Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation

DIRSIG™
Realistic synthetic imagery for system design, algorithm testing, and training across the electromagnetic spectrum

DIRSIG™ is a physics-based synthetic imaging engine

Overview

The DIRSIG™ (Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation) model, developed by the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory (DIRS) at RIT, is a physics-based synthetic imaging engine. DIRSIG™ can simulate imagery from the visible through thermal infrared wavelengths, generate active-sensor returns (e.g. LiDAR), and — growing its functionality — produce radar (RF) outputs.

With DIRSIG, users can:

  • Generate single-band (grayscale), multispectral, or hyperspectral imagery;
  • Simulate active sensing (e.g. LiDAR) and evolving RF / radar capabilities;
  • Design and test imaging system architectures;
  • Create synthetic datasets for algorithm development and evaluation;
  • Produce training data for image analysts.

DIRSIG™ is designed to serve researchers, engineers, and analysts who need realistic, controllable image data for system design, algorithm evaluation, or analyst training.

Next steps

Learn more about DIRSIG™ — get access to training, find out how to get the software, view the online documentation, find out about our services, and find out about our Alliance membership program.

  • Browse the overview presentation to learn about many of the features and capabilities of the model.
  • Read this open/free technical article from IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (Volume: 10, Issue: 11, Nov. 2017).

  • New users enroll in a three-day training course that combines lectures, guided tutorials, and expert support.
  • Upon successful completion (and acceptance of the DIRSIG™ EULA), users receive authorized download access to the software.

Note: The software is free of charge, subject to fulfilling training and licensing requirements.

Learn More 

  • DIRSIG™ is designated EAR-99 under U.S. export regulations, which means it cannot be distributed to embargoed countries, prohibited end users, or used for prohibited end uses.
  • All users must sign and abide by the DIRSIG™ End-User License Agreement (EULA).

View Documentation

  • Have questions about DIRSIG™? Browse our FAQs for quick answers on installation, training, documentation, and more.

Frequency Asked Questions

The DIRSIG™ team offers a variety of services to the user community through our fee-for-service entity, the DIRS Enterprise Center.

Learn More

For over 40 years, the DIRSIG™ software — developed at RIT’s Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing laboratory — has been freely available (beyond a training fee) and trusted by academia, industry, and government for remote sensing simulation.

However, evolving funding landscapes make it unsustainable to maintain and advance DIRSIG™ under the existing model. The DIRSIG™ Alliance is our solution: a membership-based community to support the long-term health, growth, and innovation of the DIRSIG™ ecosystem.

Learn More

Contact

To learn more about DIRSIG™, reach out to us by email or call 585-298-9505.