STO-Activities: (no title)
Activity title:
Applications of Neuromorphic Sensors
Activity Reference:
SET-347
Panel:
SET
Security Classification:
NATO UNCLASSIFIED
Status:
Proposed
Activity type:
RTG
Start date:
2024-09-01T00:00:00Z
Actual End date:
2027-09-01T00:00:00Z
Keywords:
Event Based Sensors, Neuromorphic Imaging, SET
Background:
Autonomous vehicles, drones and high-speed industrial applications require image sensing with a high temporal resolution and large dynamic range. However, conventional frame-based imaging solutions for such requirements produce vast amounts of data, which further demand computationally intensive processing to produce meaningful insights. Neuromorphic cameras (also called Event Based Sensors (EBS)) outputs address this bandwidth challenge, in parallel, at the focal plane level. EBS offer a completely new way of thinking about acquiring visual information, using smart pixels that report only the timestamps that correspond to intensity changes, and the polarity of these changes. As such, neuromorphic vision can offer high dynamic range and greater temporal resolution of rapidly changing image regions, with much reduced data transfer and subsequent processing requirements. Nonetheless, the full capabilities and benefits of EBS have not been exhaustively explored yet, and so there is a need for a more concerted approach around investigating the full potential of EBS, both from a sensing and a data processing perspective.
Objectives:
Event-based sensors are gaining interest in a broad variety of application areas. At the conclusion of this activity, the group wishes to have established a thorough understanding of EBS, both intrinsically and in the context of the prioritised Defence applications. In turn, this will enable the group to propose onward roadmaps, based on empirical evidence as well as study. This will include the initial path forward on IR EBS within NATO. The preceding ET has agreed on the following key topics:
• Define and agree relevant EBS terminology
• Develop a common EBS characterisation process that can be replicated and shared amongst participants as new sensors become available
• Define approaches to compare neuromorphic processing with frame-based approaches
• Catalogue existing EBS datasets of Defence relevance, and highlight gaps & opportunities
• Cooperative research trials for the prioritised Defence applications, and associated report
• Create a roadmap for IR EBS
Direct technology development is not planned within this activity, however technological maturity will increase through the described objectives to a level akin to TRL 3 to 4. In particular, this will be supported by the intended Cooperative Demonstration of Technology trials of existing EBS in application relevant context.
Topics:
• Agreed terminology relating to Defence usage of EBS
• Defence utility of existing neuromorphic imaging sensors
• Characterisation of existing EBS, and the development of a test suite to provide common characterisation of new sensors, as they become available.
• Comparison methods for algorithms that exploit the output of these systems
• Methods for producing IR EBS, and associated requirements (high level)
Contact:
Open2Partners:
Title:
Created at 23/04/2024 18:00 by System Account
Last modified at 16/05/2024 21:00 by System Account
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