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Automated EO/IR Detection Techniques For Floating Objects
Navy SBIR 2006.2 - Topic N06-136 NAVSEA - Ms. Janet Jaensch - [email protected] Opens: June 14, 2006 - Closes: July 14, 2006 N06-136 TITLE: Automated EO/IR Detection Techniques For Floating Objects TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace ACQUISITION PROGRAM: ACAT I, PMS 500 DD(X) Integrated Undersea Warfare (IUSW) OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative Electro-Optical/InfraRed (EO/IR) algorithms to aid in automated detection and classification of floating objects for bow mounted High Frequency (HF) surface ship mine avoidance sonar. DESCRIPTION: Ship motion, ship speed, surface acoustic interactions, bubble fields, organic matter, and other phenomena in the near-field ocean environment impact the performance of HF sonar systems. These effects, significantly impact the ability of operators to detect and classify floating objects in order to assess their threat to the ship and neutralize or take evasive action if required. HF sonar utilizing acoustics is one of the primary systems being installed on future surface combatants to satisfy the requirement to detect and classify floating objects. Of particular interest is the application of EO/IR as a means of augmenting the acoustic performance of HF sonar. While the use of EO/IR to detect and classify floating objects for avoidance is technically feasible, the tools to automatically perform the detection and classification are relatively immature. All proposed solutions must provide confidence of low False Alert Rates (FAR), should use a modular software philosophy, and should incorporate associated software into a suitable open architecture system. PHASE I: Demonstrate the feasibility of developing improved detection and classification capability for floating objects. Provide a Phase II development approach and schedule that contains discrete milestones for product development. PHASE II: Finalize the prototype design based on the design concept(s) proposed in Phase I. Fabricate the critical components of the prototype system and conduct laboratory characterization experiments. Provide a detailed test plan and conduct a scaled capabilities demonstration as a means of prototype validation. PHASE III: Utilizing the concept developed during Phase I and II, Work with the Navy and Industry to adapt the automated EO/IR detection and classification of floating objects to current surface combatants and to the future ship combat systems. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Techniques developed under this topical area are expected to support automation avoidance of floating objects for surface vessels. This technology would be valuable for use in naval and commercial ship systems to help avoid collision with floating objects. REFERENCES: KEYWORDS: EO/IR; Object Avoidance; detection;, classification; automation; floating objects TPOC: Christopher Curtis
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