TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems

OBJECTIVE: The lack of geospatial information (feature and attributes) at the required resolution, accuracy and currency is a major limiting factor in automating the production of terrain databases. The objective of this topic is to solicit research to extend the range of features and attributes that are extractable by automated means from innovative geospatial data sources.

DESCRIPTION: Joint Forces Command, Special Operations Command and Topographic Engineering Center have collaborated on a process for automating the production of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) geospatial databases in a process called Geospatial Intelligence Database System (GIDS). Significant progress has been achieved by leveraging commercial-off-the-shelf tools which can extract features from innovative source data such as Light Detecting and Ranging (LIDAR) but to date, automated feature extraction from LIDAR has been limited to buildings and vegetation. Researchers seeking to automatically extract features and attributes from imagery have achieved some success for linear features such as transportation and waterways networks, but with confidence levels of 60-80% that generally do not meet user expectations for applications such as operations, mission planning and mission rehearsal. There is an urgent need for research that would extend the range of feature classes that can be automatically extracted from LIDAR and/or other innovative data sources or through combinations of sources such as LIDAR with correlated Hyperspectral Imagery or Multi-Spectral Imagery.

PHASE I: Develop the design approach and demonstrate feasibility to meet the above requirements for extending the range of features and attributes extractable through automation from geospatial source data. The offeror should possess some existing capabilities for automating the extraction of features and attributes from one or more sources upon which the proposal could build.

PHASE II: Develop and produce a prototype extending the range of features and attributes extractable through automation from geospatial source data.

PHASE III: Produce an integrated process capable extending the range of features and attributes extractable through automation from geospatial source data.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This technology would greatly facilitate M&S applications interoperability with Command and Control, Mission Planning , Mission Rehearsal and other military applications and would serve other government sectors such as the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation Level Data Working Group. It would be used during Disaster Relief by both military and non-military responders to ensure a common operational picture of an area that has been significantly altered by the forces of nature.

REFERENCES:
O�Brien, M., et al, Information Fusion for Feature Extraction and the Development of Geospatial Information, 7th International Conference on Information Fusion, June 2004.
http://www.fusion2004.foi.se/papers/IF04-0976.pdf#search='automated%20features%20extraction%20terrain

KEYWORDS: Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT), Mapping, Charting, Geodesy and Imagery (MCG&I), Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), Automated Feature Extraction (AFE), Automated Data Extraction (ADE), Light Detecting and Ranging (LIDAR)

TPOC: Mike Egnor
Phone: (757)203-5692
Fax:
Email: [email protected]
2nd TPOC: Warren Bizub
Phone: (757)203-6969
Fax:
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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