Acoustic Vector Sensor

U.S. Customs and Border Protection wants to extend unattended ground sensor (UGS) functionality to provide a real-time capability to track targets of interest. Progeny will develop Acoustic Vector Sensor (AVS) as a low-cost and low-power augment sensor to track airborne targets, with a small covert form factor and connecting to other UGS with a standard serial data and power interface. AVS has a compact sensor head that comprises an assembly of waterproof MEMS low-power microphones with supporting electronics and an outer foam windscreen, with proven directional acoustic processing developed for underwater submarine detection and tracking. AVS provides a real-time detection trigger and a 3-D vector line of bearing and elevation pointer, and near-real-time classification and target solution computation including range, altitude, course, and speed. Our AVS development program will add a Z-channel and a tilt-compensated compass to the sensor and new elevation angle measurement, detection, and track algorithms. UGS have intrinsic power and size limitations requiring system design tradeoffs to maximize capability and operational life, so we will integrate a very-low power microcontroller to host our autonomous detect and target pointing algorithms, which wakes a Digital Signal Processor to complete the classification and tracking process. A full range of raw and processed target data would be available to the host UGS for multi-sensor data fusion processing and to transmit contact reports. AVS is currently at TRL3, will mature to TRL4 by end of Phase I, and TRL6 by end of Phase II.