DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF THERMAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGY

Dagan-Optics (formerly Senso-Optics), which was founded in 2004, develops, manufactures and integrates vision and target acquisition systems, 24/7, for all weather conditions, for the military, defense and civilian markets. The unique technology it developed has made the company a global leader in its field.

"What sets us apart from other companies," notes Yaakov Dagan, founder, president and CEO of the company, "is our groundbreaking technology in improving human visual perception in low light areas, or total darkness. This is a thermal system that, through integrating multiple imaging techniques, advanced image processing and analysis capabilities, allows soldiers on the battlefield and rescue forces to operate effectively in conditions where traditional night vision systems fail."

A good solution for bad weather

Dagan was an officer in the IDF and served in the regular army and in the reserves for many years (50 years!). He studied mechanical engineering and electro-optics at the Technion, worked at Rafael (at that time – the Weapons Development Authority in the Ministry of Defense) as a research engineer, where he also served as head of the guidance and optics systems division. Later, he represented Rafael at the embassy in Washington and managed international industrial collaborations in the field of electro-optics.

After retiring from Rafael, Dagan, along with a work colleague, founded the company at the Technion, as a start-up in the field of electro-optical systems for observation and guidance, and served as a subcontractor for the major defense industries in Israel. "After we moved to Yokneam, we started developing thermal systems for night vision and bad weather, for the security and homeland defense market," he recalls. "Today we develop, manufacture, supply and integrate electro-optical systems for our customers, with approximately 95% of our products intended for export."

Additionally, Dagan founded and owns (through Senso-Optics) the start-up ADASKY in collaboration with other international companies. "This is an amazing company that develops and manufactures ADAS safety systems for vehicles (driven and autonomous) and smart cities (Safe/Smart City), based on the uncooled thermal imaging technology developed by my partner Avi Katz and me at Senso-Optics, with an integrated thermal image processing chip," Dagan clarifies.

Fusion and image analysis technology that sets the company apart

Dagan-Optics' products are based on thermal imaging technology and image processing chips for thermal vision. The company has high-resolution thermal cameras, multi-sensor target acquisition systems, thermal sights (with or without image fusion), thermal binoculars and monoscopes, and helmets for fire fighters integrated with smart thermal vision featuring advanced algorithms, designed for use in harsh weather conditions (day/night, dust, smoke, fog, humidity, etc.).

- So what's your secret?

"We have no secrets...We have an excellent development, production and integration team, and we are not afraid of hard work and perseverance," notes Dagan. "We are a small company that thinks out of the box. Over the years we developed our AI, image fusion technology and image analytics (IA). We developed a chip that includes thermal image processing tools and advanced algorithms in image analysis. And so, when we look at a thermal image, we are able to identify figures or objects, track them, calculate their speed and more. The fusion process occurs between an image taken in visible light and an image taken with a thermal vision device. For example, a soldier or police officer can identify a person from a distance of about 1 km and vehicles from a distance of about 5 km at night, based on body heat and characteristic details. Fusion systems make it possible to see details at greater distances, better understand the scene, and even see through windows with minimal lighting."

- What are the practical uses of this technology?

"Our sights are mounted on light weapons and since they are based on a thermal chip they are small, lightweight and consume less energy than other thermal systems. They are used by riflemen, marksmen and snipers up to about 1 km. In addition, the company provides advanced fire control systems for direct aiming of heavy artillery (Howitzer), including a ballistic firing computer with a monitor displaying the battlefield image and targets, range measurements and calculations, ammunition status, etc. Based on all this information, the system helps achieve a first-shot hit with high accuracy in challenging combat conditions."

- Dagan-Optics also operates in the civilian market in the field of homeland defense and assists various rescue forces. What are the civilian and security applications of your systems?

"Our products also support police forces, firefighters, rapid response teams, special forces and other agencies, helping to save lives. Our systems assist with search and rescue operations, detecting smugglers at borders, landing aircraft in challenging weather conditions, night driving, navigating and docking vessels under conditions of fog, rain, darkness and more."

Staying on the cutting edge of technology

In Israel Dagan-Optics collaborates with the defense industries. The company's thermal imaging technology has proven achievements on the battlefield and in various commercial applications, and it continues to invest resources in its own R&D, with the support of the Innovation Authority, in a range of innovative products. Among the new developments on the agenda are lightweight portable target acquisition systems, including observation of up to 10 km, location markings, video recordings and photos of targets and sending them back to command units, control centers and more.

The Iron Swords war has had a great impact on the company. When the war broke out, Dagan-Optics donated all the products it had on the shelves to any IDF unit that requested help, including armored units, paratroopers, infantry and others, and also to the standby unit in the locality where Dagan lives. "In return, we only asked for feedback and opinions about the products from the users," he says with a smile. The second impact was that, naturally, the company's employees were also called up for reserve duty and served consecutively for 120 days or more, with some of them still serving, and during their short leaves they come into the office for half-days. The third impact of the war is related to delayed supply lines and transportation and have become more expensive as a result of the war, end-of-life products, and the boycott of various countries on selling critical components to Israel, and of course the activities of the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.

- What is your vision?

"The advanced thermal systems produced by Dagan Optics, which are based on image fusion and image analysis technology, help anyone who uses them – soldiers on the battlefield, rescue forces or various security agencies – to achieve a "longer arm" and improve performance. The company is committed to staying at the cutting edge of technology, especially after the events of October 7 and the current war. We are looking toward the future and are committed to Israel's security. We intend to continue developing the next generations of scientists and engineers, and thermal imaging technology, for the purpose of saving lives."

In collaboration with Dagan Optics