Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
of the
PSI Seismic Sensor
15 December 2014
A. Rex Rivolo, Chief Technology Officer
Tel: +1-703-371-9166
rex.rivolo@ftaerospace.com
Background
2011: The Directorate for Science and Technology of the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS S&T), in support of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP), tested a variety of Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS)
technologies to assess their potential for improving surveillance on the
southern and northern borders. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL) directed the testing and performed the results
analysis.
DHS rated the Radiobarrier RS-U sensor as best performing with a detection range
of 46 meters for a walking person and 55 meters for a pick-up truck at 10 MPH
2013: FTA approached Global Innovations, Inc. (GII) to jointly evaluate the
Precision Sensors & Instruments Ltd. (PSI) sensor potential
Slide 2
Background
FTA has been looking at the PSI sensor since late 2013
Extraordinary claims made by GII, little evidence to support claims
Field test conducted by GII demonstrating PSIs prototype sensors at
Chantilly VA in Feb 2014 were inconclusive due to lack of timing
synchronization of data files with ground truth and rudimentary detection
algorithms,
Field tests conducted 29-30 Oct 2014 in the Mojave Desert, CA under FTA
control provided good, unambiguous data
Tests conducted at Mojave included:
Fixed magnitude impulse (drop) tests: 4.5 kg dropped from 1 meter height (44.5
Joules)
Nominal Person Walking: 200 lb person walking normally (not attempting to
conceal presence)
Vehicles slow drive-by on unprepared surface: (Grand Caravan & Range Rover)
PURPOSE:
detection of a foot-borne intruder and/or vehicle by
seismic noise caused on the ground.
Installed underground at a depth of 30 to 50 cm for
concealment.
Operates as:
1. Seismic detection device
2. Trip-wire detection device
3. External device activation unit
4. Radio Network Repeater.
Weight: 0.67 kg
Dimensions: 120 mm Dia x 64 mm.
Operating temperature range: from -40 to +50 0.
Unattended operation time: up to 5 years
Slide 4
Key Features:
1.
2.
3.
Three-axis orientation
4.
5.
6.
7.
Slide 5
sensor
location
20 cm depth
Radiobarrier
RS-U sensor
Data collection station
Slide 6
walk
tracks
Note: Nominal Steps defined as a deliberate walk by persons unaware of sensor presence. For a 200 lb male, the
impulse energy deposited in a single footstep depends on terrain. For an unprepared surface, the range is typically
between 7 Joules and 30 Joules.
Slide 7
RMS
Background
Level
Footsteps
envelope
16 seconds
Slide 8
Data Analysis
No detection algorithms have been implemented in the PSI sensor
FTA analysis based on simple running RMS fluctuations changes in the raw
data (output frequency) with linear trends removed
Note: The Mojave environmental clutter on 30 Oct 2014 was about 6 times the RMS system noise for
the Psi sensor. Most of this clutter may have been attributable to the highway traffic 2.5 km away.
Slide 9
(6)
90
(3) 45
15
Environmental Clutter
System RMS Noise Base Level
Note: 300 second background data collection no exceedances above 6 sigma of fluctuations base level
Slide 10
70 m
93 m
157 m
176 m
Slide 11
230 m
176 m
Sensor malfunction
Detection with
malfunction
190 m
250 m
320 m
Slide 12
163 m
153 m
Slide 13
95 m
Detections
121 m
Range at time
163 m
133 m
153 m
87 m
6 detection
threshold
Time
Note: All exceedances above 6-sigma (90 units) are detection alarms for intruder footsteps.
Slide 14
Vehicle Detection
Raw Signal Data
920 m
520 m
30 m
Slide 15
Conclusions
1. Radiobarrier RS-U sensor, characterized by USG test as best
performer, in the same environment failed to detect human
footsteps past 60 meters.
2. PSI sensor exhibits extremely low base noise levels suspect this
is due to its FM (vs. AM) design.
3. The PSI sensor easily detected human footstep activity out to 163
meters, the limit of the test conditions. Sensitivity to footsteps out to
distances greater than 200 meters may be possible.
4. The PSI sensor easily detected vehicle activity on unprepared
surfaces out to distances greater than 1 km.
5. Sensitivity to SUV class vehicles on unprepared surfaces out to
distances greater that 2 km may be possible
Note: the local environmental clutter seen at the Mojave test site was
most likely due to truck traffic on Highway 58, 2.5 km distant.
Slide 16
Recommendation
Slide 17
Questions?
Slide 18