SBIR-STTR Award

Autonomous Decision Making via Hierarchical Brain Emulation --- 20-039
Award last edited on: 1/14/2022

Sponsored Program
STTR
Awarding Agency
DOD : AF
Total Award Amount
$600,001
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
AF19A-T009
Principal Investigator
Kristine L Bell

Company Information

Metron Inc (AKA: Metron Incorporated~Lifeweaver Technologies Inc~Metron Scientific Solutions)

1818 Library Street Suite 600
Reston, VA 20190
   (703) 787-8700
   info@metsci.com
   www.metsci.com

Research Institution

University of Utah

Phase I

Contract Number: N/A
Start Date: 10/26/2020    Completed: 1/26/2023
Phase I year
2021
Phase I Amount
$1
Direct to Phase II

Phase II

Contract Number: FA8649-21-C-0003
Start Date: 10/26/2020    Completed: 1/26/2023
Phase II year
2021
Phase II Amount
$600,000
The objective of this project is to develop human intelligence-inspired algorithms that exploit multi-modal sources of low and high quality data to achieve a series of objectives such as detection, localization, tracking, and classification. We propose to develop a rigorous hierarchical adaptive decision making (HADM) algorithm will be developed that includes multiple levels of decision making organized in a hierarchical manner, a confidence factor associated with each decision, and a feedback mechanism used to trigger the need for higher quality data or to go back and correct erroneous intermediary decisions. In Phase I, we developed and illustrated an approach to HADM for anomaly detection and localization using a random dot paradigm which is representative of human decision making under uncertainty. The methodology was applied to a radar sensing model to illustrate the application to surveillance systems. We also developed an experimental demonstration using simulated data from The Ohio State University’s Cognitive Radar Engineering Workspace (CREW) testbed. In Phase II, we propose to extend and refine the HADM algorithms developed in Phase I, apply the techniques to models of realistic single and/or multi-sensor surveillance systems, and demonstrate performance on simulated data and in experimental demonstrations using the CREW system.