Dr. Nick Gans, Principal Research Scientist and Division Head, Automation & Intelligent Systems (AIS), and his team members have partnered with Novateur Research Solutions on a Phase 2 STTR. The AIS team visited the Army Corp of Engineers (ACoE) in Mississippi this previous month to provide an update and deliverables.
The project’s goal is to build super-high resolution 3D road surface maps by fusing data from standard cameras and high-resolution 3D stereo line scans. By stitching EO images into a large mosaic, then matching the 3D line scans, it creates a high-resolution 3D model of the pavement. The primary purpose is to enable the ACoE to study pavement deformation under extreme weight of modern vehicles and air craft. ACoE has a Heavy Vehicle Simulator that can move vehicle tires over different ground surfaces with up to 40tons of pressure. A secondary application is to inspect roads and runways for defects while vehicles drive over them.