It will also aim to equip the already specialised professionals with further skills so they can adapt more easily new technologies as they emerge.

"On the one hand it is making sure people understand how to get information out of images," said John Gilby, chief scientist at Sira, a UK research technology firm, and co-founder of the course.

"It is very easy to look at an image and assume you see something in it," he told the BBC News website.

"But it is also about making sure you do things in a principled way, so that any manipulation in terms of enhancement you make, you understand what effect that has.

"There is considerable worry about people distorting information," he said.

The specialist course is aimed at existing experts within police, security and defence areas who need to understand emerging and more conventional imaging techniques better.

There has been interest in the course from police forces in the UK, and a large number of other organisations, including government institutions, according to Sira.

Of specific concern is that professionals understand much more about the technology behind images and how they are formed and processed in order to get the information they need from what they are analysing.

But the course will also look to hone skills to properly analyse optical and microwave spectrum interpretation, and other newer detection and targeting techniques.

Advanced optical systems, for example, cover a range of the spectrum that the human eye cannot see. Computer enhancement helps to convert what humans cannot see into what they can, before full analysis can take place.

"The same applies for radar or infrared technology," said Geoffrey Oxlee, from Kalagate, the other technology partner for the course.

"It has to be converted to light which we can see, then there is the understanding of what it is you are looking at."

People power

If images are misinterpreted or information is assumed from imagery, it could have severe implications.

"We live in a 3D world. CCTV is still a 2D representation of that 3D world. It does take knowledge and experience to interpret that properly," explained Mr Oxlee.

Understanding what happens to objects when a light from a particular source is captured, reflected and distorted through a fish eye lens, for example, can be vital, he said.

"With video, even digital video, there are in-built distortions which you have to understand. You have to have an intimate knowledge of how imagery is reproduced," he added.

"With CCTV, a lot of it is about trying to get information about which person this is, and having confidence that you are not bringing too many preconceptions to the understanding of images," said Sira's Dr Gilby.

In an ordinary physical image, there are built-in assumptions and understandings, explained Dr Gilby. One expects shadows, for instance, in certain places.

But the same image taken using a different imaging technique, a millimetre wave scanner for example, requires a different understanding and knowledge of what to expect to see from such an image.

Even heat signatures from objects or people need to be understood in order to be interpreted.

Homeland security

Globally, huge sums of money are being pumped into sophisticated imaging techniques to tighten up homeland and global security.

Most image analysis training is conducted by the military, according to Mr Oxlee. There are few, if any, specialist courses that deal with this topic, he said.

"Up until reasonably recently, it was not a problem because ex-military analysts could be used for exploitation. But there has been a mushrooming of imagery in last 20 years.

"Apart from the tremendous amount of civilian satellites around Earth, there has been an equal mushrooming of CCTV put into place following increase in violent crime and terror."

Nine specialists have shown interest in taking part in the course so far but it is expected that about 25 will have registered by the end of September, according to Sira. The two-day courses start in October.