Data Modeling Enabled Real Time Image Processing For Target Discrimination

Image processing algorithms potentially contribute information that is not currently extracted from missile passive IR sensors measurements. These algorithms must be fast running and robust to work within current computation and memory constraints ofmissile guidance sensors. Textbook image processing methods as published cannot be performed within these limited computational and memory constraints. Data Modeling attempts to address this limitation by generating equation based models of complex imageprocessing algorithms for real time use. This will enable real-time image processing for target discrimination on a missile. Phase 1 of this task will determine the suitability of applying this image segmentation and image enhancement scheme to images thatare representative of the size and type that would me measured in a missile defense application. In addition, the computational complexity and memory resources necessary to implement each approach will be documented. This proposal demonstrates a novelapproach to image enhancement and segmentation. Applications include commercial image processing software packages for X-Ray, mammography, MRI, astronomical imaging, and surveillance photography.