Data Fusion and Tracking System Testbed

The Acoustic Signal Processing Branch of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is carrying on research into Battlefield target localization and tracking. To support the development and evaluation of new hardware and algorithms, ARL developed the Data Fusion Testbed and Tracking System (DFTTS). The DFTTS is a research and evaluation tool that enables researchers involved in developing sensors, localization, target detection, identification, and tracking algorithms to quickly evaluate their performance in a real-time environment. The DFTTS provides the necessary software and hardware backbone to support research and development efforts. Its major components are Sensor Signal Processing Nodes (SSPN) that can simultaneously host multiplet sensor technologies and algorithms, along with a second-level Data Fusion Gateway Node (DFGN), which fuses SSPN data and data from other high-level sensor packages. This backbone allows new efforts to focus solely on algorithm and/or hardware development and minimize integration issues and time to in-field demonstration. Its architecture design is based on a distributed-multiprocessor, multitasked system. The design emphasizes a network of independent hardware and software processing modules, interconnected by loosely coupled communication links. This allows for such capabilities as real time comparisons of multiple detection and tracking algorithms and future upgrades of communication links. Since the DFTTS is a research and development tool, it includes methods for adjusting and tuning the system during its operational state and for monitoring of sensor data in real-time. This allows for on-the-fly experimentation with new software algorithms and hardware devices without the need to rebuild the system from the ground up. It also enables diagnostics to be performed on the system, so that the developer can make intelligent decisions about the functional validity of the software and hardware being tested and developed. The original document contains color images.