Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: A16-108

Description

To address the Army need for an automatic robotic system for detection of humans in hard-to-reach locations in GPS-denied environments with improved accuracy when determining their locations, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Human Detection and Geolocation (HDGL) technology. The technology will use a robotic platform for the placement of multiple sets of sensors that will automatically establish a communication network to deliver their signals to a remote ground station. The utilization of POCs proprietary laser technology to improve platform position tracking in GPS-denied environments will guarantee precise determination of sensor positions and corresponding accuracy when determining human locations. The use of numerous sensors utilizing various signals associated with the presence of humans will facilitate achieving the probability of human detection of >50%. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the HDGL technology by modeling and simulating its operation, and experimentally demonstrating the operation of sensors and the accuracy of the platforms navigation at TRL-3. In Phase II, POC plans to develop the fully operational system prototype and demonstrate its performance in realistic environments (TRL-6).