Nonparametric detection

This paper considers some of the simpler nonparametric detection schemes and compares their asymptotic relative efficiencies to those of detectors which are optimal in the Neyman-Pearson sense. In the one-input case, the nonparametric sign and Wilcoxon detectors are compared to the linear detector which is optimal for the detection of a dc signal of unknown amplitude in Gaussian noise. For two-input systems the nonparametric polarity coincidence correlator is compared to the system which is optimal for the detection of a common random Gaussian component in two-input Gaussian noises. The nonparametric detectors are shown to offer advantages in simplicity of implementation and in insensitivity to changes in input statistics while performing moderately well compared to the parametric detectors. More impressive results can be obtained with more complicated detectors utilizing nonlinear rank statistics.