CSIR optronic scene simulator finds real application in self-protection mechanisms of the South African Air Force

Abstract

The Optronic Scene Simulator (OSSIM) is a second-generation scene simulator that creates synthetic images of arbitrary complex scenes in the visual and infrared (IR) bands, covering the 0.2 to 20 μm spectral region. These images are radiometrically accurate and based on theoretical physics models. The image rendering is implemented in specialised algorithms and calculated in double precision floating point. The simulation system has been extensively used for near infrared and infrared simulations. OSSIM is developed as a collaborative effort with Denel, following a strategy of joint development of shared core infrastructure capability, but private development of application modules at the user level in the CSIR and Denel. In this way the project leverages project needs to stimulate growth in the core shared library, which is then available to all users, current and future. In this manner the simulation becomes a knowledge management tool. OSSIM is under active development and is intended to be the simulation tool of choice for sensor, imaging algorithm and infrared system developers. This paper provides an overview of the application of OSSIM to the South African Air Force’s (SAAF) needs for self-protection.