Douglas Cochran

Sensor Management: Past, Present, and Future

Sensor systems typically operate under resource constraints that prevent the simultaneous use of all resources all of the time. Sensor management becomes relevant when the sensing system has the capability of actively managing these resources; i.e., changing its operating configuration during deployment in reaction to previous measurements. Examples of systems in which sensor management is currently used or is likely to be used in the near future include autonomous robots, surveillance and reconnaissance networks, and waveform-agile radars. This paper provides an overview of the theory, algorithms, and applications of sensor management as it has developed over the past decades and as it stands today.

Optimal Allocation of Interconnecting Links in Cyber-Physical Systems: Interdependence, Cascading Failures, and Robustness

We consider a cyber-physical system consisting of two interacting networks, i.e., a cyber network overlaying a physical network. It is envisioned that these systems are more vulnerable to attacks since node failures in one network may result in (due to the interdependence) failures in the other network, causing a cascade of failures that would potentially lead to the collapse of the entire infrastructure. The robustness of interdependent systems against this sort of catastrophic failure hinges heavily on the allocation of the (interconnecting) links that connect nodes in one network to nodes in the other network. In this paper, we characterize the optimum inter-link allocation strategy against random attacks in the case where the topology of each individual network is unknown. In particular, we analyze the “regular” allocation strategy that allots exactly the same number of bidirectional internetwork links to all nodes in the system. We show, both analytically and experimentally, that this strategy yields better performance (from a network resilience perspective) compared to all possible strategies, including strategies using random allocation, unidirectional interlinks, etc.

A geometric approach to multiple-channel signal detection

The paper introduces the generalized coherence (GC) estimate and examines its application as a statistic for detecting the presence of a common but unknown signal on several noisy channels. The GC estimate is developed as a natural generalization of the magnitude-squared coherence (MSC) estimate-a widely used statistic for nonparametric detection of a common signal on two noisy channels. The geometrical nature of the GC estimate is exploited to derive its distribution under the H/sub 0/ hypothesis that the data channels contain independent white Gaussian noise sequences. Detection thresholds corresponding to a range of false alarm probabilities are calculated from this distribution. The relationship of the H/sub 0/ distribution of the GC estimate to that of the determinant of a complex Wishart-distributed matrix is noted. The detection performance of the three-channel GC estimate is evaluated by simulation using a white Gaussian signal sequence in white Gaussian noise. Its performance is compared with that of the multiple coherence (MC) estimate, another nonparametric multiple-channel detection statistic. The GC approach is found to provide better detection performance than the MC approach in terms of the minimum signal-to-noise ratio on all data channels necessary to achieve desired combinations of detection and false alarm probabilities. >

Adaptive Waveform Design for Improved Detection of Low-RCS Targets in Heavy Sea Clutter

The dynamic adaptation of waveforms for transmission by active radar has been facilitated by the availability of waveform-agile sensors. In this paper, we propose a method to employ waveform agility to improve the detection of low radar-cross section (RCS) targets on the ocean surface that present low signal-to-clutter ratios due to high sea states and low grazing angles. Employing the expectation-maximization algorithm to estimate the time-varying parameters for compound-Gaussian sea clutter, we develop a generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) detector and identify a range bin of interest. The clutter estimates are then used to dynamically design a phase-modulated waveform that minimizes the out-of-bin clutter contributions to this range bin. A simulation based on parameters derived from real sea clutter data demonstrates that our approach provides around 10 dB improvement in detection performance over a nonadaptive system

Conjoining Speeds up Information Diffusion in Overlaying Social-Physical Networks

We study the diffusion of information in an overlaying social-physical network. Specifically, we consider the following set-up: There is a physical information network where information spreads amongst people through conventional communication media (e.g., face-to-face communication, phone calls), and conjoint to this physical network, there are online social networks where information spreads via web sites such as Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, YouTube, etc. We quantify the size and the critical threshold of information epidemics in this conjoint social-physical network by assuming that information diffuses according to the SIR epidemic model. One interesting finding is that even if there is no percolation in the individual networks, percolation (i.e., information epidemics) can take place in the conjoint social-physical network. We also show, both analytically and experimentally, that the fraction of individuals who receive an item of information (started from an arbitrary node) is significantly larger in the conjoint social-physical network case, as compared to the case where the networks are disjoint. These findings reveal that conjoining the physical network with online social networks can have a dramatic impact on the speed and scale of information diffusion.

Waveform-agile sensing for tracking

Waveform-agile sensing is fast becoming an important technique for improving sensor performance in applications such as radar, sonar, biomedicine, and communications. The paper provided an overview of research work on waveform-agile target tracking. From both control theoretic and information theoretic perspectives, waveforms can be selected to optimize a tracking performance criterion such as minimizing the tracking MSE or maximizing target information retrieval. The waveforms can be designed directly based on their estimation resolution properties, selected from a class of waveforms with varying parameter values over a feasible sampling grid in the time-frequency plane, or obtained from different waveform libraries.

A methodology for rapid detection of Salmonella typhimurium using label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

A pathogen detection methodology based on Bayesian decision theory has been developed for rapid and reliable detection of Salmonella typhimurium. The methodology exploits principles from statistical signal processing along with impedance spectroscopy in order to analytically determine the existence of pathogens in the target solution. The proposed technique is validated using a cost-effective and portable immunosensor. This device uses label-free, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for pathogen detection and has been demonstrated to reliably detect pre-infectious levels of pathogen in sample solutions. The detection process does not entail any pathogen enrichment procedures. The results using the proposed technique indicate a detection time of approximately 6min (5min for data acquisition, 1min for analysis) for pathogen concentrations in the order of 500CFU/ml. The detection methodology presented here has demonstrated high accuracy and can be generalized for the detection of other pathogens with healthcare, food, and environmental implications. Furthermore, the technique has a low computational complexity and uses a minimal data-set (only 30 data-samples) for data analysis. Hence, it is ideal for use in hand-held pathogen detectors.

Damage Classification Structural Health Monitoring in Bolted Structures Using Time-frequency Techniques

The analysis, detection, and classification of damage in complex bolted structures is an important component of structural health monitoring. In this article, an advanced signal processing and classification method is introduced based on time-frequency techniques. The time-varying signals collected from sensors are decomposed into linear combinations of highly localized Gaussian functions using the matching pursuit decomposition algorithm. These functions are chosen from a dictionary of time-frequency shifted and scaled versions of an elementary Gaussian basis function. The dictionary is also modified to use real measured data as the basis elements in order to obtain a more parsimonious signal representation. Classification is then achieved by matching the extracted damage features in the time-frequency plane. To further improve classification performance, the information collected from multiple sensors is integrated using a Bayesian sensor fusion approach. Results are presented demonstrating the algorithm performance for classifying signals obtained from various types of fastener failure damage in an aluminum plate.

Multiple-channel detection of signals having known rank

Bayesian and generalized likelihood ratio tests are derived for detection of a common unknown signal of known rank K in M > K independent channels of white gaussian noise. The cases of known and unknown noise variance are both treated. These derivations encompass the development of explicit expressions for an invariant measure on the grassmannian manifold of K-dimensional subspaces of complex N-dimensional space and parameterization of this manifold to enable the calculation of the necessary marginalization integrals. Performance of the detectors is compared by simulation.

On Reconstruction from Non-uniform Spectral Data

This paper addresses the reconstruction of compactly supported functions from non-uniform samples of their Fourier transform. We briefly investigate the consequences of acquiring non-uniform spectral data. We summarize two often applied reconstruction methods, convolutional gridding and uniform re-sampling, and investigate the reconstruction accuracy as it relates to sampling density. Finally, we provide preliminary results from employing spectral re-projection methods in the reconstruction.