On the motion tracker, an object is shown on the display as a series of contours of probable loci, and with the range and bearing of the target. These trackers are employed to scan perimeter surveillance, able to monitor the movements of small animal sized targets with an amazing range of 1000 meters in the open from the stationary background. Despite it's ability to scan through objects, intervening terrain can cut the detection range drastically, in built up areas, such as places with walls and partitions reduce the range down to 20-30 meters.
In military use, the motion trackers have some notable failings.
First, the trackers emit hundreds of high energy ultrasound bursts every
second. The bursts can be heard from enemy listening stations and can serve
as targets for enemy fire. Second, the trackers are calibrated to reject
small or ever so slight movements like insects or plants moving in the
wind and so on. That means a very slow moving object can infiltrate the
trackers detection area.
Third, the trackers are vulnerable to being fooled by ultrasound
jams which can overwhelm the tracker with a very powerful signal, or by
'jumping jack' moving decoy targets. And lastly the trackers use a Doppler
shift to identify the target. Any target traveling across the scanning
field of view rather than moving toward it or away from it, is invisible
to detection. As a result of these failings, commanders still use the trackers
instead of going to the replacements of infra-red, laser-radar, and the
many other surveillance techniques.
Updates coming as we build this prop..
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copyright 04/19/01