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Human and Unmanned Teams for Tracking Elusive Dismounts (HUNTED)

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Office of the Secretary of Defense 		Award ID:
83079 		Program Year/Program:
2008 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
O063-UM2-1035 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
21st Century Technologies Inc.
6011 West Courtyard Drive Bldg 5, Suite 300 Austin, TX -
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 2
Fiscal Year: 2008
Title: Human and Unmanned Teams for Tracking Elusive Dismounts (HUNTED)
Agency / Branch: DOD / OSD
Contract: FA8650-08-C-1412
Award Amount: $239,979.00
 

Abstract:

21st Century Technologies, Inc. (21CT) presents the Human and Unmanned Teaming for Tracking Elusive Dismounts (HUNTED) effort. HUNTED gives small units direct control over a coordinated team of two or more unmanned systems (UMS) to perform superior search, detection, and tracking of elusive pedestrian targets in an urban environment. Our novel approach combines 3D environment knowledge with a unique non-linear target behavior prediction method. HUNTED applies the game theory tenant that the target's behavior can be actively shaped by the pursuer's behavior, and provides a novel solution to the problem that achieves superior operational performance with lower operator workload. Using our approach, HUNTED proactively places collaborating UMSs to cover each other's blind spots, cooperatively hunt a target instead of merely tracking it, and corral and drive the target towards a desired location. This enables teams of UMSs to succeed in tracking tasks at which a single UMS would fail. By doing so, HUNTED will surpass the operational performance of today's approaches to tracking elusive pedestrian targets in urban areas. HUNTED Phase 2 culminates in a staged field demonstration where ACR Silver FoxT UAVs fly HUNTED-computed goals and flight paths to demonstrate a superior ability to maintain eyes on target.

Principal Investigator:

Thayne Coffman
Principal Scientist
5123420010
tcoffman@21technologies.com

Business Contact:

Irene Williams
COO
5123420010
SBIR_ADMIN@21technologies.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
4515 Seton Center Parkway Suite 320 Austin, TX 78759

EIN/Tax ID: 541719551
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No