N121-004 TITLE: Detection and Tracking of Moving Vehicles and Dismounts Across the Land–Sea Boundary

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Ground/Sea Vehicles, Sensors, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA 266

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a comprehensive suite of algorithms that can be used to detect and track moving vehicles (small boats and land vehicles) and dismounts when coverage extends across the open water, surf zone, and beach; perform accurate long-term tracking of detected targets; and reduce computational complexity, resulting in a high probability of detection with minimal false alarms.

DESCRIPTION: The ability to detect and track moving vehicles, small boats, and dismounts in the vicinity of the shoreline is a mission-critical function in littoral warfare. Traditional radar-based overland moving target indication algorithms suffer from poor performance in open water environments and at the land–sea boundary. Clutter characteristics and associated internal clutter motion differ dramatically as the radar beam shifts from an overland field of view to one that includes the beach and surf zone and then to one that is exclusively open ocean. In order to address these dramatically different clutter environments, adaptive algorithms are needed that will recognize and adapt to the varying clutter conditions. These algorithms must then be mated with appropriate transmit waveforms, antenna design, and platform characteristics to maximize performance.

A fully automated solution is desired. However, solutions may involve varying levels of human-in-the-loop involvement in the detection and tracking problem to help mitigate false alarms, but this level of involvement should be as minimal as viable and needs to be explicitly and quantifiably defined by the system. Metadata and contextual inputs to the algorithms are also permitted—with the same restrictions as for human-in-the-loop involvement. An innovative solution should avail itself of a combination of existing techniques while adding to these its own improvements and should also attempt (and justify) new methodologies.

PHASE I: Show proof of concept for algorithms that detect and track moving vehicles (small boats and land vehicles) and dismounts when coverage extends across the open water, surf zone, and beach; algorithms that perform accurate long-term tracking of detected targets; and algorithms that reduce computational complexity. Integrate the algorithms into a comprehensive algorithm suite and test them using government-controlled data.

PHASE II: Complete primary algorithmic development and primary software system implementation of algorithms. Test the completed algorithms using government-controlled data. Software implementation is required for testing and demonstration. However, principle deliverables are the algorithms. Documented algorithms (along with system software) should be fully deliverable to the government in order to demonstrate and further test system capability. Successful testing at the end of Phase II must show level of algorithmic achievement such that potential Phase III algorithmic development demands no major breakthroughs but would be a natural continuation and development of Phase II activity.

PHASE III: Complete final algorithmic development and final software system implementation of the algorithms. Test the completed algorithms using government-controlled data. Documented algorithms (along with system software) should be fully deliverable to the government in order to demonstrate and further test system capability.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This suite of algorithms can be used by the Department of Homeland Security for border protection. In private industry, the algorithms can be used for aspects of combined urban and maritime surveillance.

REFERENCES:
1. Guerci, J. R. (2010). Cognitive radar: The knowledge-aided fully adaptive approach. Boston, MA: Artech House.

2. Gini, F., & Rangaswamy, M. (Eds.). (2008). Knowledge based radar detection, tracking and classification. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.

KEYWORDS: Aided Target Detection, Dismount Target Tracking, Human Activity Classification, Threat Determination

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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