Sensing-System Planning

Multiple sensor systems, by providing differing viewpoints, are often able to collect more accurate and robust data than systems that utilize a single sensor. The capabilities of a sensor system can be further enhanced by adjusting the position and orientation of the sensors in response to changes in the environment. For the coordinated surveillance of a moving object with multiple, mobile sensors, a method for selecting and positioning groups of sensors in real time is required. This book outlines a comprehensive two-part approach to planning sensor systems. The first part aims to optimally configure the sensing system for a particular task. The second part outlines several methods that may be used to update the sensor poses and coordination strategies in real time, reacting to the object motion. The principles of dispatching, as used for the effective operation of service vehicles, are adopted for this purpose. Simulations and experiments serve to demonstrate the performance of these methods. This book will interest those aiming to improve the quality of data collected about moving objects in a variety of applications including manufacturing, robotics, security and aerospace.