Mr. Kyle R. Bryant Profile

Kyle R. Bryant

Senior Optical Engineer at US Army CCDC Aviation & Missile Ctr

SPIE Involvement:

Conference Program Committee | Author

Proceedings Article | 14 June 2023 Presentation

Reflective dashboard baffle

Kyle Bryant

Proceedings Volume 12530, 1253008 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2663924

KEYWORDS: Reflectivity, Infrared radiation, Reflection, Infrared imaging, Imaging systems, Control systems, Stray light control, Stray light, Sensors, Pollution control

Read Abstract +

Proceedings Article | 12 June 2019 Paper

Athermalized lens prototype using additive manufacturing

Devlin Hayduke, Kyle Bryant, Nicholas Rudenko, Ryan Whitmore

Proceedings Volume 10998, 109980Q (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2522134

KEYWORDS: Prototyping, Composites, Sensors, Additive manufacturing, Manufacturing, Missiles, Titanium, Lens design

Read Abstract +

Additive manufacturing (AM) can change the way we design opto-mechanics. One can realize complex structures with AM that are difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional fabrication techniques. In a recent project, the US Army attempted to demonstrate athermalization of an infrared lens using AM design and manufacturing techniques. The goal was to demonstrate these new techniques in a small-scale prototype lens for a missile application.

U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Aviation and Missile Center teamed with Materials Sciences LLC (MSC) to apply a previously-reported topology-optimization technique ^[1] to develop an additively manufactured multi-material, opto-mechanical structure. The composite structure was engineered to maintain the location of the detector focal plane at the focus of a lens as it changes with temperature. MSC initially fabricated several prototype lens housings of additively manufactured titanium and cast urethane which failed at the material interfaces during temperature cycling over the intended operational range. MSC is currently conducting fabrication trials with an injection molded thermoplastic polymer to replace the cast urethane. These unfinished prototype feedstocks are being evaluated for structural integrity under temperature cycling. Initial results are promising; but additional fabrication trials are required to produce fully dense feedstocks for finish machining.

Composite structures allow tailoring of mechanics to react as designed to temperature and vibration. But it is nearly impossible to model all aspects of a composite structure. Prototyping and testing can quickly reveal limitations of materials and fabrication methods that can inform future optimization efforts. This effort documents these iterations and learned lessons, and presents evidence that this AM-composite technique is useful for designing robust opto-mechanics and that the current manufacturing method can be matured to deliver operational components.

Proceedings Article | 8 May 2018 Presentation + Paper

Additive manufacturing volume optimization for athermal optics

Kyle Bryant, Devlin Hayduke

Proceedings Volume 10627, 1062705 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2306080

KEYWORDS: Missiles, Lens design, Lenses, Polymers, Metals, Sensors, 3D modeling, Additive manufacturing, Optimization (mathematics), Optics manufacturing

Read Abstract +

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapidly advancing area in which new mechanical design techniques can be used to greatly benefit optical sensor designs. Emerging technologies now allow us to utilize many different materials to print three-dimensional structures in complex, accurate shapes. This enables designers to build volumes with optimal material distributions, allowing them to tailor a structure’s response to temperature or vibration. Introduction of these methods provides an excellent opportunity for a designer of optical sensors to make significant for harsh and varied environments. The Army is currently funding research of a Robust Seeker Optomechanics project to design novel mechanical structures promising to athermalize and vibration-isolate a missile seeker’s imaging components. The structures would eliminate the need for moving parts or expensive components such as gimbals or complex lenses. Methods for topology optimization allow a computer algorithm to fill the volume around a missile seeker lens and camera focal plane with a uniquely shaped composite material. These uniquely constructed spaces can both move or maintain the position of the imaging components when the missile experiences large temperature variations and vibrations thus improving performance. Army Aviation and Missile Research and Development Center (AMRDEC) lens designers teamed with Materials Sciences Corporation (MSC) to develop topology optimization algorithms based on frequency tailoring of structures specific to another project underway. The initial phase of this effort is to demonstrate mechanical athermalization of a simple long-wave infrared camera in a small, 2.75-inch-diameter missile seeker configuration. MSC created a series of volume optimizations and algorithm refinements to study the solution space for a 45mm, F/1.4, 14-degree lens and a FLIR Quark2 640 sensor between -35°C and +50°C. The example problem provides a relevant, achievable athermalization goal as well as an opportunity to include vibration damping in later phases. The results of initial volume optimization reveal that one can achieve a buildable athermalized design by separating the detector mount structure from the lens retention structures. The study also showed that mechanical and optical design need to be coupled into a common optimization solution to achieve the best results. MSC measured the mechanical properties of many additivelyproduced metals and plastics to use in the optimization. The team produced a lens in a prototype housing, and will measure it for thermal stability soon after this paper is submitted.

Proceedings Article | 17 May 2016 Paper

Foveated optics

Kyle Bryant

Proceedings Volume 9822, 982216 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231328

KEYWORDS: Sensors, Lens design, Optical design, Image resolution, Channel projecting optics, Distortion, Imaging systems, Objectives, Staring arrays, Mirrors

Read Abstract +

Proceedings Article | 29 May 2014 Paper

Low-cost computational imaging infrared sensor

Kyle Bryant, W. Derrick Edwards, Ryan Rogers

Proceedings Volume 9071, 90710H (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2054609

KEYWORDS: Modulation transfer functions, Sensors, Optical filters, Convolution, Computational imaging, Prototyping, Image filtering, Image processing, Detection and tracking algorithms, Imaging systems

Read Abstract +

Showing 5 of 6 publications

Conference Committee Involvement (9)

Advanced Optics for Imaging Applications: UV through LWIR IX

22 April 2024 | National Harbor, Maryland, United States

Advanced Optics for Imaging Applications: UV through LWIR VIII

1 May 2023 | Orlando, Florida, United States

Advanced Optics for Imaging Applications: UV through LWIR VII

3 April 2022 | Orlando, Florida, United States

Advanced Optics for Imaging Applications: UV through LWIR VI

12 April 2021 | Online Only, Florida, United States

Advanced Optics for Imaging Applications: UV through LWIR V

27 April 2020 | Online Only, California, United States

Showing 5 of 9 Conference Committees

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years