Evolution of Control Room Visualization

There have broadly been two stages in the evolution of large scale control room visualization to date with a third stage currently emerging that should significantly increase the utility value and operational effectiveness of control room visualization.  

Stages of Evolution Include:


Stage 1 - Hardwired Visualization

• AV focus and implementation: circuit switched.
• Hardware driven.
• Sources are hardwired to proprietary processing hardware though a matrix switch.
• Control is typically limited to positioning of sources.
• Visual information sources must be local and can’t be shared.
• Visual information display is typically quite static.

Stage 2 - Networked Visualization

• IT/Network focus and implementation: packet switched.
• Software driven. (Software runs on standard servers).
• Sources are connected over the network.
• Control is much more sophisticated, including collaboration tools.
• Visual information sources can be anywhere and can be shared anywhere.
• Visual information display is also typically quite static.

The next stage:

Stage 3 - Intelligent Visualization

• Network software-based visualization (the visual layer) integrates with and is driven by monitoring and analytical software (the interpretive layer) determining, on an incident driven basis, exactly what, when and where visual information is displayed.
• Incident response can be fully pre-programmed on a visual level to avoid extraneous information and information overload.
• Only mission critical information is displayed during incidents.  Evolves over incident lifecycle.
• Critical visual information or a full common operating picture (COP) can be automatically pushed to other sites, to the field and up the command.
• Visual information display is dynamic.

Read More about the Change Factors and Trends in this Whitepaper