SBIR-STTR Award

A critical need for distributed sensor networks employed in various military operations, e.g. in MOUT, is an innovative transient event localization and classification system that fully exploits the limited communication, processing and power resources. A system level solution is sought that can provide an accurate assessment of threat events on the battlefield. The algorithms should be able to process a wide range of transient events in real-time and without confusion for different sensor modalities. The goal of this Phase I research is to develop innovative system level solution that (a) can detect and agree on dynamically occurring transient events using simple sensor-level detection schemes, (b) perform collaborative and confusion-free transient event localization using multiple time difference of arrival (TDOA) method, (c) estimate and restore transient signals from noisy and faded signatures, (d) extract salient time-frequency features using wavelet-based analysis, (e) perform transient classification using subband fusion and mixtures of decision experts, (f) and develop an overall battlefield transient event assessment based upon the temporal-spatial history of occurrence and types of transient events detected, localized and classified. We propose to test our algorithms and demonstrate their effectiveness on multiple transient signature data sets corresponding to ground vehicles, artillery fires, mortar fires, small arms fires, etc. that will be acquired from the US Army ARDEC

A critical need for the U.S. forces operating in hostile urban environments, e.g. in MOUT, is the development of an innovative smart acoustic sensor system that provides capability to accurately detect, localize and identify battlefield transient events such as gunshots, RPG and artillery fires as well as other sources of interest including vehicles. A system-level solution for distributed fixed-site and/or portable acoustic sensors is sought that can provide soldiers with real-time assessment of commonly occurring transient events in complex battlefield environments. The algorithms should be able to handle a wide range of transient events exploiting their muzzle blast, ballistic shockwave or both components. Based upon our successful Phase I research, Information System Technologies, Inc. (ISTI) will further develop and fine-tune our innovative distributed sensor processing algorithms to (a) dynamically and adaptively form an optimal local distributed sensor network for a specific military situation, (b) accurately and rapidly self-localize the sensor nodes, (c) detect and agree on different transient events in presence of ambient noise and urban multipath effects, (d) perform accurate real-time collaborative transient event localization using time difference of arrival (TDOA) , time of arrival (TOA), and/or Direction of arrival (DOA) methods robust to non-line-of sight and multipath problems, (e) restore transient signals from noisy and faded signatures, (f) extract salient time-frequency features, (g) perform multi-expert transient event recognition, (h) and develop an overall battlefield transient event assessment system. This research will also lead to the design, development, prototyping, and extensive testing of dedicated sensor boards using the existing low-cost low-power wireless sensors, e.g. motes, with the overall targeted cost of $300 per sensor node. We shall demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithms in two field testing using a moderate number of fixed-site and/or soldier-portable sensor nodes forming various distributed sensor network configurations and for different acoustic transient events and vehicles.

Keywords:
Smart Acoustic Sensors, Reconfigurable Distributed Sensor Networks, Countersniper Systems, Transient Detection, Localization And Classification, Vehic