Synthetic imagery to simulate camouflage effectiveness

The author provides descriptions of the general approach and specific procedures used during TASC´s (The Analytic Science Corporation´s) synthetic imagery demonstration project. The aim was to demonstrate a synthetic imagery approach to the design and evaluation of camouflage, concealment, deception and obscuration (CCDO) effectiveness. TASC developed a synthetic video and static scene imagery of an actual field demonstration (called Dusty Demo) of CCDO technology conducted by the US Army Engineers Waterways Experiment Station. SPOT imagery and aerial photography were used to create synthetic scenes from an actual Dusty Demo sortie. These views, as seen from the aircraft, were simulated with TASC´s computer graphics and video capabilities. TASC simulated the impact of smoke and obscurants on the demonstration, although none was actually used during the Dusty Demo field test. The effects of a smoke screen were modeled using the Large Area Smoke Screen (LASS) software. Small-scale turbulence effects were added using fractal-based models. The smoke was rendered and then merged with the Dusty Demo frames. This feasibility study demonstrated that synthetic imagery can supply a useful tool for CCDO design