Description: NASA is emphasizing the use of larger, more integrated models in conjunction with systems engineering tools and decision support systems. These tools place a corresponding stress on legacy engineering visualization systems which now are required to handle larger data sets, provide more intuition to the user, integrate well with many other tools, and help the user with his/her ultimate goal: improving the design of complex systems. Phoenix Integration proposes to complete the prototype visualization environment created during Phase I to the point where it is a commercially viable product. New features, refinements, and integration with other tools will be accomplished in Phase II. In particular, the work will involve major improvements to whitespace exploration algorithms, techniques that enable users to unconstrain or modify the underlying engineering model in an effort to obtain results in previously unattainable areas. Work will also include more data mining algorithms (e.g. Principal Component Analysis), new graph types (e.g. spider plots), export formats to 3-D tools (e.g. Tecplot), integration with MBSE/SysML tools, integration with web-based decision support environments, and incorporation of probabilistic analysis. A rich integration with ModelCenter, the company's engineering integration and trade study environment, is planned, although a standalone capability will also be offered. The visualizer's architecture will be based on OpenGL and will use the GPU to parallelize rendering computations. Design will focus on usability and responsiveness, with the goal of providing quick insight into complex data. The tool will be user-tested through early adopters to ensure relevance and to guide development.

Benefits: The Science Mission Directorate (SMD) performs research in the areas of Earth Science, Planetary Science, Heliophysics, and Astrophysics. All of these areas involve the common need for conceptual and preliminary design of complex system models and the attendant engineering visualization this implies. The same need to more readily build and execute more sophisticated engineering models exists within other NASA directorates as well: Aeronautics Research, Human Exploration and Operations, and Space Technology. As NASA develops the next generation of scientific and space exploration missions there is a growing need for an integrated and collaborative visualization environment that can be used to rapidly evaluate competing vehicle and mission concepts. Current NASA projects that exemplify this need include the James Webb Telescope, robotic space probe missions, future manned space exploration capsules, potential heavy launch propulsion systems, new low noise, low emission, and fuel efficient airliner designs, and future air traffic control concepts. JPL's System F6 effort (for DARPA) and their TeamX environment are possible specific beneficiaries of this system. The F6 program already uses Phoenix Integration's current visualization system. Aeronautics programs at Langley have also used this system and would benefit from the proposed new visualizer.

Due to its generic nature, there are numerous non-NASA applications that will benefit from improved design-space visualization technology. These include a wide range of military and civilian design programs in domains such as aircraft, automotive, electronics, heavy machinery, shipbuilding, and alternative energy design projects. The Army, Navy, and Air Force are all current Phoenix customers and could make good use of better visualization technology. The company is well positioned to introduce this technology to organizations in various sectors such as BAE, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Pratt and Whitney, Raytheon, Dresser-Rand, GE, etc. since they already utilize the company's current products. Many, indeed, already use the legacy visualization system this SBIR will replace. Many are also adopting more integrated approaches to engineering and system modeling, for which the new visualization system will be designed. A common driver for all customers is the economic need to improve the design process for ever more complex systems. A major goal, therefore, is enabling greater intuition and exploration of complex trade spaces early in the design process.