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SenTech specializes in the design and
development of Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) for military and civilian
applications. Founded in 1993 by Dr. Gervasio Prado, SenTech has
participates in some of the most important UGS programs for the Department
of Defense either as the Prime or teamed with major Defense Contractors. |
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SenTech has experience in the whole cycle of
development, from data collection and analysis, digital signal processing
algorithm design, software development, electronic design and form-factor
design and prototyping. |
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SenTech is associated with a number of design
engineers and software developers that allow it to carry out your projects
in a timely and cost effective manner. |
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SenTech believes that any sensor work must start
from a thorough understanding of the physics behind the process of
signature generation, propagation and sensing. |
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SenTech has all the instrumentation to carry out
acoustic, seismic and image signature collection in the field under
realistic conditions. SenTech’s instrumentation can be easily shipped to
any test site and set up in minutes. |
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An extensive database of acoustic and seismic
signatures of military and civilian vehicles has been developed over the
years and is available to support new sensor projects. |
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SenTech has developed a suite of data analysis
tools that is used to facilitate the understanding of acoustic and seismic
phenomena. |
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SenTech has developed real-time signal
processing algorithms and software to detect, track and classify vehicles
and personnel using the output of small conformal microphone arrays and
three-component geophones. Excellent direction finding performance has been
achieved using small conformal arrays of microphones. |
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All signal processing operations are coded for
real-time operation on low-power processors. |
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SenTech has designed and implemented the
embedded electronics of all it’s acoustic, seismic and electro-optical
sensors. |
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Desktop development tools allow for efficient
schematics and circuit board layouts to be designed. Fabrication houses
build the circuit printed boards which are then populated in house as
prototypes and by commercial fabricators in volume. |
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The electronics for UGS must operate with a
minimum of power consumption while keeping up with the signal processing
operations in real time. |
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SenTech developed a new dual mode imager (IR and
visual) for Harris RF Communications and licensed to them the design of
it’s acoustic-seismic sensor. The imaging sensor combines IR and visual
cameras and built-in image processing capabilities in a compact militarized
package. |
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Designed the passive acoustic sensor system of
the Intelligent Munition System for General Dynamics under contract to the
US Army ARDEC. SenTech adapted its acoustic and seismic sensor software and
processors to support a networked target tracking and fire control system. |
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Designed the passive acoustic sensor system for
The Massively Deployed Unattended Ground Sensor System for General Dynamics
under contract to the US Army Night Vision and Electro Optic Laboratory.
The MDUGS sensors were successfully tested during Networked Sensors for the
Future Force ATD in 2005. |
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SenTech worked with the US SOCOM and TSWG
organizations to develop a suite of acoustic-seismic and dual-mode (visual
and IR) imaging systems. The acoustic – seismic sensor developed under this
effort was a militarized hand emplaced device. Two imagers were developed:
an infra-red imager and a dual-mode imager, both with pan-tilt and built-in
image processing capabilities. |
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Developed the Steel Eagle and Steel Rattler
sensors for Sandia National Laboratories under contract to the Defense
Intelligence Agency. SenTech developed the signal processing algorithms and
real time code for this sensor. The units were successfully tested during
the EFX ACTD exercise in 1998. |
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Developed a sniper localization system for the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
that was successfully tested by DARPA at Camp Pendleton, CA. |
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Participated in the Internetted UGS program for
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. SenTech developed signal
processing algorithms and software for detection, tracking and target
identification. |
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SenTech developed an underwater tracking system
for the US Navy Naval Underwater Center in Newport, RI. |
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SenTech has also worked with the US Marine Corps
War fighting Laboratory and the US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions
Research Laboratory. |
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SenTech has worked as a subcontractor for
several major Defense contractors like Northrop-Grumman, Textron Defense
Systems, General Dynamics and Raytheon. |
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Dr. Gervasio Prado |
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64 Grozier Rd., Cambridge, MA 02138 (781) 279
9871, (617) 354 6644, (617) 970 6698 (cell) |
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g.prado@sentech-acoustic.com |
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1993 – Present Founder and President, SenTech, Inc. |
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Dr. Gervasio Prado founded SenTech in 1993,
which, under his guidance, became a leader in the development of Unattended
Ground Sensors (UGS). SenTech provides services to government and industry
in the areas of acoustic, seismic and electro-optic sensors and digital
signal processing. Dr. Prado has a wide range of experience in the area of
passive sensor systems gained from long-term involvement in both
atmospheric and underwater acoustic sensors and associated signal
processing technologies. He also has experience in the application of Infra
Red and visual sensors and imaging systems. |
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A list of the major projects completed by
SenTech is given in the Appendix. |
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1985 – 1993 Manager, Acoustic/Seismic Sensor
Group , Textron Defense Systems, Wilmington, MA. |
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Dr. Prado built the Acoustics Group at TDS and
brought it to a position of national preeminence in the application of
acoustics and signal processing to tactical problems. In this capacity, he
was responsible for a wide range of research and development programs
related to passive sensor systems. |
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1980 – 1985 Senior Scientist, Bolt Beranek and
Newman, Cambridge, MA. |
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1974 – 1980 Senior Scientist, C. S. Draper
Laboratory, Cambridge, MA. |
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1971 – 1974 Scientific Staff, M.I.T. Lincoln
Laboratory, Lexington, MA. |
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Expert Witness Testimony |
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In November of 2006 Dr. Prado served as a
witness during a hearing of the US House of Representatives Science and
Technology Committee on the use of Unattended Sensors for border security
applications. |
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EDUCATION: B.S. (1966), M.S. (1968) and Ph. D. (1971) in Electrical
Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. |
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SenTech has developed a series of imagers and IR
sensors that work together with suites of Unattended Ground Sensors. |
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The Remote Imaging System (RIS) was a passive IR
imager with pan and tilt motions and built-in image processing capability
it could operate together with an HE03 acoustic-seismic sensor receiving
commands to wake up the camera and slew the field of view in the direction
of the target. |
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The Falcon Watch Remote Imager (FWRI) is a dual
mode (Infra-red and visual) imager that worked in conjunction with a suite
of YGS that included activity sensors and a satellite communications
terminal.The FWRI also had built-in image processing capability. |
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All of these imagers have built-in image
processing capability allowing them to perform an image equalization
operation (contrast improvement), moving target detection, optimum image
selection and image compression using JPEG 2000. |
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The Tazer sensor was a Passive Infrared (PIR)
sensor that served as the fire control mechanism for a Tazer equipped
non-lethal anti-personnel mine. |
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The design of an effective remote imaging system
requires integration of optics, cameras, signal/image processing and
mechanical design to achieve a product that meets the required
specifications. Systems are normally
specified in terms of their ability to detect and identify targets at a
given range under certain environmental conditions. |
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Imagers with both Infra-red and visual cameras
are often necessary to achieve both day/night operation and to image a
target with sufficient resolution. Infrared detectors can function in total
darkness but visual cameras achieve better resolution at a much lower cost.
The need to operate in hot-desert environments has proved to be very
challenging to IR cameras because the target and environment loose their
thermal contrast during the hours of dusk and dawn. |
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Our experience has led us to specify IR cameras
with large aperture lenses (f/1.0 typically) in order to achieve the
maximum possible thermal resolution of the target. |
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Target detection and tracking algorithms have
been designed to operate in the presence of swaying vegetation in the field
of view. This condition typically causes numerous false alarms when not
taken into consideration. |
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SenTech emphasizes the importance of a physical
analysis of the target sources when designing a sensor system. |
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Starting with good quality signature data
collected under realistic conditions, a detailed signature analysis will
reveal the principal features of the target signature; in this case a large
diesel-powered military truck. |
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Spectrogram analysis reveals features connected
to the target vehicle, such as the engine and tire noise. Non-target noise
components, like the aircraft propeller noise can also be identified. In
the seismic domain, we identify the component due to the tire noise
(verified from the ground truth data and physical measurements as the tread
impact signal and acoustically-coupled
seismic noise. |
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Notes