QI2S

Quick Image Interpretation System

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'QI2S will enable dramatic reductions of delay in the delivery of Earth Observation (EO) Hyperspectral (HS) data from image capture to receipt by the end-user of end product on the ground, from days or weeks to real-time or near-real-time which represents an improvement factor of 100x in delay and 420x in effective bandwidth. QI2S will do so by innovating, developing and validating specialised ITAR-free technology for quick onboard EO HS image interpretation systems. The foundation technology is QI2S HyperCore – a custom high-performance 80 GOPS / 20 GFLOPS space-borne Many-Core computing platform; QSBB, a software interpreter with a finite number of finely honed building blocks for HS data on board processing and interpretation, will be developed to fit HyperCore; QMDL, QI2S HS imaging interpretation-mission command language will enable fast-turnaround reconfiguration devoid of elaborate time consuming testing. Building upon those disruptive technologies, QI2S will help usher in the next generation of lightweight HS satellites able to provide the complete suite of onboard geometric, radiometric and atmospheric correction followed by image interpretation and target detection and identification, for day-to-day operations, such as oceanographic mapping, as well as for evolving incidents, such as post disaster analysis. The project will develop detailed specifications, implement them through prototype hardware and software, interface them to standard onboard EO satellite systems, demonstrate the solution via end-user led ground trials and drive the overall approach to pre-normative industry acceptance. QI2S will last 33 months and bring together a satellite company, industry (payload integration, software, onboard processing), research (software atoms, long-term perspective) and a collaborative management service provider. QI2S represents a major step beyond ESA’s roadmap for the development of future payload processors. QI2S will strictly focus on civilian applications. The Ethical Advisory Group will monitor potential dual use.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Hyperspectral sensors for Earth observation (EO) generate high volumes of data, demanding large storage capacity and bandwidth on the downlink transmission channel. To reduce the burden on satellite resources, EU-funded researchers are developing new technology for onboard processing and interpretation.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Hyperspectral sensors acquire images in many, very narrow, contiguous frequency bands throughout the visible and near-infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. The broadband imaging allows discrimination between features on the Earth's surface that have different light absorption and reflection characteristics. During recent years, hyper spectral imagery has opened groundbreaking perspectives in several applications, including observing climate changes and urban planning.

Even though algorithms processing hyperspectral data map nicely to parallel systems such as clusters of computers, these systems are difficult to adapt for onboard processing. The 'Quick image interpretation system' (http://www.qi2s.eu/ (QI2S)) project was initiated to design such a platform and in which low-weight and low-power components could be integrated with EO satellites' payload. To achieve this ambitious objective, six partners joined their efforts and expertise in the individual components that they have been assigned.

In the first project phase, the QI2Sresearchers have designed a many-core computing engine based on field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Besides their low weight and small size, FPGAs provide similar computing performances at lower cost and the appealing possibility of adaptively selecting the data processing algorithm to be applied. The system hardware design embraces software building blocks for hyperspectral data processing and interpretation with high-level command language that allows for their reconfiguration.

The QI2S system is expected to enable dramatic reductions in the delivery of hyper spectral data to end users on the ground. With image interpretation performed onboard, it has been estimated that only a thin slice of the downlink channel's bandwidth will be required (not exceeding a few Mbit/sec). From days and even weeks, end users will be able to receive data requested within just minutes. Such a development paves the way for future exciting applications like early warning systems for natural hazards.