DARPA is known for doing some pretty interesting stuff. Their latest endeavor is to get a shortwave infrared camera that weighs only 10-grams. A camera this small could fit on goggles, helmets, or even weapons so that US forces could have an advantage at nighttime or relay information back to their headquarters for recon. Apparently making a camera this good isn’t easy though. There are only a handful of cameras out there that meet DARPA’s strict requirements and those only can view up to about 100 meters – not enough to view a person clearly. The long-term goal? DARPA wants the everything including camera, cabling, batteries, and everything else in a package under 350-grams. Sheesh. Better get out your soldering iron and hit the books.
Beyond the Pinhole: Darpa’s 10-Gram Cameras [Defense Tech]