Scientific Imaging Camera Gift Valued at $100,000

MELBOURNE, FLA. —Florida Institute of Technology has received 10 high-resolution, scientific-grade cameras from the Salvador Foundation; each is valued at about $10,000. The cameras have been distributed among nine Florida Tech faculty members and are being used for a variety of research projects in such areas as biological sciences, physics, engineering and computer sciences.

The SI-16M8-FF camera provides very high resolution over a wide dynamic range under controlled lighting conditions. Applications for this camera include astronomy, microscopy, semiconductor inspection, machine vision, medical imaging and laser beam profiling.

For example, Florida Tech lightning researchers can use the camera to observe sporadic atmospheric occurences, such as meteors and transient luminous events. The lightning group currently maintains an observation station for such phenomena on campus. This effort will benefit from the high spatial resolution images provided by SI-16M8-FF camera.

Edward L. Principe, university research professor in the Department of Physics and Space Sciences, is responsible for obtaining the gift.

The Salvador Foundation, in Colorado Springs, Col., provides grants to churches and organizations in the United States and Latin America.The foundation is a Christian charitable foundation established in 2004 as a private 501(c)(3) organization.