--Standard tracking algorithms typically assume that the target extent is negligible compared to the sensor noise. However, modern sensors are able to supply several measurements of the same target object due to their high-resolution capability. Some recent sensors even provide direct measurements of the target extent in addition to position measurements. For this reason, tracking algorithms that incorporate the target extent into the estimation procedure are an interesting research area. A further application area of extended object tracking is the tracking of collectively moving groups of targets. When resolution con icts make it dicult to identify single targets, it is suitable to model such a group of closely spaced targets as one single extended object. This Special Session aims at bringing together researchers working in the eld of extended object and group target tracking.

--Uwe D. Hanebeck is a chaired professor of Computer Science at the Universitat Karlsruhe (TH) in Germany and director of the Intelligent Sensor-Actuator-Systems Laboratory (ISAS). Prof. Hanebeck obtained his Ph.D. degree in 1997 and his habilitation degree in 2003, both in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University in Munich, Germany. His research interests are in the areas of information fusion, nonlinear state estimation, stochastic modeling, system identication, and control with a strong emphasis on theory-driven approaches based on stochastic system theory and uncertainty models. Research results are applied to various application topics like localization, human-robot-interaction, assistive systems, sensor-actuator-networks, medical engineering, distributed measuring system, and extended-range telepresence.

--Marcus Baum is a Ph.D. student at the Intelligent Sensor-Actuator-Systems Laboratory (ISAS), Universitat Karlsruhe (TH), Germany. He obtained a diploma degree in computer science from the Universitat Karlsruhe (TH) in 2007. His research interests include Bayesian state estimation, target tracking and random sets.