More the merrier...or is it? Sensor suite augmentation benefits assessment

It is often implicitly assumed in the information fusion field that augmentation of a multi-sensor suite with additional sensors de facto enhances overall system performance because of the increase in the data being input to the fusion process. In this study, an explicit assessment of the validity of this assumption is made in terms of delineating the sensor characteristics domain wherein this is true (i.e., where fusion benefits do indeed increase) and quantitatively determine the extent of such benefits. Initially for illustrative purposes, a two-sensor suite augmented by a third sensor is used as a case study for this assessment. The consensus fusion logic, which is symmetric relative to the multiple sensors in the sensor suite, is employed as an example in this assessment process. The scope for generalizing this assessment to higher dimensional multi-sensor suites as well as other types of fusion logic is also discussed.