Rand P. Whillock

Standoff iris recognition using non-iterative polar based segmentation

Recently, the iris of the human eye has been used as a biometric indicator for identification. We have witnessed wide-scale deployment of iris technology across many product categories. However, these iris recognition solutions do not reflect the full potential of the technology. The robustness of the standoff iris segmentation approach relies heavily on accurate iris segmentation techniques. Computing iris features requires a high quality segmentation process that focuses on the subjects iris and properly extracts its boundaries. Because iris segmentation is sensitive to the acquisition conditions, it is a very challenging problem. In this paper, we describe a standoff iris recognition system to identify non-cooperative subjects. We introduce a novel iris segmentation approach that takes the analysis of edges into the polar domain at an earlier stage and uses non-iterative polar differential operator to locate the inner and outer borders of the iris. The approach is proven to be very effective for non-ideal gazed and obscured irises while providing comparable results to top performing algorithms on frontal iris images.

Image Segmentation Using An Optimum Thresholding Technique

One of the main problems in image segmentation is the proper selection of thresholds. In this paper a procedure for optimum threshold selection is described. Threshold levels are chosen in such a way that the expected value of the overall segmentation error is minimized. Segmentation error is defined as some function of the error between the input image and the segmentation output. A set of equations is derived for the parameters of the segmentation and a solution for them is indicated. Experimental results are presented. Results of this technique have potential significance in many areas of computer vision and robotics.

Development and testing of HMD display formats for M1A2 tank commanders

This paper presents a brief overview of the Combat Vehicle Crew Helmet Mounted Display (CVCHMD) enhanced user system which allows M1A2 rank commanders to accesss electronic battlefield information while out of hatch. The system provides the same information as the commanders independent display located in the turret of the M1A2, but provides it on a HMD. This paper describes the development and testing of the prototype CVCHMD symbology and screens. It discusses the design trade-offs of providing a maximum amount of information while keeping the HMD screens clutter free. It describes the systems symbology, screen layout, and functionality. This paper also describes tests conducted with the enhanced user system by integrating it into an M1A2 tank simulator at the Armys Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) facility at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The DIS testing showed that the CVCHMD enhanced user system would greatly cut down on the number of times an M1A2 tank commander would have to jump back into the tank turret, thus increasing the amount of time they could spend out of hatch. The testing also showed that the system can improve the fightability and survivability of the M1A2 tank.