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MEMS-Based Optical Identification and Communication Systems
(MOICS)
Tanner Labs is developing the MEMS-Based Optical Identification
and Communication System (MOICS), technology that can identify
friend or foe (IFF) or relay data from sensors in hazardous
environments. MOICS comprises two types of components:
Remote units with MEMS corner cube reflectors
(CCRs), which reflect incident energy back to its source
and can modulate the reflected signal
An interrogator unit, which sends a coded
optical laser beam to locate and request information from
the remote units
The remote units will be small, lightweight, rugged, and
environmentally sealed, and they will require minimal power
because the interrogator transmits the signal energy. Moreover,
they will not require expensive positioning systems because
the interrogator can be based on common laser range-finding
technology.
Because MOICS operates at optical wavelengths, it can be
eye safe, and the apertures for both the interrogator and
remote units can be very small. As a LOS optical system with
a low beam divergence, MOICS provides high angular and range
resolution, thereby assuring specific target identification.
The small beam divergence combined with a high data rate also
make MOICS a low probability of intercept (LPI) system. With
cryptographic coding, MOICS would be one of the most secure
communications capabilities on the battlefield.
This research has been sponsored by the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
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