An Automated Maritime Target Segmentation, Categorization and Parameter Extraction System Navy SBIR FY2008.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2008.1 Topic No.: N08-044 Topic Title: An Automated Maritime Target Segmentation, Categorization and Parameter Extraction System Proposal No.: N081-044-0600 Firm: UtopiaCompression, Corporation 11150 W. Olympic Blvd. Suite 680 Los Angeles, California 90064-1817 Contact: Jacob Yadegar Phone: (310) 473-1500 Web Site: www.utopiacompression.com Abstract: Automatic Target Recognition ATR is one of the intended capabilities of Integrated Submarine Imaging Systems (ISIS) to provide a submarine with the abilities of target categorization and distinguishing between hostile and non-hostile targets. For an ISIS system, ATR performance can be adversely affected by choppy sea, low visibility, water droplets on periscope head window, the presence of recticules in the image, pitch and roll of the submarine, and blurring due to periscope motion. Recent advances in computer vision and object recognition have brought new sets of local invariant features that have the potential to effectively address the aforementioned problems. Based on these achievements, UtopiaCompression Corporation (UC) proposes a MAritime Target Segmentation, CAtegorization and Parameter Extraction (MATSCAPE) system. This innovative ATR technology offers many advantageous capabilities over existing techniques, most notably including unexcelled accuracy, multi-level hierarchical classification, ability to recognize a target that is partially visible, extremely fast classification time, robustness to illumination changes and image transformations, ability to segment target outline, ability to extract target constituent components, adpativeness and incremental learning. The proposed technology aims to reduce operator workload and operator training time as well as to enhance submarine's capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting missions. Benefits: UC's MATSCAPE system will greatly benefit the Navy by enabling the extraction of target parameters such as length, height, and object configuration from submarine imagery. These capabilities will enable the Navy to automatically classify and recognize marine targets in imagery from current submarine imaging systems, and are anticipated to reduce operator workload, allow for less skilled operators and improve classification and detection thresholds. Consequently, the proposed technology will greatly increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Navy operations. UC anticipates that these capabilities will be applicable to port security systems, as well as other systems processing imagery data. The proposed MATSCAPE system will provide critical functionalities to any applications that require automated understanding of largely visual data. One immediate area of interest for UC will be within the security and surveillance operations systems market. First response systems, and business analysis systems could also benefit from integration with UC's proposed MATSCAPE. UC is very optimistic about the market opportunities in these areas and will analyze and develop transition strategies and relationships during the program effort. Return