ARL engineers receive TTCP Award

By Jenna Brady, U.S. Army Research LaboratoryJuly 31, 2012

ARL engineers receive TTCP Award
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
ARL engineers receive TTCP Award
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – TTCP Award Ceremony at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes (Left to right) Dr. Tien Pham (ARL), Nino Srour (ARL), The Honorable Zachary Lemnios (Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for the Department of Defense), Jay Change (ARDEC),... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Recently, Dr. Tien Pham and Nino Srour of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate received The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) Team Achievement Award for 2011 for the joint collaboration in the advancement of gunfire detection capability for coalition forces in a ceremony at the Pentagon.

TTCP has provided a means for international cooperation for 50 years and is a principal defense science and technology organization that provides a medium for collaborative exchanges and joint trials.

Pham and Srour received the award along with their Technical Panel 7 team members including Dr. Brian Ferguson, Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO); Kam Lo, DSTO; Jacques Bedard, Defence Research and Development Canada; Laurence Evans, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory; Jay Chang, Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC); and Sachi Desai, ARDEC.

The main collaborative research focus of the team was to understand the current state-of-the-art transient sniper systems, research and develop robust detection and localization methods to enhance existing field systems, and explore and identify new acoustic sensor technology for vehicle and dismounted Soldier systems.

The team was specifically recognized by TTCP for their "contributions in evaluating of the current state-of-the-art sniper systems for force protection, development of a robust sniper localization and classification method that would enhance existing fielded systems, and indentifying novel acoustic technology for enhancing Soldier's self protection and situation awareness."

They collaborated and shared experimental data, signal processing approaches, and a concept of operations for sniper detection to improve gunfire detection technology, and through the collaborations, Australia's DSTO led development of a robust sniper localization and classification algorithm.

The collaborative research efforts of the team have also resulted in tremendous cost saving benefits in data collection, algorithm development, and test and evaluation in open and urban terrain.

"It was unexpected but very nice to receive the team award from TTCP," said Pham.

"Given the budget constraints for international activities, the recognition will enable our international and U.S. partners to continue to actively collaborate with us in acoustics and autonomous sensing," added Pham.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Research Laboratory

ARL engineers receive TTCP Award