Acoustic and Electro-Optic Data Fusion

The goal of this SBIR Program is to enhance the AQS-20A computer-aided classification and identification performance by constructively exploiting acoustic and EO sensor measurements. Benefits from this program will accrue to underwater mine countermeasures due to improved probability of mine identification and reduced probability of false alarm. To this end Areté Associates is collaborating with Raytheon Naval and Maritime Integrated Systems and Science Application International Corporation to develop and test an integrated software application that uses AQS-20A Gap Filling Sonar (GFS) and Electro-Optical (EO) LIDAR measurements to extract detected-object features, classify objects as mine-like or non-mine-like, and identifies mine-like objects as mines or non-mines. This application will output a fusion-generated mine-like-object contact list that can be used as input to post-mission analysis software. In addition, mine object identification will be output. The benefits derived from object classification and identification, using the fusion application will be evaluated in government tests of the AQS-20A and in an ROC study involving post-mission analysis operators.