Description:
OBJECTIVE: Design and develop techniques to detect emplaced roadside EFPs using vehicular mounted forward-looking active or passive sensor technologies. DESCRIPTION: The roadside environment is often a less homogenous background than that of the adjacent road. Roadways are generally clear of surface clutter but may have varying degree of subsurface stratum. Roadside environments may contain a variety of roadway infrastructure including curbs, signs, sidewalks and unstructured terrain including vegetation, plants, trees and debris. EFP weapons are often camouflaged roadside emplacements within the cluttered roadside environment. Detection of these threats is the focus of this SBIR Topic. PHASE I: The Phase I goal is for a vendor to utilize modeled/simulated data or government furnished data1,2 of EFPs to demonstrate emerging analytical techniques and concepts that extract features unique to EFP targets. The EFP feature concepts and techniques must be leveraged in Phase II, e.g. range, intensity, texture, RCS, etc., and must be documented for and demonstrated to government Subject Matter Experts. Fully autonomous algorithms are not required during this Phase I. The Phase I final report must contain a full description of the EFP surrogate target(s), sensor data, and description of and rationale for the features chosen and identified taking into consideration concealing foliage and camouflage. The report must also provide recommendations of feature(s) for further investigation. PHASE II: The Phase II goal is to prototype autonomous algorithms for detecting and tracking EFPs. These algorithms must be implemented with either the target or sensor in transit. The techniques/algorithms used and sensor data will be provided to the Government for evaluation. The vendor"s Phase II final report must include algorithm performance estimates for terrain and vegetation conditions resident within the datasets. The report must also include recommendations for algorithm improvements. PHASE III/CPP: The Phase III goal is to further develop the techniques or algorithms from the Phase II effort to a mature state, proof of technological feasibility, such that they can be implemented in a real time detection system with potential fielding through the normal DoD acquisition process. Products might lead to enhanced commercial mounted avoidance scanning systems for automobiles or possibly as track ballast and throughway inspection systems for trains on railways. DoD applications might include sensor technology for a wide range of side attack threat munitions detection.
