UNDERWATER RANGE DATA DISPLAY UPGRADE

CURRENTLY, THE DISPLAY OF REAL-TIME RANGE TRACKING DATA OF SUBSURFACE CONTACTS IS ACCOMPLISHED USING SEPARATE 2D PLOTS - X AND Y DATA IS DEPICTED IN SEPARATE DISPLAYS FROM DEPTH AND BOTTOM CONTOUR INFORMATION. THIS VISUAL SEPARATION REQUIRES THE USER TO FORMULATE A MENTAL MAP OF A 3D AREA BASED UPON THE COMBINATION OF THIS SEPARATE DATA. THIS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION PROCESSING BURDEN FOR THE USER AND CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CRITICAL DATA AS WELL AS MISINTERPRETATION OF DATA. A NEED EXISTS TO DEVELOP A VIABLE THREEDIMENSIONAL DISPLAY THAT CAN BE USED IN NAVAL TACTICAL ENVIRONMENTS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS EFFORT IS TO SURVEY RECENT ADVANCES IN HOLOGRAPHIC AND OTHER TECHNIQUES FOR PRODUCING AND PROJECTING REAL-TIME 3D IMAGES. ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES WILL BE REVIEWED AGAINST SPECIFIC NAVY REQUIREMENTS FOR TACTICAL DISPLAY AS WELL AS COST AND RISK FACTORS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING 3D UNDERWATER RANGE DATA DISPLAY. IF A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE IS FOUND, A CANDIDATE SYSTEM DESIGN WILL BE PROPOSED. PHASE II EFFORTS WILL CULMINATE IN THE DEMONSTRATION OF THAT SYSTEM DESIGN.