Sensor Models and Multisensor Integration

Abstract

We maintain that the key to intelligent fusion of disparate sensory information is to provide an effective model of sensor capabilities. A sensor model is an abstraction of the actual sensing process. It describes the information a sensor is able to provide, how this information is limited by the environment, how it can be enhanced by information obtained from other sensors, and how it may be improved by active use of the physical sensing device. The importance of having a model of sensor performance is that capabilities can be estimated a priori and, thus, sensor strategies developed in line with information requirements.