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Automating Terrain Analysis: Algorithms for Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield
C. Grindle, M. Lewis, R. Glinton, J.A. Giampapa, S.R. Owens, and K. Sycara
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 48th Annual Meeting, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, P.O. Box 1369, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1369, September, 2004, pp. 533--537.

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Terrain information supplies an important context for ground operations. The layout of terrain is a determining factor in arraying of forces, both friendly and enemy, and the structuring of Courses of Action (COAs). For example, key terrain, such as a bridge over an unfordable river, or terrain that allows observation of the opposing forces line of advance, is likely to give a big military advantage to the force that holds it. Combining information about terrain features with hypotheses about enemy assets can lead to inferences about possible avenues of approach, areas that provide cover and concealment, areas that are vulnerable to enemy observation, or choke points. Currently, intelligence officers manually combine terrain-based information, information about the tactical significance of certain terrain features as well as information regarding enemy assets and doctrine to form hypotheses about the disposition of enemy forces and enemy intent. In this paper, we present a set of algorithms and tools for automating terrain analysis and compare their results with those of experienced intelligence analysts.

Sponsor: AFOSR
Grant ID: F49620-01-1-0542

Associated center: CIMDS
Associated lab/group: Intelligent Software Agents
Associated project: AFOSR PRET: Information Fusion for Command and Control: The Translation of Raw Data To Actionable Knowledge and Decision

Number of pages: 5

C. Grindle, M. Lewis, R. Glinton, J.A. Giampapa, S.R. Owens, and K. Sycara, "Automating Terrain Analysis: Algorithms for Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield," Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 48th Annual Meeting, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, P.O. Box 1369, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1369, September, 2004, pp. 533--537.

@inproceedings{Grindle_2004_5050,
   author = "Charles Grindle and Michael Lewis and Robin Glinton and Joseph Andrew Giampapa and Sean R Owens and Katia Sycara",
   title = "Automating Terrain Analysis: Algorithms for Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield",
   booktitle = "Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 48th Annual Meeting",
   month = "September",
   year = "2004",
   pages = "533--537",
   publisher = "Human Factors and Ergonomics Society",
   address = "P.O. Box 1369, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1369"
}