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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.

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At least 127 records · Page 7

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NASA NTRS1989

Helicopters and VTOL. I

Performance projections into the next half-century of VTOL aircraft design are presently made on the basis of recent design trends. Attention is given to the technology-development and commercial prospects for tilt-rotor, thrust-vectoring hover, lighter-than-air, and speculative electromagnetic-propulsion, remotely-beamed power systems. Highly automated air traffic control systems are envisioned which will incorporate AI, satellite positioning, synthetic vision, obstacle detection/avoidance and fiber-optic transmission to safely manage giant airborne mass-transit commuter systems. It is expected that tilt-rotor aircraft will become the dominant VTOL configuration as time passes.

Burks, John S.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Automated Airspace Management: Concept, Development, and Testing

For many decades, researchers at NASA Ames Research Center have worked to make the air-transportation system more efficient, predictable, and effective. Since about 2005 one important aspect of this research has been the development of an autonomous system for air-traffic control. This system, known as the Autoresolver, is designed to perform most of the roles that air-traffic controllers perform including ensuring separation between aircraft, creating routes around weather and other avoidance volumes, and sequencing and scheduling aircraft across points in space. The recent, rapid expansion of new aircraft operations and types, including urban air mobility aircraft and small unmanned aerial systems, have only increased the need for highly automated systems to control the predicted traffic demand. This talk will focus on the development of the Autoresolver - from concept to testing. It will also discuss the National Airspace (NAS) Digital Twin simulation platform, created to facilitate rapid testing and improvement of the algorithm and with the hope of proving the automation in a high-fidelity environment. An open question that will be discussed is how to ensure that the system-level emergent behavior of independently developed autonomous algorithms is what is desired.

autonomy↗

NASA NTRS1978

Pointing and control technology needs for future automated space systems

Future automated space missions present challenging opportunities in the pointing and control technology disciplines. A NASA-OAST sponsored study at JPL, identified and assessed the enabling pointing and control system technologies for missions from 1985 to year 2000. A generic mission set including earth orbiter, planetary, and other missions which predominantly drive the pointing and control requirements was selected for detailed evaluation. Technology candidates identified in the study are discussed.

Dahlgren, J. B.↗

NASA NTRS1990

A star pattern recognition algorithm for autonomous attitude determination

The star-pattern recognition algorithm presented allows the advanced Full-sky Autonomous Star Tracker (FAST) device, such as the projected ASTROS II system of the Mariner Mark II planetary spacecraft, to reliably ascertain attitude about all three axes. An ASTROS II-based FAST, possessing an 11.5 x 11.5 deg field of view and 8-arcsec accuracy, can when integrated with an all-sky data base of 4100 guide stars determine its attitude in about 1 sec, with a success rate close to 100 percent. The present recognition algorithm can also be used for automating the acquisition of celestial targets by astronomy telescopes, autonomously updating the attitude of gyro-based attitude control systems, and automating ground-based attitude reconstruction.

Van Bezooijen, R. W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Automation effects in a multiloop manual control system

An experimental and analytical study was undertaken to investigate human interaction with a simple multiloop manual control system in which the human's activity was systematically varied by changing the level of automation. The system simulated was the longitudinal dynamics of a hovering helicopter. The automation-systems-stabilized vehicle responses from attitude to velocity to position and also provided for display automation in the form of a flight director. The control-loop structure resulting from the task definition can be considered a simple stereotype of a hierarchical control system. The experimental study was complemented by an analytical modeling effort which utilized simple crossover models of the human operator. It was shown that such models can be extended to the description of multiloop tasks involving preview and precognitive human operator behavior. The existence of time optimal manual control behavior was established for these tasks and the role which internal models may play in establishing human-machine performance was discussed.

Hess, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

A Tool for Requirements-Based Programming

Absent a general method for mathematically sound, automated transformation of customer requirements into a formal model of the desired system, developers must resort to either manual application of formal methods or to system testing (either manual or automated). While formal methods have afforded numerous successes, they present serious issues, e.g., costs to gear up to apply them (time, expensive staff), and scalability and reproducibility when standards in the field are not settled. The testing path cannot be walked to the ultimate goal, because exhaustive testing is infeasible for all but trivial systems. So system verification remains problematic. System or requirements validation is similarly problematic. The alternatives available today depend on either having a formal model or pursuing enough testing to enable the customer to be certain that system behavior meets requirements. The testing alternative for non-trivial systems always have some system behaviors unconfirmed and therefore is not the answer. To ensure that a formal model is equivalent to the customer s requirements necessitates that the customer somehow fully understands the formal model, which is not realistic. The predominant view that provably correct system development depends on having a formal model of the system leads to a desire for a mathematically sound method to automate the transformation of customer requirements into a formal model. Such a method, an augmentation of requirements-based programming, will be briefly described in this paper, and a prototype tool to support it will be described. The method and tool enable both requirements validation and system verification for the class of systems whose behavior can be described as scenarios. An application of the tool to a prototype automated ground control system for NASA mission is presented.

Rash, James L.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Sensor Validation Software

Under a Small Business Innovation Research contract from Lewis Research Center, Expert Microsystems, Inc. developed SureSense, real-time sensor data validation software. This ultra-reliable control and sensing system product was produced through a partnership in 1994 between Expert Microsystems and Intelligent Software Associates, Inc. SureSense was created in response to a NASA need for verifying the reliability of sensor input that operated advanced automation and control systems. The immediate applications included improving the safety and reliability of Space Shuttle Main Engine operations. The company has structured the software to enable application to virtually any process control environment, such as computer integrated manufacturing, power plants, and hazardous gas sensing and control systems.

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NASA NTRS1994

VSTOL Systems Research Aircraft (VSRA) Harrier

NASA's Ames Research Center has developed and is testing a new integrated flight and propulsion control system that will help pilots land aircraft in adverse weather conditions and in small confined ares (such as, on a small ship or flight deck). The system is being tested in the V/STOL (Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing) Systems research Aircraft (VSRA), which is a modified version of the U.S. Marine Corps's AV-8B Harrier jet fighter, which can take off and land vertically. The new automated flight control system features both head-up and panel-mounted computer displays and also automatically integrates control of the aircraft's thrust and thrust vector control, thereby reducing the pilot's workload and help stabilize the aircraft for landing. Visiting pilots will be encouraged to test the new system and provide formal evaluation flights data and feedback. An actual flight test and the display panel of control system are shown in this video.

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NASA NTRS1992

Automated Power-Distribution System

Autonomous power-distribution system includes power-control equipment and automation equipment. System automatically schedules connection of power to loads and reconfigures itself when it detects fault. Potential terrestrial applications include optimization of consumption of power in homes, power supplies for autonomous land vehicles and vessels, and power supplies for automated industrial processes.

Ashworth, Barry↗

NASA NTRS1987

An expert system for air traffic control system

The objective was to design a control logic which automates all or part of the guidance function for air traffic control systems. Particular interest was focused on automation of the terminal area control system. A preliminary study was done on the development of an expert system. The system may be used to assist controllers by providing them with feasible options in guiding each aircraft in the control area to its desired destination.

Sensui, Takashi↗

NASA NTRS1993

Investigation of cloud/water vapor motion winds from geostationary satellite

This report summarizes the research work accomplished on the NASA grant contract NAG8-892 during 1992. Research goals of this contract are the following: to complete upgrades to the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) wind system procedures for assigning heights and incorporating first guess information; to evaluate these modifications using simulated tracer fields; to add an automated quality control system to minimize the need for manual editing, while maintaining product quality; and to benchmark the upgraded algorithm in tests with NMC and/or MSFC. Work progressed on all these tasks and is detailed. This work was done in collaboration with CIMSS NOAA/NESDIS scientists working on the operational winds software, so that NASA funded research can benefit NESDIS operational algorithms.

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NASA NTRS1979

An approach to automated longwall mining

The longwall system of mining coal, providing advantages in the areas of productivity as well as health and safety, is described, and technological developments leading to a full automation of the system are discussed. In the longwall system large blocks of coal (up to 600 feet wide and up to 5000 feet long) are developed, with each block mined out by taking successive slices across the short dimension of the block and loading the broken coal onto a conveyor. A self-advancing system supports the roof over the length of the face throughout cutting and loading, with the supports advanced with the face, and the roof allowed to collapse behind them. A double-ranging drum longwall shearer provides the system with an efficient yaw, roll, and variable-thickness vertical control. Currently two machine operators function as error detectors and controllers. It is shown that electronic sensors can lead to a fully automated vertical control system, and automatic roll control is achievable with available instruments and machine tilt actuators.

Palowitch, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Performance consequences of automation-induced 'complacency'

The effect of variations in the reliability of an automated monitoring system on human operator detection of automation failures was examined in two experiments. For four 30-min sessions, 40 subjects performed an IBM PC-based flight simulation that included manual tracking and fuel-management tasks, as well as a system-monitoring task that was under automation control. Automation reliability - the percentage of system malfunctions detected by the automation routine - either remained constant at a low or high level over time or alternated every 10 min from low to high. Operator detection of automation failures was substantially worse for constant-reliability than for variable-reliability automation after about 20 min under automation control, indicating that the former condition induced 'complacency'. When system monitoring was the only task, detection was very efficient and was unaffected by variations in automation reliability. The results provide the first empirical evidence of the performance consequences of automation-induced 'complacency'. We relate findings to operator attitudes toward automation and discuss implications for cockpit automation design.

Parasuraman, Raja↗

NASA NTRS1996

A Framework for Modeling Human-Machine Interactions

Modern automated flight-control systems employ a variety of different behaviors, or modes, for managing the flight. While developments in cockpit automation have resulted in workload reduction and economical advantages, they have also given rise to an ill-defined class of human-machine problems, sometimes referred to as 'automation surprises'. Our interest in applying formal methods for describing human-computer interaction stems from our ongoing research on cockpit automation. In this area of aeronautical human factors, there is much concern about how flight crews interact with automated flight-control systems, so that the likelihood of making errors, in particular mode-errors, is minimized and the consequences of such errors are contained. The goal of the ongoing research on formal methods in this context is: (1) to develop a framework for describing human interaction with control systems; (2) to formally categorize such automation surprises; and (3) to develop tests for identification of these categories early in the specification phase of a new human-machine system.

Shafto, Michael G.↗

NASA NTRS2010

High-resolution, continuous field-of-view (FOV), non-rotating imaging system

A high resolution CMOS imaging system especially suitable for use in a periscope head. The imaging system includes a sensor head for scene acquisition, and a control apparatus inclusive of distributed processors and software for device-control, data handling, and display. The sensor head encloses a combination of wide field-of-view CMOS imagers and narrow field-of-view CMOS imagers. Each bank of imagers is controlled by a dedicated processing module in order to handle information flow and image analysis of the outputs of the camera system. The imaging system also includes automated or manually controlled display system and software for providing an interactive graphical user interface (GUI) that displays a full 360-degree field of view and allows the user or automated ATR system to select regions for higher resolution inspection.

Huntsberger, Terrance L.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Automatic tools for system testing

As spacecraft control and other space-related ground systems become increasingly complex, the effort required in testing and validation also increases. Implementation of a spacecraft control system normally involves a number of incremental deliveries. In addition kernel or general purpose software may also be involved, which must itself be considered in the integration and testing program. Tools can be used to assist this testing. These can reduce the effort required or alternatively they can ensure that for a given level of effort, a better job is done. Great benefit could be derived by automating certain types of testing (interactive software) which up to now has been performed manually at a terminal. This paper reports on an on-going study. The study examines means of automating spacecraft control system testing, evaluates relevant commercial tools and aims to prototype basic automatic testing functions.

Peccia, N. M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Automation of the Environmental Control and Life Support System

The objective of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Advanced Automation Project is to recommend and develop advanced software for the initial and evolutionary Space Station Freedom (SSF) ECLS system which will minimize the crew and ground manpower needed for operations. Another objective includes capturing ECLSS design and development knowledge for future missions. This report summarizes our results from Phase I, the ECLSS domain analysis phase, which we broke down into three steps: 1) Analyze and document the baselined ECLS system, 2) envision as our goal an evolution to a fully automated regenerative life support system, built upon an augmented baseline, and 3) document the augmentations (hooks and scars) and advanced software systems which we see as necessary in achieving minimal manpower support for ECLSS operations. In addition, Phase I included development of an advanced software life cycle testing tools will be used in the development of the software. In this way, we plan in preparation for phase II and III, the development and integration phases, respectively. Automated knowledge acquisition, engineering, verification, and can capture ECLSS development knowledge for future use, develop more robust and complex software, provide feedback to the KBS tool community, and insure proper visibility of our efforts.

Dewberry, Brandon S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Digital-flight-control-system software written in automated-engineering-design language: A user's guide of verification and validation tools

The user guide of verification and validation (V&V) tools for the Automated Engineering Design (AED) language is specifically written to update the information found in several documents pertaining to the automated verification of flight software tools. The intent is to provide, in one document, all the information necessary to adequately prepare a run to use the AED V&V tools. No attempt is made to discuss the FORTRAN V&V tools since they were not updated and are not currently active. Additionally, the current descriptions of the AED V&V tools are contained and provides information to augment the NASA TM 84276. The AED V&V tools are accessed from the digital flight control systems verification laboratory (DFCSVL) via a PDP-11/60 digital computer. The AED V&V tool interface handlers on the PDP-11/60 generate a Univac run stream which is transmitted to the Univac via a Remote Job Entry (RJE) link. Job execution takes place on the Univac 1100 and the job output is transmitted back to the DFCSVL and stored as a PDP-11/60 printfile.

Saito, Jim↗