Field testing of a 3D Automatic Target Recognition and Pose Estimation Algorithm S. Ruel *a , C. English a , L. Melo a , A. Berube a , D. Aikman a , A. Deslauriers a , P. Church a and J. Maheux **b a Neptec Design Group Ltd., 302 Legget Drive, Ottawa, Ont, Canada b Defence Research and Development Canada – Valcartier, 2459 Pie-XI Blvd. N, Val-Bélair, QC, Canada ABSTRACT Neptec Design Group Ltd. has developed a 3D Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) and pose estimation technology demonstrator in partnership with the Canadian DND. The system prototype was deployed for field testing at Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) - Valcartier. This paper discusses the performance of the developed algorithm using 3D scans acquired with an imaging LIDAR. 3D models of civilian and military vehicles were built using scans acquired with a triangulation laser scanner. The models were then used to generate a knowledge base for the recognition algorithm. A commercial imaging LIDAR was used to acquire test scans of the target vehicles with varying range, pose and degree of occlusion. Recognition and pose estimation results are presented for at least 4 different poses of each vehicle at each test range. Results obtained with targets partially occluded by an artificial plane, vegetation and military camouflage netting are also presented. Finally, future operational considerations are discussed. Keywords: 3D, ATR, object recognition, range images, pose estimation, LIDAR 1. INTRODUCTION Neptec Design Group Ltd 1 . has developed a 3D Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) and pose estimation technology demonstrator in partnership with DRDC - Valcartier. The objective of this project was to demonstrate the potential of using 3D data to perform ATR in ground-to-ground tactical scenarios. The developed algorithms were initially characterized using synthetically generated data 2 . The system prototype was then deployed at DRDC - Valcartier. This paper presents the performance of the system using 3D scans acquired in the field with an imaging LIDAR. 2. 3D ATR SYSTEM OVERVIEW The 3D ATR system was designed to operate from a three dimensional range image obtained from a scene. Upon target designation by an operator or a target detection system, the system is capable of: 1. Segmenting 3D points on the unknown target from the scene clutter 2. Comparing the segmented 3D points to a set of known potential target vehicles (system knowledge base) 3. Report the probability of occurrence for every known target. The target with the highest probability will be selected or an unknown target is reported if no valid match was found 4. Compute the pose of the identified target (position and orientation) if a valid match was found * sruel@neptec.com; phone (613)599-7602; fax (613)599-7604; neptec.com ** jean.maheux@drdc-rddc.qc.ca; phone (418)844-4000; drev.dnd.ca Automatic Target Recognition XIV, edited by Firooz A. Sadjadi, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 5426 (SPIE, Bellingham, WA, 2004) · 0277-786X/04/$15 · doi: 10.1117/12.541390 102