<title>Interactive Interpretation Of Digital Imagery</title>

Abstract

The Digital Image Analysis Laboratory (DIAL) at USAETL is a large scale interactive digital image processing system designed for research in photo- and radar-interpretation, feature extraction, mapmaking, and other remote sensing activities. General techniques such as search, change detection, dynamic range adjustments, geometric corrections, and mensuration have been implemented and applied to digital imagery for evaluation. In particular, the DIAL system was used for a series of four experiments designed to evaluate the utility of soft copy (CRT) exploitation of digital imagery for tactical field army applications. The results of those four experiments were conducive to continued development of the soft copy capability. At USAETL that continued development has taken the form of a van-mounted system, now being implemented, consisting of a control minicomputer, high density tapes, and an advanced digital image display system. The advanced display system provides rapid search, magnification, dynamic range, and filtering capabilities as well as many other now-standard image processing functions. It is expected that the van-mounted system will provide at least a partial solution to the very basic problems encountered in the manipulation and display of very large digital images.