BOULDER, Colo., April 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Aerospace
& Technologies Corp. announced today that it has expanded its
Opticks open-source software offerings to include new extensions
that perform hyperspectral, multispectral and image spectroscopy
analysis.
Ball Aerospace launched Opticks in 2007 as its first open source
software project designed to enable detailed analysis of remote
sensing data and complement strategy promoted by the Department of
Defense's Open Technology Development Roadmap. Opticks is used by
scientists and analysts within the DoD community to analyze remote
sensing data and produce actionable intelligence.
Ball's Opticks expansion includes a new Spectral Processing
Extension. The extension includes tools to convert imagery
from radiance to reflectance as well as tools to load and display
signatures, specifically wavelength versus reflectance. The
extension also includes signature matching algorithms to help
locate specified materials within an image. This extension,
along with Opticks, will be a valuable resource for environmental
scientists.
Ball is also expanding Opticks to include new extensions focused
on scripting, specifically for the Python and Interactive Data
Language (IDL) languages preferred by researchers and scientists.
The new scripting extensions allow an analyst or remote
sensing researcher to directly prototype new algorithms and
techniques for use with the Opticks application. Opticks can
be used to load and visualize imagery and Python or IDL scripts can
be used to manipulate the imagery. In addition, Python- or
IDL-based algorithms can be packaged into a new Opticks extension,
creating easy distribution to others in the scientific and remote
sensing community.
Opticks supports Imagery, Motion Imagery, Synthetic Aperture
Radar (SAR), and multi-spectral and hyper-spectral remote sensing
data. Ball Aerospace expects Opticks to increase the demand for
remote sensing data and broaden the features available in existing
remote sensing software. To become a part of the open source
community, download the Ball Aerospace Opticks software at:
www.opticks.org.
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical
missions of important national agencies such as the Department of
Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial
entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft,
advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation
systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific
applications. For more information visit www.ballaerospace.com.
Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) is a supplier of high-quality metal
and plastic packaging for beverage, food and household products
customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services,
primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its
subsidiaries employ more than 14,000 people worldwide and reported
2009 sales of approximately $7.3
billion.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning
future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects,"
"anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to
risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes
no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2
in our Form 10-K, which are available at our Web site and at
www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments
include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability
and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability,
pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop
yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated
productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory
deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major
customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or
supplier; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates.
Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding,
authorization, availability and returns of government and
commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical
uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might
affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting
changes; changes in senior management; the current global recession
and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the
economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or
divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses;
regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and
workplace safety, including in respect of climate change, or
chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the
manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological
developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust,
patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of
return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined
benefit retirement plans; pension changes; reduced cash flow;
interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results
due to statutory audits or other effects.
SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.