DETECTION
©Dan LeFebvre
other areas of interest. For example, when NEST detecting a chemical incident, thermostat wind speed, direction, exact control – sensing in homes and the sensor location and a simple Internet of visual representation delivers Things. enhanced situational awareness to the operator. Sensor fusion can be combined in an onward capability to deliver data fusion. Governments and their S&T (science & technology) agencies are working hard to automate
data collection, to include sensors, and use AI (artificial intelligence) to enhance decision making in the field. The thinking is to place less burden on the operator by automating which information is relevant to the operator – and, thereby, ensuring that only information is visually presented. This level of integration is only achievable currently through the use of vast arrays of devices and computing power and lacks portability.
Use of electronics for sensor processing and automation.
Counter-EO platform At DSEI 2019, sensors featured heavily – with technology becoming more and more attractive at defence exhibitions. Once again, missing from DSEI was a constructive method of delivering sensor fusion to users, enabling multiple types of sensor. Other than at our stand in the Innovation Hub, which was visited by VIPs, international delegations, politicians, visitors and serving military personnel who were
©Alexandre Debiève
basis. Often this has been achieved through space, naval and other defence applications for decades. For example, the Phalanx CIWS (Sea-wiz) is an example of projectbased sensor fusion where radar, infrared and other sensor data is fused together and provided to the operator. This, however, is not a man-portable solution; it requires extensive power and processing capability along with platform installation – for example, on a ship. Fusion in the field However, providing sensor fusion in the field has proved a challenge, with portable platforms offering integration limited to individual sensor manufacturers, or single devices. The effect of this is to limit the operator to handheld devices with no onward method of transmission, or limiting them to a single manufacturer – which often misses the opportunity for sensing
PELAmesh during DSEI 2019 with live demonstration throughout the exhibition, battery powered.
©PELA Systems Ltd
XPLOSIVE
MARCH 2020
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