Realistic Image and Neighborhood Generator

Software that generates realistic images of models and outdoor scenes is crucial for many scientific and engineering endeavors. Applications include laser modeling for directed energy weapons and remote sensing simulation for sensor design and image analysis. In Phase I, we developed the Realistic Image and Neighborhood Generator (RING) synthetic scene generation platform. The Phase I RING prototype combined the Stellar Science Abstract Model Interface (AMI) ray tracer and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) cloud backgrounds into a single modular package. RING is built on top of a general scientific simulation framework that allows for interfacing with diverse, multi-physics codes. In Phase II, we will extend the capabilities of RING by incorporating GTRI’s terrain and water signature generation software and by including atmospheric effects, sensor effects, and active illumination capabilities. The atmosphere and terrain will be generated from real-world data and will feature dynamic terrain signatures. Sensor effects will include diffraction, noise, and out-of-focus blur. Active illumination capabilities will leverage the AMI ray tracer and the existing integration with wave optics codes to create a hybrid wave optics–geometric optics approach to modeling the reflectance of coherent light. The total platform will deliver high-fidelity, realistic images of the entire scene through a framework that interfaces with laser modeling and other scientific codes. RING is cross-platform and fully high-performance computing (HPC) compatible.