A polarimeter for classifying or recognizing a target within a field-of-view using multiple independent polarization channels comprising: a source of controlled electromagnetic radiation characterized in being positioned in a path with a detector and the field-of-view positioned there between; a scanning element positioned to direct a beam from the source of controlled electromagnetic radiation serially among a first set of independent polarization modulators; the first set of independent polarization modulators, wherein each member of the set corresponds to a polarization channel, configured to modulate the polarization state of the beam among a set of independent polarization states to produce a modulated beam; an assembly of reflectors configured to redirect the modulated beam to a co-registered path that is pointed at the field-of-view; an electromagnetic-radiation collector positioned to direct electromagnetic radiation reflected (5,11) from or transmitted by objects within the field-of-view to a second polarization modulator independent of the first set of polarization modulators; the detector, positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the second polarization modulator, wherein the detector produces a set of signals that are synchronized with the set of channels formed by the first set of polarization modulators and the second polarization modulator; and a processor connected with a memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute a classification algorithm stored in the memory by applying a user-adjustable threshold to the set of detector signals to assign a class label to the set of detector signals, wherein the classification algorithm specifies the function of the threshold in terms of the set of channels formed by the first set of polarization modulators and the second polarization modulator. a source of controlled electromagnetic radiation characterized in being positioned in a path with a detector and the field-of-view positioned there between; a scanning element positioned to direct a beam from the source of controlled electromagnetic radiation serially among a first set of independent polarization modulators; the first set of independent polarization modulators, wherein each member of the set corresponds to a polarization channel, configured to modulate the polarization state of the beam among a set of independent polarization states to produce a modulated beam; an assembly of reflectors configured to redirect the modulated beam to a co-registered path that is pointed at the field-of-view; an electromagnetic-radiation collector positioned to direct electromagnetic radiation reflected (5,11) from or transmitted by objects within the field-of-view to a second polarization modulator independent of the first set of polarization modulators; the detector, positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the second polarization modulator, wherein the detector produces a set of signals that are synchronized with the set of channels formed by the first set of polarization modulators and the second polarization modulator; and a processor connected with a memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute a classification algorithm stored in the memory by applying a user-adjustable threshold to the set of detector signals to assign a class label to the set of detector signals, wherein the classification algorithm specifies the function of the threshold in terms of the set of channels formed by the first set of polarization modulators and the second polarization modulator.