Perception testing: a key component in modeling and simulation at NVESD

Abstract

The U.S. Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) Modeling and Simulation Division is responsible for developing and enhancing electro-optic/infrared sensor performance models that are used in wargames and for sensor trade studies. Predicting how well a sensor performs a military task depends on both the physics of the sensor and how well observers perform specific tasks while using that sensor. An example of such a task could be to search and detect targets of military interest. Another task could be to identify a target as a threat or non-threat. A typical sensor development program involves analyses and trade-offs among a number of variables such as field of view, resolution, range, compression techniques, etc. Observer performance results, obtained in the NVESD perception lab, provide essential information to bridge the gap between the physics of a system and the humans using that system. This information is then used to develop and validate models, to conduct design trade-off studies and to generate insights into the development of new systems for soldiers in surveillance, urban combat, and all types of military activities. Computer scientists and engineers in the perception lab design tests and process both real and simulated imagery in order to isolate the effect or design being studied. Then, in accordance with an approved protocol for human subjects research, experiments are administered to the desired number of observers. Results are tabulated and analyzed. The primary focus of this paper is to describe current capabilities of the NVESD perception lab regarding computer-based observer performance testing of sensor imagery, what types of experiments have been completed and plans for the future.