Two ECE PhD Students, Bradley Ratliff and Mario A. Serna Jr. are finalists in the 2003 Collegiate Inventors Competition

The National Inventors Hall of Fame has announced the selection of ECE students Bradley M. Ratliff and Mario A. Serna Jr. (CHTM) as finalists in the Collegiate Inventors Competition. The national contest seeks to identify and award students active in science, engineering, mathematics, technology and creative invention. While encouraging student/advisor relationships, innovations, and creative problem solving, the Collegiate Inventors Competition looks to stimulate excitement and interest in technology and economic leadership.
Brad is an image processing student working with advisor Dr. Majeed Hayat (also with Dr. J. Scott Tyo as co-advisor). His entry is entitled, “Radiometrically-accurate Nonuniformity Correction Algorithm.” (link to abstract). Mario is an optoelectronics student working with advisor Prof. Sanjay Krishna, as are Sunil Raghavan and Peter Hill, his co-inventors. Their entry is entitled, Model and Fabrication of a Proof-of-concept Polarimeter-In-A-Pixel (link to abstract).
On October 21st, 2003, Brad and Mario will be flown to New York City to compete against other finalists. Cash awards will be presented to the winners and their advisors.

Hyperlinks:
Collegiate Inventors Competition: http://www.invent.org/collegiate/
National Inventors Hall of Fame: http://www.invent.org

Abstract for Brad’s Entry:
The invention is an algorithm for the correction of spatial nonuniformity in infrared array sensors that results in calibrated radiometrically-accurate imagery without obstructing camera’s field of view with a calibration target. This invention can significantly improve image quality of inexpensive uncooled infrared cameras, allowing for a multitude of thermal imaging and spectral sensing applications not previously possible with low-cost arrays. UNM (through STC) has already decided to pursue the commercialization of the technology and to proceed with filing a US patent application.

Abstract for Mario’s Entry:
We propose a new optoelectronic device that completely and instantaneously measures the incident light's polarization for a narrow wavelength band in a single physical pixel. The device has four (or more) quantum-wells active regions separated and topped by four (or more) linear gratings at different orientations. Electrical contact is made to each grating and to a bottom contact layer to measure four (or more) photocurrents. The device uses interference among the many light paths to encode in the photocurrents the four values that completely describe the polarization state of the incident light at a given wavelength.