General Dynamics

About: General Dynamics is a company organization based out in Fairfax, Virginia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Signal & Propellant. The organization has 5722 authors who have published 5819 publications receiving 85768 citations. The organization is also known as: GD & General Dynamics Corporation.

Logistic Regression Analysis of Customer Satisfaction Data

Abstract: Variation exists in all processes. Significant work has been done to identify and remove sources of variation in manufacturing processes resulting in large returns for companies. However, business process optimization is an area that has a large potential return for a company. Business processes can be difficult to optimize due to the nature of the output variables associated with them. Business processes tend to have output variables that are binary, nominal or ordinal. Examples of these types of output include whether a particular event occurred, a customer's color preference for a new product and survey questions that assess the extent of the survey respondent's agreement with a particular statement. Output variables that are binary, nominal or ordinal cannot be modeled using ordinary least-squares regression. Logistic regression is a method used to model data where the output is binary, nominal or ordinal. This article provides a review of logistic regression and demonstrates its use in modeling data from a business process involving customer feedback. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Spectral LADAR: active range-resolved three-dimensional imaging spectroscopy

Abstract: We present the concept and experimental results for Spectral LADAR, an augmented LADAR imager combining three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight ranging with active multispectral sensing in the shortwave infrared (1080–1620 nm). The demonstrated technique is based on a nanosecond regime pulsed supercontinuum transmitter and spectrally multiplexed receiver that computes a high-resolution range value for each of 25 spectral bands. A low frame-rate prototype unit is described. Results demonstrating 3D imaging and material type classification of objects, especially those obscured by camouflage, are shown at effective stand-off ranges exceeding 40 m. These capabilities and the highly eye safe wavelengths at which the system operates make it suitable for applications in military imaging and robotic perception.

Stable Plasma Confinement by Multipole Fields

Abstract: A multipole field plasma confinement device is described that can be used in either a linear or a toroidal configuration. It consists of an even number of current carrying rods evenly spaced around the inner face of an outer current carrying element. This inner face is cylindrical (or toroidal). The rods fit, without touching, into smooth indentations in the face of the outer conductor. No B/sub 2/ field is required. The containment time is long compared to the times in which other processes affect the plasma. (T.F.H.)

Ambiguities in evaluating performance of multiple target tracking algorithms

Abstract: Evaluating performance of tracking algorithms is straightforward for a simulation with a single target and one computed track. Performance evaluation with multiple targets, on the other hand, is complex due to ambiguities that create confusion about which target goes with a track. The ambiguities are caused by misassociations or unresolved closely spaced objects. Various considerations in choosing a methodology for performance evaluation to handle these ambiguities are discussed. An approach to assigning tracks to targets is described that takes these considerations into account.