Tutorial Sessions
IEEE Space, Aerospace and Defence Conference, SPACE 2025
Multi-Target Tracking
We start with general comments on the multi-target tracking (MTT) problem and some mathematical preliminaries. Multiple-hypothesis tracking (MHT) is a leading paradigm for MTT. We describe the target and sensor mathematical modeling assumptions that enable track-oriented MHT. Next, we derive the MHT recursion and illustrate its use with illustrative examples. We provide broader context by describing connections between MHT and the overall taxonomy of MTT methodologies. We discuss recent advances in cutting-edge MHT processing and their relevance to operational surveillance applications.
Despite the proven success of MHT as a methodology for MTT, computational constraints and other fundamental performance limitations may lead to unacceptable performance in some settings. We discuss the benefits that can be achieved with multi-stage MHT processing. In many settings, judicious distributed MHT processing enables improved performance over (necessarily suboptimal) centralized MHT. We provide illustrative examples from several domains. Additionally, we describe recent advances in graph-based tracking, a fast (approximate) approach to MHT that provides improved results in certain applications.
Bio-sketch for Speaker:
Stefano Coraluppi is a Chief Scientist at Systems & Technology Research (STR), an IEEE Fellow, and an IEEE AESS Distinguished Lecturer. He received the BS in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University (1990), the MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland (1992), and the PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland (1997). He has held research staff positions at ALPHATECH (now BAE Systems, 1997-2002), the NATO Undersea Research Centre (now NATO CMRE, 2002-2010), Compunetix (2010-2014), and STR (since 2014). His research interests include multi-target tracking, multi-sensor data fusion, distributed detection and estimation, nonlinear filtering, and optimal and stochastic control. He serves on the IEEE AESS Board of Governors and the ISIF Board of Directors. His past service includes Associate Editor-in-Chief for the IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, Editor-in-Chief for the ISIF Journal of Advances in Information Fusion, General Co-Chair (with Peter Willett) for FUSION 2006 in Florence, Italy, General Co-Chair (with Lauro Snidaro) for FUSION 2024 in Venice, Italy, and NATO STO