Although originally developed for weapon aiming purposes, the head-up displays (huds) have evolved to include symbolic content for tasks which demand precision flight control under instrument conditions as well as visual conditions. to provide the pilot with useable cues for safe, precise instrument… More

The outside visual cues required to hover a helicopter or v/stol and to land a fixed wing aircraft using artificial displays in a simulation environment. experience has shown that even with the most advanced multiple window, computer generated displays, pilots have a considerably more difficult time… More

Proposed herein is the development of a multi-stage decision and control mathematical model of pilot/vehicle interaction that can be used in conceptual studies, preliminary design, flying qualities research, problem analysis, flight safety, human error and reliability assessments, etc. the proposed… More

Many control theories exist, and most have been tried at one time or another with aircraft dynamics as the plant in illustrative exeercises. very, very few are applied to flight control analysis and synthesis. a useful, unified theory must cope with many, often conflicting complexities unique to the… More

Drunk driving represents a serious public health and traffic safety problem in the united states, and this research plan addresses one specific countermeasure: drinking guides to be used by motorists to determine their bac (blood alcohol concentration). it is presumed that informed motorists will… More

No abstract at this time

The project covers the development of an analytical model and theory of human error for aeronautical systems comprising on-board and off-platform humans, aircraft, and traffic control/communication/navigation/flight control system elements. the theory is intended to characterize supervisory,… More

Nap-of-the-earth (noe) flight in a conventional helicopter is extremely taxing for two pilots under visual conditions. developing a single pilot all-weather noe capability will require a fully automatic noe navigation and flight control capability for which innovative guidance and control concepts… More

A plan is proposed for developing an interactive computer-aided knowledge base for aeronautical display content, format, and arrangement factors, both quantitative and qualitative, in terms of prescribed critical flight mission phases and tasks. the plan addresses two topics: (1) the role of expert… More

With pilots facing increasingly demanding managerial situations in flight, the attention required for manual control must be minimized by providing the best possible flying qualities. the approach presented here to accomplishthis involves the invention and applications of task-oriented flight… More

Much of the motivations for recent developments in general theory for assessing robustness of linear multi-variable control systems comes from flight control system design for aerospace vehicles, which present the designer with many uncertain and highly variable properties. for the assimilation of… More

The goal of the proposed research is to refine an improved method of estimating, in a near-real-time manner, modal frequencies and damping ratios of randomly excited aeroelastic vibrations from flight test measurements. the estimation method operates without knowledge of the random excitation, as… More

Since atmospheric disturbances can have a large impact on the flying qualities of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, real-time aircraft training and research simulators must incorporate models of these disturbances that are appropriate to the vehicles and flying tasks. in simulating… More

The current fixed-wing military flying qualities specification, mil-std-1797, has certain limitations with respect to the connection between specific elements of the mission(s), and the criterial. a specification format and methodology is proposed to improve this shortcoming. the following issues… More

The airwake velocity field in the recovery envelope for aviation-capable ships is extremely complex. turbulent vortices generated by the ship's superstructure change direction and intensity with the magnitude and direction of the wind over deck (wod) as well as with the pitching and rolling motions… More

The design, development, and implementation of a real-time method to forecast future quiescent intervals in ship motion is proposed for v/stol aircraft recovery operations aboard air-capable ships. the method uses only measured ship motions and provides a rational basis in time-optimal control… More

Research is required to identify the minimum external field of view required by the pilot for manually controlled approaches to and landings on runways using only aircraft performance indicators and external visual cues derived from runway site geometry together with external visual approach and… More

The impact of differences between advanced digital fly-by-wire (dbfw) and conventional transport aircraft on airworthiness requirements and certification flight testing will be enumerated, illustrated and analyzed. potential solutions, or research steps required to obtain solutions, to the… More

The proposed work addresses specific issues related to aircraft stability during configuration changes, damage control and configuration management which have received incomplete treatment in existing aircraft flight controller systems design. the approach we have selected utilizes neural net… More

In america today, there is considerable concern over impairment in the transportation system work force, and the effect this impairment might have on safety and productivity. alcohol impairment has been a traditional problem and drugs have become increasingly more prevalent inthe last decade. when… More

U.s. navy rotorcraft have the unique problem of maneuvering for safe landing onboard ships that are rolling, pitching, and heaving (depending on the ship, its heading, and the sea state) . this two-body dynamic situation is further complicated by the aerodynamic wakes generated from the ship-s deck… More

Although it is widely known that neural networks have, in specific cases, demonstrated performance superior to traditional methods of time series prediction, there is still much to be learned with respect to their application to problems where the dynamics of the underlying system are… More

There ia a dichotomy between the government approach to the specification of aircraft flying qualities and the requirements for mission effectiveness. The present military standard for flying qualities of piloted air vehicles, MIL-STD-1797A, is a comprehensive document that has evolved over the past… More

The U.S. Army is currently developing a Second Generation Comprehensive Helicopter Analysis System (2GCHAS) to provide significant improvements in helicopter analysis capability, but it is currently restricted to simplified flight control system models. The technical objective of the Phase I work is… More

An original approach to application of active control in fighter maneuvering is proposed. This will involve a problem-driven design process tailored to exploit new developments in robust multivariable control theory to serve the needs of real world flight control design. This process emphasizes the… More

For the military helicopter in combat, the loss of a control surface under any circumstance usually translates into either an emergency landing or complete loss of control. A critical factor in determining the pilot's chance of maintaining control is the level of redundancy in control effectors, or… More

This proposal concerns the development of an unobtrusive drive eye monitoring system (udems). an unobtrusive eyeball/eyelid movement sensor has already been developed that amounts to three electrodes mounted in a headband. the electrodes need no preparation, and the sensor provides strong, relaible… More

Since atmospheric disturbances can have a large impact on the flying qualities of fixedand rotary-wing aircraft, real-time aircraft training and research simulators must incorporate models of these disturbances that are appropriate to the vehicles and flying tasks. in simulating nap-of-the-earth… More

Rotorcraft shipboard landing task simulation requires a satisfactory level of fidelity for each simulator component. The components include the aircraft mathematical model, enviromental models, the simulator visual system, the motion system, the cockpit, associated computers, and component… More

Development of advanced flight control laws for aircraft is outpacing the evolution of the military flying qualities specifications. The use of task-tailored designs and extended flight envelopes has resulted in aircraft whose characteristics are on, or beyond, the edges of applicability of the… More

This proposal presents a plan to advance precision cargo airdrop technology. This plan has been based on an examination of the state-of-the-art as it is currently evolving in operations such as Bosnia. This information has been used to identify needs and requirements to be addressed with advanced… More

The technical objective of the Phase I effort described herein is to determine whether a "virtual" improvement in the E-2C aircraft flying qualities in the carrier environment can be achieved by having the pilot use a head-up display (HUD). In order to accomplish this objective, existing military… More

The work proposed is a feasibility study of novel control system concepts to improve the performance and safety of existing crane systems on crane ships transferring containerized cargo to lighters offshore in high sea states. Unique elements of this concept include novel effectors to produce… More

An innovative approach to Ship Motion Forecasting Systems (SFMS) based on Neural Net (NN) technology is proposed. Preliminary results using NNs with limited amounts of recorded ship motions indicate superior performance over classical forecasting techniques. The proposed Phase I effort will develop… More

The purpose of this project is to develop user-friendly mission planning and rehearsal tools for a low-cost PC based parachute maneuvering simulator. The current version of this simulator has a head-mounted display (virtual reality) and high resolution, textured graphics. It is in use at several… More

Pilots come from varying backgrounds in terms of training, experience, and aircraft flown. Researchers often classify pilots as or mmon task. These simple classifications, however, do not begin to explain the variability… More

Inertial navigation systems for airborne applications use three axis accelerometers and three axis rate gyros, and in many cases additional inputs using GPS and other sensors. The objective of the proposed work is to replace the expensive rate gyros with rate estimates based on multiple low-cost… More

Not Available Stress-induced birefringent fibers are critical components for fiber sensor systems such as fiber-optic gyroscopes. An advanced technique to precisely align the principal axes of the fibers is required. Especially in fiber optic gyroscopes, the principal axes of a fiber optic coupler… More

The objective is to simulate and predict the performance of Army personnel riding in a ground vehicle subject to vibrations. Established software tools are available for parts of this problem: anthropometrics for reach and vision analysis, vehicle dynamicsfor vibration and ride quality analysis, and… More

Loss of control in aircraft can result from changes in the controlled element, the control system, the environment, or adverse pilot-vehicle interaction. Each of these paths can be characterized by a loss of phase margin. It is not possible to predict or compensate for all possible sources of… More

Loss of control in aircraft can result from changes in the controlled element, the control system, the environment, or adverse pilot-vehicle interaction. Each of these paths can be characterized by a loss of phase margin. It is not possible to predict or compensate for all possible sources of… More

The primary objective of this proposed project is to develop a low-cost driving simulator that can be used for screening and potentially retraining the psychomotor, attentional and cognitive skills of older drivers. This development will build on an already existing device that has been used to… More

"Ground vehicle dynamics analysis on off-road terrain is a classic and difficult problem. Vehicle suspension and structural dynamics are well understood, so given a well-characterized set of forcing functions, modern computer tools can be used to assessthe impact of terrain on vehicle components.… More

Brain injury frequently results in cognitive impairment reducing an individual?s ability to judge driving situations accurately. Rehabilitation professionals use on-road tests to determine if an individual is safe to drive, but these tests are typically performed under calm conditions and offer… More

A novel training methodology that takes advantage of automation?s potential as a high-speed decision aid and the strengths of human pattern recognition and conditioning is proposed. The methodology applies optimal control theory to solve for a vehicle?s trajectory and the required control inputs. A… More

A novel training methodology that takes advantage of automation?s potential as a high-speed decision aid and the strengths of human pattern recognition and conditioning is proposed. The methodology applies optimal control theory to solve for a vehicle?s trajectory and the required control inputs. A… More

"Innovative pilot cueing display concepts are proposed that will allow helicopter pilots to operate in reduced-visibility environments using a head-down primary flight display. The cueing displays will be based on earth-referenced information obtained bysensing aircraft position and flightpath… More

"The proposed work is intended to begin the development of a variable airspeed aerial refueling system emphasizing a novel drogue concept, the "ring flap" drogue, designed to control the drogue drag over the 95-280 kt airspeed range. The drogue willprovide adequate drag at low speeds to maintain… More

The objective of this proposed project is to create an integrated computer program for designing vehicle-mounted human operator workstations and analyzing the biodynamic environment under operational conditions. This program will address: anthropometricsfor reach and vision analysis; vehicle… More

The proposed work will address the development of terrain models for use in ground vehicle design analyses and simulations. Particular emphasis will be given to ground vehicle durability, biodynamically limited mobility, rough terrain vehicle dynamics andreal time simulation. Developments will be… More

Advanced propulsion systems, including hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), will play an important role in future Army vehicles. The existing mobility analysis tool NRMM II is not able to analyze or design HEV systems, due to its fixed structure. SystemsTechnology, Inc. proposes to develop an… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary objective of this proposed project is to develop a low-cost driving simulator that can be used for screening and potentially retraining the psychomotor, attentional and cognitive skills of older drivers. This development will build on an already… More

The proposed work, through Phase II, is intended to develop an autonomous flight control system for the High Altitude Airship (HAA). Given the problem's complexity, the proposed Phase I work will be focused on a limited number of issues that criticallyimpact the feasibility of HAA flight control. … More

The effectiveness and safety of complex, multi-role helicopter platforms such as the Pave Hawk and Seahawk require that the cabin crew interact seamlessly with the flight crew and a dynamic external environment. Due to physical constraints and fidelitylimitations, however, current simulation… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary objective of this proposed project is to develop a low-cost driving simulator that can be used for screening and potentially retraining the psychomotor, attentional and cognitive skills of older drivers. This development will build on an already… More

The work proposed here is the development of a prototype autonomous flight control system for the MDA High Altitude Airship (HAA). This large, unmanned airship will maintain station at up to 70,000 ft over a fixed point on earth for up to a year as a military or commercial sensor and telecom… More

Improvements to aviation safety will be made by the development and validation of means to alleviate, alert, and inhibit loss of control associated with unfavorable pilot-vehicle interactions. These unfavorable interactions are caused in part by deficiencies, called ?dynamic distortion,? in the… More

Systems Technology, Inc. proposes to create the Combat Airspace Visualization and Planning System (CAVAPS), a deployable battlespace visualization system that will run on PC-based notebook computers, under the Windows,¿ operating system. This system will bridge the gap between 2D mission planning… More

The proposal herein merges two novel and different algorithms for unmanned platform dynamic path-planning in obstacle fields. The first employs a recently published technique, Focused Dynamic Programming [1], which offers the benefits of both the LAO* algorithm [2] (LAO* subsumes Dijkstra's… More

Combining high visual realism, functionality, and ease-of use, the Combat Airspace Visualization and Planning System (CAVAPS) will be a powerful and natural tool for mission planning and rehearsal. The final deliverable of this Phase II work will be pilot-oriented visualization software application… More

The intent of this project is to develop and validate means to alert, constrain and thereby alleviate loss of control (LOC) associated with unfavorable pilot-vehicle systems (PVS) interactions present in high gain, closed-loop PVS operations. While the effective aircraft dynamic properties involved… More

The battlespace is a system in which events are driven primarily by the cycle of perception, synthesis, decision-making, and action (Boyd's OODA loop). The perceptual and synthesis components of this cycle are currently the battlespace's weakest links. The proposed approach leverages key… More

Soldiers with chronic sleep restriction have reduced cognitive performance that can result in dangerous and deadly behavior. Current mathematical models used to predict performance are based on the Two-Process sleep regulation and have been well-validated for single episodes of sleep deprivation,… More

Current techniques for monitoring actuator performance are inferential, that is, implied via indirect system diagnostics. Results of such methods are neither easily nor accurately interpreted into metrics that can monitor precision and stability of the actuator response. The approach proposed… More

The goal is to develop and validate an automated, real-time, fatigue detection system for operators seated at workstations. The system can be used for alerting the operator, self-assessment, supervision, and scheduling. The operational environments of interest include stationary and airborne command… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposed effort brings together a research team interested in developing a device for the fast, efficient, secure and objective measure of sleepiness in individuals. This effort will take an established psychomotor computer based task known as the Critical… More

Modern flight control systems (FCSs) augment aircraft dynamics so the pilot can more effectively accomplish complex missions. These handling and performance benefits typically use high gain control systems that can result in adverse aeroservoelastic (ASE) interactions. Improvements in ASE modeling… More

The solicitation for this topic stresses the need for alternatives to current methods that compute safe altitudes and routes for air vehicles in the presence of dynamic ground threats. The proposed approach uses transformation and optimization in conjunction with aircraft performance, terrain… More

An important outcome of both flutter and flying qualities flight testing is the assurance of safe aircraft operation within its operational flight envelope. Thus, the objective of flutter testing is to demonstrate that the aircraft is aeroelastically stable within the envelope, while the objective… More

The Free Fall Analysis and Simulation Tool (FAST) is designed to bring the power of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to the analysis of the aerodynamics and dynamics of parachutists in freefall. The primary application will be in the design of new free fall equipment and techniques. A key… More

The solicitation for this topic stresses the need for alternative approaches to conducting equipment maintenance. A PC-based technology called Fused Reality(tm) created by Systems Technology Inc. (STI) currently employs live video capture, real-time video editing, and virtual environment simulation… More

The future of visual simulation requires more portability, higher fidelity, lower cost, the ability to interact with local objects, and the ability to react to a simulated visual system or actual visuals from another location. The purpose of this research is for Systems Technology, Inc. (STI) to… More

Health monitoring on aircraft has traditionally been accomplished through periodic inspections based on probabilistic assessments of failure rates backed by component testing. Thus each component in an aircraft including the airframe has an a priori established inspection and/or replacement… More

An important outcome of both flutter and flying qualities flight testing is the assurance of safe aircraft operation within its operational flight envelope. The objective of flutter testing is to demonstrate that the aircraft is aeroelastically stable within the envelope, while the objective of… More

Modern flight control systems (FCSs) augment aircraft dynamics so the pilot can more effectively accomplish complex missions. These handling and performance benefits typically use high gain control systems that can result in adverse aeroservoelastic (ASE) interactions. Modeling and simulation tools… More

Flutter is a potentially explosive phenomenon that is the result of the simultaneous interaction of aerodynamic, structural, and inertial forces. The analytical prediction of flutter in the transonic regime requires high fidelity simulation models that are computationally expensive. Due to the… More

The Free Fall Analysis and Simulation Tool (FAST) is designed to bring the power of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to the analysis of the aerodynamics and dynamics of parachutists in freefall. The primary application will be in the design of new free fall equipment and techniques. A key… More

Flutter is a potentially explosive phenomenon that results from the simultaneous interaction of aerodynamic, structural, and inertial forces. The nature of flutter mandates that flight testing be cautious and conservative. In addition to the flutter instability, adverse aeroelastic phenomena include… More

Control surface free-play is important throughout the lifetime of a flight vehicle. Free-play can result in aeroservoelastic limit cycle oscillations (LCO) with significant amplitude causing degraded mission effectiveness, possibly leading to structural failure. Specifications for allowable… More

While modern ground-based flight simulators continue to improve in fidelity and effectiveness, there remains no substitute for flight test evaluations. In addition to real world cueing (vestibular, visual, aural, environmental, etc.), flight test provides intangibles that can not yet be duplicated… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Stroke is a big, growing and costly problem. There are 550,000 first time and recurrent stroke survivors each year in the United States, costing an estimated 57.9 billion dollars for 2006. About one third of stroke surv ivors return to driving, most with little… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Traffic accidents are the leading cause of teenage injury and death. This proposal describes a project to translate and disseminate a computer based instructional system developed for driver education that has been show n to reduce the teenage accident rate. The… More

High performance aircraft experience repeated loads that can vary greatly both in frequency and amplitude depending on such factors as flight condition, maneuvering, and aeroelastic characteristics. Loads are monitored throughout the lifetime of military aircraft and used to estimate remaining… More

Advances in simulator technology and the proliferation of low cost computers have allowed researchers to move the test track/range indoors. To insure proper transfer of experience, the many simulator components must work in harmony. This proposal addresses the motion cueing for hexapod-based systems… More

With an aging aircraft fleet and an ongoing period of combat, the USAF must look more to ground based simulation to supplement flight training. Objective measures are needed, however, to insure that a training environment with limitations in force cueing adequately transfers back to flight. Systems… More

Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) in Iraq and Afghanistan has often been conducted remotely from the point of injury (POI) due to medical vehicle vulnerability to attacks. However, 90% of all soldiers who have historically died due to battle injuries did so before they were treated at a medical facility… More

Adverse aeroservoelastic (ASE) interaction is a problem on new and existing aircraft of all types causing repeated loading, enhanced fatigue and undesirable oscillations for pilots. Traditionally, to suppress adverse ASE interaction, notch and/or roll off filters have been utilized in the flight… More

As a means to enhance aviation safety, numerous adaptive control techniques have been developed to maintain aircraft stability and safety of flight in the presence of failures or damage. The techniques apply a wide array of adaptations from simple gain scheduling to on-line learning algorithms.… More

In terms of relevancy to piloted evaluation, there remains no substitute for actual flight tests even when considering the fidelity and effectiveness of modern ground-based simulators. In addition to real world cueing, flight test provides subtle but key intangibles that cannot be duplicated in a… More

Current and planned transport aircraft designs are making more use of fly-by-wire technology, allowing an unprecedented design space for control laws, including adaptive control concepts, and resulting response-types. The resulting higher order responses do not lend themselves well to the modal… More

With an aging aircraft fleet and an ongoing period of combat, the USAF must look more to ground based simulation to supplement flight training. Objective measures are needed, however, to insure that a training environment with limitations in force cueing adequately transfers back to flight. Systems… More

Simulation is an indispensable tool in the development and evolution of modern rotorcraft designs and flight training activities, with the gas turbine engine being a particularly demanding component to simulate. To provide for enhanced simulation fidelity regarding this critical component, the Army… More

Rotorcraft autorotation is a particularly challenging maneuver whose training demands are inadequately addressed in military or civilian aviation. Tactile safeguards may be one of the most effective means for protecting against control misapplication due to training gaps and negative training. In… More

To properly simulate nighttime visibility conditions for driving simulation, one must first consider visibility issues in human vision. From a safety point of view, the driver must see road markings to maintain lane position and navigate complex intersections. The driver must also be able to… More

To enhance aviation safety, numerous adaptive control techniques have been developed to maintain aircraft stability and performance in the presence of failures or damage. Flight evaluations of various adaptive controllers conducted by NASA and others have shown great promise. In some cases… More

Adverse aeroservoelastic interaction is a problem on aircraft of all types causing repeated loading, enhanced fatigue, undesirable oscillations and catastrophic flutter. Traditionally, to suppress adverse aeroservoelastic interaction, notch and/or roll off filters are used in the primary flight… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): For a normal individual, driving is the most complex and dangerous activity that he/she will participate in on a daily basis. Accident statistics show that drivers above the age of 65 are involved in more accidents thanany other group except novice drivers.… More

****NOTICE: ABSTRACT EXTRACTED FROM APPLICATION FOR REPORTING CATEGORIES AND DISEASE CODING (RCDC). THIS TEXT HAS NOT BEEN PROOFED BY SRA. WHEN THE UPLOADED ABSTRACT IS NOT IN THE EXPECTED FORMAT, THE EXTRACTED TEXT MAY BE INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE.**** PROJECT SUMMARY Traffic accidents are the… More

ABSTRACT: Advanced computational methods and increased computing power have brought about a new age of modeling and simulation capability for full aircraft configurations. These advances have provided the potential ability to conduct accurate computational analysis representative of experimental… More

The proposed work will develop the RObust unsteady aerodynaMic shapE Optimization (ROMEO) Tool specialized for design and optimization of airfoil shapes that alleviate adverse dynamic stall characteristics resulting from unsteady motion in viscous turbulent flow. The strategy is to use a high… More

Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) in Iraq and Afghanistan has often been conducted remotely from the point of injury (POI) due to vulnerability of ambulances to attack. To improve this situation, the Heavy Armored Ground Ambulance (HAGA) has recently been deployed. However, no HAGAs have been available… More

Advances in simulator technology have allowed researchers to move the test track/range into the virtual world. To insure proper transfer of experience, the many simulator components must work in harmony. This Phase II proposal addresses the motion cueing and steering system feel for hexapod-based… More

Current airframe sensors are unsuitable for measuring unsteady aerodynamic buffet loads, which can be of significant amplitude and occur at frequencies that excite the aeroelastic dynamics, dramatically decreasing fatigue life. As part of SBIR Phase I work Systems Technology, Inc., with Moog, Inc.… More

Loss of control associated with an inability of pilots to recover from upsets and unusual attitudes is the leading cause of world-wide commercial jet accidents. A key component in many of these events is pilot spatial disorientation. Improved pilot training in these abnormal flight conditions,… More

Complex aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic phenomena can be modeled on complete aircraft configurations, generating models with millions of degrees of freedom. Reduced order models are used for systems and control analysis. The ability to do so on freely supported vehicles has been demonstrated… More