The present invention features a fiber optic imaging system for generating
a customized spectral response comprising (a) an optional optical source
for generating optical energy, (b) an optical system for focusing multi
spectral optical energy to form a focal surface; (b) a fiber optic
element for conveying the optical energy, wherein the fiber optic element
has an input end optically coupled to the focal surface to receive the
optical energy and an output end to transmit the conveyed optical energy;
and (c) a spectral filter optically coupled to at least one of the input
and output ends of the fiber optic element, wherein the spectral filter
has a filter passband configured to provide the fiber optic element with
a pre-determined wavelength transmittance capacity, such that only
pre-determined wavelengths of the optical energy are transmitted through
the output end, thus achieving a customized spectral response. The fiber
optic imaging system may further comprise an imaging array optically
coupled to the output end of the fiber optic element and configured to
gather the transmitted optical energy and to convert it into a data
signal corresponding to an image based on the customized spectral
response. An example of this type of configuration is a spectrometer.