14 March 2014

Xenics strengthens direct sales force for XenicsCores SWIR and LWIR OEM modules, targeting security markets

Xenics nv of Leuven, Belgium - a manufacturer of infrared detectors, cameras and customized IR imaging solutions covering the spectrum from long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) to the visible (0.4-14μm) - is expanding its reach to the government and security systems community by strengthening its direct sales force for the XenicsCores product line of short-wave infrared (SWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) OEM modules. Xenics has recently appointed a new European sales manager and added another staff position to cover the OEM security market.

After more than ten years of building and expanding its position in the R&D and industrial automation markets for its uniquely qualified IR detectors and camera systems, Xenics is focusing on targeting the demanding and rapidly growing segment of government and security applications, such as active and passive day/night-vision for enhanced vision systems, situational awareness, UAV (defense, surveillance and fire-fighting), homeland security and SAR (search and rescue) missions.

Based on its in-house indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) development and vertically integrated manufacturing capacity, Xenics is now directly marketing its proven XenicsCores product family of high-resolution OEM modules to the demanding security markets in Europe and worldwide. The XenicsCores family was announced in 2012, and is now available worldwide.

Reaching out to government and security systems integrators

“Customers frequently state there is an important piece missing in the government and public security market for highly qualified and rugged OEM modules,” says European sales manager Guido Deutz, who joined Xenics in 2012 from previous positions at Isra Vision, Parsytec, FLIR, and LumaSense. “Especially the European security community is looking for an alternative supplier like us - who is not a potential competitor but close technology-wise to help build product value and accelerate time to market,” he adds. “We support our customers as partners.”

In this vein, the XenicsCores product family of high-resolution infrared OEM modules offers easy integration and high image quality. The first two members on the market are the short-wave module XSW-640 and the thermal imaging module XTM-640. These uncooled OEM modules are compact and light-weight, and offer low power consumption. Due to their easy integration via the universal QTE interconnect or standard interfaces (e.g. analog video, CameraLink or Gigabit Ethernet), they can substantially accelerate time to market for users’ products, claims Xenics. Longer detection, recognition and identification distances are feasible due to the detector’s small pixel size. With their powerful integrated readout electronics, their use of advanced non-uniformity compensation and image processing algorithms, the OEM modules deliver crisp IR images covering a broad range of defense and security applications under all weather conditions, says the firm.

Unique combination of SWIR and LWIR

“Extensive use of the SWIR realm for superior day/night-vision and other security applications is being evaluated by major government system integrators,” says Xenics’ founder & CEO Bob Grietens. Compared with their LWIR counterparts, SWIR imagers allow the penetration of fog, haze and high humidity for camouflage detection, long-range identification and detection of lasers and other markers. “We regard the LWIR module as a volume driver, while the SWIR version will open up new territories for extreme day- and night-vision tasks,” Grietens adds.

The XSW-640 and XTM-640 modules can be combined in one imaging system, boosting detection and recognition to what are claimed to be previously unseen levels. Both modules are based on the same on-board image processing platform, featuring multiple interfaces and multiple wavelength specs. Depending on the application, the SWIR/LWIR combination is performed either through independent imaging devices or as fused imaging.

“The emerging security market is very important to us,” Grietens says. “Thus, we are moving into direct sales to be closer to the system designer and manufacturer,” he adds. “Last December, we have hired an extra person as sales manager XenicsCores based in Paris, France, to handle the many inquiries destined for Southern Europe.”

With its European location and ITAR-free delivery, Xenics reckons it is set to gain market share in the evolving OEM security segment. In terms of quality control, Xenics is certified to ISO-9001:2008.

Tags: Xenics InGaAs detector

Visit: www.xenics.com