Development of an Ontology-Directed Signal Processing Toolbox

In order to get the most benefit from signal processing techniques, deep technical expertise is often required in order to select appropriate algorithms, combine them into a processing chain, and tune algorithm parameters for best performance on a specific problem. Therefore a significant benefit would result from the assembly of a toolbox of processing algorithms that has been selected for their effectiveness in a group of related problem areas, along with the means to allow people who are not signal processing experts to reliably select, combine, and tune these algorithms to solve specific problems. Defining a vocabulary for problem domain experts that is sufficiently expressive to drive the configuration of signal processing functions will allow the expertise of signal processing experts to be captured in rules for automated configuration. We will code a toolbox of low-level signal processing algorithms that are useful in a variety of RF-related problem domains, capture signal processing expertise about the configuration and use of these algorithms in the form of ontologies and associated rules, and build ontology-driven tools that will assist problem domain experts who are not signal processing experts to assemble and configure the algorithms in the toolbox to solve particular problems. Commercial applications and other benefits: The public benefits of this project, if successful, will accrue to Government and commercial activities that face the same general problem