Target-Terrain Classification and Detection Performance

Abstract

The interactive effects of target and background characteristics were investigated. Five multiple-vehicle target conditions that varied in number and configuration were embedded into oblique aerial photographs of real terrain. Target proximity to roads was manipulated, and terrain complexity was evaluated by a subjective scale of scene heterogeneity. Results indicated that performance improved as the number of vehicles comprising a target increased. An interaction between number of vehicles and proximity to roads suggested that local context is a relatively more important performance predictor when searching for single-vehicle targets than when searching for multiple-vehicle targets. The heterogeneity measure was found to be an inadequate predictor of detection performance, and some alternatives are discussed.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Barnes

M. O.

Display Size and Target Acquisition Performance. Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, Ca., January 1978. (NWC TP 6006).

Biberman

L. M.

, (Ed.) Perception of Displayed Information. New York: Plenum Press, 1973.

Ciavarelli

Wachter

Lee

Terrain Classification Study. Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, Ca., May, 1975. (NWC TP 5766).

Greening

C. P.

Target Acquisition Model Evaluation: Final Summary Report. Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, Ca., June, 1973. (NWC TP 5536).

Greening

C. P.

Target Acquisition Model Evaluation: Part 2. A Review of British Target Acquisition Models. Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, Ca., August, 1974. (NWC TP 5536, Part 2).

Hilgendorf

R. L.

Milenski

SEEKVAL project IAI: Effects of Target Number and Clutter on Dynamic Target Acquisition. AMRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, January, 1976. (AD A024 166).

Scanlan

L. A.

Target Acquisition Model Development: Effect of Realistic Terrain. Hughes Aircraft Company, Culver City, Ca., December, 1976. (HAC TP P-76–484).

Scanlan

L. A.

Agin

A. K.

A Behavioral Model of Target Acquisition in a Realistic Terrain. Hughes Aircraft Company, Culver City, Ca., February, 1978. (HAC TP P-78–70R).

Stathacopoulos

A. D.

Gilmore

H. F.

Rohringer

Review of Mathematical Models of Air-to-Ground Target Acquisition Using TV and FLIR Sensors. Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, Ca., Jan., 1976. (HAC TP P-76–484).

10.

Zaitzeff

L. P.

Target Background Scaling and its Impact on the Prediction of Aircrew Target Acquisition Performance. The Boeing Company, Seattle, Wash., December, 1971. (AD 737693 D180–14156–1).