<title>Ground-to-ground automatic target detection and tracking system to improve fire on the move (phase II)</title>

Abstract

Fire Control and Surveillance in the Ground-to-Ground environment has traditionally relied on the operator for the detection and tracking of targets. Significant performance improvements can be realized with the introduction of a Ground-to-Ground Automatic Target Detection and Tracking (ATDT) System. Computing Devices Canada (CDC) has developed an ATDT System designed to provide a high performance, cost effective solution for Ground-to-Ground Automatic Target Detection and Tracking. To ensure high performance and cost efficiency the development focused on the integration of the Human Factors, Hardware Development, and Algorithm Development activities. Human Factors focused on ensuring that interaction between the human and the ATDT System was realized in the form of an optimized Operator Machine Interface (OMI). Hardware development focused on maximizing the use of COTS to ensure cost efficiency. Algorithm development focused on achieving high performance in Ground Target Detection and Tracking while building in the capacity to take advantage of the future growth in hardware resources. Computing Devices Canada (CDC) has been involved in the development of image processing capabilities for Armoured Fighting Vehicles since the early 1980's. The following paper provides an overview of the CDC's ATDT System currently under development. The development is following a five phase process and this paper reflects the development status following the completion of Phase II. Details on the Human Factors, Hardware Development and Algorithm Development activities are included. Keywords: Ground-to-Ground Systems, Fire Control Systems, Surveillance Systems, Automatic Target Detection (ATD), Automatic Target Tracking (AlT), Human Factors Engineering, Commercia' of the Shelve (COTS)