HDTRA123C0027

Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II

Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR) Image Generation Data Augmentation

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Image Generation Data Augmentation (SIGDA)

Machine learning algorithms have demonstrated performance on par with or superior to human analysts on large datasets when sufficient training data is available. For military applications obtaining sufficient, truthed data is always a challenge. Three approaches have been used for measured data collections to support sensor exploitation programs: coordinated collections, turntable measurements and scaled model collections. However, these collections have limited availability of relevant targets of interest and the operating conditions over which they are collected are often not meaningfully representative of deployed environments. Our team has delivered scalable synthetic generation pipelines in support of multiple Department of Defense and Intelligence Community programs. In the Phase I proof of concept effort, we demonstrated the benefits of including synthetic foliage models to train machine learning algorithms. In this proposed Phase II effort, we will extend this capability, making it computationally tractable via parametric modeling of the foliage-induced back scatter and forward scatter and incorporating these models into our current synthetic pipeline. This comprehensive tool suite will address the challenge of data availability and provide capability to develop robust inference models.

The goal of phase II is to continue the R&D efforts initiated in Phase I. Funding is based on the results achieved in Phase I and the scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the project proposed in Phase II.

Michigan Technological University

DTRA21B-001

T2-0466

21.B

Eric Needleman