A comparison of sensor resolution assessment by human vision versus custom software for Landolt C and triangle resolution targets

摘要

This paper is the fifth in a series exploring the possibility of using a synthetic observer to assess the resolution of both real and synthetic (fused) sensors. The previous paper introduced an Automatic Triangle Orientation Detection Algorithm (ATODA) that was capable of recognizing the orientation of an equilateral triangle used as a resolution target, which complemented the Automatic Landolt C Orientation Recognition (ALCOR) software developed earlier. Three different spectral band sensors (infrared, near infrared and visible) were used to collect images that included both resolution targets and militarily relevant targets at multiple distances. The resolution targets were evaluated using the two software algorithms described above. For the current study, subjects viewed the same set of images previously used in order to obtain human-based assessments of the resolutions of these three sensors for comparison with the automated approaches. In addition, the same set of images contained hand-held target objects so that human performance in recognizing the targets could be compared to both the automated and human-based assessment of resolution for each sensor.