Bob Fisher
A hyperspectral sensor measures the received image energy at many seperate frequencies. An example is the AVIRIS sensor [1] that observes 224 spectral channels in the visible and infrared 400nm - 2500 nm at a resolution of a nominal 10 nm.
Hyperspectral imaging is most usable in remote sensing, medical and biological applications.
[1] G. Vane, R. O. Green, T. G. Chrien, H. T. Enmark, E. G. Hansen, W. M. Porter. The airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AIVRIS). Remote Sensing of the Environment, 44(1), pp 127-143, 1993.