Page 12 - The MIL Connection: Summer 2024

Some of Ma’s most ambitious work has focused on designing algorithms to better detect and
track the movement of objects and has led to advancements in multiple hypothesis tracking
(MHT) and jitter suppression. Ma’s innovative work has enabled U.S. government agencies to
pursue entirely new remote sensing missions that have enhanced national security interests.
Read on to learn a little bit about sensor jitter from MIL Senior Engineering Associate Chyau
Shen—what is it, what causes it, and why is suppressing it so vital to our national interests?
What is sensor jitter and what causes it?
Chau: Sensor jitter is the distortion and loss of sensor data fidelity due to the sensor carrying
platform motion dynamics or data communications system disturbances. At the platform
level, sensor jitter is caused by platform dynamics such as sudden motion (e.g., going over road
“bumps”), vibration due to engine or atmosphere turbulence. At the data communications
system level, sensor jitter is caused by degradation of synchronization of data packets due to
electromagnetic interference, cross talk, or equipment noise. This results in the data receiver
processor’s inability to truly reconstruct the sensor imagery/data.
Why is jitter suppression important to sensor performance?
Chau: Sensor jitter reduces the resolution of optical sensors and sometimes renders the
collected imagery useless. For radio frequency (RF) sensors, jitter results in the loss of vital
signal and RF intelligence data. Thus, it is vital to suppress sensor jitter. For national security,
the ability to collect vital intelligence imagery and signal data for intelligence analysis,
operational actions, and protection of forces and citizens will be seriously hampered by sensor
jitter.
Any personal experience with jitter suppression?
Chau: While at NAVAIR, I had to deal with a serious sensor jitter incident and find ways to
quickly resolve it. During Operation Enduring Freedom, the Joint Staff initiated a Counter
IED Blitz in Theater to find airborne means of finding and identifying IEDs [improvised
explosive devices] along convoy routes. To identify the IED, it had to be imaged with a stringent
resolution requirement and the imagery data had to be sent via satellite to CONUS intelligence
and command centers for analysis and action. In response, I developed and deployed a low
flying UAV system that had an affordable stabilized video surveillance sensor. Since the UAV
flies at low altitudes (about 2,000 ft above ground), the optical magnification required to solve
the IED is factors smaller than manned aircraft and therefore did not require sophisticated
platform jitter removal mechanism. However, during actual operational flights, the video
imagery was seriously corrupted by jitter through the satellite communications channel. Due
to urgency, a solution had to be found quickly. Through analysis of the mission scenario, I
realized that, since the IED is fixed on the ground, conventional full motion video sensor
requiring very tight data packet synchronization is not needed. A relatively simple innovation
was initiated to resolve the jitter issue. I had the team modify, ruggedize, and integrate with
UAV avionics a newly released inexpensive hobby digital camera with the UAV. The digital
framing camera takes snapshots and “freeze frame” target imagery, which mitigates platform
jitter and produced high resolution imagery such as the ability to identify the wristwatch on a
USMC soldier riding in a convoy vehicle. And, by sending only digital frame imagery, there was
no data packet synchronization and jitter issues and the full fidelity of the camera imagery was
seen at CONUS command centers.

About Chyau
Chyau joined MIL after nearly 16 years as a high ranking
official at NAVAIR, where he served as Deputy Director and
then Director of Special Surveillance Programs. Using his
electrical engineering training from UPenn and Columbia—
where he earned MS and BS degrees respectively—Chyau also
applied his affinity for R&D at Purdue Research Foundation
where he worked as a Senior Research and Engineering
Technologist exploring infrasound acoustic listening to
monitor and track surface targets from the stratosphere.
Since joining MIL in 2018, Chyau has been working on the
development of a flexible cross domain data communications
solution. Cross Domain Solution (CDS) is a security processor
and software system that allows data communications across
different security domains. Keep reading to learn more about
12 | the MIL connection | summer 2024 Chyau’s innovative work in CDS.