Laboratory for Deep Learning Enhancement Incorporating a Simultaneous-Acquisition Visible-to-LWIR Multispectral Camera-Assemblage
Abstract
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU) requests DoD funding under Funding Opportunity Announcement W911NF-21-S-0011 to enhance the capabilities of the AAMU Laboratory for Deep Learning (LDL) by acquisition of a custom integrated suite of multimodal/multispectral cameras, a heavy-lift drone to carry these cameras, and a FPGA Development Facility. The camera suite for data acquisition comprises the following: (i) visible (VIS) camera, (ii) near infrared (NIR) camera, (iii) short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) camera, (iv) mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) camera, (v) long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) camera, (vi) visible color polarimetric camera, (vii) visible monochromatic polarimetric camera, and (viii) LWIR polarimetric camera. These cameras will be carried as an ensemble by a Watts Innovations Prism Coaxial X8 industrial-grade drone with the ensemble mounted in gimbals. The FPGA Development Facility equipment request comprises four servers and five NetFPGA-SUME Virtex-7 FPGA Development Boards. The requested equipment will complement AAMUÕs existing hyperspectral camera and high-performance computer, and will significantly boost the capabilities of the Laboratory for Deep Learning for training undergraduate and graduate students in diverse science and technology areas critical to National security including imaging, autonomy, data science, and deep learning. The AAMU Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) currently offers ABET accredited undergraduate degree programs in EE and CS and the MasterÕs degrees in EE and CS. The MasterÕs program in EE began in fall 2021 with six students admitted into the inaugural MSEE class. The Department has produced on average 30 BSEE, 25 BSCS, and 12 MSCS graduates annually during the last seven years. Typically, more than ninety percent of our BSEE and BSCS graduates are African American and thirty percent are female. Thirty percent of our BSEE graduates have enrolled in graduate degree programs within five years of obtaining their undergraduate degrees from AAMU. It is anticipated that the majority of our future MSEE degree students and graduates will be African American. The improved education and research capabilities attained through the requested equipment to enhance the LDL facilities will strengthen current educational degree programs at AAMU and will greatly improve the quality of the new MSEE program. Furthermore, it will improve AAMUÕs ability to attract and educate students in programs with strategic importance to our NationÕs economic and technological supremacy and military preparedness. In addition, this equipment request will (a) improve the quality of the newly established MSEE degree program; (b) improve the AAMU STEM pipeline and recruitment, retention and graduation rates across all four EECS degree programs by engaging students in cutting-edge education and research areas which will impart the skill sets that will give them a competitive advantage for success in their future careers; (c) provide students and faculty with opportunities to engage in hands-on vertically-integrated research where undergraduate STEM students will be mentored by graduate students who will advance the state-of-knowledge through their work with faculty researchers; and (d) provide AAMU faculty with research tools they will need for pursuit of competitive research funding.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 02, 2022
- Source ID
- W911NF2210203
Entities
People
- Kaveh Heidary
Organizations
- Alabama A & M College
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense