SBIR-STTR Award

This proposal addresses the need to develop a robust model for biological, geophysical, and anthropogenic ambient sounds in different environments. The spatial and temporal resolution of the sound level mapping tool will improve mission planning for both rural and urban environments. During Phase-I, a geospatial data-based ambient sound model will be developed and exercised for at least three benchmark CONUS locations, one of which contains significant anthropogenic noise. As part of this effort, geospatial database requirements will be established and new geospatial/acoustic datasets incorporated into existing databases. The soundscape modeling framework will incorporate multiple unsupervised machine-learning approaches, with the novel goal of treating geospatial modeling inputs and different acoustic outputs as part of the same optimization problem. To downselect to Phase-II modeling approaches, the modeling tradespace will be studied for multi-metric predictive capability, efficiency, and robustness. The Phase-I effort will also develop strategies to eventually extend the ambient soundscape modeling to OCONUS locations, including identifying which geospatial data are available and exploring means for acquiring additional geospatial/acoustic data. Eventual transition of the modeling tool to the military and commercial sectors (e.g. the real estate industry) will be aided by Phase-I technology transition planning and business case analyses.

This proposal addresses the need to further develop a robust and validated soundscape modeling tool for accurate predictions of biological, geophysical, and anthropogenic activity in CONUS and OCONUS environments. The Phase II development of the geospatial and acoustic training databases will focus on strengthening the geospatial diversity of the data by employing purposeful data collection techniques that build upon the analysis tools and strategies developed in Phase I. Phase II machine learning modeling efforts will incorporate new numerical tools, better uncertainty quantification, physics-based models, and extensive validation. The soundscape model will be coupled with a GIS tool by leveraging the web-based map viewer prototype developed in Phase I and incorporating tools to investigate the graphical representation of the acoustic metrics at a specific point on an overall, time, and frequency basis. To guide future transition plan and business case development, “use cases” will be developed for consumers associated with the two primary markets identified in Phase I.