Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “traffic control devices”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2

CPS Testbed Architectures for WAMPAC using Industrial Substation and Control Center Platforms and Attack-Defense Evaluation

Advanced persistent threats and cyberattacks can impact wide-area monitoring, protection, and control (WAMPAC) system operation. Many cyber-physical system (CPS) testbeds have been developed for attack-defense experimentation and attack-resiliency tools evaluation for WAMPAC, but they are limited to a simulation-and-emulation based environment. This paper presents a quasi-realistic CPS attack-defense testbed-based framework for WAMPAC applications using the industrial substation and control center platforms such as eTerra integrated with the hardware-in-the-loop CPS smart grid testbed available at Iowa State University. The proposed framework includes various combinations of industry-grade substation and control center platforms, communication topologies, real-time digital simulators, and a novel cyber-physical distributed intrusion-and-anomaly detection system (D-IADS) for WAMPAC applications. The D-IADS includes a master at the control center and geographically distributed sensor devices at each substation. Each D-IADS sensor deployed at a substation or control center network monitors ingress and egress traffic, detect intrusions, and dispatch alerts to the D-IADS master. The D-IADS master centrally monitors and analyze the alerts and controls D-IADS sensors. We considered an EMP60 synthetic CPS grid as a case study to demonstrate the framework and proposed D-IADS for WAMPAC applications against cyberattack vectors such as Man-in-the-Middle DNP3 attack, denial-of-service, and data-integrity attacks.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Language-Theoretic Data Analysis to Support ICS Protocol Baselining

Critical infrastructure stakeholders need to baseline their systems to understand expected protocol communications. Baseline behaviors may vary based on operational context. Expected operations during a maintenance window, for example, may be different from normal operations. Furthermore, constructing system baselines for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) is difficult and time-consuming. ICS processes generate artifacts expressed across heterogeneous data sources such as network traffic and device logs. This paper explores the hypothesis that such ICS artifacts form a language in the language-theoretic sense. From a theoretical perspective, the variety of implementations of ICS protocols and constrained environment of OT networks provide a rich application domain for language-theoretic approaches. We present several use cases related to the practical construction of system baselines: grammars for data fusion, language dialects for device fingerprinting, and security automata for system baselining

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2005

Topics covered include: Fastener Starter; Multifunctional Deployment Hinges Rigidified by Ultraviolet; Temperature-Controlled Clamping and Releasing Mechanism; Long-Range Emergency Preemption of Traffic Lights; High-Efficiency Microwave Power Amplifier; Improvements of ModalMax High-Fidelity Piezoelectric Audio Device; Alumina or Semiconductor Ribbon Waveguides at 30 to 1,000 GHz; HEMT Frequency Doubler with Output at 300 GHz; Single-Chip FPGA Azimuth Pre-Filter for SAR; Autonomous Navigation by a Mobile Robot; Software Would Largely Automate Design of Kalman Filter; Predicting Flows of Rarefied Gases; Centralized Planning for Multiple Exploratory Robots; Electronic Router; Piezo-Operated Shutter Mechanism Moves 1.5 cm; Two SMA-Actuated Miniature Mechanisms; Vortobots; Ultrasonic/Sonic Jackhammer; Removing Pathogens Using Nano-Ceramic-Fiber Filters; Satellite-Derived Management Zones; Digital Equivalent Data System for XRF Labeling of Objects; Identifying Objects via Encased X-Ray-Fluorescent Materials - the Bar Code Inside; Vacuum Attachment for XRF Scanner; Simultaneous Conoscopic Holography and Raman Spectroscopy; Adding GaAs Monolayers to InAs Quantum-Dot Lasers on (001) InP; Vibrating Optical Fibers to Make Laser Speckle Disappear; Adaptive Filtering Using Recurrent Neural Networks; and Applying Standard Interfaces to a Process-Control Language.

Source record↗

WiP Abstract: Edge-Based Privacy of Naturalistic Driving Data Collection

Collecting large driving datasets is important for data-driven transportation research and studied in naturalistic driving [3]. Due to the standard implementation of a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus for a vehicle’s inter-module communication, many off-the-shelf devices can easily transform a vehicle into a rich data collection utility [2]. Vehicles with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) are an example of a feature resulting in emergent traffic behavior when scaled [4]. While these utilities were designed with particular data use cases, data may be publicly shared to benefit other researchers through online tools like CyVerse [1]. However, such data should only be shared when any private information is removed. This private information may exist as a set of GPS coordinates, since the start and end points of a trip may designate a driver’s place of residence or work. When considering larger continuously-collected data sets with a focus on naturalistic driving, many drivers are needed to make data collection feasible. Removal of private information becomes much more of a challenge since every driver may uniquely define their geographic privacy. This project aims to build upon the foundation of libpanda [2] by adding features of edge-based data privacy enforcement. In it’s current form, libpanda uses a GPS in conjunction with a CAN interface to record data. Libpanda feature s a set of startup and shutdown scripts to perform automatic data collection and upload. With additional support hardware on a Raspberry Pi, the Pi can maintain power on vehicle shutdown to automatically upload data before shutdown.

Bunting, Matt↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-31816-DND

A net-centric air space system or architecture is a continuously evolving environment in which people, devices, information, and services are interconnected via a communications network. Inherent in this type of domain is an overwhelming amount of various forms of data that can provide decision makers, pilots, and air traffic controllers with superior awareness concerning events and conditions within it. Assisting a flight crew in gathering, organizing, and disseminating these data expeditiously is imperative and calls for implementation of technologies such as Increasingly Autonomous Systems designed to support future flight operations conducted within a net-centric national air space system.

Vincent E Houston↗

Design of automation tools for management of descent traffic

The design of an automated air traffic control system based on a hierarchy of advisory tools for controllers is described. Compatibility of the tools with the human controller, a key objective of the design, is achieved by a judicious selection of tasks to be automated and careful attention to the design of the controller system interface. The design comprises three interconnected subsystems referred to as the Traffic Management Advisor, the Descent Advisor, and the Final Approach Spacing Tool. Each of these subsystems provides a collection of tools for specific controller positions and tasks. This paper focuses primarily on the Descent Advisor which provides automation tools for managing descent traffic. The algorithms, automation modes, and graphical interfaces incorporated in the design are described. Information generated by the Descent Advisor tools is integrated into a plan view traffic display consisting of a high-resolution color monitor. Estimated arrival times of aircraft are presented graphically on a time line, which is also used interactively in combination with a mouse input device to select and schedule arrival times. Other graphical markers indicate the location of the fuel-optimum top-of-descent point and the predicted separation distances of aircraft at a designated time-control point. Computer generated advisories provide speed and descent clearances which the controller can issue to aircraft to help them arrive at the feeder gate at the scheduled times or with specified separation distances. Two types of horizontal guidance modes, selectable by the controller, provide markers for managing the horizontal flightpaths of aircraft under various conditions. The entire system consisting of descent advisor algorithm, a library of aircraft performance models, national airspace system data bases, and interactive display software has been implemented on a workstation made by Sun Microsystems, Inc. It is planned to use this configuration in operational evaluations at an en route center.

Erzberger, Heinz↗

Experimental Test Bed to Enable Realistic Evaluations for Direct Transfer Trip Relaying via Private Wireless LTE Communications

Increasing penetration levels of inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) in distribution systems are creating challenges in system operation. Currently, wired or proprietary wireless communications are used by advanced distribution management systems (ADMS) to detect the state of the system and control the DERs for optimal operation. Wireless communications are an alternative solution that can enable connectivity between the dispersed assets used in distribution system applications. This paper demonstrates an experimental test bed to enable the realistic evaluation of communications system characteristics for direct transfer trip (DTT) relaying of a photovoltaic inverter system using a private 900-MHz spectrum wireless LTE network. Private LTE network communications can be deployed to many remote DERs and other grid-edge devices to prevent costly infrastructure upgrades across distribution systems. In addition, this paper provides a framework for evaluating the impact of signal strength and network traffic in communications systems. The results shown develop a better understanding of the best practices for using LTE communications systems across multiple utility applications, such as protective relaying, voltage regulation, and supervisory control and data acquisition system messages.

900-MHz LTE network↗

Experimental Test Bed to Enable Realistic Evaluations for Direct Transfer Trip Relaying via Private Wireless LTE Communications: Preprint

Increasing penetration levels of inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) in distribution systems are creating challenges in system operation. Currently, wired or proprietary wireless communications are used by advanced distribution management systems (ADMS) to detect the state of the system and control the DERs for optimal operation. Wireless communications are an alternative solution that can enable connectivity between the dispersed assets used in distribution system applications. This paper demonstrates an experimental test bed to enable the realistic evaluation of communications system characteristics for direct transfer trip (DTT) relaying of a photovoltaic inverter system using a private 900-MHz spectrum wireless LTE network. Private LTE network communications can be deployed to many remote DERs and other grid-edge devices to prevent costly infrastructure upgrades across distribution systems. In addition, this paper provides a framework for evaluating the impact of signal strength and network traffic in communications systems. The results shown develop a better understanding of the best practices for using LTE communications systems across multiple utility applications, such as protective relaying, voltage regulation, and supervisory control and data acquisition system messages.

900 MHz LTE network↗

Experimental Test Bed to Enable Realistic Evaluations for Direct Transfer Trip Relaying via Private Wireless LTE Communications

Increasing penetration levels of inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) in distribution systems are creating challenges in system operation. Currently, wired or proprietary wireless communications are used by advanced distribution management systems (ADMS) to detect the state of the system and control the DERs for optimal operation. Wireless communications are an alternative solution that can enable connectivity between the dispersed assets used in distribution system applications. This paper demonstrates an experimental test bed to enable the realistic evaluation of communications system characteristics for direct transfer trip (DTT) relaying of a photovoltaic inverter system using a private 900-MHz spectrum wireless LTE network. Private LTE network communications can be deployed to many remote DERs and other grid-edge devices to prevent costly infrastructure upgrades across distribution systems. In addition, this paper provides a framework for evaluating the impact of signal strength and network traffic in communications systems. The results shown develop a better understanding of the best practices for using LTE communications systems across multiple utility applications, such as protective relaying, voltage regulation, and supervisory control and data acquisition system messages.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

MMPP Traffic Generator for the Testing of the SCAR 2 Fast Packet Switch

A prototype MWP Traffic Generator (TG) has been designed for testing of the COMSAT-supplied SCAR II Fast Packet Switch. By generating packets distributed according to a Markov-Modulated Poisson Process (MMPP) model. it allows the assessment of the switch performance under traffic conditions that are more realistic than could be generated using the COMSAT-supplied Traffic Generator Module. The MMPP model is widely believed to model accurately real-world superimposed voice and data communications traffic. The TG was designed to be as much as possible of a "drop-in" replacement for the COMSAT Traffic Generator Module. The latter fit on two Altera EPM7256EGC 192-pin CPLDs and produced traffic for one switch input port. No board changes are necessary because it has been partitioned to use the existing board traces. The TG, consisting of parts "TGDATPROC" and "TGRAMCTL" must merely be reprogrammed into the Altera devices of the same name. However, the 040 controller software must be modified to provide TG initialization data. This data will be given in Section II.

Chren, William A., Jr.↗

Strym: A Python Package for Real-time CAN Data Logging, Analysis and Visualization to Work with USB-CAN Interface

In this report, we describe a data analysis tool developed for decoding and analyzing vehicle data obtained from a passenger vehicle’s onboard controller area network (CAN) bus. The tool developed in this paper provides a timeseries framework to perform domain-specific analysis at scale when interpreting data from a vehicle or a collection of vehicles in light of how to design intelligent vehicle applications. The tool, called Strym, exploits the CAN bus mechanism of modern vehicles to capture data using commercially available CAN-to-USB hardware Comma.ai Panda devices, managed through open-source software Libpanda. Strym permits the decoding of vendor-specific CAN messages in a vehicle-agnostic manner. Through this, a researcher can characterize data throughput, assess data quality, and perform analyses. Such analyses are useful in a number of research such as studying human driving behavior in mixed-autonomy, new driver models, rare-event detection, traffic flow estimation, and custom control of vehicles.

Performance evaluation, Smart cities, Intelligent ↗

NASA Tech Briefs, November 2004

Topics include: Multifunction Imaging and Spectroscopic Instrument; Position-Finding Instrument Built Around a Magnetometer; Improved Measurement of Dispersion in an Optical Fiber; Probe for Sampling of Interstitial Fluid From Bone; Neuropsychological Testing of Astronauts; Method of Calibration for a Large Cathetometer System; Four-Channel PC/104 MIL-STD-1553 Circuit Board; Improved Method of Locating Defects in Wiring Insulation; Strobe Traffic Lights Warn of Approaching Emergency Vehicles; Improved Timing Scheme for Spaceborne Precipitation Radar; Concept for Multiple-Access Free-Space Laser Communications; Variable Shadow Screens for Imaging Optical Devices; Verifying Diagnostic Software; Initial Processing of Infrared Spectral Data; Activity-Centric Approach to Distributed Programming; Controlling Distributed Planning; New Material for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy; Treated Carbon Nanofibers for Storing Energy in Aqueous KOH; Advanced Infant Car Seat Would Increase Highway Safety; Development of Biomorphic Flyers; Second-Generation Six-Limbed Experimental Robot; Miniature Linear Actuator for Small Spacecraft; Process for Making Single-Domain Magnetite Crystals; A New Process for Fabricating Random Silicon Nanotips; Resin-Transfer-Molding of a Tool Face; Improved Phase-Mask Fabrication of Fiber Bragg Gratings; Tool for Insertion of a Fiber-Optic Terminus in a Connector; Nanofluidic Size-Exclusion Chromatograph; Lightweight, Low-CTE Tubes Made From Biaxially Oriented LCPs; Using Redundancy To Reduce Errors in Magnetometer Readings; Compact Instrument for Measuring Profile of a Light Beam; Multilayer Dielectric Transmissive Optical Phase Modulator; Second-Generation Multi-Angle Imaging Spectroradiometer; Real-Time Adaptive Color Segmentation by Neural Networks; Research and Development in Optical Communications; Tests of Multibeam Scintillation Mitigation on Laser Uplinks; and Spaceborne Infrared Atmospheric Sounder.

Source record↗

A Mobile Edge Computing Framework for Traffic Optimization At Urban Intersections Through Cyber-Physical Integration

The stop-and-go traffic pattern on urban roads often results in excessive energy consumption because of unnecessary vehicle braking, idling, and accelerations. With the widespread and increased use of automobiles, this traffic pattern creates many negative impacts (e.g., delayed travel time, air pollution, and additional carbon emission) on the sustainability of our cities. Taking advantage of the recent emerging Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing paradigms, we propose a mobile edge computing framework that integrates the capability of real-time vehicle-to-infrastructure communication and intelligent speed optimization algorithms into a mobile app to optimize individual vehicles' driving speed at signalized intersections. The optimization aims to mitigate the stop-and-go traffic pattern and its undesirable consequences in urban transportation systems. The framework consists of (1) a cyberinfrastructure-enabled dynamic messaging system for retrieving and delivering real-time traffic and signal phase and timing information from IoT-connected signal controllers and sensors, (2) a real-time speed optimization algorithm for generating intelligent speed advisory using vehicle's information (e.g., GPS and driving directions from mobile sensing) and corresponding signal and traffic information, and (3) an ad-hoc mobile computing environment that converts drivers' smartphones into edge devices to host the speed optimization algorithms for enabling intelligent advisory on the vehicle's driving speed within signalized corridors. The paper presents the design and implementation of the proposed framework. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility, usefulness, and energy-saving benefits of our proposed framework and its prototyping mobile app on urban transportation systems through traffic simulation, real-vehicle laboratory experiments, an evaluative survey, and field communication tests. The simulation-based energy evaluation results show that the 100% usage of the mobile app can achieve 24% energy savings in the transportation system.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Down-to-Earth Benefits of Space Exploration: Past, Present, Future

A ventricular device that helps a weakened heart keep pumping while awaiting a transplant. A rescue tool for extracting victims from dangerous situations such as car wrecks. A video analysis tool used to investigate the bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. A sound-differentiation tool for safer air traffic control. A refrigerator that run without electricity or batteries. These are just a few of the spin-offs of NASA technology that have benefited society in recent years. Now, as NASA sets its vision on space exploration, particularly of the moon and Mars, even more benefits to society are possible. This expansion of societal benefits is tied to a new emphasis on technology infusion or spin-in. NASA is seeking partners with industry, universities, and other government laboratories to help the Agency address its specific space exploration needs in five areas: (1) advanced studies, concepts, and tools; (2) advanced materials; (3) communications, computing, electronics, and imaging; (4) software, intelligent systems, and modeling; and (5) power, propulsion, and chemical systems. These spin-in partnerships will offer benefits to U.S. economic development as well as new products for the global market. As a complement to these spin-in benefits, NASA also is examining the possible future spin-outs of the innovations related to its new space exploration mission. A matrix that charts NASA's needs against various business sectors is being developed to fully understand the implications for society and industry of spin-in and spin-out. This matrix already has been used to help guide NASA s efforts to secure spin-in partnerships. This paper presents examples of NASA spin-offs, discusses NASA s present spin-in/spin-out projects for pursuing partnerships, and considers some of the future societal benefits to be reaped from these partnerships. This paper will complement the proposed paper by Frank Schowengerdt on the Innovative Partnerships Program structure and how to work with the PP.

Neumann, Benjamin↗

Network traffic control for multi-homed end-hosts via SDN

Software-defined networking (SDN) is an emerging technology of efficiently controlling and managing computer networks, such as in data centres, wide-area networks, as well as in ubiquitous communication. In this study, the authors explore the idea of embedding the SDN components, represented by SDN controller and virtual switch, in end-hosts to improve network performance. In particular, the authors consider load balancing across multiple network interfaces on end-hosts with different link capacity scenarios. The authors have explored and implemented different SDN-based load-balancing approaches based on OpenFlow software switches, and have demonstrated the feasibility and the potential of this approach. The proposed system has been evaluated with MultiPath transmission control protocol (MPTCP). Furthermore, the proposed results demonstrated the potential of applying the SDN concepts on multi-homed devices resulting in an increase in achieved throughput of 55% compared to the legacy single network approach and 10% compared to the MPTCP.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Advanced Interactive Display formats for Terminal Area Traffic Control

This report describes the basic design considerations for perspective Air Traffic Control displays. A software framework has been developed for manual viewing parameter setting (MVPS) in preparation for continued, ongoing developments on automated viewing parameter setting (AVPS) schemes. Two distinct modes of MVPS operations are considered, both of which utilize manipulation pointers imbedded in the three-dimensional scene: (1) direct manipulation of the viewing parameters; in this mode the manipulation pointers act like the control-input device, through which the viewing parameter changes are made. Part of the parameters are rate controlled, and part of them position controlled. This mode is intended for making fast, iterative small changes in the parameters. (2) indirect manipulation of the viewing parameters. This mode is intended primarily for introducing large, predetermined changes in the parameters. Requests for changes in viewing parameter setting are entered manually by the operator by moving viewing parameter manipulation pointers on the screen. The motion of these pointers, which are an integral part of the 3-D scene, is limited to the boundaries of screen. This arrangement has been chosen, in order to preserve the correspondence between the spatial lay-outs of the new and the old viewing parameter setting, a feature which contributes to preventing spatial disorientation of the operator. For all viewing operations, e.g. rotation, translation and ranging, the actual change is executed automatically by the system, through gradual transitions with an exponentially damped, sinusoidal velocity profile, in this work referred to as 'slewing' motions. The slewing functions, which eliminate discontinuities in the viewing parameter changes, are designed primarily for enhancing the operator's impression that he, or she, is dealing with an actually existing physical system, rather than an abstract computer-generated scene, The proposed, continued research efforts will deal with the development of automated viewing parameter setting schemes. These schemes employ an optimization strategy, aimed at identifying the best possible vantage point, from which the Air Traffic Control scene can be viewed for a given traffic situation. They determine whether a change in viewing parameter setting is required and determine the dynamic path along which the change to the new viewing parameter setting should take place.

Grunwald, Arthur J.↗

Advanced interactive display formats for terminal area traffic control

This report describes the basic design considerations for perspective air traffic control displays. A software framework has been developed for manual viewing parameter setting (MVPS) in preparation for continued, ongoing developments on automated viewing parameter setting (AVPS) schemes. Two distinct modes of MVPS operations are considered, both of which utilize manipulation pointers imbedded in the three-dimensional scene: (1) direct manipulation of the viewing parameters -- in this mode the manipulation pointers act like the control-input device, through which the viewing parameter changes are made. Part of the parameters are rate controlled, and part of them position controlled. This mode is intended for making fast, iterative small changes in the parameters. (2) Indirect manipulation of the viewing parameters -- this mode is intended primarily for introducing large, predetermined changes in the parameters. Requests for changes in viewing parameter setting are entered manually by the operator by moving viewing parameter manipulation pointers on the screen. The motion of these pointers, which are an integral part of the 3-D scene, is limited to the boundaries of the screen. This arrangement has been chosen in order to preserve the correspondence between the spatial lay-outs of the new and the old viewing parameter setting, a feature which contributes to preventing spatial disorientation of the operator. For all viewing operations, e.g. rotation, translation and ranging, the actual change is executed automatically by the system, through gradual transitions with an exponentially damped, sinusoidal velocity profile, in this work referred to as 'slewing' motions. The slewing functions, which eliminate discontinuities in the viewing parameter changes, are designed primarily for enhancing the operator's impression that he, or she, is dealing with an actually existing physical system, rather than an abstract computer-generated scene. The proposed, continued research efforts will deal with the development of automated viewing parameter setting schemes. These schemes employ an optimization strategy, aimed at identifying the best possible vantage point, from which the air traffic control scene can be viewed for a given traffic situation. They determine whether a change in viewing parameter setting is required and determine the dynamic path along which the change to the new viewing parameter setting should take place.

Grunwald, Arthur J.↗

Traffic Monitor

Intelligent Vision Systems, Inc. (InVision) needed image acquisition technology that was reliable in bad weather for its TDS-200 Traffic Detection System. InVision researchers used information from NASA Tech Briefs and assistance from Johnson Space Center to finish the system. The NASA technology used was developed for Earth-observing imaging satellites: charge coupled devices, in which silicon chips convert light directly into electronic or digital images. The TDS-200 consists of sensors mounted above traffic on poles or span wires, enabling two sensors to view an intersection; a "swing and sway" feature to compensate for movement of the sensors; a combination of electronic shutter and gain control; and sensor output to an image digital signal processor, still frame video and optionally live video.

Source record↗