Hierarchical multisensor analysis for robotic exploration
Susan J. Eberlein, Gigi Yates, Eric Majani · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 1991
Robotic vehicles for lunar and Mars exploration will carry an array of complex instruments requiring real-time data interpretation and fusion. The system described here uses hierarchical multiresolution analysis of visible and multispectral images to extract information on mineral composition, texture and object shape. This information is used to characterize the site geology and choose interesting samples for acquisition. Neural networks are employed for many data analysis steps. A decision tree progressively integrates information from multiple instruments and performs goal-driven decision making. The system is designed to incorporate more instruments and data types as they become available.