Non-Gaussian Data Fusion (NGDFS)

"Daniel H. Wagner Associates, Inc. will develop a full-scale prototype Non-Gaussian Data Fusion System (NGDFS) that will accurately fuse all of the information available from multiple ASW and SUW sensors. NGDFS will utilize advanced multiple hypothesistechniques incorporating interacting multiple model (IMM) and hypothesis merging algorithms. NGDFS will process data from passive and active acoustic systems used in both traditional monostatic and bistatic modes. It will also process data fromtraditional non-acoustic systems such as radar. NGDFS will also have the capability to utilize non-Gaussian trackers along with computer resource optimization algorithms and high-performance, inexpensive, hardware to allow this computationally intensivedata fusion process to take place in near-real-time. NGDFS will be able to utilize this non-Gaussian tracking information when determining the likelihood that a contact is associated with a particular target. We will quantitatively analyze theperformance of NGDFS in our Decision Support System Testbed (DSST), using both real-world ASW/SUW data as well as simulated data containing many targets and both acoustic and non-acoustic sensors. This analysis will measure the distance between the NGDFSSituation Awareness (SA) picture and ground truth, using operationally oriented and honesty inducing metrics.BENEFITS: The prototype NGDFS will allow us to demonstrate how advanced data fusion techniques c