Exploration of Target Movements Through Evolutionary Computation and 3-D Visualization

The objective of this effort is to develop an integrated system for predicting opponents' strategic target movements in the battlespace and for displaying such predicted movements through an interactive 3-D visualization interface. The proposed predictionapproach generates new movements based on past behaviors and application of inheritance mechanisms. Specifically, the approach is based on applications of Genetic Algorithms learning techniques to evolve new individuals in the population of movements. Themethodology involved in this project encompasses recent innovations in Evolutionary Computation, as well as state-of-the-art techniques in 3-D Visualization. The implemented system is expected to yield robust performance in terms of higher automation ofmovement prediction. This system will greatly enhance strategic awareness and qualitative insights into opponents' state of knowledge.The proposed technology has applications to any commercial industry thatevaluates data representing movements in a spatial and/or temporal space inorder to determine the current state, analyze trends and forecast thefuture. Specifically, there are two main commercial application areas forthis technology - Joint STAR for understanding of the ground moving targetsin the battlefield and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) fortransportation traffic prediction. This technology will also be applicableto all areas where generation of new realistic entities resembling alreadyexisting entities is required. These areas can range from the problem ofgenerating new targets to the generation of new business operationalscenarios.