HERA
Iperspettrale

A new HERA in hyperspectral imaging

HERA VNIR (400-1000 nm)

An Fourier Transform

Hyperspectral Camera

HERA VNIR is a compact and rugged hyperspectral camera that introduces an innovative approach to spectral imaging in the visible and near-infrared range.

Powered by its unique and patented technology based on Fourier Transform (FT) detection, HERA VNIR delivers exceptional spatial-spectral resolution and superior sensitivity in low-light illumination conditions.

*The FOV can be modified by adding an extra lens (FOV Extender or Macro Lens) in front of the camera.

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CMOS sensor

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Field of view*

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Exceptional Light Throughput

Look at more specifications

HERA VNIR SPECIFICATION
Spectral range	400 - 1000 nm
Sensor spatial resolution	1280 × 1024 pixels
Spectral resolution	<1.5 nm @ 400 nm <10 nm @ 1000 nm*
Sensor	CMOS
Number of bits	12 bits
Number of spectral bands	Selectable via Software**
Field of view	8 degrees***
Working distance	60 cm - ∞
Dimensions	246 × 150 × 86.5 mm
Weight	2.7 kg
Recommended System Requirements	32 GB RAM, SSD drive suggested

* Spectral resolution can be improved up to <1 nm @ 400 nm and <4 nm @ 1000 nm by purchasing a separate ‘Very High Resolution’ option.

** HERA is a FT spectroscopy based instrument and the number of extracted spectral bands can be chosen depending on the needs. Preset scan modes providing different spectral resolutions (and numbers of bands) are available in the Acquisition App software.

*** The Field of View can be extended (up to 16 degrees) or reduced (MACRO imaging) by adding optional lenses in front of the camera.

HERA VNIR can be coupled to the C-Mount port of commercial microscopes.

Additional accessories: SDK, Microscope adapter(C-mount), FOV extender lens (FOV2), Macro Lens, Illumination System, Laptop, Spectralon, Tripod.

Working Principle

HERA VNIR is based on a Fourier Transform (FT) approach: the data-cube is acquired in the time-domain, by step-scanning a compact ultra-stable interferometer in front of the CMOS sensor.

The software then automatically computes an FT at each and every pixel of the image, providing the final hyperspectral data-cube.

Features and Design

Spectral Resolution

As in any other FT techniques, the spectral resolution is not constant as a function of the wavelength.

Also, the spectral resolution can be simply varied via software: at each measurement, you can decide whether to acquire a high spectral resolution-image, or – if not required – a faster and lower spectral resolution-image (medium or low).

Regardless of this choice, the exceptional light throughput is not affected, thanks to the FT approach.

Easy Coupling with Microscopes

The HERA VNIR can be easily connected to the camera port of any microscope (upright or inverted), through the Microscope Adapter that we provide.

Once connected, the HERA VNIR can measure hyperspectral images at a microscopic scale, in reflectance, transmittance or fluorescence geometry, without the need of any special calibration procedure.

Click the button below to watch a video tutorial showing how to couple the HERA hyperspectral camera to a commercial microscope, to perform hyperspectral imaging in microscopy.

A Superior Sensitivity enabling Fluorescence Hyperspectral Imaging

Thanks to the absence of aperture slits and gratings, and to the 1 cm Clear Aperture, HERA VNIR is specifically designed to provide an extremely high light throughput, making it the ideal device for low light conditions or delicate samples.

The measurement was conducted on two different leaves (a green and a red one) of a Poinsettia plant. The leaves were illuminated with a UV LED (760 mW, 405 nm), and the weak fluorescence light was collected using a Long Pass Filter at 500 nm, to filter out the excitation light. The measurement time was approx. 100 seconds. The false-colour image, obtained with a classification algorithm, shows the spatial distribution of the two main spectral components of the hyperspectral data-cube.

Hyperspectral in action

Exploit BUILT-IN FUNCTIONS or EXPORT the DATA in standard formats*
for an in-depth statistical analysis.

* Standard formats include Matlab, ENVI, Perception Studio, perClass Mira

Software

The HERA App software is designed for data acquisition.

The HyperLAB software is designed for data analysis.

HERA Acquisition App

Set the camera parameters (such as spectral resolution, integration time, number of averages, etc.) and acquire the measurement.

Evaluate a preview of the hyperspectral data in the Hyperspectral View and save the measurement for a further analysis with HyperLAB software.

HyperLAB

Analyse spectra at selected points or areas, calculate reflectance images, perform statistical analysis with in-built functions and visualize the RGB or false-color image.

Save the hyperspectral data-cube and export it in standard formats for further analysis.

HERA VNIR Main Applications

HERA is designed as a hyperspectral imaging instrument for controlled indoor and laboratory applications. The system is intended primarily for close range analysis of samples and objects, including microscopy, fluorescence imaging, cultural heritage and museum diagnostics, materials characterization, food inspection and laboratory machine-vision applications. HERA is designed to operate as part of a controlled measurement setup, including benchtop and microscope integrated configurations. Its design objectives and primary application areas are laboratory, indoor and close-range hyperspectral measurements.

Hyperspectral imaging in vertical farming and smart agriculture

Hyperspectral imaging cameras quantify freshness, shelf-life, and quality in perishable vegetables for smart farming and vertical agriculture.

Hyperspectral imaging in cultural heritage

Hyperspectral imaging cameras non-invasively analyze artifacts and artworks, offering detailed insights on composition, condition, and history.

Hyperspectral imaging for color measurement

Hyperspectral imaging cameras provide precise and efficient solutions for color measurement applications on various materials and products.

What is Hyperspectral Imaging

Hyperspectral imaging is a novel spectroscopy technique that captures detailed spectral information for each pixel of an image.

HERA VNIR Hands-on review

Optional
Accessories

FOV Extender

Additional lens to extend the field of view.

Macro Lens

Additional lens to perform macro imaging.

Microscope Adapter

Optomechanical adapter to connect the camera to the microscope (C-mount type thread).

HERA Mask

Filter holder which can be directly screwed onto the threaded opening of the camera.

Reflectance illumination system

Light system (consisting of white LEDs and halogen lamps) easily attachable to the tripod, for illuminating the scene in your lab or in the field.

Spectralon

1-inch Diffuse Reflectance Standard, 99% reflectance, to calibrate the intensity of the hyperspectral data.

Laptop

Dedicated laptop to HERA, with 32 GB RAM, with HERA analysis and acquisition software packages pre-installed.

Tripod

Tripod compatible with the HERA hyperspectral camera.

Scientific papers

Find out more details regarding our technology in these scientific publications:

Scientific Papers

An Invisible Archive: Multi-Analytical Investigation of Medieval Manuscript Production in Benevento, Di Concilio F., Casanova Municchia A., Catrambone M., Chirivì A., Fiore M., Ferretti M., Giugni M., Iadanza M., Miliani C., Colesanti G.T. Heritage 2026, 9(7), 280

Illuminating the past: the role of optical imaging in the interdisciplinary study of medieval manuscripts, Giugni M., Di Concilio F., Cacace T., Europhysics News 57/2, 2026, p. 26–30

Non-destructive detection and classification of antibiotic residues in pork using hyperspectral imaging with an attention-guided matrix interference reduction, Lee I., Park S.J., Jung D.-H., Kim H.-Y., Food Chemistry, Volume 504, March 2026, 147907

Methodological approach for calibration transfer from benchtop to portable SWIR spectrometers: a laboratory-scale study on powdered grapevine leaves, Capobianco G., Bonifazi G., Serranti S., Tamasi G., Rossi C., Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy Volume 358, 5 October 2026, 127866

Impact of Nano-Scale Defects on the Macroscopic Amplified Spontaneous Emission in Polycrystalline Perovskite Thin-Films, Chun-Sheng Jack Wu, E Laine Wong, Hui Li, Jesús Jiménez-López, Chia-Kai Lin, Hsu-Cheng Hsu, Annamaria Petrozza, Advanced Materials (2026)

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles boosting growth and photosynthesis in biohybrid plants. Ciocca, M., Maver, M., Allará, C., Zanotelli, D., Krik, S., Orlando, A., et al. Mater. Horiz., 2025, 12, 7937-7950

Non-Invasive Multi-Analytical Insights into Renaissance Wall Paintings by Bernardino Luini, Verni E., Albano M., Merlo C., Volpi F., Lee C., Lombardi C.A., Comite V., Fermo P., Bergomi A., Guglielmi V., Borelli M., Mariani C., Samela S., Vinco L., Ghirardello M., Rovetta T., Fiocco G., Malagodi M. , Coatings 2025, 15(9), 1113

Application of Hyperspectral Imaging for Early Detection of Pathogen-Induced Stress in Cabbage as Case Study, Szechyńska-Hebda M., Hołownicki R., Doruchowski G., Sas K., Puławska J., Jarecka-Boncela A., Ptaszek M., Włodarek A., Agronomy 2025, 15(7), 1516

Understanding the Surface Chemistry of Tin Halide Perovskites. A. Treglia, M. Prato, C.-S. J. Wu, E L. Wong, I. Poli, A. Petrozza, Adv. Funct. Mater.2024, 2406954

Carrier Trapping Deactivation by Halide Alloying in Formamidinium-Based Lead Iodide Perovskites. Jiménez-López, D. Cortecchia, E L. Wong, G. Folpini, A. Treglia, A. L. Alvarado-Leaños, C.-S. Wu, A. Olivati, A. Petrozza, Adv. Funct. Mater.2024, 2308545.

Tuning Structure and Excitonic Properties of 2D Ruddlesden–Popper Germanium, Tin, and Lead Iodide Perovskites via Interplay between Cations. Willa Mihalyi-Koch, Giulia Folpini, Chris R. Roy, Waldemar Kaiser, Chun-Sheng Wu, Kyana M. Sanders, Ilia A. Guzei, John C. Wright, Filippo De Angelis, Daniele Cortecchia, Annamaria Petrozza, and Song Jin, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2023 145 (51), 28111-28123

A hyperspectral microscope based on an ultrastable common-path interferometer. A. Candeo, B. E. Nogueira de Faria, M. Erreni, G. Valentini, A. Bassi, A. M. de Paula, G. Cerullo, C. Manzoni; APL Photonics1 December 2019; 4 (12): 120802.

Hyperspectral imaging with a TWINS birefringent interferometer. A. Perri, B. E. Nogueira de Faria, D. C. Teles Ferreira, D. Comelli, G. Valentini, F. Preda, D. Polli, A. M. de Paula, G. Cerullo, and C. Manzoni, Opt. Express 27, 15956-15967 (2019).

NIREOS products are marketed and sold worldwide through our local offices and a global distribution network.

Any question?

Is HERA a push-broom or a snapshot hyperspectral camera?

HERA is not a push-broom, nor a filter based or a snapshot hyperspectral camera. It works with a staring approach, based on Fourier Transform. HERA embeds an ultra-stable and compact interferometer in front of a bidimensional sensor. This approach guarantees very high light throughput and a variable spectral resolution (easily adjustable via software), without compromising the spatial resolution.

The HERA can be easily mounted on a tripod, without the need to move the sample or the camera to acquire the hyperspectral image. The acquisition time of an entire hyperspectral cube is approximatively 10-30 seconds, depending on the chosen spectral resolution and illumination intensity. During this time, the sample and the camera should remain static with respect to each other.

How many Spectral Bands does it measure?

Unlike other hyperspectral cameras based on spectral filters or dispersive elements, with the Fourier Transform approach the number of bands does not depend on the hardware. In fact, as the spectrum at each pixel of the image is the Fourier Transformation of the interference signal, it is a continuous function (or curve). Of course, when plotting the data, one needs to sample the spectrum with a proper number of points. The number of points is chosen to match the actual spectral resolution of the measurement, which depends on the chosen Scan Mode.

What is the spectral resolution of the HERA?

There are three predefined interferometric scan modes (S, M, L) selectable via software. These determine the spectral resolution of the HERA. Please refer to the following graphs for the spectral resolution provided by the HERA depending on scan length:

The spectral resolution provided by the HERA is not constant as a function of wavelengths, but it increases at longer wavelengths. This behaviour is due to both the Fourier Transformation approach and the birefringence, which depends on the wavelength.