Biologically based vision simulation for target-background discrimination and camouflage/LO design

The Georgia Tech Research Institute has developed an integrated suite of software for Visual and Electro-Optical (VISEO) detection analysis, under the sponsorship of the Army Aviation and Troop Command, Aviation Applied Technology Directorate. The VISEO system is a comprehensive workstation-based tool for multi-spectral signature analysis, LO design, and visualization of targets moving through real measured backgrounds. A key component of the VISEO system is a simulation of real measured backgrounds. A key component of the VISEO system is a simulation of human vision, called the Georgia Tech Vision (GTV) simulation. The algorithms used in the simulation are consistent with neurophysiological evidence concerning the functions of the human visual system, from dynamic light adaptation processes in the retinal receptors and ganglia to the processing of motion, color, and edge information in the striate cortex. The simulation accepts images seen by the naked eye or through direct-view optical systems, as well as images viewed on the displays of IR sensors, image intensifiers and night-vision devices. GTV outputs predicted probabilities that the target is fixated (Pfix) during visual search, and detected (Pd), and also identifies specific features of the target that contribute most to successful search and detection performance. This paper outlines the capabilities and structure of the VISEO system, emphasizing GTV. Example results of visible and IR signature reduction on the basis of VISEO will be shown and described.