Clip on thermal imager COTI

This is our new design IP67 waterproof clip on thermal imager COTI which can be used on many night vision devices like GPNVG 18, PVS 31, PVS 14, PVS7 etc, it also can be used by hand hold and head mounted.

It offer 5 different effect like: Black hot / white hot / green hot / red hot / image outline, the light level also can be adjusted.

A COTI (Clip-On Thermal Imager) is a compact, lightweight thermal imaging device designed to attach directly to existing night vision goggles (NVGs), instantly adding thermal imaging capability without replacing the NVG. It’s a popular accessory for military, law enforcement, and tactical users.

Here’s a breakdown of its key features and purpose:

Clip-On Design:

It literally clips onto the front objective lens housing of standard issue night vision goggles (like PVS7, PVS-14, PVS-31, DTNVS, GPNVG etc.).

This modularity is a major advantage – users don’t need entirely new, expensive fused systems; they enhance their existing NVGs.

Thermal Imaging Core:

Contains a microbolometer sensor (typically 320×240 or 640×512 resolution) that detects infrared radiation (heat) emitted by objects, people, animals, and vehicles.

Creates a monochrome image (often displayed in white-hot or black-hot polarity) based on temperature differences.

Fusion Capability (The Core Benefit):

This is the primary function and biggest advantage. The COTI doesn’t just display a separate thermal image.

It overlays or blends the thermal image directly onto the image intensifier tube’s (IIT) visible/near-IR image within the user’s NVG eyepiece.

The user sees a single, fused image combining:

Image Intensification (IIT): Provides detail, depth perception, and recognition based on ambient light (moonlight, starlight).

Thermal Imaging: Reveals heat signatures invisible to IIT alone, allowing detection through total darkness, smoke, dust, fog, light foliage, and camouflage.

Purpose & Advantages:

Enhanced Situational Awareness: Dramatically improves the ability to detect hidden threats, personnel, animals, or recently used equipment (warm engines, weapons) that IIT alone might miss, especially in challenging conditions.

Target Identification: Faster and more positive identification of potential threats by seeing their heat signature combined with the detailed image from IIT.

Navigation & Safety: Easier navigation in zero-light conditions or obscurants. Ability to see tripwires, ditches, or warm hazards.

Survivability: Significantly reduces the risk of ambush by revealing concealed enemies.

Cost-Effectiveness: Much cheaper than buying dedicated fused goggles NVG systems . Leverages existing NVG investment.

Modularity & Portability: Easily attached or detached as needed. Lightweight addition to the kit.

Rapid Deployment: No complex setup; clip it on and go.

How It Works:

1. The COTI sits in front of the NVG’s objective lens.

2. Its thermal sensor captures the thermal scene.

3. An internal micro-display projects the thermal image into the NVG’s optical path.

4. Optics within the COTI align this projected thermal image perfectly with the IIT image.

5. The user looks through the NVG eyepiece and sees both images fused together.

In essence: A COTI is a thermal camera clip that transforms standard night vision goggles into a dual-band (I² + Thermal), fused imaging system, providing a massive leap in detection capability and situational awareness for the user, especially in low-visibility or obscured environments, without the cost of a fully integrated fused system.

Key difference from dedicated fused systems: While dedicated fused goggles offer superior integration and often higher performance, the COTI provides a very effective and affordable fusion capability as an add-on to existing, widespread monocular or binocular NVGs.