Software
Development - Cogent3D Navigation & Visualization Tool
 WRSystems,
in collaboration with SPAWARSYSCEN Charleston (Little Creek Detachment
Norfolk Code 34D) has developed a rapidly prototyped, integrated
3D navigation visualization tool for the U.S. Navy.
The project made use of advanced 3D rendering tools to allow a linked,
real-time 3D portrayal of realistic nautical environments and navigational
aids using sensory cues such as shape, color, shading, texture,
transparency, and animation.
Portrayal of navigational information includes ship physical representation,
orientation, and route. The 3D environment has the ability for interactive
changing of user viewpoint and orientation. 
World wide 3D visualization is generated on the fly without pre-rendered
or pre-cached areas. Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED), Shuttle
Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), Digital Bathymetric Database Variable
Resolution (DBDB-V), NOAA hydrographic survey data, and Digital
Nautical Charts (DNC) are used to visualize the 3D environment.
Satellite imagery such as Geospatial TIFF (GEOTIFF), Controlled
Image Base (CIB), Compressed ARC Digitized Raster Graphics (CADRG),
and National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF) images can be added
to the land surface. DNC features and navigational aids are also
portrayed in the 3D environment. These included hydrographic area
boundaries, navigational lights, beacons, buildings, towers, and
buoys.
Critical navigational task areas of interest include collision avoidance
and multiple real time contacts. In addition to use as a navigational
tool, 3D information displays could be prototyped for Navy command
and control situational awareness to provide assistance to the Navy
tactical community.
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