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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Simulation And Analysis Of Dynamic Threat Avoidance Routing In An Anti-Access Area Denial (A2ad) Environment, Dante C. Reid Mar 2023

Simulation And Analysis Of Dynamic Threat Avoidance Routing In An Anti-Access Area Denial (A2ad) Environment, Dante C. Reid

Theses and Dissertations

This research modeled and analyzed the effectiveness of different routing algorithms for penetration assets in an A2AD environment. AFSIM was used with different configurations of SAMs locations and numbers to compare the performance of AFSIM’s internal zone and shrink algorithm routers with a Dijkstra algorithm router. Route performance was analyzed through computational and operational metrics, including computational complexity, run-time, mission survivability, and simulation duration. This research also analyzed the impact of the penetration asset’s ingress altitude on those factors. Additionally, an excursion was conducted to analyze the Dijkstra algorithm router’s grid density holding altitude constant to understand its impact on …


Bayesian Recurrent Neural Networks For Real Time Object Detection, Stephen Z. Kimatian Mar 2023

Bayesian Recurrent Neural Networks For Real Time Object Detection, Stephen Z. Kimatian

Theses and Dissertations

Neural networks have become increasingly popular in real time object detection algorithms. A major concern with these algorithms is their ability to quantify their own uncertainty, leading to many high profile failures. This research proposes three novel real time detection algorithms. The first of leveraging Bayesian convolutional neural layers producing a predictive distribution, the second leveraging predictions from previous frames, and the third model combining these two techniques together. These augmentations seek to mitigate the calibration problem of modern detection algorithms. These three models are compared to the state of the art YOLO architecture; with the strongest contending model achieving …


Air Force Cadet To Career Field Matching Problem, Ian P. Macdonald Mar 2023

Air Force Cadet To Career Field Matching Problem, Ian P. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the Cadet to Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) Matching Problem (CAMP). Currently, the matching problem occurs annually at the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) using an integer program and value focused thinking approach. This paper presents a novel method to match cadets with AFSCs using a generalized structure of the Hospitals Residents problem with special emphasis on lower quotas. This paper also examines the United States Army Matching problem and compares it to the techniques and constraints applied to solve the CAMP. The research culminates in the presentation of three algorithms created to solve the CAMP and …


Laser Illuminated Imaging: Beam And Scene Deconvolution Algorithm, Benjamin W. Davis Mar 2021

Laser Illuminated Imaging: Beam And Scene Deconvolution Algorithm, Benjamin W. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Laser illuminated imaging systems deal with several physical challenges that must be overcome to achieve high-resolution images of the target. Noise sources like background noise, photon counting noise, and laser speckle noise will all greatly affect the imaging systems ability to produce a high-resolution image. An even bigger challenge to laser illuminated imaging systems is atmospheric turbulence and the effect that it will have on the imaging system. The illuminating beam will experience tilt, causing the beam to wander off the center of the target during propagation. The light returning to the detector will similarly be affected by turbulence, and …


Electro-Optic Satellite Constellation Design Using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm, Yasin Tamer Dec 2020

Electro-Optic Satellite Constellation Design Using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm, Yasin Tamer

Theses and Dissertations

Satellite constellation design is a complex, highly constrained, and multidisciplinary problem. Unless optimization tools are used, tradeoffs must be conducted at the subsystem level resulting in feasible, but not necessarily optimal, system designs. As satellite technology advances, new methods to optimize the system objectives are developed. This study is based on the development of a representative regional remote sensing constellation design. This thesis analyses the design process of an electrooptic satellite constellation with regional coverage considerations using system-level optimization tools. A multi objective genetic algorithm method is used to optimize the constellation design by utilizing MATLAB and STK integration. Cost, …


Improving Closely Spaced Dim Object Detection Through Improved Multiframe Blind Deconvolution, Ronald M. Aung Sep 2020

Improving Closely Spaced Dim Object Detection Through Improved Multiframe Blind Deconvolution, Ronald M. Aung

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on improving the ability to detect dim stellar objects that are in close proximity to a bright one, through statistical image processing using short exposure images. The goal is to improve the space domain awareness capabilities with the existing infrastructure. Two new algorithms are developed. The first one is through the Neighborhood System Blind Deconvolution where the data functions are separated into the bright object, the neighborhood system, and the background functions. The second one is through the Dimension Reduction Blind Deconvolution, where the object function is represented by the product of two matrices. Both are designed …


Comparison Of Visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping Methods For Fixed-Wing Aircraft Using Slambench2, Patrick R. Latcham Mar 2020

Comparison Of Visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping Methods For Fixed-Wing Aircraft Using Slambench2, Patrick R. Latcham

Theses and Dissertations

Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) algorithms have evolved rapidly in the last few years, however there has been little research evaluating current algorithm's effectiveness and limitations when applied to tracking the position of a fixed-wing aerial vehicle. This research looks to evaluate current monocular VSLAM algorithms' performance on aerial vehicle datasets using the SLAMBench2 benchmarking suite. The algorithms tested are MonoSLAM, PTAM, OKVIS, LSDSLAM, ORB-SLAM2, and SVO, all of which are built into the SLAMBench2 software. The algorithms' performance is evaluated using simulated datasets generated in the AftrBurner Engine. The datasets were designed to test the quality of each …


Meta Learning Recommendation System For Classification, Clarence O. Williams Iii Mar 2020

Meta Learning Recommendation System For Classification, Clarence O. Williams Iii

Theses and Dissertations

A data driven approach is an emerging paradigm for the handling of analytic problems. In this paradigm the mantra is to let the data speak freely. However, when using machine learning algorithms, the data does not naturally reveal the best or even a good approach for algorithm choice. One method to let the algorithm reveal itself is through the use of Meta Learning, which uses the features of a dataset to determine a useful model to represent the entire dataset. This research proposes an improvement on the meta-model recommendation system by adding classification problems to the candidate problem space with …


Performance Analysis Of Angle Of Arrival Algorithms Applied To Radiofrequency Interference Direction Finding, Taylor S. Barber Mar 2019

Performance Analysis Of Angle Of Arrival Algorithms Applied To Radiofrequency Interference Direction Finding, Taylor S. Barber

Theses and Dissertations

Radiofrequency (RF) interference threatens the functionality of systems that increasingly underpin the daily function of modern society. In recent years there have been multiple incidents of intentional RF spectrum denial using terrestrial interference sources. Because RF based systems are used in safety-of-life applications in both military and civilian contexts, there is need for systems that can quickly locate these interference sources. In order to meet this need, the Air Force Research Laboratory Weapons Directorate is sponsoring the following research to support systems that will be able to quickly geolocate RF interferers using passive angle-of-arrival estimation to triangulate interference sources. This …


Two-On-One Pursuit With A Non-Zero Capture Radius, Patrick J. Wasz Mar 2019

Two-On-One Pursuit With A Non-Zero Capture Radius, Patrick J. Wasz

Theses and Dissertations

In this paper, we revisit the "Two Cutters and Fugitive Ship" differential game that was addressed by Isaacs, but move away from point capture. We consider a two-on-one pursuit-evasion differential game with simple motion and pursuers endowed with circular capture sets of radius l > 0. The regions in the state space where only one pursuer effects the capture and the region in the state space where both pursuers cooperatively and isochronously capture the evader are characterized, thus solving the Game of Kind. Concerning the Game of Degree, the algorithm for the synthesis of the optimal state feedback strategies of the …


Special Perturbations On The Jetson Tx1 And Tx2 Computers, Tyler M. Moore Mar 2018

Special Perturbations On The Jetson Tx1 And Tx2 Computers, Tyler M. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Simplified General Perturbations Number 4 (SGP4) has been the traditional algorithm for performing Orbit Determination (OD) onboard orbiting spacecraft. However, the recent rise of high-performance computers with low Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP) factors has provided the opportunity to use Special Perturbations (SP), a more accurate algorithm to perform onboard OD. This research evaluates the most efficient way to implement SP on NVIDIA’s Jetson TX series of integrated Graphical Processing Units (GPUs). An initial serial version was implemented on the Jetson TX1 and TX2's Central Processing Units (CPUs). The runtimes of the initial version are the benchmark that the runtimes …


Mitigating The Effects Of Boom Occlusion On Automated Aerial Refueling Through Shadow Volumes, Zachary C. Paulson Mar 2018

Mitigating The Effects Of Boom Occlusion On Automated Aerial Refueling Through Shadow Volumes, Zachary C. Paulson

Theses and Dissertations

In flight refueling of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is critical to the United States Air Force (USAF). However, the large communication latency between a ground-based operator and his/her remote UAV makes docking with a refueling tanker unsafe. This latency may be mitigated by leveraging a tanker-centric stereo vision system. The vision system observes and computes an approaching receiver's relative position and orientation offering a low-latency, high frequency docking solution. Unfortunately, the boom -- an articulated refueling arm responsible for physically pumping fuel into the receiver -- occludes large portions of the receiver especially as the receiver approaches and docks with …


Rss-Based Device-Free Passive Detection And Localization Using Home Automation Network Radio Frequencies, Tiffany M. Phan Mar 2018

Rss-Based Device-Free Passive Detection And Localization Using Home Automation Network Radio Frequencies, Tiffany M. Phan

Theses and Dissertations

This research provided a proof of concept for a device-free passive (DfP) system capable of detecting and localizing a target through exploitation of a home automation network’s radio frequency (RF) signals. The system was developed using Insteon devices with a 915 MHz center frequency. Without developer privileges, limitations of the Insteon technology like no intrinsic received signal strength (RSS) field and silent periods between messages were overcome by using software-defined radios to simulate Insteon devices capable of collecting and reporting RSS, and by creating a message generation script and implementing a calibrated filter threshold to reduce silent periods. Evaluation of …


Stereo Vision: A Comparison Of Synthetic Imagery Vs. Real World Imagery For The Automated Aerial Refueling Problem, Nicholas J. Seydel Mar 2018

Stereo Vision: A Comparison Of Synthetic Imagery Vs. Real World Imagery For The Automated Aerial Refueling Problem, Nicholas J. Seydel

Theses and Dissertations

Missions using unmanned aerial vehicles have increased in the past decade. Currently, there is no way to refuel these aircraft. Accomplishing automated aerial refueling can be made possible using the stereo vision system on a tanker. Real world experiments for the automated aerial refueling problem are expensive and time consuming. Currently, simulations performed in a virtual world have shown promising results using computer vision. It is possible to use the virtual world as a substitute environment for the real world. This research compares the performance of stereo vision algorithms on synthetic and real world imagery.


Integrity Monitoring For Automated Aerial Refueling: A Stereo Vision Approach, Thomas R. Stuart Mar 2018

Integrity Monitoring For Automated Aerial Refueling: A Stereo Vision Approach, Thomas R. Stuart

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) increasingly require the capability to y autonomously in close formation including to facilitate automated aerial refueling (AAR). The availability of relative navigation measurements and navigation integrity are essential to autonomous relative navigation. Due to the potential non-availability of the global positioning system (GPS) during military operations, it is highly desirable that relative navigation can be accomplished without the use of GPS. This paper develops two algorithms designed to provide relative navigation measurements solely from a stereo image pair. These algorithms were developed and analyzed in the context of AAR using a stereo camera system modeling that …


Assessment Of Structure From Motion For Reconnaissance Augmentation And Bandwidth Usage Reduction, Jonathan B. Roeber Mar 2018

Assessment Of Structure From Motion For Reconnaissance Augmentation And Bandwidth Usage Reduction, Jonathan B. Roeber

Theses and Dissertations

Modern militaries rely upon remote image sensors for real-time intelligence. A typical remote system consists of an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, with an attached camera. A video stream is sent from the UAV, through a bandwidth-constrained satellite connection, to an intelligence processing unit. In this research, an upgrade to this method of collection is proposed. A set of synthetic images of a scene captured by a UAV in a virtual environment is sent to a pipeline of computer vision algorithms, collectively known as Structure from Motion. The output of Structure from Motion, a three-dimensional model, is then assessed in …


Handshaking Protocols And Jamming Mechanisms For Blind Rendezvous In A Dynamic Spectrum Access Environment, Aaron A. Gross Mar 2010

Handshaking Protocols And Jamming Mechanisms For Blind Rendezvous In A Dynamic Spectrum Access Environment, Aaron A. Gross

Theses and Dissertations

Blind frequency rendezvous is an important process for bootstrapping communications between radios without the use of pre-existing infrastructure or common control channel in a Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) environment. In this process, radios attempt to arrive in the same frequency channel and recognize each other’s presence in changing, under-utilized spectrum. This paper refines existing blind rendezvous techniques by introducing a handshaking algorithm for setting up communications once two radios have arrived in the same frequency channel. It then investigates the effect of different jamming techniques on blind rendezvous algorithms that utilize this handshake. The handshake performance is measured by determining …


Effects Of Channel Mismatches On Beamforming And Signal Detection, Christopher I. Allen Mar 2010

Effects Of Channel Mismatches On Beamforming And Signal Detection, Christopher I. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Tuner gain measurements of a multichannel receiver are reported. A linear regression model is used to characterize the gain, as a function of channel number, tuner set-on frequency, and intermediate frequency. Residual errors of this model are characterized by a t distribution. Very strong autocorrelation of tuner gain at various frequencies is noted. Tuner performance from one channel to the next is diverse; several defects at specific frequencies are noted. The Wilcoxon signed rank test is used to test normality of tuner gain among devices; normality is rejected. Antenna directivity and phase pattern measurements are also reported. An antenna element …


Frequency Diverse Array Radar: Signal Characterization And Measurement Accuracy, Steven H. Brady Mar 2010

Frequency Diverse Array Radar: Signal Characterization And Measurement Accuracy, Steven H. Brady

Theses and Dissertations

Radar systems provide an important remote sensing capability, and are crucial to the layered sensing vision; a concept of operation that aims to apply the right number of the right types of sensors, in the right places, at the right times for superior battle space situational awareness. The layered sensing vision poses a range of technical challenges, including radar, that are yet to be addressed. To address the radar-specific design challenges, the research community responded with waveform diversity; a relatively new field of study which aims reduce the cost of remote sensing while improving performance. Early work suggests that the …


Frequency Diversity For Improving Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging, Jawad L. Farooq Mar 2009

Frequency Diversity For Improving Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging, Jawad L. Farooq

Theses and Dissertations

In this work, a novel theoretical framework is presented for using recent advances in frequency diversity arrays (FDAs). Unlike a conventional array, the FDA simultaneously transmits a unique frequency from each element in the array. As a result, special time and space properties of the radiation pattern are exploited to improve cross-range resolution. The idealized FDA radiation pattern is compared with and validated against a full-wave electromagnetic solver, and it is shown that the conventional array is a special case of the FDA. A new signal model, based on the FDA, is used to simulate SAR imagery of ideal point …


Bit-Error-Rate-Minimizing Channel Shortening Using Post-Feq Diversity Combining And A Genetic Algorithm, Gokhan Altin Mar 2009

Bit-Error-Rate-Minimizing Channel Shortening Using Post-Feq Diversity Combining And A Genetic Algorithm, Gokhan Altin

Theses and Dissertations

In advanced wireline or wireless communication systems, i.e., DSL, IEEE 802.11a/g, HIPERLAN/2, etc., a cyclic prefix which is proportional to the channel impulse response is needed to append a multicarrier modulation (MCM) frame for operating the MCM accurately. This prefix is used to combat inter symbol interference (ISI). In some cases, the channel impulse response can be longer than the cyclic prefix (CP). One of the most useful techniques to mitigate this problem is reuse of a Channel Shortening Equalizer (CSE) as a linear preprocessor before the MCM receiver in order to shorten the effective channel length. Channel shortening filter …


Blind Deconvolution Through Polarization Diversity Of Long Exposure Imagery, Steven P. James Mar 2009

Blind Deconvolution Through Polarization Diversity Of Long Exposure Imagery, Steven P. James

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the algorithm developed in this thesis was to create a post processing method that could resolve objects at low signal levels using polarization diversity and no knowledge of the atmospheric seeing conditions. The process uses a two-channel system, one unpolarized image and one linearly polarized image, in a GEM algorithm to reconstruct the object. Previous work done by Strong showed that a two-channel system using polarization diversity on short exposure imagery could produce images up to twice the diffraction limit. In this research, long exposure images were simulated and a simple Kolmogorov model used. This allowed for …


Waypoint Generation Based On Sensor Aimpoint, Shannon M. Farrell Mar 2009

Waypoint Generation Based On Sensor Aimpoint, Shannon M. Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates has emphasized a need for a greater number of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets to support combatant commanders and military operations globally. Unmanned systems, especially MAVs, used as ISR platforms provide the ability to maintain covertness during missions and help reduce the risk to human life. This research develops waypoint generation algorithms required to keep a point of interest (POI) in the field of view (FOV) of a fixed sensor on a micro air vehicle (MAV) in the presence of a constant wind.
Fixed sensors, while cheaper and less prone to mechanical failure …


The Modular Clock Algorithm For Blind Rendezvous, Nicholas C. Theis Mar 2009

The Modular Clock Algorithm For Blind Rendezvous, Nicholas C. Theis

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the problem in initializing communications whereby cognitive radios need to find common spectrum with other cognitive radios, a process known as frequency rendezvous. It examines the rendezvous problem as it exists in a dynamic spectrum access cognitive network. Specifically, it addresses the problem of rendezvous in an infrastructureless environment. A new algorithm, the modular clock algorithm, is developed and analyzed as a solution for the simple rendezvous environment model, coupled with a modified version for environment models with less information. The thesis includes a taxonomy of commonly used environment models, and analysis of previous efforts to solve …


Use Of Tabu Search In A Solver To Map Complex Networks Onto Emulab Testbeds, Jason E. Macdonald Mar 2007

Use Of Tabu Search In A Solver To Map Complex Networks Onto Emulab Testbeds, Jason E. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations

The University of Utah's solver for the testbed mapping problem uses a simulated annealing metaheuristic algorithm to map a researcher's experimental network topology onto available testbed resources. This research uses tabu search to find near-optimal physical topology solutions to user experiments consisting of scale-free complex networks. While simulated annealing arrives at solutions almost exclusively by chance, tabu search incorporates the use of memory and other techniques to guide the search towards good solutions. Both search algorithms are compared to determine whether tabu search can produce equal or higher quality solutions than simulated annealing in a shorter amount of time. It …


Verification Of A Decision Level Fusion Algorithm Using A Proven Atr System And Measured Sar Data, James Douglas Thompson Mar 2006

Verification Of A Decision Level Fusion Algorithm Using A Proven Atr System And Measured Sar Data, James Douglas Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Decision level fusion (DLF) algorithms combine outputs of multiple single sensors to make one confident declaration of a target. This research compares performance results of a DLF algorithm using measured data and a proven ATR system with results from simulated data and a modeled ATR system. This comparison indicates that DLF offers significant performance improvements over single sensor looks. However, results based on simulated data and a modeled ATR are slightly optimistic and overestimate results from measured data and a proven ATR system by nearly 10% over all targets tested.


Multiframe Shift Estimation, Stephen A. Bruckart Mar 2006

Multiframe Shift Estimation, Stephen A. Bruckart

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop a fundamental framework for a new approach to multiframe translational shift estimation in image processing. This thesis sought to create a new multiframe shift estimator, to theoretically prove and experimentally test key properties of it, and to quantify its performance according to several metrics. The new estimator was modeled successfully and was proven to be an unbiased estimator under certain common image noise conditions. Furthermore its performance was shown to be superior to the cross correlation shift estimator, a robust estimator widely used in similar image processing cases, according to several criteria. …


Determination Of Structure From Motion Using Aerial Imagery, Paul R. Graham Mar 2005

Determination Of Structure From Motion Using Aerial Imagery, Paul R. Graham

Theses and Dissertations

The structure from motion process creates three-dimensional models from a sequence of images. Until recently, most research in this field has been restricted to land-based imagery. This research examines the current methods of land-based structure from motion and evaluates their performance for aerial imagery. Current structure from motion algorithms search the initial image for features to track though the subsequent images. These features are used to create point correspondences between the two images. The correspondences are used to estimate the motion of the camera and then the three-dimensional structure of the scene. This research tests current algorithms using synthetic data …


Translation And Rotation Invariant Multiscale Image Registration, Jennifer L. Manfra Mar 2002

Translation And Rotation Invariant Multiscale Image Registration, Jennifer L. Manfra

Theses and Dissertations

The most recent research involved registering images in the presence of translations and rotations using one iteration of the redundant discrete wavelet transform. We extend this work by creating a new multiscale transform to register two images with translation or rotation differences, independent of scale differences between the images. Our two-dimensional multiscale transform uses an innovative combination of lowpass filtering and the continuous wavelet transform to mimic the two-dimensional redundant discrete wavelet transform. This allows us to obtain multiple subbands at various scales while maintaining the desirable properties of the redundant discrete wavelet transform. Whereas the discrete wavelet transform produces …


An Objective Evaluation Of Four Sar Image Segmentation Algorithms, Jason B. Gregga Mar 2001

An Objective Evaluation Of Four Sar Image Segmentation Algorithms, Jason B. Gregga

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the large number of SAR images the Air Force generates and the dwindling number of available human analysts, automated methods must be developed. A key step towards automated SAR image analysis is image segmentation. There are many segmentation algorithms, but they have not been tested on a common set of images, and there are no standard test methods. This thesis evaluates four SAR image segmentation algorithms by running them on a common set of data and objectively comparing them to each other and to human segmentors. This objective comparison uses a multi-metric a approach with a set of …