A Novel Video-based Adaptive Intelligent Hemispherical Threat Detection System

Remotely Operated Weapon Systems (ROWS) keep soldiers away from hostile situations while they take on the enemy and thus dramatically enhance the weapon lethality and increase soldiers survivability. However, current wide area threat detection capabilities for ROWS fall short of providing robust and continuous threat awareness. In this project, UtopiaCompression (UC) proposes to develop an innovative Hemispherical Threat Detection System (HTDS) to support ARMY's vision for achieving smart situation awareness in ROWS. Capitalizing on the successful Phase I system design and demo results, in Phase II, UC will not only fabricate a EO panoramic camera with full/expanded coverage of a hemispherical field of view at high image resolution, but also build an innovative video-based adaptive intelligent threat assessment software suite. The hemispherical camera hardware and the threat assessment software will be integrated into a complete HTDS prototype, providing real-time target detection and tracking, variable acuity of target resolution (triggered by threat level or user request), and threat recognition and alerting capabilities. The performance of the HTDS prototype will also be tested onboard suitable vehicle platforms to evaluate its real-time wide area situational awareness capability in complex and cluttered operational environments.