Dated September 23, 1996
1. Origin
A. Background
Understanding and producing infomration from huge amounts of rapidly changing data is a key concern in military and defence operations. Panel 11, under the Defence Research Group, evisions that flexible and intuitive visual interfaces (probably within Virtual Environments) can contribute greatly to help personnel by improving both their interaction with the dataflood and their capacity to extract and manage information from it.
Panel 11 formed Exploratory Group E in order to discover the interest in, need for, and advisability of a NATO RSG addressing automated visual information processing. EG-E met first in September 1993, and again in November, 1993.
In May 1994, Exploratory Group E reported to the Panel concerning the state of several visual processing technologies, saying that progress was rapid bnut unfocused on military and defence needs and concerns. The Panel comissioned a Workshop in which both scinetists and potential users from the military were to have the opportunity to discuss the field of visualization. The Workshop, titled Visualizing non-Visual Information, met in November 1994.
The Workshop examined the questions of whether there ought to be an international forum to deal with visual interaction with data and information flood, what form it might take, and what concrete steps it might taks. Participants agreed that there is great interest among the NATO nations in these topics. As well, they recommend that Panel 11 form a Research Study Group (RSG) to conduct much needed research related to military and defence needs regarding the dataflood, and to maintain a broad overview and a detailed view of visual information management technologies.
B. Scope
There are eight main classes of activity where visualization can play an effective role. These are:
- 1. Monitoring
- 2. Alerting
- 3. Searching
- 4. Exploring
- 5. Analysis
- 6. Problem Solving
- 7. Briefing
- 8. Decision Support
In each of these areas, specific and different types of interaction with information are required. This also implies that specific, different types of visualization are needed.
The proposed RSG's scope is to be bounded by the above functions. Notwithstanding that limit, it was decided, from the expression of various national interests, that "visualization" implies understanding data rather than simply displaying it on a screen. Other sensors besides the eyes are frequently valuable in creating a mental understanding. Hence, although derived from an initial interest in discovering and displaying the content of massive textual datasets, the horizons of RSG.30 have been expanded to cover non-textual material.
C. Military Benefits
Many Military and defence systems do not or cannot yet develop the most useful information from a variety of visual information sources. Moreover, a great many potential data sources are not used, or are not well used, because techniques for extracting information are defisient or lacking. Defence, military, and civil laboratories and technologists are addressing the problems at a furious pace. Their efforts are uncoordinated and frequently even unknown to each other. In the current atmosphere. it behooves Governments to gain a view of developments, maintaining and gaining expertise in particular areas of critical military and defence interest.
Present systems produce a wealth of data from a wide variety of sources extending beyond human capability to appreciate and act upon relevant facts. As a consequence the users of many current systems must discard much of their data unassessed. Strategic and tactical actions, simulation and training, require rapid presentation and easy assimilation of only the most relevant and most appropriate data. New technologies and means of communication will doubtlessly require radically improved ways to select and present information. Information is normally presented to commanders, analysts and executives visuallym and it is in this mode that we expect the most effective and speedy imporvement. As well, visualization is frequently language- and culture-independent. For this reason, better visualization should improve interoperability and intercultural commmunications among NATO nations.
In brief, the anticipated military benefits are:
- Greatly improved information accessibility, filtration, extraction, and understanding.
- Significant improvements of: Simulation, Decision SUpport and Analysis systems.
- Support for jopint NATO activities through better interoperation and communication, particularly in PFP activities.
- Promoting appropriate use of advanced visualization in operational applications and systems (Outreach).
II. Objectives
The aim of the RSG.30 is to develop methods for presenting to human users the implications of the contents of large, complex and varying military-relevant datasets of diverse kinds. In that context, the recommended first workplan for the RSG.30 focuses at assembling methods, techniques, and software that might be available from the various nations, together with exemplary databases within which the various techniques and software can be tested. The tests themselves also form part of the Programme of Work of the RSG.30. The RSG, however, will not include actual software development.
The following further objectes were identified:
- To do critically needed short term research into the means to cluster reports for access and attention;
- To embark upon necessary long-term study of automated information from documents and reports
- To conduct ongoing technology overview and review. This includes tracking visualization developmetns in Universities and the private sector, and forecasting what military needs will and will not be met in those sectors;
- To bridge the "cultural" gap between users and technologiests in the field of visualization; and
- To support activity within the NATO countries by preparing, maintaining, and distributing online a database of ongoing research and development.
The output of the work is specified by means of the deliverables in the recommended Programme of Work.
III. Membership
The RSG members will be scientists with technical background in the processing of visual informaiton and familiarity with defence applications. They will have to be able to provide RSG.30 with a global overview of research activities at least within their own nations. Military experts, from STC e.g., are particularly sought for the RSG.
A. Special needs
Nations involved in collaborative projects normally will choose their participation according to their needs and capabilities.
It is assumed that participants will have access to computing and other resources sufficient to their RSG activities.
IV. Security Level
Discussions will be up to the classification NATO-SECRET. The meetings will be open to industry participation from the NATO countries as a general rule. Specific discussions may be considered closed on a case by case basis.
V. Participation of Experts from Industry
Invited participation of experts from Industry is recommended, subject to the unanimous approval of all participating nations. Technologies for visualization apply to various industrial information systems (e.g. stock market information systems) and experience from these areas will cross-fertilize the results of RSG work. The military aspects of visualization, on the other hand, will not exclude the participation of members from non-military organizations.
VI. Duration
The work programme of the RSG is expected to take four years from its first meeting. There will be a major review of activites and progress at the end of the second year.
VII. Liaison
The RSG will maintain liaison with the following bodies:
- Panel 3/RSG-10 Speech processing
- Panel 10/RSG-15 AI in C2
- Panel 8/RSG.? VR for training
- EUCLID RTP 6.7 Virtual planning environments
