Consolidated Safety Suite
Technology Overview
Consolidated Safety Suite Product Overview
AOS has expanded upon traditional hardwired abort systems and created an affordable and comprehensive product that is a safety checkout system, observation system and emergency abort system in one unit: The Consolidated Safety Suite (CSS).
Our complete system employs a compliment of sensors that remotely observe an optical system for safe operation and minimize the complexity of implementing a safety system. The CSS system is comprised of a command unit and multiple individual sensor units. It is designed to be an affordably scaled system that is customized to each laser weapon system’s needs.
The individual CSS sensor units are small (5.25 L x 2.13 H x 2.25 W) and can be placed throughout a laser weapon system and under a beam path to ensure the safety of all key optics and components. The individual units are designed to quickly detect issues inside the laser system and shut down operation if any systems thresholds are triggered. Each individual sensor unit contains a visible camera, thermal camera, high-speed photodiode (PD), IR Source, RGB LEDs for Scene Illumination, and two thermocouples.
The thermal camera has the capability to view the optic live or trigger based upon a temperature trigger, it is critical to observing the various temperature changes on the surface of key optics or components. The visible camera enables the user to inspect prior to operation or during live shots. The photodiode is used to detect any scattered light and covert it into an electrical signal which initiates a shutdown signal. The IR source and red, green, and blue (RGB) LEDs are used for illuminating the optics or components, particularly in a closed and sealed system. The illuminator and various colors can highlight varied contaminants or provide direct illumination for enhanced camera visibility. The final sensors, two thermal couples, are located on the back of the unit and can be mounted to a surface surrounding a critical system optic to detect thermal triggers. The units each utilize Power over Ethernet (PoE).
The below illustration provides an example for CSS integration into a system:
