RIT’s Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory now offering services to the public
DIRS Enterprise Center provides data collection, calibration and other technical services
Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito
Faculty and staff from the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing (DIRS) Laboratory perform maintenance on a drone for a remote sensing project.
A Rochester Institute Technology laboratory with deep expertise in drones, imaging and remote sensing technology is now offering its services to the public. Through the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing (DIRS) Enterprise Center, customers can now hire faculty and staff from RIT’s Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science to provide training, consulting, data collection, equipment calibration and more.
The DIRS Laboratory was founded more than 30 years ago to develop tools that extract information about the Earth from aerial and satellite imaging systems. Their faculty, students and staff design and develop imaging instruments, collect data using airborne and ground-based imaging systems, develop 3D models and more. Professor Carl Salvaggio, director of the DIRS Laboratory, said the organization is excited to work with new collaborators outside of academia and expects to support a wide variety of industries including agriculture, construction, insurance and more.
“We have all kinds of unique capabilities that people don’t have the equipment or training to do,” said Salvaggio. “We fly many different unmanned aircraft, each of which has a unique set of sensors that we have integrated together to create truly one-of-a-kind multimodal imaging opportunities. Our lab has been doing this for a long time, building many systems from scratch, and learning how to use this data to produce top-notch scientific products. We think we’ll be able to now provide this same high-quality data and services to our Enterprise Center customers.”
The Enterprise Center will be able to help customers with both hardware and software. In addition, the lab has developed the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model, a popular physics-driven synthetic image simulation capability for government agencies and contractors to conduct system engineering research. The Enterprise Center will offer customized training and technical services by request.
Salvaggio said running the Enterprise Center will also provide RIT students with employment and valuable hands-on experience. As their customer base grows, he expects students will be trained to help calibrate equipment, operate drones for data collection and complete other tasks.
To view a full list of services the DIRS Enterprise Center offers, visit the DIRS Website.
Recommended News
-
November 21, 2024
![two men sit at a table looking at a laptop. A third man leans over the table to look at the laptops screen.]()
In and out of Africa
Africa is rich in natural resources and contains one of the most diverse ecosystems across the globe. The Sahara Desert itself is larger than the continental United States. With all the unique landscapes, wildlife, and growing urban areas, more than 30 RIT faculty have recognized the importance of traveling to the continent, all backed by RIT Global.
-
November 19, 2024
![Imaging science Ph.D. student Mohammad Saif prepares a drone for data collection atop a 90-foot tower.]()
Student spotlight: Outside opportunities provide academic growth
A research project during Mohammad Saif's undergraduate career drew his attention to imaging, and now he has focused his academic career in remote sensing. Opportunities outside of the lab and the field have helped him learn how to better communicate and discuss the impact of his work.
-
November 1, 2024
![the words AI Cluster Hire Initiative appear ona black background with an orange arrow pointing down to the lower left.]()
Upcoming cluster hires in artificial intelligence solidify RIT as a leader in the field
As RIT continues its drive to become a leader in the higher education artificial intelligence space, more than 40 positions spanning multiple disciplines are expected to be filled as part of the university’s commitment to expand its AI expertise.
-
October 30, 2024
![two students in orange tshirts are shown at a table with paper and a pencil in front of them. One student is actively showing the other how to do a math problem.]()
Saturday Math Academy offers extra help
The program is a supplemental instruction session offered to all RIT students looking for one-on-one help for introductory math courses. The program aims to boost mathematics understanding across campus since all students must take a math course to complete their degrees.
