Sensor motion control & mobile platforms for aquatic remote sensing
Bostater, Charles R.
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Modern remote sensing systems used in repetitive environmental monitoring and surveillance applications are used on various platforms. These platforms can be categorized as stationary (fixed) or moving platforms. The sensing systems monitor the ambient environment which also may have inherent motion, such as the water surface with water waves. This is particularly the case for airborne or ship borne sensing of aquatic environments and is true for ground based walking or crawling systems. The time sequential comparison and spatial registration of sensor images, particularly "hyperspectral imagery" requires pixel to pixel registration for science based change and target (or medium) detection applications. These applications require sensor motion control combined with platform motion control. If the pixel sizes are small - on the order of 1 meter to less than 1 mm, then "nano-positioning accuracy" may be necessary for various aspects of the camera or surveillance sensor system, and/or related sensors used to control the moving platform. In this paper and presentation, an overview of converging technologies to sensor motion control and nano-positioning is discussed. The paper and presentation will demonstrate that the technologies converging on this aspect of remote sensing monitoring systems will require professionals with a combination of skills that are not readily available in today's workforce nor taught in educational programs today - especially at the undergraduate level. Thus there is a need to consider new avenues for educating professionals necessary to engineer and apply these converging technologies to important social environmental monitoring and surveillance needs.