Hyperspectral imaging system and method for providing a hyperspectral image of an area of a remote object

A method for providing a hyperspectral image of an area of a remote object, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a hyperspectral imaging system comprising:
• an optic;
• stacked waveguide plates, the stacked waveguide plates comprising a plurality of waveguide plates stacked on top of one another, the stacked waveguide plates having an entrance end and an exit end opposite the entrance end;
• a slit located on the entrance end of the stacked waveguide plates;
• a spectral filter array;
• a detector array, wherein the stacked waveguide plates are positioned between the optic and the spectral filter array, and wherein the spectral filter array is positioned between the stacked waveguide plates and the detector array;
• and
• a controller coupled to the detector array;
• positioning the hyperspectral imaging system with respect to the remote object system such that:
• the optic receives light associated with the area of the remote object, and outputs light associated with the area of the remote object;
• the slit receives at least a portion of the light output from the optic and the stacked waveguide plates output multiple dispersed lights at the exit end, wherein each of the plurality of waveguide plates outputs one of the multiple dispersed lights;
• the spectral filter array receives the multiple dispersed lights output from the exit end of the stacked waveguide plates, and outputs multiple arrays of different wavelength filtered lights, wherein each of the multiple dispersed lights is associated with one of the multiple arrays of different wavelength filtered lights;
• the detector array receives the multiple arrays of different wavelength filtered lights from the spectral filter array and outputs multiple arrays of electrical signals, wherein each of the multiple arrays of different wavelength filtered lights is associated with one of the multiple arrays of electrical signals;
• and,
• the controller receives the multiple arrays of electrical signals from the detector array, combines the multiple arrays of electrical signals to generate the hyperspectral image of the area of the remote object, and outputs the hyperspectral image of the area of the remote object.