Distributed and Layered Sensing

Abstract

One can easily envision future military operations and emerging civilian requirements (e.g. intelligent unmanned vehicles for urban warfare, intelligent manufacturing plants) that will be both complex and stressing and will demand innovative sensors and sensor configurations. The goal of our research into distributed and layered sensing is to develop a cost effective and extendable approach for providing surveillance for a variety of applications in dynamically changing military and civilian environments. Within distributed and layered sensing, we foresee a new sensor archetype. In this paradigm, sensors and algorithms will be autonomously altered depending on the environment. Radars will use the same returns to perform detection and discrimination, to adjust the platform flight path and change mission priorities. The sensors will dynamically and automatically change waveform parameters to accomplish these goals. Disparate sensors will communicate and share data and instructions in real-time. Intelligent sensor systems will operate within and between sensor platforms such that the integration of multiple sensor data provides information needed to achieve dynamic goals and avoid electromagnetic fratricide. Intelligent sensor platforms working in partnership will increase information flow, minimize ambiguities, and dynamically change multiple sensors' operations based upon a changing environment. Concomitant with the current emphasis on more flexible defense structures, distributed and layered sensing will allow the appropriate incremental application of remote sensing assets by matching resources to the situation at hand. In this paper, we discuss the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues that must be addressed and understood as part of the development of a futuristic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance concept utilizing distributed and layered sensing waveform diverse systems. These systems involve the innovative integration of cutting edge technologies such as: knowledge-based signal processing, robotics, wireless networking waveform diversity, the semantic web, advanced computer architectures and supporting software languages. This concept is projected as an autonomous constellation of air, space, and ground vehicles that would offer a robust paradigm to build toward future deployments. The goal is to develop waveform-time-space adaptive processing for distributed apertures that could reduce EMC issues.