more information or questions about Cubert products and pricing, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info@bodkindesign.com; or visit our website at www.bodkindesign.com.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC, headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, has been providing customized engineering solutions, concept development, and production for hyperspectral imaging systems since 1992. The company serves the military, international OEM, commercial, and research communities. Bodkin Design is the exclusive distributor of Cubert products in North America. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

About Cubert GmbH

Cubert GmbH is a German company with global reach serving precision agriculture, machine vision, biomedical markets and more. Cubert has leading-edge imaging product in the VNIR wavelength ranges bridging both multi and hyperspectral domains serving scientific, aerial, and microscope applications.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering OEM Blackbody designed for automated self-calibration of infrared systems

Bodkin Design & Engineering has custom-engineered a blackbody infrared radiance standard for Marvin Test Solutions, to integrate into their modular target simulators. The blackbody unit supplied by BD&E is a derivative of their MRDT-50 infrared calibrator product, originally developed to calibrate infrared tracking cameras at White Sands missile range.

Marvin Test Solutions incorporates the device into its MTS-916 series of Modular Target Simulators. The MTS-916 is part of a suite of armament and munitions test solutions that support the testing and verification of optically-guided weapon systems such as Maverick or Hellfire missiles. The testing of optically-guided weapons is complex, and a complete test solution requires a device such as the MTS-916 to simulate either a stationary or moving target. Target simulation ensures that the optical seeker can track and terminally guide the weapon to the target.

Marvin Test Systems MTS-916 Series Target Simulator

“Bodkin Design and Engineering is a valued supplier that we know we can depend on for OEM components and subassemblies that meet our most demanding requirements,” said Lowell Parsons, Director of Test Engineering for Marvin Test Solutions. “Their focus on quality and customer support enables us to continue delivering the advanced mil/aero test solutions our customers need.”
Bodkin Design & Engineering has recently been working with MassMEP, a resource committed to manufacturing growth in the state of Massachusetts, to grow their OEM business profile. The Company considers this particular opportunity a stepping stone to success in increasing their manufacturing capabilities, as well as helping the state to reach their goals.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Visit us at Photonics West, booth #2610, from January 30 – February 1, 2018 at the Moscone Center in San Fransisco.

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing electro-optic engineering and custom manufacturing as well as test and R&D services since 2003. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products in a wide range of markets from calibration equipment for infrared imaging (IRblackbody.com), to a patented line of video rate hyperspectral imagers (hyperspectralimagers.com). To learn more, visit us at www.bodkindesign.com. For more information or questions about products and pricing, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info@bodkindesign.com.

About Marvin Test Solutions

Marvin Test Solutions, a vertically integrated aerospace test and measurement company, has delivered innovative, feature-rich test solutions for factory, flightline, intermediate-level, and depot-level applications since 1988. As a member of The Marvin Group, an award-winning aerospace company with a 50-year history in the Defense and Commercial Aerospace industries, Marvin Test Solutions has test equipment deployed in support of most of the major defense aircraft and munitions in use around the world. Marvin Test Solutions quickly delivers full-spectrum, successful test solutions – making test, maintenance, and sustainment of the most mission-critical systems easier and faster. To learn more about Marvin Test Solutions, visit marvintest.com.

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Laboratory methods for seized drug analysis are time consuming, technically challenging, and cost prohibitive, making them unsuitable for field applications. Current field testing commonly lacks specificity and there is a chance of false positives. Field personnel, researchers, and scientists are searching for a real time method that yields information about potentially harmful substances, as well as guidance to prioritize and focus subsequent lab analysis.

Having an instrument that is more selective and yields more specific information than a typical field test is helpful, even if initial data does not allow a field agent to see the entire picture. Particularly, there is interest in relating hyperspectral analysis to more traditional field testing. Hyperspectral imaging is especially helpful for real time analysis in situ, with no sample preparation, and minimal steps.

Professor Sabra Botch-Jones

In the field, this instrument could determine how forensic experts handle evidence. The main question is aimed at whether a particular substance is illicit and whether the sample should be collected for further testing; however, collection techniques may vary depending on the type of illicit material found.  Professor Botch-Jones states, “If I can obtain a hyperspectral reading, it would provide me with a better understanding of the type of substance we are dealing with. As is the case with synthetic opioids, I would know that additional precautions were needed in handling that substance.”

First responders are now undergoing Narcan^TM training in case of accidental exposure to a potent synthetic opioid. The use of hyperspectral imaging could help prevent many accidental exposures from happening in the first place. Sabra continued, “Not only will these results help us in the field, but having this information affects downstream analysis as well. In the lab, one would take extra precautions processing a synthetic opioid sample to prevent inhalation or dermal exposure”.

Preliminary results will be presented by Ani Kazaryan at the poster session of the Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists 43^rd annual meeting November 7-10, 2017. For more information about the meeting, visit www.neafs.org.

For more information, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info@bodkindesign.com.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing hyperspectral imaging equipment as well as test and R&D services since 2003. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in electro-optic and mechanical systems, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products in a wide range of markets from calibration equipment for infrared imaging (IRblackbody.com), to a patented line of video rate hyperspectral imagers (hyperspectralimagers.com). To learn more, visit us at www.bodkindesign.com.

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The MQ-8 Firescout (pictured) will carry the night time illuminator from Bodkin Design, along with other mission critical payloads.

Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC has been awarded the first round of a $1.5 Million SBIR Phase 2 contract from the U.S. Navy to develop a power-efficient illuminator for nighttime operations of the Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) system.  The innovative COBRA Multi-Spectral Illuminator will provide broadband light with sufficient illumination for the COBRA camera to operate under all light conditions.

The mission of COBRA is to conduct unmanned aerial tactical reconnaissance in the littoral battlespace for detection and localization of minefields and obstacles in the surf zone and beach zone prior to an amphibious assault.  The COBRA airborne payload is carried on the MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned air system, which keeps operators and personnel at a safe distance.  COBRA will also be embarked in the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as part of the Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Mission Package (MP).  By permitting nighttime operation the developed technology will increase the number of hours the COBRA system can be deployed, thus reducing overall operational costs.

System performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and ground test methods over the required range of landscapes and scenes.  Bodkin Design plans to finish all three phases of development, which includes definition and qualification of the illuminator elements, prototype construction, lab testing, and manned flight testing.  The entire project is scheduled to be completed in September 2018.

This project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

For more information, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info@bodkindesign.com.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in electro-optic and mechanical systems, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras to breaking systems for railroad cars. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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Spectral imaging is a non-destructive technique used to solve a variety of complex problems we face every day.  This unique capability combines high resolution imaging with spectral analysis.  The system is used by researchers, agronomists, geologists, chemists, and manufacturers to deliver unprecedented datasets for chemical analysis, quality control, and decision-making.

Snapshot spectral imaging is key for applications that involve moving targets, from handheld or vehicle born instruments, or for imaging events that take place over time.  This makes snapshot imaging ideal for any user whether your application is lab, field, airborne, or machine vision related.

There are several methods currently available for acquiring images, but they are limited in their ability to satisfy the need for temporal and spectral fidelity, while reducing cost. The innovative device from Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC captures spectral and spatial information in one instantaneous video frame as fast as one full cube every 1/1000 of a second. With no moving parts, it provides high-resolution spectra in a compact, ruggedized, low-cost package.

For those interested in spectral imagers for their project, Bodkin Design is booking now for demo sessions of the FireflEYE S185 visible near-infrared (VNIR) hyperspectral imager through the month of August.

Find out what Cubert real-time imaging can do for you!

What: Cubert FireflEYE S185 (/products/cubert-s185/)

Special features include full frame hyperspectral imaging in the VIS-NIR, no motion artifacts due to low integration time, WiFi remote control of all parameters, Real-Time hyperspectral preview on the ground, hyperspectral video

When: Now through August 31, 2017

Where: Newton, MA or your location, subject to availability

How: Request a demo by emailing us at info@bodkindesign.com or calling our Newton, MA office at (617) 795-1968 ext 300.

“With this collaboration BD&E now offers a full line of hyperspectral products, utilizing the patented Hyperpixel Array^TM, as well as graded filters, filter arrays, filter wheels and multiple focal plane technologies.  And we have devices covering the full spectrum from ultraviolet to longwave infrared.” says Andrew Bodkin, principal of Bodkin Design.

From precision agriculture to color measurement, medical, and biological applications, and beyond, the Cubert FireflEYE S185 is for you!

For more information, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info@bodkindesign.com.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing hyperspectral imaging equipment as well as test and R&D services since 2003. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in electro-optic and mechanical systems, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products in a wide range of markets from calibration equipment for infrared imaging, to a patented line of video rate hyperspectral imagers. To learn more, visit us at www.bodkindesign.com.

The post Sign up for Hyperspectral imaging demos commencing in August appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

Example defects identified on a fiber optic connector. Presented at IEEE AVFOP 2014 conference by Doug Wilson.

Bodkin Design & Engineering has custom-engineered an optical inspection camera for FiberQA, including design, prototype, and manufacturing of pre-production units. BD&E’s camera sub-assembly is part of a larger system that includes automated functions for translation, inspection, and cleaning of ganged fiber optic connectors. This particular device is designed for low profile, multi-fiber connectors in relatively inaccessible installation zones. FiberQA has ordered additional production units following successful testing of the prototypes.

Fiber optics are at the core of the telecom industry, allowing the world to stay connected through telephone, internet, and cable TV. The Mil-Aero industry also increasingly relies on fiber optics to perform mission-critical tasks that require innovative designs. For cables that are buried or underwater or in difficult to reach spaces on planes or ships, installing a bad or dirty fiber connector can have costly consequences. The automated inspection and cleaning systems from FiberQA ensure the connector end faces meet industry standards for visual quality during production or repair activities.

Bodkin Design’s sub-assembly, with its compact design, and high resolution optical performance, is a central element of the low profile AVIT-rh product. It was designed to meet a number of FiberQA requirements including: size, resolution, Field of View (FOV) and working distance (WD). Fiber inspection micro-scopes typically use blue light for improved contrast, but in many cases the optics are not optimized for this wavelength. The newly designed custom microscope, with built in Kohler illuminator, was corrected to provide diffraction limited performance under blue illumination. The large FOV enables imaging of multiple fibers on MT ferrules, while the long working distance allows for inspection of ferrules embedded inside connectors. Combined with the AVIT fiber endface imaging and processing software, it enables reliable detection of defects as small as 1.5 microns in diameter.

Joe Salemi, VP of Sales and Marketing stated, “Our Company always strives for excellence in all of our products. Providing reliable quality assurance is of utmost importance in our industry, and requires top-of-the line components to create the most accurate results. In order to provide automated inspection and cleaning in very difficult to reach spaces, we needed a camera that could work within our small AVIT-rh head design. Our relationship with Bodkin has allowed us to make our AVIT-rh system a reality, providing the best probe-style fiber optic inspection system to Mil-Aero companies seeking fully automated, reliable, cost effective testing of multiple ferrule connectors with both single and multiple termini ferrules.”

Principal of Bodkin Design & Engineering, Andrew Bodkin, adds, “We are grateful for the excellent business relationship we have with FiberQA. We were able to analyze the optical design requirements presented, consider their issues, and work with their design team to devise a low-profile, system-level solution.”

Bodkin Design & Engineering has been recently working with MassMEP, a resource committed to manufacturing growth in the state of Massachusetts, to grow their commercial business profile. The Company considers this particular opportunity a keystone to success in increasing their manufacturing capabilities, as well as helping the state to reach their goals.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing electro-optic engineering and custom manufacturing of special equipment as well as test and R&D services since 2003. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in photonic and mechanical systems, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products in a wide range of markets from calibration equipment for infrared imaging, to a patented line of video rate hyperspectral imagers. To learn more, visit us at www.bodkindesign.com.

For more information or questions about products and pricing, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info@bodkindesign.com.

About FiberQA, LLC

FiberQA is the industry’s most innovative developer of automated fiber optic inspection and cleaning systems, with headquarters in Old Lyme, CT. FiberQA has created, developed, manufactured, and patented automated test equipment for use in Mil-Aero, Telecom, and Datacom companies worldwide. To learn more about FiberQA, visit www.fiberqa.com.

For information or questions about FiberQA’s automated fiber optic inspection and cleaning systems, please contact the Sales Team at sales@fiberqa.com.

The post Bodkin Design builds custom microscope for FiberQA fiber optic inspection system appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

Increasing water use efficiency in agriculture is key to conserving this limited resource. Dr. ZhiQiang Chen from the University of Missouri-Kansas City set out to measure the effects of soil hydrophobicity when making irrigation decisions. This research is funded under a grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the USDA. The researchers will use a Cubert real-time snapshot hyperspectral imaging system from Bodkin Design & Engineering.

An important characteristic of soil is its hydrophobicity, the property of soil that causes water to run off the surface rather than being absorbed. Dr. Chen’s colleagues, Dr. Eyal Ben Dor at Tel Aviv University and Dr. Rony Wallach at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, have proven in lab and field tests that hydrophobicity can be detected with hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy. They will use the Cubert hyperspectral system in ground-based and airborne platforms to map this property, ultimately guiding precise water irrigation or the application of chemical agents to reverse hydrophobicity. This is particularly important in arid regions like Australia, Africa, and Israel.

In the Western U.S., where wildfires are a common occurrence, burned soils become hydrophobic and lead to landslides and mudflows. Understanding hydrophobicity and being able to predict and remediate these types of events, as well as planning for storm water management, can save lives and property.

Dr. Chen stated, “This real-time snapshot spectral imager is going to open up a lot of geospatial applications beyond precision agriculture, including disaster monitoring, environmental pollution monitoring, and more; they will all benefit from hyperspectral video. I like the real-time imaging concept because it has more applications in real life. You can use the imager while stationary or moving without the need to figure out complicated distortions and photogrammetry, which is a huge hassle for advanced processing.”

These comments point directly to the need for snapshot technology which is accessible and easy to use for people solving complex global problems.

Principal of Bodkin Design & Engineering, Andrew Bodkin, adds, “We are extremely excited to be working with Dr. Chen on this and future spectral imaging opportunities. Our connection to the research community plays a key role in our business.”

Dr. Chen and colleagues plan to carry out field tests in Israel this year and expect to complete the project by March 2018. The team has one publication in review already and is looking forward to several more.

For more information or questions about products and pricing, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info@bodkindesign.com.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering
Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing hyperspectral imaging equipment as well as test and R&D services since 2003. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in electro-optic and mechanical systems, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products in a wide range of markets from calibration equipment for infrared imaging, to a patented line of video rate hyperspectral imagers. To learn more, visit us at bodkindesign.com.

The post University of Missouri-Kansas City Pursues Hyperspectral Agriculture with Bodkin Design appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

Snapshot hyperspectral technology allows spectral and spatial information to be collected simultaneously into a 3-dimensional dataset or as a video stream yielding a 4-dimensional dataset. Snapshot spectral imaging can be accomplished in many ways; however, the patented Hyperpixel Array method employed in the Cubert FireflEYE system benefits users with its ability to collect spectral information without temporal or spatial disparity that plagues scanning slit or filter array instruments.

“With this collaboration, BD&E now offers a full line of hyperspectral products utilizing not only the Hyperpixel Array (HPA), but also graded filters, filter arrays, filter wheels, and multiple focal plane technologies. Instruments are now available covering a variety of wavelengths from ultraviolet to longwave infrared as a complement to our customized engineering solution services.” says Andrew Bodkin, principal of Bodkin Design.

“Positive North American response to our product line debut earlier this year warrants additional joint marketing efforts to jumpstart 2017 business,” says Kevin Lynch, Cubert’s Director of Global Sales. “That includes exhibiting and speaking at Photonics West, as well as client visits and a week of presentations on both coasts.” Bodkin Design is the exclusive distributor of Cubert products in North America, a partnership which began earlier this year to address the global hyperspectral imaging market opportunity which has a compound growth rate of 12% per year.

We invite you to join the principals of Cubert and Bodkin at booth #4044 at Photonics West (January 31 – Feb 2, 2017) to learn more about how snapshot hyperspectral can help you succeed. Be sure not to miss the Cubert product demo! (Demo Area 2 – Hall D North 1/31/17, 4PM)

For more information or questions about Cubert products and pricing, please contact Bodkin Design & Engineering at info(at)bodkindesign(dot)com; or visit our website at bodkindesign.com

About Cubert Gmbh
Cubert Gmbh is a German company with global reach serving precision agriculture, machine vision, biomedical markets and more. Cubert has leading-edge imaging product in the VNIR wavelength ranges bridging both multi and hyperspectral domains serving scientific, aerial, and microscope applications.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering
Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC, headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, has been providing customized engineering solutions, concept development, and production for hyperspectral imaging systems since 1992. The company serves the military, international OEM, commercial, and research communities. To learn more, visit the website at bodkindesign.com.

The post Bodkin Design Unveils Unique Snapshot Hyperspectral Products Through Exclusive Partnership With Cubert appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

As drought persists in certain areas of the western U.S., precision farming techniques are being developed by the USDA and others to control irrigation, pesticide, and fertilizer application in order to ensure crop health and conserve resources by preventing over-application. Water stress, in addition to disease and nutrient stresses of crops, can be estimated by measuring optical spectral reflectance from the canopy. The USDA is interested in hyperspectral imaging, or imaging spectroscopy, to aid in the crop stress efforts since this technique combines the spatial image with spectral analysis to build up a three-dimensional data cube containing information that cannot be seen by the human eye. The vast amount of information contained in these images allows for more accurate identification of materials.

“BD&E’s patented design provides a highly sensitive instrument for this application, in a simple, low-cost, robust package. A prototype hyperspectral imager has been demonstrated in the lab and under this program we will demonstrate its efficacy in the field.” said owner and founder of Bodkin Design & Engineering, Andrew Bodkin.

There are several methods currently available for acquiring hyperspectral images, but they are limited in their ability to satisfy the USDA’s need for spatial fidelity in airborne imagery, while keeping costs down. Remote sensing using satellites or manned aircraft suffers from data availability due to low frequency collection, weather conditions, and high cost. The innovative device being built by Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC will capture spectral and spatial information in one instantaneous video frame. It has no moving parts and provides high-resolution spectra in a compact, ruggedized, low-cost package. This technology will compliment and improve on efforts currently under way in the precision agriculture market to understand the best practices in managing food and resource supply for the ever-growing population.

Read more

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In this presentation, Andy Bodkin explains camera and optics specifications and why this understanding is key for choosing a camera for your machine vision applications. He discusses resolution, pixel count, and field of view (FOV), among other specs—and describes the types of cameras currently available. He explains how such specifications impact system performance for producing images that can be analyzed by machine vision software.

In addition, Bodkin touches on how choosing the correct lens can affect system performance. You will come away knowing what factors to consider in choosing a machine vision camera for your application, and how to weigh these specific parameters.

Download a copy of the Powerpoint slides by clicking the button below.

Download ( 2.54 MB )

The post Bodkin Design Webinar: “How to Choose a Machine Vision Camera for Your Application” appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

March 12, 2015 (Newton, MA)

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC (BD&E), is pleased to announce that it is distributing a fully functional, blackbody radiometry and photometry calculator free of charge on bodkindesign.com. The calculator can display and export photometric and radiometric quantities as a functions of wavelength and temperature. This data is presented in graphical and tabular formats, user can select Source Temperature, Emissivity, Wavelength Range, and Source Area from within an easy to read spreadsheet.

Andrew Bodkin, Principal at Bodkin Design and Engineering, said, “Blackbody calculators are essential to solving any illumination/radiation problem. To determine if a sensor will work, we start with a blackbody calculator to determine the strength of the signal. Unfortunately commercial calculator programs usually do not provide enough data to answer this question. By using a calculator built in a spreadsheet, one can rapidly adjust the results to match any problem, from solar irradiance to infrared detection.”

To learn more about BD&E and its capabilities, please visit bodkindesign.com/.

About Bodkin Design and Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in cutting-edge technology, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards.

The post Determine the Radiometric and Photometric Properties for Your Unique Setup or Application appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

January 15, 2015 (Newton, Massachusetts)

Bodkin Design and Engineering LLC (BD&E), is pleased to announce the award of a Phase 2 SBIR contract with the U.S. Air Force to build a performance and evaluation measurement system that will aid in the development of adaptive engine technology based on the sustainment and lean aircraft initiative. This program is a direct result of the success of BD&E’s Phase 1 efforts to demonstrate snapshot hyperspectral imagery (HSI) of hydrocarbon flames at frame rates above 400 Hz. In Phase 2, BD&E will develop a custom, multi-modal sensor system that will focus on capturing HSI at frame rates as high as 2,000 Hz in the ultraviolet (UV) and short wave infrared (SWIR) bands to enable characterization of chemical species concentrations, local fuel-to-air ratios, and fuel mix temperatures inside a gas turbine engine or augmentor.

In collaboration with the University of Tennessee Space Institute, BD&E will demonstrate all system capabilities on a J85 Turbojet test stand. The technology developed during this program will have broad applications to research involving many types of combustion chemistry, fuel efficiency, pollution reduction, and power density on turbine and diesel engines.

Andrew Bodkin, Principal at Bodkin Design and Engineering, said, “We are excited to be working with the Air Force through this SBIR grant program. By leveraging our hyperspectral imaging knowledge, we aim to develop, validate, and demonstrate next-generation jet engine technology that would not only enhance the speed, thrust, and power but also provide valuable chemometric and thermometric data.”

To learn more about BD&E and its capabilities, please visit www.bodkindesign.com.

About Bodkin Design

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in cutting-edge technology, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards.

The post Bodkin Design Awarded Phase 2 SBIR Contract to Demonstrate Performance and Evaluation Measurement Capabilities on a Turbojet Engine for U.S. Air Force appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

Newton, MA (10/09/2014)

BD&E’s Latest Design: Dual-temperature blackbody for two point calibration.

Bodkin Design and Engineering LLC (BD&E), an electro-optic systems and solutions design-to-build firm, is pleased to announce a new line of thermo-electrically driven blackbody radiometric reference sources available immediately in stock or customized models. BD&E develops next generation infrared (IR) equipment according to exacting standards that provide precise IR emission over the Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) and Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) spectral bands. These products are built for applications such as thermal imaging calibration, target projection, and infrared detector/pyrometer characterization. USB connectivity allows radiometric calibration and correction to be accomplished using single-point, two-point, or on-the-fly methods, infinity focus testing, and Minimum Resolvable Temperature Difference (MRTD) measurements.

Available in different sizes, the rapid blackbody systems and accessories available from BD&E include the MRDT-50 Differential Blackbody, MRDT-X Differential Blackbody, BB-100 Single Point Blackbody, OEM Blackbodies, BBC-58 Collimator, and customized blackbody resolution targets.

The key features of these systems include:

• Digital interface via RS 232 or USB connection for automation/data logging
• Windowless, and frost-free operation at sub-freezing temperatures (100 to -40°C)
• Thermo-electric drive for hot and cold set-point in a single unit
• Faster slew rates and settling time compared to resistive heater devices
• Emissivity >0.95
• Removable custom bar target for differential temperature testing

The Principal at BD&E, Andrew Bodkin said, “Bodkin Design blackbody systems are designed to support future IR imagers with our advanced thermal imaging calibration technology. We are committed to developing customer-driven solutions including this comprehensive line of bench-top differential, single-point, and built-in OEM blackbody systems. Our products go beyond just meeting calibration needs to provide you with high precision and reliable radiometric performance, thus maximizing your product’s uptime and productivity.”

BD&E also offers custom-engineered products to suit your specific requirements.

To find out more about our IR calibration equipment, please visit: www.bodkindesign.com/products/ir-calibration-instruments

Also, BD&E provides a Blackbody Calculator to help you characterize your needs, please visit: www.bodkindesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Blackbody-Calculator-R3.xlsx

About Bodkin Design and Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in cutting-edge technology, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards.

To learn more, visit their website at www.bodkindesign.com

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The post Bodkin Design and Engineering Announces New Line of Customizable Single Point and Differential Blackbody Systems. appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

Newton, MA

Hyperspectral microscopy system

Bodkin Design and Engineering (BD&E) will exhibit at SPIE DSS 2014 from May 6th – 8th in Baltimore, Maryland, booth #956. SPIE DSS 2014 is the year’s largest conference on sensing technology for military, defense, aerospace and security applications. Visit our booth to learn more about the newest hyperspectral real-time analysis tool for microscopy. This breakthrough spectral imaging attachment fits standard microscopes and allows the collection of hyperspectral video in over 90 wavelength bands, with no motion artifacts and maximum signal-to-noise.

BD&E is also excited to announce their latest project to develop robust, high intensity, solid state illuminators for high speed photography. The lighting system will replace the 6,000,000 lumen, single use flash bulbs currently employed to capture high speed video of rocket sled experiments. Stop by our booth to be dazzled by a demonstration of our proof-of-principle prototype.

Andrew Bodkin, Principal at Bodkin Design and Engineering said, “SPIE is the must attend event of the year. The show enables us to connect directly with government agencies, defense and security contractors, and aerospace manufacturers. It’s an opportunity for our team of highly experienced scientists and engineers to keep up to date with the constantly evolving landscape of new technologies. We use our insight into these advancements to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions for customers who face significant technological barriers”.

About Bodkin Design
Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in cutting-edge technology, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards.

The post Bodkin Design and Engineering to Exhibit at SPIE DSS 2014 in Baltimore. appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

Newton, MA (March 14,2014)

A new, advanced medical imaging system by Bodkin Design and Engineering enables researchers to pinpoint data and analyze complex microscopic samples in real time. The VNIR-90 Hyperspectral Imager captures spectral images within fixed tissue or in-vivo biological samples, in a single video frame, for immediate identification and analysis.

Hyperspectral microscopy system

Hyperspectral imaging is a powerful tool for understanding complex biological and biomedical samples. While the human eye sees visible light in three bands—red, green and blue—spectral imaging divides the spectrums into hundreds of bands not visible to the human eye. All materials have a spectral “signature” which identifies the material and its related characteristics.

Typical hyperspectral imagers capture data over time, which doesn’t allow for accurate data capture in applications where high speed sampling is essential such as research being conducted on live tissue samples. Bodkin’s VNIR-90 uses a patented HyperPixel Array (HPA) technology to combine spectral data with spatial information to create three-dimensional hyperspectral “data cubes” at video rates.

The result is the ability to “see” over 90 spectral bands, with no motion artifacts and maximum signal-to-noise. This breakthrough technique in medical imaging allows researchers and healthcare practitioners to acquire accurate spectral information of biological samples in real time, and to observe the chemical changes associated with processes such as blood flow, mitosis, apoptosis and endocytosis.

Bodkin Design’s President Andrew Bodkin says “We have adapted our proprietary hyperspectral imaging technology to develop a microscope camera capable of collecting visible and near infrared spectra of materials and live biological tissues at video rates. Access to this level of detail has the potential to help researchers and healthcare providers make diagnoses earlier than ever before. We intend to introduce this ground-breaking technology to research laboratories, academic institutions and private laboratories across the country”.

Bodkin Design has released a white paper detailing the use of the VNIR-90 in microscopy to acquire accurate pixel by pixel spectral information of biological samples in real-time, at video frame rates of up to 60 frames-per-second. The VNIR-90 collects and analyzes hyperspectral images with a spectral range of 500 to 900nm at 5nm resolution. The flexible design, with an interchangeable fore-optic separate from the optical processor, enables the system to be integrated with any microscope.

To learn more about the research applications supported by BD&E’s Hyperspectral Microscopy system, please click to download the white paper.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design & Engineering, headquartered in Newton, MA is a leading maker of custom-engineered optical instruments, serving the biotechnology and healthcare industry. Their team of dedicated technical experts, application development engineers and product designers deliver expertise and innovation to medical applications; selecting the right components while satisfying complex safety and compliance requirements. From creating new products to extending the lifecycle of existing equipment, BD&E provides customized solutions that improve profitability.

The post Bodkin’s New Spectral Microscope Camera Sheds Light on/Advances Bio-Medical Research. appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

NEWTON, Mass (February 5, 2014)

Bodkin Design and Engineering LLC (BD&E), is an electro-optic systems and solutions design-to-build firm that develops innovative, cost effective optical sensing products for medical device, diagnostic, life science, and bio-technology industries. BD&E is proud to announce that their biomedical manufacturing division is certified by TÜV Rheinland of North America to meet the global safety and quality regulatory requirements of IEC standard 61010-1. The IEC 60601-1 standard – which addresses many of the risks associated with electronic medical devices – has become a de facto requirement by most companies for electromedical products.

BD&E designed and built a line of biomedical devices for Boston-based biotechnology company, Immunetics, Inc., which required environmental compatibility certification.

BD&E’s Biomedical Manufacturing Division evaluated and certified for TÜV Rheinland North America (cTUVus) marking.

TÜV Rheinland evaluated BD&E’s manufacturing facilities and certified the devices for the TÜV Rheinland North America (cTUVus) marking. The product was in full compliance with requirements for radiated emissions, immunity to Electrostatic Discharge, and immunity to Radiated Electromagnetic Fields.

In a statement from the President of Bodkin Design, Andrew Bodkin, “Bodkin Design is dedicated to providing the best value to our customers and the TÜV certification further demonstrates our commitment to excellence in quality when developing safe and reliable bio-medical products. The safety mark gives our customers an additional level of assurance in using our products.”

About Bodkin Design & Engineering LLC

Bodkin Design & Engineering, headquartered in Newton, MA is a leading maker of custom-engineered optical instruments, serving the biotechnology and healthcare industry by connecting healthcare OEMs and processors with quality products, sourced from world-class producers. Their team of dedicated technical experts, application development engineers and mechanical designers deliver expertise and innovation to medical applications, from creating new products to extending the lifecycle of existing equipment. BD&E provides customized solutions to improve profitability by selecting the right components while meeting the often complex safety and quality assurance requirements.

The post Bodkin Design and Engineering Receives Certification of Compliance by TÜV Rheinland of North America for the manufacture of Electronic Medical Devices. appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

By Brian Imhausen, Electro-Optics Design Engineer and Project Manager, Bodkin Design and Engineering LLC

Bodkin Design is featured in Medical Design Technology (MDT) for designing the non-invasive optical device for measuring Capillary Refill Time (CRT). One clinical measure of dehydration in young children relies on Capillary Refill Time (CRT). The doctor visually evaluates the time it takes for the patient’s finger to refill with blood after a squeeze is released. This subjective assessment of CRT is an inexact measurement of dehydration. The Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT), in collaboration with Phil Levin of Advanced Devices, hired Bodkin Design and Engineering (BD&E), an electro-optic research and design firm, to develop a handheld device for dehydration measurement. BD&E provided R&D support to evaluate the prototype and update the instrument to collect dehydration data in the field. BD&E worked in partnership with Vassillios Bezzerides MD, the clinical fellow in the Cardiovascular Program at Children’s Hospital Boston who invented the device.

During his daily routine Dr. Bezzerides noticed that it is often difficult to determine whether a patient is properly hydrated. Measuring electrolytes or other markers in blood or urine can provide a good gauge, but they involve cumbersome sample collection and can produce false positive results. A quick, noninvasive test involves the application of gentle pressure on a fingernail until it turns white. The length of time it takes for the finger to regain color indicates the capillary refill time. However, this test is crude and its interpretation is highly subjective.

 Schematic diagram of CRT fingertip sensor

The developed non-invasive optical system measures the light reflected by a fingertip from signal and reference light sources. By monitoring the reflected light when a localized uniform pressure is released, the system can sense changes in the patient’s blood flow. The instrument then calculates the Capillary Refill Time after correcting for finger temperature, room temperature, force applied to the finger, and the reference signal intensity. Regarding the prototype device, Andrew Bodkin, President of BD&E said, “To optimize the performance value of the device, we created robust laboratory tests which involved recording and replaying the test procedure in a controlled environment. After a deeper analysis of the prototype, it was discovered that the contact surface area was difficult to control. We were able to resolve the issue by affixing a glass riser on the slide, to keep the contact area constant while force is applied. In order to improve the overall measurement accuracy, the initial design evolved through a series of design concepts. Rapid design iterations yielded an improved device that incorporated all aspects of a clinically useful, portable and patient-friendly CRT device.”

The device may also have applications outside the hospital, at the bedsides of assisted living patients and among athletes, who need to measure their hydration during rigorous activity. Most importantly, this device could be used in developing countries with a high incidence of dehydration caused by gastrointestinal infections, especially among children. A CRT measurement system could have an impact on patient triage, allowing limited staff to focus on patients who need immediate attention.

The post Bodkin Design Featured in Medical Design Technology appeared first on Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC.

Newton, MA (September 3, 2013)

Bodkin Design and Engineering LLC (BD&E), is an electro-optic systems and solutions research and design firm that develops innovative, cost effective optical sensing products for medical device, diagnostic, life science, and biotechnology industries. The prototype immunoassay platform was developed in collaboration with Boston University and Zoíray Technologies, Inc.  The novel assay design provides a promising solution for reproducibly measuring the high-throughput multiplex protein biomarker, while translating this promise into ease-of-use for life science research and clinical diagnostics.

Immunoassays are vital chemical tests used to detect or quantify a specific analyte in bodily fluids using an immunological reaction. Immunoassays can be multiplexed to result in one disposable chip. The BD&E system combines a high resolution camera, class IIIB tunable laser, digital control and fluidics management. Integrated in a compact unit, the system automatically performs specimen delivery, optical interrogation, specimen disposal, reagent introduction, and sample analysis. Once the system is prepared with a protein sample, the specimen and reagents are delivered to the reaction flow cell. Using a laser, the sample is optically probed and evaluated. The camera and computer integrated in the system capture and compare thousands of interactions for analysis. These key features make the device ideal for disease pathogen identification, biomedical research and homeland security applications.

According to Andrew Bodkin, President of BD&E, “There are few bimolecular detection tools capable of sensitive detection of protein biomarkers that can be readily adopted in clinical settings for biomarker validation, personalized diagnosis and treatment. The multi-analyte ability, sensitivity, scalability, and ease-of-use of our biosensor based protein assay technology make it a strong platform for versatile and portable molecular diagnostics in both research and clinical settings”.

Bodkin Design and Engineering is certified to manufacture medical devices by TÜV Rheinland under UL standard 61010-1 (2004).  UL 61010-1 is also the safety standard used for inspection type Homeland Security equipment such as baggage scanners, metal detectors and similar equipment. Bodkin Design and Engineering provides research and design services in full compliance with the regulations and standards for medical devices.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering LLC

Bodkin Design & Engineering, headquartered in Newton, MA is a leading maker of custom-engineered optical instruments, serving the biotechnology and healthcare industry by connecting healthcare OEMs and processors with quality products, sourced from world-class producers. Their team of dedicated technical experts, application development engineers and mechanical designers deliver expertise and innovation to medical applications, from creating new products to extending the lifecycle of existing equipments. BD&E provides customized solutions to improve profitability by selecting the right components while meeting the often complex safety and compliance requirements.

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Newton, MA (August 15, 2013)

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC (BD&E) is an electro-optic system and solutions research and design firm serving the bio-medical and healthcare industries. Bodkin developed a beta prototype by using unique biomedical sensors to monitor Capillary Refill Time more objectively.  This project was undertaken in partnership with Dr. Vassillios Bezzerides, who invented the device, at Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts to measure dehydration in infants. In close collaboration, and funded by the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT) Bodkin Design was contracted to develop a beta prototype to be used for data collection in clinical trials.

Capillary Refill Time is a common measure of blood flow. It is conducted by pinching and releasing a patient’s fingertip and observing the time it  takes for the blood to refill. The longer the refill time, the more dehydrated the patient. The CRT instrument uses an optical sensor and  computer to objectively measure this effect. This method is ideal for infants, athletes and the elderly, as well as impaired patients who cannot  report if they are dehydrated.

While talking about the technology behind the Capillary Refill Time instrument, Andrew Bodkin, President of Bodkin Design said,  “The assessment of dehydration in young children currently depends on clinical judgment, which is susceptible to errors. At Bodkin Design, we design, build, and test many prototype instruments like the Capillary Refill Time device. We firmly believe that our robust optical sensing technology has the potential to be useful in other applications in the healthcare industry”. Bodkin Design and Engineering provides research and design services in full compliance with the regulations and standards for medical devices.

About Bodkin Design and Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development and design and build services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in optical instrumentation, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and dental imagers to spectroscopic instruments for drug discovery.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E), a Massachusetts based technology development company, is pleased to announce the issuance of US patent numbers 8,174,694 and 8,233,148, which outline enhancements to its non-scanning Hyperspectral Imaging product line. These patents support technology implemented for high speed collection of three-dimensional hyperspectral images (two spatial dimensions plus spectral information). These enhancements also give the systems flexibility over a trade between spectral and spatial resolution.

Hyperspectral Imaging systems collect both spectral and spatial information in one instantaneous video frame. BD&E’s high-performance imaging systems employ patented HyperPixel Array (HPA) technology to release the full information potential of any scene. This advanced technology provides the user with an enhanced data stream, while eliminating motion artifacts and maximizing signal-to-noise response. Additionally, these systems can be designed to interface with virtually any foreoptic, from telescope to microscope. BD&E’s Hyperspectral Imaging systems operate in wavelengths ranging from the visible through the LWIR in a variety of spatial and spectral resolution combinations.

BD&E’s expanding portfolio of fourteen US patent and patent applications covers a wide range of topics, representing the varied expertise of the company. These patents include topics like Infrared Radiation Sources, Railroad Retarders, and Portable Power Generators, but have an overall emphasis on infrared spectroscopy, hyperspectral techniques and imaging device manufacturing.

The uses for hyperspectral imaging are rapidly expanding into industrial applications and the commercial Research and Development space. Snapshot hyperspectral imaging is increasingly being used in biomedical research, drug detection, pollution monitoring, marine biology, food safety, quality control, mining exploration, leak detection, and public safety. BD&E is eager to work with partners to develop further uses for its patented technology.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, and design and build services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared UAV cameras to heavy equipment for railroad yards. The company produces a commercial line of calibration equipment for infrared imaging, and a patented line of video rate hyperspectral imagers. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) has undertaken an instrument development project with Dr. Vassilios Bezzerides at Boston Children’s Hospital in Massachusetts. Dr. Bezzerides has invented an electronic device to measure dehydration in infants. Bodkin Design & Engineering was contracted in collaboration with and funded by CIMIT to develop a beta prototype to be used for data collection in clinical trials.

Capillary refill time is a common measure of blood flow. It is conducted by pinching and releasing a patient’s fingertip and observing the time it takes for the blood to refill. The longer the refill time, the more dehydrated the patient. The instrument uses an optical sensor and computer to objectively measure this effect. This method is ideal for infants, athletes or geriatrics, as well as impaired patients who cannot report if they are dehydrated.

About Bodkin Design and Engineering
Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development and design and build services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in optical instrumentation, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and dental imagers to spectroscopic instruments for drug discovery.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) has received a $150,000 SBIR award from the U.S. Air Force to develop calibration equipment for airborne nighttime reconnaissance cameras. The technology developed under this program may reduce costs and enhance the Air Force’s capabilities to simulate real-world environmental conditions during laboratory testing. Under this contract, BD&E will develop a scene simulator to conduct performance tests at background temperatures ranging from -40°C to 100°C.

In order to reduce the risk associated with expensive flight tests, ground test facilities are used to mimic operational conditions. Innovative approaches will be applied to create an infrared scene projector capable of producing realistic target simulations over a wide range of temperatures, particularly in the colder range. Hardware and techniques researched and refined under this contract have extensive military and commercial applications where broad temperature thermal characterization is required.

This nine month project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering
Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the Missile Defense Agency. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers, to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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BODKIN DESIGN & ENGINEERING EXHIBITS AT SPIE DSS BALTIMORE

Bodkin Design & Engineering Company will be exhibiting at SPIE Defense, Security and Sensing in Baltimore MD
from April 30 – May 2, 2013. SPIE DSS is one of the largest unclassified events for the defense, security, and
environment industries. According to Bodkin Design’s principal, Andrew Bodkin, “It is very important that we
are represented at the SPIE Show where we are able to meet face-to-face with companies that are looking for
innovative products in imaging and photonics.”

Since 1992, Bodkin Design & Engineering has provided product development, innovation, and engineering
services to the industrial, commercial, military, and research communities. Bodkin Design & Engineering is an
innovative electro-optics engineering firm that has designed many first photonic applications and secured
numerous patents for their clients. Bodkin has a team of highly experienced engineers and scientists who are
experts in finding cost-effective solutions for their clients’ sensing needs.

These system-level solutions draw on their expertise in:
Optical Sciences
Electro-Optics
Opto-Mechanics
Imaging
Image Processing
Control Software
Sensor Technology
Biotechnology
Infrared Cameras

“Creative, cost-effective solutions are made possible by Bodkin’s extensive experience with diverse
technologies,” according to Andrew Bodkin. “We pride ourselves in our ability to identify key performance
requirements and to effectively navigate the complex trade-space of price and performance to arrive at the
optimal solution.”

For more information, please visit us at Booth #1647 or visit our website at www.bodkindesign.com

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) has been awarded a $125,000 SBIR contract by NASA to develop a surface temperature mapping system for re-entry vehicle heat shields. The unique system will provide unprecedented temperature accuracy during ground tests. Unlike simple thermal imaging, BD&E’s design uses hyperspectral imaging to greatly increase accuracy.

BD&E has previously developed a Precision Surface Temperature Mapping System (PSTMS) to perform stand-off measurements of laser-heated targets. Under this contract, the system will be adapted to satisfy the needs of NASA’s ground test facilities. The sensor is capable of stand-off measurement at ranges up to 100 meters, spanning temperatures from 300K to 2,000K, with high spatial, thermal, and temporal resolution. The system provides a unique dynamic analysis capability, generating up to 100 maps per second.

This innovative system is different from a simple broadband thermal imager. Its built-in hyperspectral measurement capability allows for calculation of surface temperature and emissivity, during melting. This provides the emissivity of the surface as it dynamically changes with temperature.

This project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the Missile Defense Agency. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop a high spatial resolution hyperspectral sensor operating in the longwave infrared (LWIR) spectral band. A prototype system will be demonstrated as part of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s ongoing efforts to improve target acquisition and threat assessment to protect both civilian and military assets. The 9-month-long project is funded under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

The Air Force is interested in hyperspectral imaging (imaging spectroscopy) because it enables more accurate detection of materials and objects than does conventional imaging. While a conventional color image has three colors per picture (red, green, and blue), a hyperspectral image can have hundreds of colors. Hyperspectral imaging combines the spatial image with spectral analysis to build up a three-dimensional data-cube (two dimensions of the data-cube are spatial and the third dimension is wavelength).

There are several methods currently available for acquiring hyperspectral images, but they are limited in their ability to satisfy the military’s need for speed, accuracy, and data rate. The innovative device being built by Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC will capture spectral and spatial information with unprecedented data-cube size and speed. This technology will improve standoff target detection, materials identification, and the quantification of atmospheric constituents and effluents.

Key applications include missile defense, chemical defense, autonomous material identification, and homeland security. Hyperspectral imagery also finds application in geologic mapping, biological research, medical imaging, cancer screening, and in clinical instrumentation. BD&E’s highly sensitive design can provide the instrumentation for these applications in a simple, low-cost, robust package.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering:
Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, and design and build services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in visible and infrared cameras and imaging spectroscopy, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and dental imagers to spectroscopic instruments for drug discovery. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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The instrument will be used by the Directed Energy Test and Evaluation (DE T&E) community to assess laser effectiveness against various target materials. This knowledge is essential for improvement of engagement tactics for missile defense.

This device successfully combines BD&E’s multi-spectral and hyperspectral imaging systems with research conducted by its partners Spectral Sciences, Inc. (SSI) and Space Computer Corporation (SCC). The resulting Precision Radiometric Surface Temperature (PRST) sensor is able to produce emissivity and temperature maps in real time, with unprecedented accuracy, exceeding that of standard pyrometry. Its unique capability produces video rate thermal maps (thermograms) of the object under test, even as its surface is melting and the emissivity is dynamically changing. The PRST is able to measure temperature and emissivity simultaneously without detailed knowledge of either prior to the measurement. A prototype PRST sensor was constructed at our Newton facility and tested at the High-Energy Laser Systems Test Facility at White Sands Missile Range.

Acknowledgement/Disclaimer:
This work is funded by the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) Test and Evaluation/Science & Technology (T&E/S&T) Program through the US Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation’s (PEO STRI) contract number W900KK-08-C-0042. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the TRMC T&E/S&T Program, and/or PEO STRI.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering
Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, OEM, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E has had contracts with the US Army, Air Force, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the Missile Defense Agency for several highly competitive innovative optical engineering projects. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and blood analyzers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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Polarimetric imaging is useful in separating man-made objects, such as vehicles and buildings, from clutter in a reconnaissance scene. Flat surfaces on these objects partially polarize both reflected light and thermally emitted radiation. Current technology either uses multiple cameras with multiple filters or a single camera with time multiplexing. Multiple filters yield high resolution polarimetric images of the scene but results in large and expensive systems. Time multiplexing yields high resolution imagery but at a slower data rate and can suffer from temporal artifacts.

BD&E is designing an instrument that will map the polarimetric information simultaneously onto a single focal plane (division of focal plane), which eliminates temporal artifacts and makes a more rugged imager. This novel design is low in cost, robust and compact, and has no moving parts. The technology is easily adapted to existing camera systems, and can rapidly switch between polarimetric and high resolution imagery.
This 9 month project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, international OEM, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the US Army, Air Force, Navy, and the Missile Defense Agency for several highly competitive innovative optical engineering projects. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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U.S. armed forces, as well as civilians at home, operate under the continual threat of attack from homemade explosives (HME).  In response to this threat, the Department of Defense has awarded Bodkin Design & Engineering $890,000 to develop an advanced sensor to detect the presence of such threats, classify the nature of the materials, and provide stand-off warning to troops.  The instrument can be used at security checkpoints to detect chemical residues on personnel and equipment, as well as hand carried into facilities for onsite inspections.  The techniques can be applied to other materials of interest, including chemical and biological agents.

The program combines Bodkin Design & Engineering’s HyperPixel Array (HPA) imager with basic research conducted at the U.S. Army Chemical Research, Development & Engineering Center at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.  The resulting system will capture high sensitivity chemical imagery of the scene.  Software will analyze the data and identify telltale chemical constituents in the image, and present the results in a color coded video display.  The system enables the operator to look for residual chemical fingerprints on car doors or spills on factory floors.

Typical scenarios involve detection of residue on vehicles and containers at sufficient stand-off distance to allow the operator to maintain a defensive posture (~50 m).  The portable system can also detect nitrates and other components of explosive materials at short range, for use inside facilities or for package screening.

The patented HPA imager provides spectral images of the scene under inspection.  The HPA utilizes a unique optical processor to capture 3D hyperspectral data-cubes with a standard 2D focal plane array.  Its millisecond data-cube acquisition time makes it ideal for transient events or for use on unstable platforms.  HPA processors have been designed to operate in the Visible through Long Wave Infrared bands.

This multi-year project is funded under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.  This program was established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, and research communities since 1992.  Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the Missile Defense Agency.  In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards.  To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Bodkin Design & Engineering (BD&E) has been awarded a Phase I SBIR contract from the Navy to develop a prototype wave harvesting system capable of generating power from ocean energy found in coastal waters. The fully submerged, robust, self-contained design is anti-fouling and ideally suited for surf zone operation where extreme environmental conditions could damage systems that rely on deployed arms, floats or fragile mechanics.

A prototype unit was constructed and tested at our Newton facility and was found to have a powerconversion efficiency between 34% and 50%. This covert system is designed to be alternative powersource for submerged sensors and systems. In addition to its military uses, this submerged system canfind application to commercial moorings and on pleasure boats.

This six month project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build,and engineering services to commercial, military, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the Missile Defense Agency. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering LLC has launched the VNIR-90 snapshot hyperspectral imager.

Developed during five years of military research, the company is now offering its patented HyperPixel Array technology to the commercial market. The imager has an optical processor that captures the full hyperspectral data cube in each video frame. Unlike conventional slit-scan hyperspectral imagers that take seconds to build up the data cube, the device captures the full data cube instantly.

The system can be mounted on moving platforms, or used as a handheld device for capturing transient events or moving objects. Covering the spectral range from 500 to 910 nm, it produces a data cube of 55 × 44 spatial pixels × 90 spectral bins.

Average spectral resolution is 4.56 nm/bin. Interchangeable C-mount lenses enable variable fields of view. The system is supplied with a USB interface, a laptop PC, and loaded capture software to produce environment for visualizing images (ENVI)-compatible data cubes. Originally designed for foliage detection, the VNIR-90 has also been used to characterize skin lesions, to detect bullets in flight, and to develop products for the cosmetics industry.

For more information, visit: www.bodkindesign.com.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) has been awarded a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a stand-off explosives detector based on photothermal emission. This instrument will allow detection of explosives and other chemical residue on people and luggage at airport security check points. It will become a component of penetrating scanners such as luggage x-rays and millimeter wave imaging scanners to allow simultaneous detection of internal contents and surface chemical residues.

According to Andrew Bodkin, principal of BD&E, “the innovative device being built by BD&E improves on current methods for stand-off detection, and satisfies the Department of Homeland Security’s need for speed, accuracy, and data rate.” There are several methods currently available for acquiring chemical signatures, but they are limited in their ability to meet the requirements of the DHS . The innovative device being built by BD&E utilizes photothermal emission to allow the chemical signatures to be observed with thermal imaging cameras.

Key applications include chemical defense, autonomous material identification, and homeland security.

This six month project is funded under the SBIR Program, a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering:

Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, international OEM, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E has had contracts with the US Army, Air Force, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the Missile Defense Agency for several highly competitive innovative optical engineering projects. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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BODKIN DESIGN & ENGINEERING EXHIBITS AT SPIE BALTIMORE

Newton, MA (March 6, 2012) Bodkin Design & Engineering Company will be exhibiting at SPIE DSS in Baltimore MD from April 23 – 27, 2012. SPIE DSS is the largest unclassified event for the defense, security, andenvironment industries. According to Bodkin Design’s principal, Andrew Bodkin, “It is very important that weare represented at the SPIE Show where we are able to meet face-to-face with companies that are looking for innovative products in imaging and photonics.”

BD&E will be demonstrating their video-rate hyperspectral imaging product and a differential temperatureblackbody at the show.

Since 1992, Bodkin Design & Engineering has provided product development, innovation, and engineeringservices to the industrial, commercial, military, and research communities. Bodkin Design & Engineering is aninnovative electro-optics engineering firm that has designed many first photonic applications and securednumerous patents for their clients. Bodkin has a team of highly experienced engineers and scientists who are experts in finding cost-effective solution for their clients’ sensing needs.

These system-level solutions draw on their expertise in:

• Optical Sciences
• Electro-Optics
• Opto-Mechanics
• Imaging
• Image processing
• Control software
• Sensor technology

“Creative, cost-effective solutions are made possible by Bodkin’s extensive experience with diversetechnologies,” according to Andrew Bodkin. “We pride ourselves in our ability to identify key performance requirements and to effectively navigate the complex trade-space of price and performance to arrive at theoptimal solution.”

For more information, please visit us at Booth #906 or visit our website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E), a Massachusetts based electro-optics company, has completed manufacture of its next generation 20 spectral band hyperspectral imaging system. The new model, the VNIR-20B, boasts a spatial resolution of 90 X 75 pixels and 20 spectral bands, with a spectral resolution of 11.25 nm per bin. The frame rate is up to 25 cubes/second. The new system increases the ability to instantaneously reveal and capture features that are invisible to the human eye from the visible spectrum to the infrared in even greater detail than the previous model.

The original system, the VNIR-20 Miniature 3-D Spectrometer, was designed in 2008 under SBIR program funding and has since been used in various DOD projects including a content identification system for integration into Type 18 Naval periscopes, and a multispectral imaging system for transient events for the Missile Defense Agency.

Although BD&E principal and founder Andrew Bodkin was more than pleased with the success of the first VNIR-20, he knew he and his team of engineers were capable of taking the technology to the next level. “With the research acquired through the development of our original design, we knew we were already onto something so we used our expertise to reconfigure the system to be more robust and capture even more information”.

Unlike other push-broom type models currently on the market, the VNIR-20B, as well as all other instruments in the BD&E’s hyperspectral line, collects hyperspectral data in real-time. This makes the system perfect for transient events as well as less time sensitive applications ranging from cancer screening to standoff chemical detection to geological mapping.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, international OEM, and research communities since 2003. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the US Army, Air Force, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the Missile Defense Agency, as well as numerous commercial clients.  BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared UAV cameras to heavy equipment for railroad yards. The company produces a commercial line of calibration equipment for infrared imaging and a patented line of video rate hyperspectral imagers. To learn more about the company and custom design solutions, visit www.bodkindesign.com.

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WASHINGTON D.C., August 25, 2009 — Bodkin Design & Engineering LLC has been selected for the 2009 Best of Newton Award in the Engineering Services category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

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Bodkin Design & Engineering LLC, (BD&E) has been awarded a $750,000 Phase II SBIR contract from the Navy for the development of a compact polarimetric imager for infrared and visible wavelengths. The polarimeter will aid in the detection of targets from airborne and ground based surveillance. The unique design provides an extremely compact device without cumbersome optics or specially fabricated focal planes.

Exploiting the polarization properties of various targets and backgrounds, this passive polarimetric sensor cuts through cluttered environments to identify and locate military targets in real-time.
The DOD has invested significantly in mining the properties of the photon to improve target detection and discrimination. BD&E, a leader in this area, has developed hyperspectral, multi-band and infrared imagers to assist the military in this task. Adding polarimetric capability to its family of image sensors, BD&E will be able to improve the warfighters’ capability.

In this Phase II stage of the project BD&E will develop a prototype of the low cost, compact polarimetric sensor for the visible, midwave and longwave infrared bands. Demonstration will be conducted in both the laboratory and field tests.

This twenty-four month project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in cutting-edge technology, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) working with Boston University and Zoίray Technologies, Inc (Zoίray) has succeeded in converting their basic research into a commercial instrument. The Spectral Reflectance Imaging Biosensor (SRIB) is a multiplexed immunoassay platform for life science research and clinical diagnostics. Immunoassays that identify the presence of specific protein biomarkers in blood, urine, or saliva constitute a vital tool in modern healthcare. Zoíray’s technology enables many immunoassays to be multiplexed on to one small disposable chip.

According to Dr. David A. Bergstein PhD, Founder and CEO of Zoίray, “Bodkin Design developed several approaches that balanced manufacturing costs, ease-of-use, and measurement sensitivity to arrive at the best solution for moving the protein array sensor to market.”

The final design incorporates a class IIIb tunable laser, high resolution camera, fluidics, and digital control. The system automatically carries out specimen delivery, reagent introduction, optical interrogation, specimen disposal and data analysis; all in a compact table top unit. During operation, a biochip containing active proteins is loaded into the device. The user then prompts the system to deliver the specimen and reagents to the reaction flow cell, where incubation takes place. The sample is optically probed with the laser and evaluated. Thousands of interactions are captured simultaneously and analyzed using the built in camera and computer.

Key applications of the SRIB include biomedical research, disease pathogen identification and homeland security.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing turn-key concept development, prototype design/build and engineering services since 1992. Specializing in electro-optics, visible/infrared imaging and spectroscopy, BD&E serves the OEM, commercial, military, and research communities.
Find out how Bodkin Design & Engineering can convert your experiment or idea into a commercial product. Visit our website at www.bodkindesign.com.

Keywords: Zoiray Technologies, spectral reflectance imaging biosensor, SRIB, biochip, biomedical imaging device, optical systems, chemical defense, disease pathogen identification, protein array sensor, hyperspectral imaging, electro- optic systems, engineering services, infrared imaging, spectroscopy, BD&E, Bodkin Design and Engineering.

Spectral Reflectance Imaging Biosensor Designed for Zoiray by BD&E

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) is pleased to announce the launch of a new website to promote its thermal imaging calibration instruments. The site, www.irblackbody.com, caters particularly to the needs of a select market within the wide range of customers that BD&E services.

BD&E has made a mark in several different industry areas over the years including defense, biomedical, manufacturing and academic communities, and as a result, has developed an extensive, yet very diverse customer following. The new site was designed to simplify the website experience for people who are looking specifically for infrared sensor calibration equipment.

Previously, website visitors interested only in calibration devices said they would arrive at Bodkin Design’s main site and become overwhelmed by the wide selection of technologies available.
“We’ve been listening to what the customers who buy this product have been saying about our website for the past year, and we’ve responded by incorporating their feedback into our new approach to web design.” says the company’s principal, Andrew Bodkin.

The new website dedicated to calibration instruments has a clear-cut user-friendly format featuring much more than just the instrument’s capabilities, accompanying software, and accessory options. It also serves as an informational resource for those who are unfamiliar with infrared calibration. A guide explaining blackbody theory and helpful tips for successful camera calibration has been included to help the novice demystify any confusion they might have. In addition, a blackbody calculator is available for download on the site using the principles proven by Wien’s Displacement Law, and the Stefan Boltzmann Law. Using parameters you define, the calculator computes various blackbody radiometric and photometric quantities to simplify IR camera calibration.

Bodkin Design & Engineering plans to continue this trend and to roll out additional standalone websites to promote other products including its popular hyperspectral imagers during the remainder of 2010.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, international OEM, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the US Army, Air Force, Navy, and the Missile Defense Agency for several highly competitive innovative optical engineering projects. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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Bodkin Design & Engineering, LLC (BD&E) has been awarded a $70,000 SBIR Phase 1 contract from the U.S. Navy to develop a hyperspectral imaging system for integration into Type 18 periscopes and AN/BVS-1 Photonics Masts to perform contact recognition and identification in marine environments.

Hyperspectral imaging will enable the identification and tracking of targets in cluttered environments as well as the re- acquisition of targets after their movement out-of-view. There are many methods of capturing hyperspectral data, however the innovative device being built at BD&E will capture both spectral and spatial information in one instantaneous video frame. This eliminates motion artifacts that plague traditional scanned systems, enabling hi- fidelity data to be obtained from both moving platforms and of moving targets.

The system is intended to support the Navy’s need for automatic contact recognition and identification. The device allows the continuous collection and real-time transmission of data-cubes. It will process the hyperspectral data and associate a unique hyperspectral tag with each contact. It has no moving parts and provides high-resolution spectra in a compact, ruggedized, low-cost package.

BD&E will work in collaboration with the Space Computer Corporation (SCC) of Los Angeles, CA, to develop a hyperspectral imaging system covering the visible to short-wavelength infrared (SWIR). BD&E will combine its HyperPixel™ Array (HPA™) imager and SCC’s hyperspectral image processing capabilities, to build the prototype system.

This six month project is funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), a program established by the Small Business Administration Office to ensure that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts. Success of the Phase I demonstration will lead to a prototype design to be built and tested in Phase II of the project.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC has been providing concept development, prototype design/build, and engineering services to commercial, military, international OEM, and research communities since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, BD&E holds contracts with the US Army, Air Force, Navy, and the Missile Defense Agency for several highly competitive innovative optical engineering projects. In addition, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and spectrometers to heavy equipment for railroad yards. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.

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