ENVI Poised for Use in Camouflage Detection
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Customer Challenge
Defense and military forces routinely rely on a combination of camouflage netting, foliage and terrain to protect large troop deployments and infrastructure from detection. The use of standard broad-band surveillance sensors to find these hidden targets is labor intensive and generally results in a low probability of detection and many false positives. The Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division of Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organization (DSTO) needed a high-tech solution for detecting hidden forces.
Solution Achieved
By contrast to using standard broad-band surveillance, using the power of hyperspectral sensors and analysis methods, targets and backgrounds can be more quickly and accurately detected. In a trial study conducted by DSTO, the use of hyperspectral imagery was evaluated for detecting camouflage materials. Specifically, the study assessed the use of images from hyperspectral surveillance sensors for detecting camouflage targets in a tropical environment under various hide scenarios.
ENVI® geospatial analysis software was used to access, display, and analyze the image data. DSTO developed custom algorithms for detection of camouflage targets and integrated this capability into the ENVI menu. The study results showed that hyperspectral imagery analysis can detect camouflage materials in many hide scenarios with high probability and low false alarm rates. This can provide both tactical advantages and counter-surveillance challenges in the battlefield.
According to Dr. Vittala Shettigara, Senior Research Scientist for the DSTO, hyperspectral technology could potentially enable defence analysts to identify a target as a friend, foe or neutral. “Hyperspectral imagery and advanced image analysis techniques are essential for locating and identifying the material under surveillance,” said Shettigara. “We needed a software package with the functionalities to quickly implement algorithms to accurately detect and classify the targets and ENVI was the clear choice.
Key Benefits
- Using ENVI, the DSTO can now access, display, and analyze images from hyperspectral surveillance sensors for detecting camouflage targets in a tropical environment under various hide scenarios.
- DSTO developed custom algorithms for detection of camouflage targets and integrated this capability into the ENVI menu - ENVI is quickly and easily customized.
- They needed a software package with the functionalities to quickly implement algorithms to accurately detect and classify the targets and ENVI was the clear choice.