Dr. Nibir Dhar is a Professor and Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Eminent Scholar at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), specializing in electro-optic and infrared technologies. His research focuses on developing intelligent vision components and systems for automation, intelligent robotics, and defense applications, with a strong emphasis on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance sensor intelligence and situational awareness. Dr. Dhar earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, and is a Fellow of both SPIE and OPTICA. On Tuesday, March 18, he shared insights on “Transforming Physical Layer Designs in Wireless Communications.”
A focus area in the CCI CVN program is to develop pragmatic image sensors at the edge for various Cyber Physical Systems for Autonomous and Intelligent applications. Currently, systems rely on visible light cameras, but infrared (IR) sensors, which detect heat and work in the dark, could greatly enhance their capabilities. However, IR sensors are typically large, expensive, and require extreme cooling, making them impractical for widespread use. Reducing their size, weight, power needs, and cost (SWaP-C) by enabling room-temperature operation could be a game-changer. In this presentation, Dhar explored the challenges of achieving this, discussing the physics behind infrared detection, the need for cooling, and potential solutions for developing high-performance IR sensors that work at room temperature.
