Information Gain and Loss

Abstract

A measure of performance of battle information systems, called "information gain", has been under development by faculty and cadets at the US Military Academy. It is based on decreases (and increases) in Shannon's entropy that result from receipt of data by a tactical commander. Such data might include, for example, reconnaissance reports, movements of the opposing forces and results of engagements. We have investigated the effects of target mobility on information loss when surveillance of a target is broken. This is based on a simple stochastic model of target movements, together with an approximation appropriate for implementation in a spreadsheet. We found the shapes of information loss curves are dependent on terrain features affecting the movement of the target, and that information is lost surprisingly rapidly once contact with the target is lost.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1998
Accession Number
ADA361090

Entities

People

  • Don Barr
  • Jon Shupenus

Organizations

  • United States Military Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Cartesian Coordinates
  • Data Analysis
  • Engineering
  • Information Systems
  • Military Operations
  • Mobility
  • New York
  • Operations Research
  • Probability
  • Probability Distributions
  • Random Variables
  • Reconnaissance
  • Situational Awareness
  • Surveillance
  • Systems Engineering
  • United States Military Academy

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Computer Vision.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies