The U.K. Ministry of Defense and Excelitas Technologies’ Qioptiq are working together to protect against the dazzle caused by white light sources such as sunlight, headlights, and lasers.
Traditional laser protection techniques do not block out this type of white light and can leave operators, pilots and drivers vulnerable to the blinding effect of broadband radiation, MoD said in a Feb. 27 statement.
The MoD’s Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) signed a license agreement with global photonics company Qioptiq to commercialize the technology for use across its markets.
The agreement will allow the company access to Dstl’s patented technology, the optically addressable light valve (OALV), which was invented by Dstl scientist Chris Burgess.
The OALV uses a layer of liquid crystal to effectively block sources of glare and dazzle without affecting the remaining field of vision, which then allows sensors to remain effective while being ‘dazzled.’ This was developed as part of Dstl’s electro-optic protection measures research program, which addresses the rising laser threat to aircrew and sensors.
Jim Ashe of Qioptiq’s technology transfer company Ploughshare Innovations said: “It’s very encouraging to see capability developed from government research which can enable industry to provide protection against intense light sources, such as from laser dazzle and sun-strike.”
Qioptiq will now be considering other situations where the OALV could have benefit, in both military and civilian environments, including potential uses in medical work, the company said in a Dstl statement.
Steve Rickard, a business and product development manager at Qioptiq, said: “The potential integration of Dstl’s technology into our product portfolio presents an exciting development that we may not otherwise have achieved so readily.”
As part of the license agreement, Dstl will continue to provide technical support to Qioptiq as it looks to integrate the OALV technology.