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The camouflage assessment tool LOAT was introduced to the Austrian Air Reconnaissance Center at the end of 1999. This segmentation based and texture oriented method was already presented at AeroSense Conferences. For the new task of assessing video sequences of partly moving objects this single image method seemed to be too time consuming - a different approach relying on former experiences seemed to be feasible. In June 2002 a three nation (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) camouflage-field-campaign "MUSTAFA" was conducted on an Austrian proving-ground; data was recorded for the following expert analysis of the participants. Motion imagery was recorded in visual and thermal infrared bands. The scenario was the approach of an attack-helicopter towards typical military targets which were camouflaged with multi spectral measures. Besides a validation of the LOAT-System by selecting a small sample of the collected video frames a so called "videobase analysis method" is being developed and is scheduled for examining the videos for motion-camouflage-assessment.
The "videobase analysis method" (it will become LOMAT-system = low observables motion assessment tool if successful) is based on a very fast video-processing software. The assessment algorithm to be implemented is based on a MDL clustering algorithm in conjunction with a database for numerical inter frame analysis. Features are the results of the clustering process like information content of the data, number of classes found and the like. We consider it a very promising approach for the projected real-time task mainly because there is no calibration process involved. The research done by D2K Solutions Ruppert&Partner OEG, an Austrian spin-off company of Joanneum Research is scheduled to provide the basic tool with end of 2002; the examination of the MUSTAFA data is due until May 2003.
The approach of the "videobase-analysis method", the introduction of the MDL based assessment method will be presented together with some preliminary visualizations e.g. screenshots of the work done so far. Samples of the collected motion-image will also be presented.
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