COMPOSIT - Compositing Overlays for Maps and Operational Symbologies in Real-time

TDKC has developed a simple commercial-off the-shelf (COTS) solution integrating state-of-the-art visual graphics hardware and 3-D viewpoint optimization algorithms to overlay map information onto a video feed in real-time. COMPOSIT leverages the significant computing capabilities that are available on the latest generation video cards to perform high-speed matrix and viewpoint calculations. COMPOSIT addresses three critical aspects related to overlaying map information onto a video in real-time: 1) combine novel 3-D viewpoint optimization algorithms with COTS hardware to achieve real-time frame rates; 2) maintain a high level of accuracy; and 3) provide a solution that is scalable and adaptable to other environments and domains. As part of Phase I we will: (1) develop a prototype software framework using a commonly available graphics card and open source map technologies to overlay full motion video with map information; (2) research and test mathematical techniques for dynamically calculating and maintaining a high level of accuracy; (3) research, prototype and demonstrate the feasibility of COMPOSIT to meet the performance requirements; and (4) identify possible follow-on funding and other customers for the COMPOSIT technology. BENEFIT: COMPOSIT provides advanced algorithms to perform a search for the viewpoint in 3-D space thus enabling it to translate the map overlay data and then composite it onto a video feed in real-time with a high degree of accuracy. COMPOSIT provides a framework with highly optimized, parallelized and pipelined viewpoint search algorithms written entirely in C/C++ utilizing the parallel hardware available within the GPU. COMPOSIT advances the state of the art in using 3-D visualization technology to combine map overlay information with a real-time video feed by delivering a capability to enhance the fusing of map data and video to quickly, thus improving on the current approaches and techniques.