Definitions and Performance Measures

doi:10.1117/3.2542436.ch1

Book: Automatic Target Recognition, Fourth Edition

Author(s): Bruce J. Schachter

Published: 2020

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.2542436.ch1

Author Affiliations +

Abstract

ATR is often used as an umbrella term for the entire field of military image exploitation. ATR Working Group (ATRWG) workshops cover a wide range of topics, including image quality measurement, geo-registration, target tracking, similarity measures, and progress in various military programs. In a narrower sense, ATR refers to the automatic (unaided) processing of sensor data to locate and classify targets. ATR can refer to a set of algorithms, as well as software and hardware to implement the algorithms. As a hardware-oriented description, ATR stands for automatic target recognition system or automatic target recognizer. ATR can also refer to an operating mode of a sensor or system such as a radar. Several similar terms follow: AiTR: Aided target recognition. This term emphasizes that a human is in the decision-making loop. The function of the machine is to reduce the workload of the human operator. Most ATR systems can be viewed as AiTR systems in the broader context.