AdaptSAPS

Adaptive SAR ATR problem set.

Adaptive SAR ATR Problem Set (AdaptSAPS) Version 1.0
A growing interest in systems that adapt to changing circumstances was demonstrated in panel discussions at the Algorithms for SAR Imagery Conference of the AeroSense Symposium in April 2003, with DARPA, Air Force, industry and academia participation. As a result, Conference Co-Chair Mr. E. Zelnio suggested producing a dynamic model to create problem sets suitable for adaptive system research and development. Such a problem set could encourage adaptive approaches to target detection in SAR imagery by providing a framework for the overall problem, including organization of operating conditions, performance measures and specific test cases. It is hoped that this AdaptSAPS framework will help provide the community with a more concrete basis for discussing adaptation in SAR imagery exploitation.

AdaptSAPS Version 1.0 was produced by the AFRL COMPASE and SDMS organizations and posted on 4 August 2003. AdaptSAPS consists of over a dozen MATLAB programs that allow the user to create "missions" with SAR data of varying complexities and then present that test data one image at a time, first as unexploited imagery and then later with the exploitation results that an ATR could use for adaptation in an operational environment. AdaptSAPS keeps track of performance results and reports performance measures. The SAR imagery for use with AdaptSAPS is available from SDMS at:

https://www.sdms.afrl.af.mil/main.php

The AdaptSAPS providers are interested in suggestions for improving AdaptSAPS as a problem set. As an example, this initial version of AdaptSAPS leverages the previously released MSTAR data. Future versions may use other data sets or capabilities to synthesize data. Another area for improvement is in performance measures for self-assessed confidence, which is so important in adaptive systems. The Algorithms for SAR Imagery Conferences will be used as the primary forum for discussions about future AdaptSAPS versions (for the 2004 CFP see http://spie.org/Conferences/Calls/04/or/conferences/index.cfm?fuseaction=OR38).