LOTIS - Lidar fOr deTailed Inspection of underwater Structures

高分辨率3D地图对海上风能安装和操作、资产退役、环境监测和国防等关键水下应用的需求越来越大。与现有的声学或传统成像解决方案相比，量子光子探测技术可以在分辨率、精度、覆盖范围和生成这些地图的速度方面提供一个台阶。该项目中提出的方法与其他技术不同，因为它依赖于最先进的单光子探测技术，该技术允许在极低的光水平下进行三维成像，通常每像素少于一个光子（在所谓的“稀疏光子”状态下），这对应于高水下衰减。单光子探测是一种量子技术，最近被用于光探测和测距（激光雷达）应用。水下成像的一个主要优势是它处于CMOS SPAD探测器的理想光谱区域，这在大型高效SPAD探测器阵列的功能方面取得了显着的优势。该项目由海洋工业主导，满足当前行业需求，将利用SPAD阵列和激光源进行海底基础设施测绘。预计该项目将引领其他水下应用，该项目将成为海底检测和测绘行业更广泛部署单光子成像的探路者。该项目汇集了具有世界级背景的主要工业和研究机构，共同开发基于时间相关单光子计数（TCSPC）成像技术的商业上可行的海底成像系统。关键目标是提供一个基于新型二维空间单光子阵列探测器技术的完整成像系统，该系统可以部署到水下航行器上，并在大距离或高海拔的海底生成3D图像和地图。

High resolution 3D maps are required for an increasing number of key subsea applications from installation and operation of offshore wind energy, asset decommissioning, environmental monitoring, and defence. Quantum photonic detection technologies can offer a step change in the resolution, accuracy, coverage, and speed of generation of these maps compared to existing acoustic or traditional imaging solutions. The approach proposed in this project differs from other techniques, as it relies on state-of-the-art single photon detection technologies, which allow for three-dimensional imaging with extremely low light level return, typically less than one photon per pixel (in the so-called "sparse-photon" regime) - that corresponds to high underwater attenuation.Single-photon detection is a quantum technology which has recently been exploited for light detection and ranging (LiDAR) applications. One major advantage for underwater imaging is that it is in the ideal spectral region for CMOS SPAD detectors, which have made significant recent advantages in functionality of large efficient SPAD detector arrays. This project is led by the marine industry and addresses current industry requirements and will utilise SPAD arrays and laser sources for subsea infrastructure mapping. It is expected that the project will lead to other underwater applications - this project will act as a pathfinder to more widespread deployment of single-photon imaging in the subsea inspection and mapping industry.This project brings together key Industrial and Research institutions with world-class backgrounds to collaboratively develop a commercially viable subsea imaging system based on the time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) imaging technique. The key objective is to deliver a complete imaging system based on novel 2D spatial single photon array detector technology, which can be deployed to a subsea vehicle and robustly generate 3D images and maps at large stand-off distances or high altitude above the sea floor.