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Improved Real Time Geo-Registration Techniques For Airborne Imagery

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA8650-12-M-1421
Agency Tracking Number: F121-139-0156
Amount: $149,976.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF121-139
Solicitation Number: 2012.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2012
Award Year: 2012
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2012-05-01
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
11600 Sunrise Valley Drive Suite # 290
Reston, VA -
United States
DUNS: 038732173
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Khurram Shafique
 Principal Investigator
 (703) 654-9300
 kshafique@objectvideo.com
Business Contact
 Paul Brewer
Title: VP, New Technology
Phone: (703) 725-3084
Email: pbrewer@objectvideo.com
Research Institution
 Stub
Abstract

ABSTRACT: This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project develops simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based innovative methods for geo-registration and demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the methods for accurate geo-registration of wide area motion imagery (WAMI). The proposed methods are capable of dealing with noisy sensor metadata and do not rely on the availability of accurate and/or up-to-date geo-registered reference data. The key innovations in this effort are: i) development of efficient incremental SLAM based geo-registration to enable large scale estimation, ii) incorporation of visual odometry priors to handle non-smooth motion, iii) incorporation of priors from reference data for geographically consistent mapping and error handling, and iv) development of a distributed framework to enable airborne processing in SWaP constrained environment. The project further offers analysis of the algorithms with respect to a wide variety of system parameters, such as, types of pose constraints and their modeling, choice of features, choice of data association schemes, etc. The Phase I effort will include: development of enabling algorithms, implementation of a video geo-registration system, demonstration of proof of concept, and evaluation and failure mode analysis of the proposed technologies using real WAMI data. BENEFIT: Wide-area motion imagery has proven to be a critical asset for persistent surveillance and reconnaissance of large geospatial regions. However the utility and value of these assets to the analysts significantly depends on the quality of geo-registration. For example, the performance of common applications such as targeting, tracking of high valued targets, and activity analysis, all are a function of georegistration accuracy of the data. Hence the development of robust geo-registration technologies is critical for enabling truly automated real-time wide area surveillance and reconnaissance. The proposed technologies facilitate accurate geo-registration on large scale imagery in the presence of sensor noise and errors in geo-registered reference data while overcoming fundamental and operational challenges and enable many automated tools for the exploitation of WAMI data. These include: Tracking and handoff of high-value targets to and from WAMI data. Precision targeting. Mission Planning Automated Activity Analysis Real-time monitoring, and Forensic data analysis.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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