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The “Collaborative Visualization Environment” (CoVE), located immediately next to the Collaborative Design Environment, provides engineers with the capability to present detailed and complex analysis results on a very large visualization real estate. Said capability directly supports the core function of the CoVE: to enable a rich and interactive visualization experience of technical results in a dedicated facility where ASDL researchers can engage with subject matter experts and decision makers to conduct electronic reviews of sponsored research projects.

Capitalizing on the size and resolution of the CoVE visualization wall, and utilizing highly interactive software frameworks to access large data sets and complex relationships, ASDL researchers are able to explore large design spaces spanning numerous dimensions while successfully presenting complex relationships to its audience. In this way, decision-makers and subject matter experts become active participants in critical reviews rather than passive spectators, interactively examining results and alternatives alongside researchers. Fundamental assumptions, design choices, and complex tradeoffs that are traditionally locked-in and rarely understood can be queried and examined at the request of reviewers, augmenting the experience of the reviewers as well as the ultimate the quality of the research outcomes.

The CoVE is built around a high-resolution visualization wall, comprised of twelve BARCO rear-projection screens seamlessly integrated into a 3x4 matrix. Each 54” by 40.5” screen projects with 1024 x 768 resolution, yielding a unified display 18 feet wide by 10 feet high with 4096 x 2304 resolution. The CoVE also features two video cameras mounted on either side of the display wall and a third video camera on the back of the room that support IP-based video conferencing capabilities to connect with off-site participants.

The standard layout of the CoVE features a central meeting table with two rows of peripheral stations on each side and two rows of work stations with secondary computers aligned with the display wall. The layout is highly customizable and can be changed to accommodate a wide variety of events and exercises. The ASDL has hosted key meetings, reviews, workshops, and symposia for various external organizations and research partners at the CoVE. Some notable examples include DARPA, US Navy, Office of Naval Research, US Army, Air Force Research Laboratory, Thales, Gulfstream, BAE Systems, NASA, Belcan, FAA, Lockheed Martin, NIA, MITRE, Epps Aviation, Teledyne, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, US Coast Guard, and the Joint Planning and Development Office, among many others.