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Hyperspectral/Multispectral Imaging and Sounding of the Environment (HISE)

Hyperspectral/Multispectral Imaging and Sounding of the Environment (HISE)

Optica Sensing Congress
20-24, July 2025
Long Beach, CA, USA

HISE seeks presentations of innovations in hyperspectral and multispectral instrumentation, data analysis, algorithm development and technology demonstrations for imaging and sounding of the environment.

Recent years have witnessed a proliferation of hyperspectral and multispectral measurement and detection systems with enhanced imaging and sensing capabilities and innovative measurement platforms, such as unmanned aerial systems, autonomous vehicles, satellite constellations and industrial robots.

The wealth of data from these systems is complemented by a parallel proliferation of open-source software tools and innovative algorithms based on artificial intelligence, machine learning and physical models to process content-rich data and retrieve biophysical parameters of interest. These systems and algorithms provide unprecedented opportunities to understand physical and biogeochemical processes in the Earth’s environment.

This meeting specifically targets studies involving hyperspectral or multispectral sensors with a fine resolution in the spectral, spatial or temporal domains, which provide enhanced feature identification and discrimination capabilities for atmospheric, oceanographic and terrestrial applications, including rapid response to natural and anthropogenic disasters.

Studies involving innovative use of physics-based models and statistical approaches such as artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to exploit content-rich data and extract biophysical information are of particular interest.


Technical Program

This congress presents the latest developments in optical sensing and sensors as well as their use in a variety of applications. Of particular note are a number of hot topics being addressed, including agriphotonics, fiber-based sensing, THz sensing, sensing solutions in manufacturing and the latest developments in comb spectroscopy, including fiber lasers and mid-IR sources.

Objectives
  • Learn about the latest advances in sensing for the environment, including dual-comb sensing of atmospheric gases, compact LIDAR and hyperspectral sensors.
  • Discover relevant techniques for sensing in an industrial environment such as real-time process monitoring on the factory floor, spectroscopic food safety inspection and spectroscopic analysis in harsh environments.
  • Understand the latest applications of fiber and nanophotonic sensors for biological and chemical sensing, including the newest wearable sensor technology.
  • Investigate novel laboratory spectroscopic techniques and methodologies for disruptive sensing technology, such as novel light sources and detectors, photonic integrated circuit (PIC) sensors and sensing networks.
  • Explore the production, detection, and use of THz radiation for metrology and sensing, including comb-source generation and biosensing applications.

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Chairs

Sanna Kaasalainen
Finnish Geospatial Research Institute, Finland,
Co-Chair

Wesley Moses
Naval Research Laboratory, United States,
Co-Chair

Shen-En Qian
Canadian Space Agency, Canada,
Co-Chair

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Committee 

  • Sanna Kaasalainen, Finnish Geospatial Research InstituteFinlandCo-Chair
  • Wesley Moses, Naval Research LaboratoryUnited StatesCo-Chair
  • Shen-En Qian, Canadian Space AgencyCanadaCo-Chair
  • Elhadi Adam, University of WitwatersrandSouth Africa
  • Keith Beckett, EarthDaily AnalyticsCanada
  • Miran Bürmen, Univerza v LjubljaniSlovenia
  • Ka Lok Chan, University of StirlingUnited Kingdom
  • Regina Eckert, Jet Propulsion LaboratoryUnited States
  • Genevieve Gariepy, Canadian Space AgencyCanada
  • Emmett Lentilucci, Rochester Institute of TechnologyUnited States
  • Stefan Livens, VITOBelgium
  • Morgaine McKibben, NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterUnited States
  • Nicole Pinnel, German Aerospace Center (DLR)Germany
  • Dario Polli, Politecnico di MilanoItaly
  • Caroline Turcotte, Defence Research and Development CanadaCanada
  • Kevin Turpie, University of Maryland Baltimore CountyUnited States
  • Andrea Vander Woude, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Res LabUnited States

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Topic Categories

Hyperspectral/Multispectral Imaging and Sounding of the Environment (HISE)

HISE seeks presentations of innovations in hyperspectral and multispectral instrumentation, technology development, data analysis and applications for imaging and sounding of the environment.

Topics of Interest
  1. Atmospheric Sensing and Sounding
    • Atmospheric measurements and their applications
    • Modeling and compensation for atmospheric effects
    • Air pollution and air quality monitoring
    • Weather prediction and climate modeling
  2. Aquatic Remote Sensing
    • Water quality monitoring in inland and coastal waters
    • Phytoplankton functional group and species discrimination
    • Harmful algal bloom monitoring
    • Determination of concentrations of physical and biological constituents in water
    • Bottom type and bottom depth determination in shallow water environments
  3. Terrestrial Remote Sensing
    • Precision agriculture
    • Species discrimination and mapping of vegetation in forests and wetlands
    • Soil studies, including soil classification, soil moisture content and trafficability
    • High-resolution imaging for urban planning and development
  4. Radiative Transfer Modeling
    • New approaches for computationally efficient and fast radiative transfer modeling
    • Vector radiative transfer modeling using hyperspectral and polarimetric data
    • Fast radiative transfer through dimensionality reduction and machine learning approaches
  5. Image Processing, Algorithm Development and Machine Learning
    • Innovative signal and digital image processing techniques including image segmentation, pattern recognition and neural networks
    • High-resolution data analysis using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques
    • Dimensionality reduction and information content analysis
    • Fusion with active or passive sensors and visualization algorithms
    • Spectral inversion techniques such as unmixing, deconvolution, derivatives, optimal estimation and spectral fingerprinting
  6. Industrial Applications
    • Imaging and sensing applications in the mining, oil and gas industries
    • High-resolution imaging for industrial quality analysis, process control and material identification
    • Imaging and sensing technologies for food adulteration monitoring
  7. Incident Response and Monitoring Applications
    • Environmental changes due to pandemics, hurricanes and other natural disasters
    • Thermal sensing of wildfires and volcanoes
    • Deployment of imaging technologies for rapid response to natural disasters/events
  8. Sensor Development
    • New hyperspectral/multispectral imager design, development and sensor characterization
    • Planned and recently launched operational imaging and/or sounding systems
    • Observing system simulation experiments
    • Active hyperspectral imaging and LiDAR

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Plenary Speakers

Hidetoshi Katori
The University of Tokyo, Japan

From High Precision to Innovation: Optical Lattice Clocks for Future Applications

Optica Distinguished Lecture Series on Quantum Science and Technology
Optical lattice clocks achieve 18-digit accuracy, enabling chronometric leveling and paving the way for redefining the second. Advances in compact clock designs, long-distance clock comparisons and continuous interrogation techniques will facilitate their real-world implementation.

About the Speaker

Hidetoshi Katori, born 27 September 1964, is a Japanese physicist and professor at the University of Tokyo best known for having invented the magic wavelength technique for ultra-precise optical lattice atomic clocks. Since 2011, Katori is also Chief Scientist at the Quantum Metrology Lab, RIKEN.

Recently, Katori's group performed a measurement of gravitational redshift with two transportable strontium optical lattice clocks over nearly the entire height of the Tokyo Skytree, setting a new record for the best ground-based test of general relativity.
 

Florian Schreck
University of Amsterdam

Continuous Bose-Einstein Condensation and Optical Clocks

Continuous instead of pulsed operation of optical clocks promises a hundred-fold increased measurement bandwidth. On our path to this goal, we achieved continuous Bose-Einstein condensation [Nature 606, 683 (2022)] and build continuously operating optical clocks.

About the Speaker

Prof. Florian Schreck (University of Amsterdam) works on quantum sensors and simulators based on ultracold strontium gases. His research group recently achieved continuous Bose-Einstein condensation, a great starting point for future continuous atom lasers that could be useful for atom interferometry. Using techniques created for that work, his group is developing a new generation of optical clocks, continuously operating superradiant and zero-deadtime clocks. Other projects include the study of ultracold RbSr molecules and quantum simulations using arrays of Rydberg-coupled single Sr atoms. He coordinates the Quantum Delta NL Ultracold Quantum Sensing Testbed and the EU’s AQuRA transportable optical clock project. He is CEO of OpticsFoundry, which has the mission to make optical circuits for quantum devices easy to design, procure and operate.

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Invited Speakers

  • Samuel Adelabu, University of the Free StateSouth Africa
    Sustainability of Africa Mountains: The Role of Earth Observation
  • David Blair, Headwall PhotonicsUnited States
  • Philip Brodrick, Jet Propulsion LaboratoryUnited States
  • Anthony Campbell, NASAUnited States
    Imaging Spectroscopy from Field to Space for Mapping and Managing Coastal Wetland Ecosystems
  • K. Dana Chadwick, Jet Propulsion LaboratoryUnited States
  • Malik Chami, Sorbonne Université France
    GALENE: A Future Satellite Mission for Observing Coastal and Inland Aquatic Ecosystems and Wetlands
  • Kristen Cote, WyvernCanada
  • Robert Green, Jet Propulsion LaboratoryUnited States
  • Erin Hestir, University of California MercedUnited States
  • Henry Houskeeper, Woods Hole Oceanographic InstUnited States
    Global Patterns in Kelp Forest Ecosystem Response to Decadal-Scale Variability
  • Jyoti Jennewein, USDAUnited States
  • Joshua Johnston, Natural Resources CanadaCanada
    WildFireSat: Space Based Multi-Spectral Infrared Temporal Radiometry
  • Maria Kavanaugh, Oregon State UniversityUnited States
  • James Kessler, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Res LabUnited States
    Remote Sensing of Great Lakes Ice Cover: Connecting Traditional and Modern Techniques
  • Raymond Kokaly, U.S. Geological SurveyUnited States
    Evaluation of Airborne and Spaceborne Imaging Spectrometer Data and Mineral Maps at Cuprite, Nevada
  • Jeremy Kravitz, PixxelUnited States
  • Christine Lee, Jet Propulsion LaboratoryUnited States
  • Peter Liu, ITRES Research LimitedCanada
    First Commercially Available VIS to SWIR (0.4-2.5 um) Hyperspectral Imager Based on a Single Detector and Single Spectrometer
  • Kelly Luis, Jet Propulsion LaboratoryUnited States
  • Cristian Manzoni, CNR-IFN Institute of Photonics and NanotItaly
    Hyperspectral Imaging and Microscopy by Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy
  • Trevor McDonald, Planet Labs PBCUnited States
    Mission and Data Update for Planet's Tanager-1 Satellite
  • Nayma Binte Nur, Jet Propulsion LaboratoryUnited States
    Soil Moisture Estimation and Mapping Using Radiative Transfer Models and EMIT Hyperspectral Data
  • Prasad Thenkabail, U.S. Geological SurveyUnited States
    Hyperspectral Vegetation Indices for Significant Advances in Remote Sensing Science
  • Andreas Wieser, ETH ZurichSwitzerland
    LiDAR for Capturing 3D Reality – Capabilities, Limitations, and Ways Forward

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Industry Program

The Industry Program will address disruptive projects and applications as a result of talent drain and transformative processes.

During the 2025 Industry Program, topics discussed at Toulouse 2024 will be expanded, and new topics will be added. However, the program is only the tip of the iceberg for interested attendees. These sessions encourage dialogue, vision, know-how and guidance.

This content model was enthusiastically received by the 500 participants at Toulouse 2024.

Background

We will focus on news, challenges, applications, opportunities and scalability in emerging technologies on a system or component level.

Johannes Kunsch, the Optica Sensing Congress Industry Chair answers the question: What is specific to the Optica Sensing Congress? It is not only a look at the science behind the talks, but also the networking and work-ready inspiration.      

Objectives

The goal of the Industry Program is to pave the road toward substantial future growth and give orientation. There is great momentum in the optical sensing industry. This momentum should continue to grow and make optical sensing a preferred career path. The industry team decided to focus mostly on Infrared Photonic Circuits and Biomedical Infrared Spectroscopy and highlights the role of AI.

Chairs

Johannes Kunsch
Laser Components Germany GmbH, Germany, 
Industry Chair

Borislav Hinkov
Silicon Austria Labs GmbH, Austria, 
Industry Co-Chair

Committee

Johannes Kunsch, LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbH, GermanyGeneral Chair 
Borislav Hinkov, Silicon Austria Labs, AustriaCo-Chair 
Amber Czajkowski, Alluxa Inc., USACo-Chair 
Shankar Baliga, LASER COMPONENTS Detector Group Inc., USA
Kurt Hochrein, Dexter Research Center, USA
Timothy Olsen, Omega Optical, USA

Industry Session I

Wednesday, 23 July 16:00 - 17:00

Speakers
Johannes Kunsch, LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbHGermany
Tarek Eissa, LMU MünchenGermany
Mihaela Zigman, LMU MünchenGermany
Mehdi Asghari, SiLC TechnologiesUSA
Borislav Hinkov, Silicon Austria LabsAustria
Matthias Budden, Wired SenseGermany
Ryszard Piramidowicz, VIGO PhotonicsPoland
Mircea Guina, Tampereen Teknillinen YliopistoFinland
Werner Mäntele, DiaMonTech AGGermany

Industry Session II

Thursday, 24 July 10:00 - 11:00

Speakers
Tarek Eissa, LMU MünchenGermany
Mihaela Zigman, LMU MünchenGermany
Matthias Budden, Wired SenseGermany
Mircea Guina, Tampereen Teknillinen YliopistoFinland
Werner Mäntele, DiaMonTech AGGermany

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Image for keeping the session alive