A-TECH CORPORATION — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF151-034

Description

ABSTRACT:The Air Force is seeking a software tool that can aid ISR mission planners in ensuring that essential elements of information (EEIs) extracted from sensor data at stages throughout the data fusion process are of a satisfactory quality. This tool will must be responsible for appropriately configuring compression algorithm settings across multiple modalities, including electro-optic, infrared, SAR, hyperspectral, and LIDAR. A successful effort will develop a tool that supports analyst feedback to establish trust in compression settings, as well as metrics for EEI satisfaction. ATA is developing a software compression settings broker (SCSB) that will close the loop between mission planners, sensor modality specific data requirements, compression algorithms, and analysts determining EEI satisfaction. To accelerate this process and ensure operational relevance, ATA is teaming with General Atomics and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, two leaders in operational data retrieval and fusion technology. ATA provides expertise in modality tailored compression, in particular for full motion video and hyperspectral data, and in-house H.264 compression software and distortion analysis tools. In the first phase of this program, we will focus on level 1 of the data fusion model, particularly as it pertains to electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery.BENEFIT:ATAs SCSB data compression/utilization solution can be run on a desktop computer, which greatly enhances commercial viability. Additional product offerings could include developing settings mappings for specific algorithms, sensors, or missions. Once the settings broker has shown to have value as tool for mission planners, AFSOC and other intelligence community users are likely to have strong interest. Use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been proliferating at remarkable rates over the last decade and will continue, so the ability to maximize data utility for mission planners will be highly sought. ATA has been developing technology for the U.S. Government and Aerospace contractors since 1975. During this time, we have developed outstanding relationships that we will leverage to bring the SCSB technology to market. ATAs success in generating additional revenue tied to our Phase I and Phase II SBIR projects has allowed ATA to grow and expand its business through Phase III commercialization and other spin-off contracts. As reported in the ATA Company Commercialization Report, we have received 54 Phase I SBIR awards and 22 Phase II awards. ATAs track record for commercialization of SBIR sponsored technology is excellent, resulting in a Commercialization Achievement Index of 95 and related cumulative revenues from sales and additional investments of over $42 million.