Software Systems Integration

The Advanced Monitoring Display System (AMDS) provides a real-time situational awareness display, which is capable of merging disparate tactical information from separate but operationally synergistic systems into a single real-time view of the battlefield. The capability also serves as a single point to exercise control of connected devices and support the dissemination of digital surveillance information reports.

It was originally developed to enhance military situational awareness in the battlefield, when using Army unattended ground sensors. AMDS has been used in Afghanistan and Iraq by units such as the 10th Mountain Division, the 101st and 82nd Airborne. In the summer of 2002, it was used by the Canadian army to set up an early warning system around the G8 conference held in Kananaskis, Canada. Also, the system is used by the New Jersey National Guard and the New Jersey State Police as an early warning system at high valued critical assets in New Jersey.

Through a user-friendly, interactive interface the AMDS software allows the operator to select one or more maps which define the Region of Interest (ROI) for the mission. Several analytical tools used to analyze terrain characteristics aid mission planning, which is facilitated through a drag-and-drop capability for placing sensors. AMDS supports the control and monitoring of all connected sensor devices and presents visual and audible indications of sensor detections. Information is saved to a database from which reports can be generated and mission activity can be "played back".

AMDS assembles the countless details of real-time situations and presents them in an easily understood graphical user interface. Employing an open mapping solution, any block or street, can be monitored easily in the system. Any map like image (i.e. hand drawings, aerial photographs, clips from maps off the internet, engineering survey maps) may be scanned, captured, geo-referenced and used to support mission requirements. In addition, map data may be obtained from the National Imagery and Management Agency (NIMA) which presently supports two types of mapping formats.

Since 1993, the system has been evolving, originally developed in ada as a stand alone application then migrating to an object based system, moved to a client server architecture to support homeland security requirements and now a Service Oriented Architecture version is under development to meet the Army's current operational requirements.