Hard/Critical Technology/Sensing, Timing & Navigation

Advanced Imaging & Photonic Sensing

The capacity to see beyond the visible: multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, photonic sensing and the electro-optical technologies that turn light into information.
factbase.org/cap/VYG5EBQH28
World mean
3.8
of 20 · median 1.0
Range
0–20
middle half 0.0–6.0
Panel SD
±0.35
round 1 ±0.96 — the honest estimate
Leader
20
United States

Indicators

The measures seeded for this capability in the framework. They are candidate indicators: no cell in the index has a source document attached to it yet.

Band spread across 197 nations

Frontier 6
Advanced 9
Established 10
Transitional 6
Foundational 20
Nascent 24
Inception 122

All 197 nations

Best first. The score is the mean of the four adjudicators' round-3 integers, rounded to the nearest integer; ±SD is their spread on that cell. Where the spread is three points or more, read the number as a band rather than a value.

#NationRegionScoreBandPanel SD
1 🇺🇸United States Americas 20 Frontier ±0.00
2 🇯🇵Japan Asia Pacific 19 Frontier ±0.43
3 🇨🇳China Asia Pacific 18 Frontier ±0.43
4 🇫🇷France Europe 18 Frontier ±0.00
5 🇩🇪Germany Europe 18 Frontier ±0.00
6 🇮🇱Israel Middle East 18 Frontier ±0.50
7 🇰🇷South Korea Asia Pacific 17 Advanced ±0.00
8 🇬🇧United Kingdom Europe 17 Advanced ±0.00
9 🇨🇦Canada Americas 16 Advanced ±0.50
10 🇳🇱Netherlands Europe 16 Advanced ±0.50
11 🇹🇼Taiwan Asia Pacific 16 Advanced ±0.43
12 🇫🇮Finland Europe 15 Advanced ±0.00
13 🇮🇹Italy Europe 15 Advanced ±0.00
14 🇸🇪Sweden Europe 15 Advanced ±0.00
15 🇨🇭Switzerland Europe 15 Advanced ±0.00
16 🇧🇪Belgium Europe 14 Established ±0.87
17 🇮🇳India Asia Pacific 14 Established ±0.50
18 🇳🇴Norway Europe 14 Established ±0.43
19 🇷🇺Russia Europe 14 Established ±0.43
20 🇦🇺Australia Asia Pacific 13 Established ±0.83
21 🇦🇹Austria Europe 13 Established ±0.87
22 🇸🇬Singapore Asia Pacific 13 Established ±0.43
23 🇪🇸Spain Europe 13 Established ±0.43
24 🇵🇱Poland Europe 12 Established ±0.71
25 🇹🇷Türkiye Middle East 12 Established ±0.43
26 🇨🇿Czechia Europe 10 Transitional ±1.12
27 🇩🇰Denmark Europe 10 Transitional ±1.41
28 🇧🇷Brazil Americas 9 Transitional ±0.71
29 🇱🇹Lithuania Europe 9 Transitional ±2.18
30 🇲🇾Malaysia Asia Pacific 9 Transitional ±1.09
31 🇿🇦South Africa Africa 9 Transitional ±1.23
32 🇭🇺Hungary Europe 8 Foundational ±1.09
33 🇮🇷Iran Asia Pacific 8 Foundational ±0.83
34 🇮🇪Ireland Europe 8 Foundational ±1.78
35 🇲🇽Mexico Americas 8 Foundational ±0.50
36 🇳🇿New Zealand Asia Pacific 8 Foundational ±1.50
37 🇵🇹Portugal Europe 8 Foundational ±1.92
38 🇷🇴Romania Europe 8 Foundational ±0.87
39 🇺🇦Ukraine Europe 8 Foundational ±1.12
40 🇪🇪Estonia Europe 7 Foundational ±1.50
41 🇬🇷Greece Europe 7 Foundational ±0.43
42 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates Middle East 7 Foundational ±0.87
43 🇦🇷Argentina Americas 6 Foundational ±0.43
44 🇧🇾Belarus Europe 6 Foundational ±0.71
45 🇪🇬Egypt Africa 6 Foundational ±0.43
46 🇵🇰Pakistan Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±0.43
47 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia Middle East 6 Foundational ±1.09
48 🇷🇸Serbia Europe 6 Foundational ±1.41
49 🇸🇮Slovenia Europe 6 Foundational ±1.48
50 🇹🇭Thailand Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±1.09
51 🇻🇳Vietnam Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±0.87
52 🇧🇬Bulgaria Europe 5 Nascent ±0.43
53 🇮🇩Indonesia Asia Pacific 5 Nascent ±0.83
54 🇱🇻Latvia Europe 5 Nascent ±0.43
55 🇲🇦Morocco Africa 5 Nascent ±1.12
56 🇸🇰Slovakia Europe 5 Nascent ±0.71
57 🇨🇱Chile Americas 4 Nascent ±0.71
58 🇭🇷Croatia Europe 4 Nascent ±0.50
59 🇱🇺Luxembourg Europe 4 Nascent ±1.23
60 🇰🇵North Korea Asia Pacific 4 Nascent ±0.83
61 🇵🇭Philippines Asia Pacific 4 Nascent ±1.23
62 🇩🇿Algeria Africa 3 Nascent ±0.50
63 🇦🇲Armenia Middle East 3 Nascent ±0.50
64 🇨🇴Colombia Americas 3 Nascent ±0.71
65 🇨🇾Cyprus Middle East 3 Nascent ±0.50
66 🇪🇹Ethiopia Africa 3 Nascent ±0.50
67 🇮🇸Iceland Europe 3 Nascent ±0.43
68 🇯🇴Jordan Middle East 3 Nascent ±0.43
69 🇰🇿Kazakhstan Asia Pacific 3 Nascent ±0.43
70 🇰🇪Kenya Africa 3 Nascent ±0.43
71 🇲🇹Malta Europe 3 Nascent ±0.83
72 🇳🇬Nigeria Africa 3 Nascent ±0.43
73 🇵🇪Peru Americas 3 Nascent ±0.71
74 🇶🇦Qatar Middle East 3 Nascent ±0.50
75 🇹🇳Tunisia Africa 3 Nascent ±0.43
76 🇦🇿Azerbaijan Middle East 2 Inception ±0.43
77 🇧🇩Bangladesh Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.50
78 🇨🇷Costa Rica Americas 2 Inception ±0.43
79 🇨🇺Cuba Americas 2 Inception ±0.43
80 🇪🇨Ecuador Americas 2 Inception ±0.00
81 🇬🇪Georgia Middle East 2 Inception ±0.43
82 🇬🇭Ghana Africa 2 Inception ±0.43
83 🇰🇼Kuwait Middle East 2 Inception ±0.00
84 🇱🇧Lebanon Middle East 2 Inception ±0.00
85 🇲🇺Mauritius Africa 2 Inception ±0.50
86 🇲🇩Moldova Europe 2 Inception ±0.00
87 🇴🇲Oman Middle East 2 Inception ±0.00
88 🇷🇼Rwanda Africa 2 Inception ±0.50
89 🇱🇰Sri Lanka Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.00
90 🇺🇾Uruguay Americas 2 Inception ±0.50
91 🇺🇿Uzbekistan Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.00
92 🇻🇪Venezuela Americas 2 Inception ±0.00
93 🇦🇱Albania Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
94 🇦🇴Angola Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
95 🇧🇭Bahrain Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
96 🇧🇴Bolivia Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
97 🇧🇦Bosnia & Herzegovina Europe 1 Inception ±0.00
98 🇨🇲Cameroon Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
99 🇨🇮Côte d'Ivoire Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
100 🇩🇴Dominican Republic Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
101 🇸🇻El Salvador Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
102 🇬🇹Guatemala Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
103 🇭🇳Honduras Americas 1 Inception ±0.00
104 🇮🇶Iraq Middle East 1 Inception ±0.43
105 🇯🇲Jamaica Americas 1 Inception ±0.00
106 🇽🇰Kosovo Europe 1 Inception ±0.50
107 🇰🇬Kyrgyzstan Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
108 🇱🇾Libya Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
109 🇱🇮Liechtenstein Europe 1 Inception ±1.00
110 🇲🇬Madagascar Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
111 🇲🇼Malawi Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
112 🇲🇳Mongolia Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
113 🇲🇪Montenegro Europe 1 Inception ±0.00
114 🇲🇿Mozambique Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
115 🇲🇲Myanmar Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
116 🇳🇦Namibia Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
117 🇳🇵Nepal Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
118 🇳🇮Nicaragua Americas 1 Inception ±0.00
119 🇲🇰North Macedonia Europe 1 Inception ±0.00
120 🇵🇸Palestine Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
121 🇵🇦Panama Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
122 🇵🇾Paraguay Americas 1 Inception ±0.00
123 🇸🇳Senegal Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
124 🇸🇩Sudan Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
125 🇸🇾Syria Middle East 1 Inception ±0.43
126 🇹🇿Tanzania Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
127 🇹🇹Trinidad & Tobago Americas 1 Inception ±0.00
128 🇺🇬Uganda Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
129 🇿🇲Zambia Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
130 🇿🇼Zimbabwe Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
131 🇦🇫Afghanistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
132 🇦🇩Andorra Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
133 🇦🇬Antigua & Barbuda Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
134 🇧🇸Bahamas Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
135 🇧🇧Barbados Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
136 🇧🇿Belize Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
137 🇧🇯Benin Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
138 🇧🇹Bhutan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
139 🇧🇼Botswana Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
140 🇧🇳Brunei Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
141 🇧🇫Burkina Faso Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
142 🇧🇮Burundi Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
143 🇨🇻Cabo Verde Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
144 🇰🇭Cambodia Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
145 🇨🇫Central African Rep. Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
146 🇹🇩Chad Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
147 🇰🇲Comoros Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
148 🇨🇬Congo Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
149 🇩🇯Djibouti Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
150 🇩🇲Dominica Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
151 🇨🇩DR Congo Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
152 🇬🇶Equatorial Guinea Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
153 🇪🇷Eritrea Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
154 🇸🇿Eswatini Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
155 🇫🇯Fiji Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
156 🇬🇦Gabon Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
157 🇬🇲Gambia Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
158 🇬🇩Grenada Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
159 🇬🇳Guinea Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
160 🇬🇼Guinea-Bissau Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
161 🇬🇾Guyana Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
162 🇭🇹Haiti Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
163 🇻🇦Holy See Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
164 🇰🇮Kiribati Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
165 🇱🇦Laos Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
166 🇱🇸Lesotho Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
167 🇱🇷Liberia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
168 🇲🇻Maldives Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
169 🇲🇱Mali Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
170 🇲🇭Marshall Islands Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
171 🇲🇷Mauritania Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
172 🇫🇲Micronesia Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
173 🇲🇨Monaco Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
174 🇳🇷Nauru Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
175 🇳🇪Niger Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
176 🇵🇼Palau Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
177 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
178 🇰🇳Saint Kitts & Nevis Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
179 🇱🇨Saint Lucia Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
180 🇻🇨Saint Vincent & Grenadines Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
181 🇼🇸Samoa Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
182 🇸🇲San Marino Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
183 🇸🇹São Tomé & Príncipe Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
184 🇸🇨Seychelles Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
185 🇸🇱Sierra Leone Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
186 🇸🇧Solomon Islands Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
187 🇸🇴Somalia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
188 🇸🇸South Sudan Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
189 🇸🇷Suriname Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
190 🇹🇯Tajikistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
191 🇹🇱Timor-Leste Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
192 🇹🇬Togo Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
193 🇹🇴Tonga Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
194 🇹🇲Turkmenistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
195 🇹🇻Tuvalu Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
196 🇻🇺Vanuatu Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
197 🇾🇪Yemen Middle East 0 Inception ±0.00

Others in Sensing, Timing & Navigation

CapabilityWorld meanRangeLeader
Precision Timing & Atomic Clocks3.70–20United States
Resilient Positioning & Navigation2.80–20United States
Radar & Radiofrequency Sensing3.40–20United States
Acoustic & Undersea Sensing2.90–20United States