Sole Source Specifications

The specifications below are specific to a Seabed Classification data processing software package for sidescan sonar data.

The seabed classification system must:

1. be software only and be able to accept and use backscatter data acquired during a sidescan survey. The software must load and process the raw image data, and not operate from data that has already been mosaiced.
2. be capable of loading and processing sidescan backscatter data in (insert appropriate info) format, acquired using a (insert appropriate info) sidescan sonar system. It must also be capable of being expanded to load data from a variety of other sidescan sonars by the optional addition of appropriate data readers.
3. be a sidescan seabed classification system capable of using backscatter and supporting data to segment the survey area into regions based on acoustic similarity. These acoustic classes, or image regions, are related to seabed type (rock, sand, mud, etc.).
4. be capable of unsupervised classification, in which the acoustic data are segmented into classes without prior knowledge of ground truth.
5. be capable of supervised classification, in which the acoustic classes are defined before classification. The software must support a catalogue of bottom types identified based on ground truth.
6. be capable of accurate positioning of the image data even if the sidescan was towed.
7. use a suite of algorithms to generate features describing the data within sub-images (rectangles) placed on the multibeam image. The classification system must provide for variable resolution of the segmentation by providing user-control of the size of the sub-images (rectangles).
8. provide for segmentation of the image by performing clustering analysis on the three principle components of the features. The software must provide options either to automatically segment the data into acoustic classes using objective statistical methods, or to allow manual user input in class segmentation.
9. be able to accept and use position, heading, and attitude data that may or may not be synchronized with the pings.
10. assist the user in selecting among multiple sources of position, heading, and attitude data..
11. provide the user with statistical measures of both confidence and probability assigned to each classified record as aids to measuring the quality of the final classification result.
12. be able to operate unattended (batch mode processing), and be capable of handling large volumes of data.
13. generate output files in comma-delimited ASCII, with acoustic classes and positions that are compatible with a wide range of Geographic Information Systems.
14. operate on Windows platforms.
15. be from a supplier that operates a user group.

The only software capable of meeting these criteria is QTC SIDEVIEW as produced and sold by Quester Tangent of Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. Quester Tangent is the sole manufacturer of this software.