Automatic Target Recognition with Non-Isoplanatic Imaging Systems

The military services are currently considering advanced imaging systems with extremely large fields of view (hemispherical or greater) for inclusion in next generation seekers for missile defense. By necessity, these panoramic imaging systems will havelarge distortions and the resolution will vary across the field of view. In other words, the imaging systems in question are highly non-isoplanatic. These new systems present a serious challenge to discrimination and aim point selection. These tasksmust be accomplished rapidly in a missile environment that is computationally starved.Theory and technology exists that address image processing for rectilinear, isoplanatic images. To date, no theoretical underpinning has been developed to understand the problems posed by wide field-of-view imaging systems. Advanced Optical Systems, Inc.proposes to attack the problem with a combination of digital image processing and optical correlation techniques. As is shown in the proposal, this is an extremely powerful combination. We will develop theory and algorithms for recognition of distortedand non-isoplanatic images. We will demonstrate the ATR algorithms in simulation and, if selected for a fast track option, we will demonstrate ATR on a panoramic imaging system.The proposed research is an enabling technology for the panoramic missile seeker. Current missile seekers have very narrow instantaneous fields of view (1-2 degrees), and wide field of regard is achieved by using mechanical gimbals. These gimbals aretypically a very large fraction of the cost of the missile. Use of a low cost panoramic seeker would reduce the need for mechanical gimbals and would lower the cost of the missile system.Panoramic imaging/ATR system would find wide use in military systems such as missile seekers, aircraft, ship, and ground vehicle situational awareness sensors. The Navy has a particular interest in this technology. Commercial applications would includesecurity monitoring, commercial aircraft situational awareness, and robotic vision.