In transportation, photonics helps save lives and improves safety. Photonics also helps to monitor the rate of rail and highway wears. Lasers and imagers offer a range of capabilities for transportation industry. The proposed paper will discuss some photonic applications for railway transportation in Russia.

Different aspects of research, development and applications of new generation of high-brightness light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been considered in connection with their optical and electrical characteristics, including electroluminescence spectra, power efficiency, luminous intensity angular dependence. It is emphasized that the recent breakthrough in LEDs technology is primarily based on the advances in semiconductor light-emitting structures technology allowing to fabricate superbright LEDs with luminous efficiency as high as 20 lumens/Watt that is several times higher in comparison with traditional illuminants.

In the report some features of solution by space means of perspective numerous problems in interests of development of the transport in XXI centuries are considered and systematized. The requirements to space optic- and radioelectronic instrumentation of observation are justified. The data of the analysis of perspectives of application of small space vehicles with low orbit are cited. The features of power supply of means of transport from space are considered. The methods and means of increase of efficiency of application spacecraft in interests of solution of the considered problems are offered.

The development of television engineering, wide use of computers and the successes in signalling allow to consider possibility of use of complex federated systems on a railway transport and in manufactures ensuring operation of this branch of activity of the man. Some television systems representing defined engineering interest are considered below.

At present there are exist comprehensive studies in the field of railway track condition monitoring systems and development of non-contact photonic systems based on digital CCD-cameras, high-speed board computers and powerful software. Creation of such systems allows to conduct preventive track maintenance work beforehand and to avoid the effects of vibration from wavy rail defects on a wheel set. As a result, the safety of running, durability of permanent way and rolling-stock are increased and the maintenance costs are reduced. The system developed consists of four special digital matrix CCD-cameras and four laser stripe illuminators. An electronic interface for linking the computer with the cameras, contour extraction models of the rail profile have been developed and the analysis of input- output ports has been carried out. According to the algorithms make a cut-off method and a tangent method have been compared.

At present, in Moscow metro a track inspection vehicle, defectoscope and portable measurement instruments are used to measure the rail profile and the condition of track. The track inspection vehicle measures 8 parameters, such as rail height, width, lip flow, cant, gauge and rail identification. The main drawback of the existing track control devices is a contact mode of measurement that does not provide required accuracy during the movement of the track inspection vehicle. This drawback can be eliminated using the non-contact photonic system (NPS). NPS consists of four special digital CCD-cameras and four lasers (two cameras and two lasers on each rail), rigidly connected together and mounted underneath the rail inspection vehicle in such a manner that corners of vision and distances from the cameras up to the head of the rail remain fixed during the movement. A special processor is included at the output of each camera. It performs preliminary processing of the stripe image on the appropriate side of a rail and then codes (compresses) and transfers data to central computer. The central computer executes the rail profile restoration and its comparison with the pattern of the rail on the particular section of the track.

The purpose of the Road Automobile Communication System (RACS) is to provide a total communication means to the running automobile. This report summarizes the optic systems of RACS. Firstly the paper explains the optical system for communication system for tunnel. After that the optical system for process automation of vehicle identification is defined. When the above system configuration is established a nationwide overall data communication system can be supported using a pair of frequencies. The optical system has been deigned to offer a maximum flexibility. The modular design allows further expansion as demand increases by the addition of extra modules.

An optoelectronic device on CCD for measuring velocity is quite a new meter intended for measuring velocity of a locomotive by contactless optical methods with further high- precision determination of a covered distance. The device uses an optical image of railway as well as preliminary velocity values received from other devices installed on the locomotive. Velocity measurement range is from 0 to 250 km/h. The measurement accuracy is 0.5%. The operating principle is based on the use of unique features of a dedicated CCD chip. Owing to a special photozone structure the device can execute moving image filtering according to velocity. Further processing and calculations make it possible to obtain an actual value of velocity in real time mode.

Being the most economical and reliable among other types of transport, the railway transport takes the leading place in cargo and passenger turnover in Russian Federation. The development of motion control systems of trains puts forward heightened requirements for the definition of velocity and coordinates of a rolling stock. Nowadays on Russian railway roads electromechanical sensor a BIS - 200A with inaccuracy of +/- 5% is applied in order to determine the traveling speed of the locomotive.

The major principles of the vehicles speed mode control of the photon system structure and functioning are discussed in the paper. The image processing algorithms based upon the fuzzy logic which permit to automatically refer a given contour to a certain vehicle are proposed. Mathematical formulas to compute the speed of the vehicle as per the initial and final position in the image frame are also proposed.

One of the possible methods of speed measurement is interferometry application which allows to achieve precision surpassing that of other methods.

A 2D correlation of images is one of very efficient methods used in both identification and classification area of image processing. Numerical evaluation of 2D is computationally highly demanding and therefore the optical methods are interested because of parallel and fast performance. The JTC (Joint Fourier Transform) is a well known optical technique for an evaluation of 2D correlation. The paper deals with practical problems of JTC technique implementation-- available SLMs, image sensors and modifications of original optical system. Finally some possible applications in transport are discussed.

The problem under discussion is the principles of modeling and creation of computer-aided information-technological systems designed for application in medical establishments for transportation workers. There were discussed a model of medical technological process, results of its modeling, results of structural and parameter optimization of computer-aided information-technological systems of medical designation. As an example, there were considered hardware- software systems for diagnostics and treatment of cardio- vascular diseases (for cardiology clinics) and of hearing organ diseases (for surdology clinics). There were discussed principles of creation of the whole system and of its separate elements. The system and its elements were developed in Russian Research Center `Kurchatov Institute' according to the order of Moscow Committee on Science and Technologies.

A demand on fast image processing and multilevel pattern recognition systems exists in different spheres of science, techniques and production. A specialized video processor `NEURON-VP100' for IBM compatible PC applications, capable of performing `classical' image processing algorithms such as scaling, filtering, Fourier transforms and neural nets based pattern recognition tasks as well is presented. Several examples of video processor applications for finger prints, particle tracks, laser images `intellectual' processing are shown.

The DEYMOS optoelectronic system ensures global multispectral viewing of the Earth surface in the `push- broom' mode in three spectral channels at a time. Three optoelectronic cameras are placed in such a way as to obtain a unique continuous field of view of 90 deg. The optoelectronic camera is built around a three channel linear CCD array aligned with RGB light filters and a wide-angle objective with a 120 mm (1:3,5) focal length. The DEYMOS optoelectronic system provides simultaneous viewing within 600 - 1600 km with 30 - 80 m resolution in 3 spectral bands.

The paper outlines an optoelectronic space system `FOBOS' for remote sensing of the Earth surface created on the base of latest developments carried out by OPTECS state-owned enterprise and Krasnogorsk Mechanical Works joint-stock Company. The system provides simultaneous multispectral viewing in 3 (of 12) spectral ranges in the `push-broom' mode, high-precision photometric image calibration and its photogrammetric referencing. The system includes the following parts: optomechanical system, optoelectronic converter built around three linear CCD arrays, RAM and control and radioframe forming unit. The system ensures 7 - 18 m resolution, 35 - 90 km swath width and 400 - 1100 km total bandwidth of observation.

A digital Sun Sensor autonomously provides two-axis measurement of Sun center angular coordinates. It makes use of the OPTECS latest achievements in optoelectronic design. The Sun Sensor comprises two identical, but electrically not connected Sun Sensor devices (first and second channels) housed in a single aluminum enclosure. Every channel includes the following parts: optical system, linear CCD array-based photodetector, cpuModule with AT-bus, per PC/104 specification and a digital interface governed by the MIL- STD-1553B date bus. Each channel provides measurement of Sun center angular coordinates with a maximum error not exceeding +/- 1.5 angular minutes at an angular velocity of a spacecraft up to 30 angular minutes per second. The field- of-view against the azimuth angle (alpha) is +/- 48 degree(s) and against the elevation angle (beta) is +/- 40 degree(s).

Instrumentation for high-precision in-flight focusing of on- board optoelectronic equipment is described. The first part of the paper gives an overview of the existing focusing techniques and describes their application for particular remote sensing task solutions. A comparison of different methods is made, the accuracy provided by each method is assessed and one of the best techniques--a contrast method-- is considered. This method is shown to provide high precision--5 micrometers or better. The second part describes a mathematical model of instrumentation using this method. It includes a diffraction modulation transfer function (MTF), an MTF related to optical system aberrations and an optical system defocusing MTF. The simulation results are shown and respective recommendations are given.

The problem under examination is the modeling and optimization f systems for integrated diagnostics and repair of complex photonic units. There were considered the structure and principles of organization of such systems, model of formation of their material and information streams. Basic conditions of stable systems' operation are drawn. The question of choosing of adequate modeling and optimization mathematical means is discussed. It was shown the efficiency of simulation approach to modeling of considered systems. Formal description of service programs of complex photonic units is suggested to perform by means of application of parameter-based routing technology. There were discussed basic capabilities of GPSS/H simulation software, advantages of its application for the purpose of investigation and optimization of the systems for integrated diagnostics and repair of complex photonic units.

This paper describes the key features and performance data of a 1040(H) X 1160(V) pixels full-frame transfer CCD camera for use as an X-ray detector in X-ray material structure analysis and X-ray fluorescence for the in-situ detection of metals. To achieve good sensitivity at energies below 50 keV we have developed compact units based on VLSI programmable logic devices and intermediate digital signal processing. The analog image output may be displayed on the standard TV-monitor, and also processed and displayed by PC- based data acquisition system. The CCIR TV specification make possible to detect X-ray patterns with a 20 ms exposure times and X-ray intensity more than 5...8 nJ/cm₂. The impulse synchronization mode set up exposure times of a few tens to a few hundreds of milliseconds with a proportional level of X-ray intensity with the time resolution 300 ms. Synchronization the imaging detector with X-ray source allows converting X-ray patterns with exposure times before 1 s.

The paper presents the description of the brand-new digital EBCCD (electron-bombarded CCD) camera based upon the 1024 X 512--format frame-transfer EBCCD image tube. The camera is intended for the low-light-level high-resolution imaging in pseudo real-time scale. The details of the digital camera design and manufacturing technology are presented and possible fields of the cameras applications as well as the next steps in the EBCCD tubes and high-sensitive cameras R&D mainstream are discussed.

This paper describes focal plane arrays and thermovision systems for the middle infrared spectral region. The focal plane arrays are monolithic platinum silicide Schottky barrier infrared charge coupled devices. They have been designed for infrared imaging application in the 1 divided by 5.5 micrometers wavelength range. The array advantages include the high thermal and spatial resolution, the low noise readout, and a high uniformity of the sensitivity. Two types of infrared focal plane arrays are being discussed and experimental characteristics of the arrays are presented. High quality thermal images of real time can be produced by using this focal plane arrays. Different design configurations of FPA-modules for Sterling cooler are being considered and the features of the information processing in thermovision systems are presented. The thermovision system based on designed arrays with the lens f/1.1, 90 mm provides a temperature resolution: NETD equals 0.07 K.

A technique to simulated ERS photosensitive CCD (PhCCD) operating parameters is suggested. It permits to evaluate device operating parameters under various observation conditions and optimize the PhCCD design on the base of simulation results. The technique was applied to simulate two design implementation versions of PhCCD intended for use in ERS large format optoelectronic converters.

An interface system, employing an analog-to-digital converter, a static random access memory, a control block, has been built. This system allows convert image frames of different types. The limitation on an image frame format is superimposed by capacity of the used memory chips. Memory arrays can be extended. Size of the memory must be more than the digital data for a CCD frame. This system forms a video composite signal for a video control monitor and digitizes the video signal for a computer data processing. This system was designed for the X-ray computer vision. The compact analog-to-digital interface system for CCD-vision can find an application in different fields including imaging systems for industrial and transport control, medical diagnostic and ecology monitoring systems.

Many photonic systems are based on charge-coupled devices (CCD). Workshop for CCDs design is presented. General features of CCD-chips such as spectral sensitivity, full noise, and modulation transfer function may be simulated using this software for Windows 95/98/NT. Dynamic data transfer between variuos project stages has been developed. Friendly interface for a user has been created.

A lot of photonic and fiber-optic sensors are being applied in a means of transport. It was considered they to be more suitable for electromagnetic interference temperature and vibration are fiber sensors. The principle of operation of a lot sensors are displacement, change of refraction index of environment and surface plasmon resonance.

A special full frame CCD imager has been developed for high performance applications. The device A-1059 type consists of 256(H)* (2*144)V elements and is fabricated using a triple ply, p-channel CCD process. The pixel size is 18 micrometers *24 micrometers . The device A-1131 type consists of 230(H)* (3*144)V elements and is fabricated using a triple poly, buried n- channel CCD process. The pixel size is 24 micrometers *27 micrometers . Its antiblooming efficiency is 500 saturation exposure.

In the work there are submitted the results of the research of photosensors on a base of solid solutions of A(superscript II)B(superscript VI) compounds for measurement and control of intensity of low-level light in narrow areas of spectrum. The basic principles of technological process of manufacturing of injection photo diodes are described. The results of measurements of voltage-current characteristics and spectral characteristics of photo diodes, received in laboratory technological process with the various contents of cadmy and zinc in ZnCd(subscript 1-x)S(subscript x) solid solutions, and also sulfur and selen in CdS(subscript 1-x)Se(subscript x) solid solutions are submitted. The investigation results have shown, that photosensors work at low positive bias voltage, do not require cooling, have high sensitivity in a maximum and narrow selectivity. In CdS(subscript 1-x)Se(subscript x)- photosensors the photosensitive protecting coverage of transparent films on the base of As(subscript 2)S(subscript 3) compounds is applied. The opportunity of creation of a wide discrete range of photo diodes with the sensitivity in range from near ultraviolet up to near infrared area of spectrum is shown.