TerraSight expands video exploitation capabilities

SRI Sarnoff has announced that its TerraSight video and information processing now includes a salience-based compression (SBC) module, allowing dismounted soldiers to view and communicate mission-critical information on handheld devices. TerraSight integrates streaming video and data for situational understanding and real-time decision-making from surveillance and early warning air and ground sensors.

According to the company, the SBC module reduces overall bandwidth requirements to 50 Kbps (kilobits per second) and below, enabling the distribution of relevant, full-motion video and data over existing, bandwidth-limited wireless communication networks. SBC makes it possible for soldiers on the ground to leverage key accurate data and information sent from forward operating bases. Soldiers can now select relevant areas of interest and update data for real-time two-way communication. The SBC module chooses targets based on motion, key infrared (IR) signatures, and operator selection.

TerraSight provides precise, context-rich information for sensor control, data storage, vision processing and 3D visualisation. Since SBC can further compress pixels around a selected area, soldiers are now able to focus on a specific area of interest in the video or data sent to them. Using TerraSight with SBC, dismounted soldiers can access a list of cameras to control orientation and zoom, enabling them to better understand and execute within their tactical environment. The company said that SBC utilises standard video codecs such as H.264, requiring no customisation on handheld devices.