Collaboration and Visualization -- Projects

Achieving Synergism with Virtual Image Displays

Collaboration Off the Desktop

Collaboration on Trajectory-Based Future ATM (TBF-ATM)

Command Post of the Future

Joint Time Critical Targeting (TCT) Experimentation

Passengers, Information and the Future Travelscape

Strategic Air Traffic Management and Planning in Terminal Airspace

Collaboration and Visualization focuses on technologies that support effective use of information systems by individuals and groups. Crucial to the success of such systems are the presentation of information, strategies for organizing its manipulation, and support for geographically and temporally dispersed users interacting with each other and with the information they need and create.

Achieving Synergism with Virtual Image Displays

Michael A. Wingfield, Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
The potential for personal empowerment becomes more real as advances in mobile computing, e.g., hand-held and wearable devices, enable the convergence between computing and communication. However, a suitable interaction metaphor for these types of devices has not yet been thoroughly defined, and manufacturers and interaction designers are still trying to determine the types of applications that are appropriate for this technology.

Objectives
Our current understanding of graphics computing and display technology is challenged by the notion of mobile computing and portable information spaces, and we need to consider the task characteristics and information processing mechanisms in order to understand what design features are required. We examine the roles in which computer graphics and "mediated" reality may play and consider the use of multiple modalities for information "display."

Activities
The project will conduct laboratory experiments to determine the relationship between augmented reality display features (registration accuracy, image fidelity, data reliability) and the attention and trust provided to that data, define new interaction technologies (e.g., finger tracking, eye tracking), and develop and field test a prototype.

Impacts
This work positions MITRE as a government resource for interfacing with portable visual displays for the next generation in computing, i.e., the wearable. As information complexity increases and data portability becomes more critical, the issues examined here will provide MITRE with the ability to define guidelines and develop a seamless natural and usable interface for providing access to visually intensive data.

Collaboration Off the Desktop

Jay Carlson, Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
New technologies for user and task mobility are emerging that operate outside the familiar desktop computing environment. Tools like high portability notebooks and PDAs, and wireless networks such as VoIP, CDPD, wireless Ethernet, and Bluetooth provide individual mobility. More shared physical places have better wired networks and display and input technologies designed for group interaction (like projectors and softboards).

Objectives
These technology trends show promise and garner investment because they are designed to allow change in how people and groups work. Yet it is unclear how these technologies integrate, nor is their relationship to existing systems and practice well defined. This project will explore these issues through prototyping and deployment and produce questions and thrusts for technology evaluation and targeted research and development.

Activities
In FY01, we produced a prototype system, called MDAT, that demonstrated simple, direct access to a user's desktop PC from anywhere on the MITRE network. We are researching "sensemaking" as a core C4I activity in Air Operations Centers (AOCs) and crisis rooms. Finally, we are investigating the proposed Instant Messaging extension called SIMPLE that is based on the IETF Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

Impacts
The MDAT prototype vividly illustrates serious security research issues in ubiquitous computing, from implementation to doctrine. Our work on "sensemaking" influences the conception of future C4ISR and other sponsor systems. Finally our participation in the IETF SIP/SIMPLE effort helps bring sponsor concerns into the standardization process, as well as providing a base implementation for other integration efforts.

Collaboration on Trajectory-Based Future ATM (TBF-ATM)

Carlton Swaney, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
Although worldwide air traffic is expected to grow, communications availability and bandwidth can be expected to grow at a greater rate. Given this scenario, how can the air traffic management system take advantage of the telecommunications revolution to enable more effective and efficient service? Specifically, how can the system take advantage of precise and up-to-the-minute trajectory information generated by the aircraft's FMS and sent potentially to any ATM user?

Objectives
This project has two primary objectives: first, to provide a forecast of future communications issues and technologies and their potential impact on air traffic management, and second, to develop and evaluate strategic and tactical collaborative decision making architectures primarily through the exchange of "6-D" aircraft trajectories (where 6-D trajectories include tailored intent, performance characteristics and priority handling information in addition to the latitude, longitude, level or altitude and time components of a 4-D trajectory.)

Activities
Three activity tracks have been launched. First is to research communications trends up to the 2020 (and beyond) timeframe with a concentration on satellite communications. The second track is the definition of a future ATM operational concept and a flight scenario where a single controller manages an aircraft from origin to destination. Third is the development and evaluation of a plausible systems architecture (communications infrastructure, information processing needs, etc.) supporting the flight scenario.

Impacts
Due to the futuristic nature of this work, the inherent inaccuracies of forecasting telecommunications growth, and the large number of political and operational constraints that would need to be overcome, the direct impact of this work will be minimal. The larger impact will be in providing a glimpse into the future and extending the discussion of leveraging commercial technologies into the air traffic management environment.

Command Post of the Future

Nahum Gershon, Principal Investigator

Bedford and Washington

Problem
In presenting information to policymakers, the challenge is to make this knowledge accessible to busy senior decision makers who did not participate in its production in a way that will improve their understanding of the situation and potential scenarios. This requires providing an experience that is persuasive, memorable, meaningful, and efficient. Traditional approaches—written reports and point papers and oral briefings (e.g., chart style)—too often fall far short of the mark.

Objectives
Since the dawn of human civilization, storytelling has been used to convey information. Even in the high tech world of today, storytelling could be used together with technology to effectively convey information, solicit information and tacit knowledge, help in making cultural change, and assist in education and providing lessons learned.

Activities
MITRE is engaged in investigating and applying pertinent methods of storytelling in two areas. In the C2 environment, the challenge is to present the multitude of fast information streams bombarding the various echelons in an efficient way. This information needs to be presented in a timely and efficient way. We have shown that storytelling techniques used in narrative (plain words), film, comics and narrative could be effectively used in computer-based visualization and information presentation.

Impacts
Stories seem likely to provide the framework for such an experience, deeply rooted as they are in human communication, understanding, and memory.

Joint Time Critical Targeting (TCT) Experimentation

James Dear, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
Each military service is independently pursuing unique systems and technologies for TCT, with some of the application development and integration efforts occurring in selected service laboratories. These labs address various components of the TCT process, including sensor tasking and collection, sensor cueing and target development, weapon/target pairing, dynamic mission planning and target data dissemination to weapons. However, these disparate development and integration efforts could present problems to a joint contingency operation in which multiple services may be prosecuting the same time-critical targets.

Objectives
The primary objective of this project will be to demonstrate inter-service technical and operational interoperability in TCT through a series of intra-MITRE laboratory experiments. A collateral objective is to identify and demonstrate technologies that will enhance this interoperability.

Activities
We will determine and resolve service differences related to TCT, such as target definition classification; identify possible technical interoperability problems or shortfalls; determine and apply metrics to judge process improvements; identify/recommend solutions to the problems/shortfalls; and experiment with selected technologies that address/identify shortfalls. We will help evolve/mature an inter-service concept of operations for TCT. A technical report will guide program executive officers and OSD on an acquisition strategy to resolve the technical interoperability issues related to the joint TCT process.

Impacts
The TCT experiments will address specific concerns of OSD and PEOs. In addition, recommendations in the report could influence R&D and acquisition decisions of the various services as well as Air Land Sea Applications documents and joint targeting doctrine. Ideally, this work will result in the services' developing and executing their own program of regular TCT experimentation between their respective labs. Implementation of such a program will highlight MITRE's role as an honest broker between the services and set the stage for inter-service experimentation in other mission areas.

Passengers, Information and the Future Travelscape

Thomas Berry, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
Little research has been done to examine the ways in which current and future information technologies will change the aviation travelscape. Technological trends in computational speed, wireless connectivity, information exchange and intelligent systems could enable a shift in the industry from supplier-driven to buyer- (passenger-) driven and enable more efficient use of existing assets (e.g., planes, gates).

Objectives
The objective of the effort is to create and refine a vision of the future "travelscape" from a passenger perspective. The vision suggests that more efficient utilization of assets may be possible with future technologies. This project seeks to define those categories for future research consideration.

Activities
Major tasks include scanning the information technology environment to hypothesize medium term future capabilities, exploring new business models based on those capabilities, and actively seeking out aviation and travel industry opinions both internally and externally to share this developing vision.

Impacts
This research is intended to lay the groundwork for developing operational concepts and research needs to more completely involve the passenger in the real-time collaborative decision making environment of the future.

Strategic Air Traffic Management and Planning in Terminal Airspace

Dan Kirk, Principal Investigator

Washington only

Problem
Strategic air traffic management and planning tools for en route airspace (e.g., as illustrated by the User Request Evaluation Tool [URET]) have been shown to provide significant benefits to both controllers and to airspace users. However, the usefulness of these strategic tools to the more tactical operations within terminal airspace remains an open question, both for U.S. and European airspace application.

Objectives
This study will address the following questions: What operational and technical differences between the terminal and en route domains impact the application of decision support tools? What are the differences between U.S. and European terminal operations that impact the application of these tools? Is their application to terminal airspace operationally and technically feasible? What are the potential benefits?

Activities
We will assess the functional performance of URET's trajectory modeling and conflict detection when applied to terminal airspace, and compare it to corresponding performance for en route airspace. Using the URET system developed for functional performance assessment, we will examine potential capabilities and benefits with operational personnel, and develop a summary report, including performance assessment and description of potential benefits and capabilities.

Impacts
This study will directly contribute to the state of the art in the application of decision support tools to U.S. and European terminal operations, and will enhance understanding of a key unsolved problem: strategic air traffic management and planning in terminal airspace. Further research and development in this area has the potential for providing critical improvements in terminal airspace safety, capacity and efficiency.