<title>Khoros, coupled with SIMD processor, provides a standard environment for mine detection algorithm evaluation</title>

Abstract

Alternative algorithms for detecting and classifying mines and mine-like objects must be evaluated against common image sets to assess performance. The Khoros CantataTh environment provides a standard interface that is both powerful and user friendly. It provides the image algorithniist with an object oriented Graphical Programming Interface (GPI). A Khoros user can import 'Toolboxes' of specialized image processing primitives for development of high order algorithms. When Khoros is coupled with a high speed single instruction multiple data (SIMD) processor, that operates as a co-processor to a Unix workstation, multiple algorithms and images can be rapidly analyzed at high speeds. The Khoros system and toolboxes with SIMD extensions permit rapid description of the algorithm and allow display and evaluation of the intermediate results.The SIMD toolbox extensions mirror the original serial processor's code results with a SIMD drop in replacement routine which is highly accelerated. This allows an algorithmist to develop identical programs/workspace which run on the host workstation without the use of SIMD co-processor, but of course with a severe speed performance lost. Since a majority of mine detection components are extremely 'tCPU intensive", it becomes impractical to process a large number of video frames without SIMD assistance. Development of additional SIMD primitives for customized user toolboxes has been greatly simplified in recent years with the advancement of higher order languages for SIMD processors (e.g.: C++, Ada). The result is a tool that should greatly enhance the scientific productivity of the mine detection community.