Complex System Information Fusion Tools (CSIFT)

Although situational awareness is required for effective decision making, aircrews operating in sophisticated, information-rich, tactical environments need to progress beyond an awareness and attain a higher-ordered situational assessment. Multisensor information fusion architectures and techniques, for use on-board an air vehicle is one promising approach which can significantly increase confidence and reliability of target detection and identification, leading to enhanced aircrew situation assessment, increased platform survivability, and optimal mission effectiveness. These three conditions result in a force multiplier, something which is critical in today's air-warfighting (and budget) environments. Based on the Joint Directors of Laboratories Data Fusion Process Model, Wright Laboratory/Avionics Directorate is underway on an effort to develop a generalized open, non-proprietary avionics information fusion architecture. This approach will produce an architectural standard which defines the different functional areas, the underlying components/techniques for each functional area, and the high level interfaces between each component. The SYMVIONICS work plan under this SBIR activity will seek to promote concepts and solutions which will support the evolving WL/AA Avionics Information Fusion Architecture (AIFA). Specifically, our work plan focuses directly on on-board/off-board information fusion solutions which utilize a "Blackboard" approach.