Modular Thermal Intelligence
Engine cores, AI vision, and application modules — one platform, every mission. Choose your resolution, add your application, deploy.
One Architecture, Infinite Products
The CVE (Core Video Engine) is a modular LWIR thermal imaging platform. Pick an engine core, add application modules, and build any thermal product — from rifle scopes to industrial inspection tools.
How It Works
Every CVE-based product starts with an engine core — a compact two-board stack containing the LWIR microbolometer sensor, all image processing (NUC, DRC, AGC), and a standardized 70-pin expansion interface. Application modules plug directly below to add whatever the product needs: display output, USB video, drone integration, GigE networking, or AI vision.
The engine core never changes between products. Only the application module below it changes. This means one hardware design, one firmware codebase, and one qualification cycle serve every product variant.
The optional OPT-AI vision module can be added to any configuration — it ingests the video stream, runs real-time AI inference, and feeds detection metadata and overlay data back to the host system.
Real-Time Processing Pipeline
Every pixel passes through this pipeline inside the engine core at 50Hz before reaching the application module.
Capture
14-bit raw pixels deserialized from four parallel data lines at 73.5MHz. Two pixels reconstructed per 7-clock slot. FPGA handles all timing-critical sensor logic.
NUC
Per-pixel gain and offset correction using factory-calibrated coefficients. Compensates fixed-pattern noise. Shutterless — no mechanical parts, no image interruption.
DRC
Dead-pixel replacement using bilinear interpolation from neighbouring valid pixels. Factory bad-pixel map. Maintains >99.99% operability across the array.
AGC
Histogram-based automatic gain control for optimal contrast. UART-configurable window, clip limits, enable/disable for raw linear output.
14-bit Out
Corrected 14-bit video at 50Hz on the 70-pin connector. Ready for any application module.
Choose Your Resolution
Two engine cores, identical architecture, same 70-pin interface. Every application module works with either core.
CVE-1280
1280 × 1024
Maximum detail for long-range surveillance, wide-area monitoring, and applications where pixel density drives performance. Ideal for vehicle-mounted systems, border security, maritime, and high-end weapon sights.
| Detector | Uncooled VOx LWIR Microbolometer |
| Resolution | 1280 × 1024 pixels |
| Pixel Pitch | 12 µm |
| Spectral Band | 8 – 14 µm (LWIR) |
| NETD | < 40 mK |
| Frame Rate | 50 Hz |
| Processing | NUC + DRC + AGC onboard |
| Output | 14-bit LVCMOS via 70-pin Hirose DF40 |
| Board Dimensions | ≤ 28 × 28 mm per board |
| Power | Single 5V input |
| Control | UART + USB-C debug (DNP production) |
CVE-640
640 × 512
Optimized for SWaP-constrained platforms where size and power matter most. Ideal for rifle scopes, small drones, handheld cameras, and embedded OEM integration.
| Detector | Uncooled VOx LWIR Microbolometer |
| Resolution | 640 × 512 pixels |
| Pixel Pitch | 12 µm |
| Spectral Band | 8 – 14 µm (LWIR) |
| NETD | < 40 mK (typical 31 mK) |
| Frame Rate | 50 Hz |
| Processing | NUC + DRC + AGC onboard |
| Output | 14-bit LVCMOS via 70-pin Hirose DF40 |
| Board Dimensions | ≤ 23 × 23 mm per board |
| Power | Single 5V input |
| Control | UART + USB-C debug (DNP production) |
Two-Board Stack
Board 1 is fully passive — ceramic LCC sensor socket, filter capacitors, and analog passthrough. Board 2 carries the capture FPGA, STM32H7 processing MCU, four regulated power rails (VDET 11V, AVDD 3.3V, DVDDH 3.3V, DVDD 1.8V), and UART control.
Hybrid Processing
iCE40 FPGA handles deterministic 73.5MHz sensor timing and pixel deserialisation. STM32H7 Cortex-M7 runs NUC, DRC, and AGC in standard C at 50Hz. No custom RTL for image processing — all algorithms in firmware.
70-Pin Standard Interface
14-bit corrected video, sync signals, UART control, power, and reserved LVDS pairs on a single Hirose DF40 70-pin connector. Every application module and every engine core share this interface.
Shutterless NUC
No mechanical shutter. Continuous algorithmic non-uniformity correction every frame without image interruption. Essential for weapon sights, moving platforms, and any application where momentary blackout is unacceptable.
OPT-AI Vision Module
Plug-in AI intelligence for any CVE-based system. Ingests video, runs inference, feeds back to the host — no integration redesign required.
AI That Plugs In and Feeds Back
The OPT-AI is an independent vision processing board that connects to any CVE-based system. It ingests the thermal video stream from the application module, runs real-time neural inference on a dedicated NPU, and injects processed results back into the host system — bounding boxes, tracking vectors, stabilisation offsets, classification labels, and overlay data.
The AI module is always advisory. The host application continues operating normally with or without the OPT-AI connected. If the AI board is removed, powered down, or falls behind, the system degrades gracefully — thermal video and basic functionality are never interrupted.
Works with any engine core (CVE-1280 or CVE-640) and any application module. Add AI tracking to a rifle scope, a drone, a surveillance camera, or an industrial inspector without redesigning any hardware.
Capabilities
- Object Detection Real-time YOLO inference on thermal video — people, vehicles, animals, heat sources. Bounding boxes with classification labels and confidence scores.
- Target Tracking Persistent track ID, velocity estimation, trajectory prediction. Maintains lock through occlusion and scene clutter.
- Electronic Image Stabilisation Frame-to-frame motion compensation with 15ms feedback loop. Stabilisation vectors injected back to host for smooth display on moving platforms.
- Lead Angle Computation For weapon sights: calculates aiming offset based on target motion, range (from LRF), and ballistic profile. Rendered as offset reticle in the overlay.
- Overlay Injection AI-generated visual data (bounding boxes, track status, stabilisation indicators) fed back to the host display compositor for rendering.
- Metadata Protocol Compact binary protocol at frame rate. Target coordinates, classification, confidence, stabilisation vectors, track state — low bandwidth, low latency.
| NPU | Dedicated neural processing unit (26+ TOPS) |
| Inference | Real-time YOLO at thermal resolution |
| Feedback Latency | ≤ 15 ms per frame |
| Interface | SPI/USB for video in + metadata feedback |
| Power | Self-powered, independent supply |
| Compatibility | Any CVE engine core + any application module |
| Failure Mode | Advisory only — host unaffected if removed |
One Engine, Every Mission
Extension boards that plug into any CVE engine core via the 70-pin interface. Each module turns the engine into a complete product for a specific application. OPT-AI can be added to any configuration.
Thermal Weapon Sight
OLED microdisplay with reticle overlay, laser rangefinder integration, ballistic computation, and 5-way button input. Add OPT-AI for YOLO target tracking and lead angle computation.
- Microdisplay via LTDC/MIPI DSI
- DMA2D compositor (crosshair, ballistic data, LRF)
- UART laser rangefinder integration
- +OPT-AI: tracking, lead angle, EIS
Drone Thermal Payload
Lightweight flight controller integration. MAVLink protocol, gimbal control, target geolocation, NUC freeze during manoeuvres. Add OPT-AI for autonomous target tracking and EIS.
- MAVLink autopilot communication
- Gimbal lock signal on dedicated GPIO
- NUC freeze during rapid manoeuvres
- +OPT-AI: autonomous tracking, stabilisation
Maritime Surveillance
Night navigation, man-overboard detection, small vessel tracking, and coastal monitoring. Ruggedized for salt spray, vibration, and continuous operation. IP67 housing options.
- 360° pan-tilt integration
- Man-overboard auto-detection (+OPT-AI)
- NMEA / AIS data overlay
- Salt fog and vibration qualified
Border & Perimeter
Wide-area intrusion detection for borders, critical infrastructure, and military perimeters. Automated alerting, zone-based classification, and VMS integration via GigE Vision or ONVIF.
- GigE Vision / ONVIF output
- Zone-based intrusion detection (+OPT-AI)
- Person/vehicle/animal classification
- 24/7 unattended operation
Firefighting & HAZMAT
See through smoke, locate hotspots, find victims in zero visibility. Rugged handheld or helmet-mounted configuration with high-contrast AGC tuned for fire scenes.
- Smoke penetration (8–14µm LWIR)
- Hotspot detection and temperature indication
- Person detection through smoke (+OPT-AI)
- Helmet or handheld mounting
Search & Rescue
Locate people in darkness, rubble, dense vegetation, and open water. Drone-mounted or handheld configurations with AI-assisted person detection and GPS tagging.
- Night and low-visibility operation
- AI person detection in cluttered scenes
- GPS coordinate overlay
- Drone or handheld deployment
Handheld Thermal Camera
USB UVC output — appears as a standard webcam on any OS. Zero drivers. Plug into a PC, tablet, or recording device for instant thermal video.
- USB 2.0 High Speed UVC
- Standard webcam, no driver install
- UVC extension unit for camera control
- 8-bit AGC-processed stream
Building Inspection
Identify heat loss, insulation defects, moisture ingress, and electrical faults in buildings. Radiometric temperature measurement with reporting output for energy audits.
- Radiometric temperature measurement
- Insulation and moisture defect detection
- Energy audit reporting output
- Handheld or drone-mounted
Predictive Maintenance
Detect overheating bearings, electrical faults, steam leaks, and mechanical wear before failure. Fixed-mount continuous monitoring or handheld inspection with AI-assisted anomaly detection.
- Continuous fixed-mount monitoring
- Anomaly detection with +OPT-AI
- Temperature trending and alerting
- Industry 4.0 / SCADA integration
Night Vision / ADAS
Pedestrian and animal detection beyond headlight range. Thermal overlay on HUD or dashboard display. AI-assisted alerts for collision avoidance in darkness, fog, and rain.
- Pedestrian/animal detection (+OPT-AI)
- HUD or dashboard display integration
- Works in darkness, fog, rain, glare
- Automotive-grade temperature range
Gas Leak Detection
Visualize gas plumes invisible to the naked eye using LWIR spectral absorption. SF6, methane, and volatile organic compound detection for utilities, oil & gas, and environmental compliance.
- LWIR gas absorption visualization
- SF6, methane, VOC detection
- Environmental compliance documentation
- Handheld or fixed-mount deployment
Custom Integration
Raw 14-bit corrected video on the 70-pin interface for your own extension board design. Full ICD and UART command set documented. Medical thermography, wildlife monitoring, railway inspection, or any application you define.
- 14-bit corrected LVCMOS output
- Full UART command set
- ICD and integration support
- Medical, wildlife, railway, scientific…
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