14 CFR 129.17 - Aircraft communication and navigation equipment for operations under IFR or over the top.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Aircraft communication and navigation....S.-REGISTERED AIRCRAFT ENGAGED IN COMMON CARRIAGE General § 129.17 Aircraft communication and... accuracy required for ATC; (ii) One marker beacon receiver providing visual and aural signals; and (iii...

STOL terminal area operating systems (aircraft and onboard avionics, ATC, navigation aids)

Science.gov (United States)

Burrous, C.; Erzberger, H.; Johnson, N.; Neuman, F.

1974-01-01

Operational procedures and systems onboard the STOL aircraft which are required to enable the aircraft to perform acceptably in restricted airspace in all types of atmospheric conditions and weather are discussed. Results of simulation and flight investigations to establish operational criteria are presented.

Study Navigator: An Algorithmically Generated Aid for Learning from Electronic Textbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Agrawal, Rakesh; Gollapudi, Sreenivas; Kannan, Anitha; Kenthapadi, Krishnaram

2014-01-01

We present "study navigator," an algorithmically-generated aid for enhancing the experience of studying from electronic textbooks. The study navigator for a section of the book consists of helpful "concept references" for understanding this section. Each concept reference is a pair consisting of a concept phrase explained…

Electromagnetic Interference Assessment of CDMA and GSM Wireless Phones to Aircraft Navigation Radios

Science.gov (United States)

Ely, Jay J.; Nguyen, Truong X.; Koppen, Sandra V.; Salud, M. Theresa

2002-01-01

To address the concern for cellular phone electromagnetic interference (EMI) to aircraft radios, a radiated emission measurement process for CDMA (IS-95) and GSM (ETSI GSM 11.22) wireless handsets was developed. Spurious radiated emissions were efficiently characterized from devices tested in either a semi-anechoic or reverberation chamber, in terms of effective isotropic radiated power. Eight representative handsets (4 GSM, 4 CDMA) were commanded to operate while varying their radio transmitter parameters (power, modulation, etc.). This report provides a detailed description of the measurement process and resulting data, which may subsequently be used by others as a basis of consistent evaluation for cellular/PCS phones, Bluetooth, IEEE802.11b, IEEE802.11a, FRS/GMRS radios, and other portable transmitters. Aircraft interference path loss (IPL) and navigation radio interference threshold data from numerous reference documents, standards, and NASA partnerships were compiled. Using this data, a preliminary risk assessment is provided for CDMA and GSM wireless phone interference to aircraft localizer, Glideslope, VOR, and GPS radio receivers on typical transport airplanes. The report identifies where existing data for device emissions, IPL, and navigation radio interference thresholds needs to be extended for an accurate risk assessment for wireless transmitters in aircraft.

Florida coastal Aids to Navigation GIS data in 2001 (NCEI Accession 0000599)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The term Aids to Navigation (ATONS or AIDS) refers to a device outside of a vessel used to assist mariners in determining their position or safe course, or to warn...

Real-time Risk Assessment for Aids to Navigation Using Fuzzy-FSA on Three-Dimensional Simulation System

OpenAIRE

Jinbiao Chen; Chaojian Shi; Dongxing Jia

2014-01-01

The risk level of the Aids to Navigation (AtoNs) can reflect the ship navigation safety level in the channel to some extent. In order to appreciate the risk level of the aids to navigation (AtoNs) in a navigation channel and to provide some decision-making suggestions for the AtoNs Maintenance and Management Department, the risk assessment index system of the AtoNs was built considering the advanced experience of IALA. Under the Formal Safety Assessment frame, taking the advantages of the fuz...

Aircraft Command Control Communications and Navigation Systems, AFSC 2A4X3, OSSN: 2308

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1998-01-01

1. Survey Coverage: The Aircraft Command Control Communications and Navigation Systems career ladder was surveyed to provide current job and task data for use in updating career ladder documents and training programs...

An Imaging Sensor-Aided Vision Navigation Approach that Uses a Geo-Referenced Image Database.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Hu, Qingwu; Wu, Meng; Gao, Yang

2016-01-28

In determining position and attitude, vision navigation via real-time image processing of data collected from imaging sensors is advanced without a high-performance global positioning system (GPS) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Vision navigation is widely used in indoor navigation, far space navigation, and multiple sensor-integrated mobile mapping. This paper proposes a novel vision navigation approach aided by imaging sensors and that uses a high-accuracy geo-referenced image database (GRID) for high-precision navigation of multiple sensor platforms in environments with poor GPS. First, the framework of GRID-aided vision navigation is developed with sequence images from land-based mobile mapping systems that integrate multiple sensors. Second, a highly efficient GRID storage management model is established based on the linear index of a road segment for fast image searches and retrieval. Third, a robust image matching algorithm is presented to search and match a real-time image with the GRID. Subsequently, the image matched with the real-time scene is considered to calculate the 3D navigation parameter of multiple sensor platforms. Experimental results show that the proposed approach retrieves images efficiently and has navigation accuracies of 1.2 m in a plane and 1.8 m in height under GPS loss in 5 min and within 1500 m.

An IMM-Aided ZUPT Methodology for an INS/DVL Integrated Navigation System.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yiqing; Xu, Xiaosu; Xu, Xiang

2017-09-05

Inertial navigation system (INS)/Doppler velocity log (DVL) integration is the most common navigation solution for underwater vehicles. Due to the complex underwater environment, the velocity information provided by DVL always contains some errors. To improve navigation accuracy, zero velocity update (ZUPT) technology is considered, which is an effective algorithm for land vehicles to mitigate the navigation error during the pure INS mode. However, in contrast to ground vehicles, the ZUPT solution cannot be used directly for underwater vehicles because of the existence of the water current. In order to leverage the strengths of the ZUPT method and the INS/DVL solution, an interactive multiple model (IMM)-aided ZUPT methodology for the INS/DVL-integrated underwater navigation system is proposed. Both the INS/DVL and INS/ZUPT models are constructed and operated in parallel, with weights calculated according to their innovations and innovation covariance matrices. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the proposed algorithm. The results indicate that the IMM-aided ZUPT solution outperforms both the INS/DVL solution and the INS/ZUPT solution in the underwater environment, which can properly distinguish between the ZUPT and non-ZUPT conditions. In addition, during DVL outage, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is also verified.

Automatic Barometric Updates from Ground-Based Navigational Aids

Science.gov (United States)

1990-03-12

ro fAutomatic Barometric Updates US Department from of Transportation Ground-Based Federal Aviation Administration Navigational Aids Office of Safety...tighter vertical spacing controls , particularly for operations near Terminal Control Areas (TCAs), Airport Radar Service Areas (ARSAs), military climb and...E.F., Ruth, J.C., and Williges, B.H. (1987). Speech Controls and Displays. In Salvendy, G., E. Handbook of Human Factors/Ergonomics, New York, John

Search Problems in Mission Planning and Navigation of Autonomous Aircraft. M.S. Thesis

Science.gov (United States)

Krozel, James A.

1988-01-01

An architecture for the control of an autonomous aircraft is presented. The architecture is a hierarchical system representing an anthropomorphic breakdown of the control problem into planner, navigator, and pilot systems. The planner system determines high level global plans from overall mission objectives. This abstract mission planning is investigated by focusing on the Traveling Salesman Problem with variations on local and global constraints. Tree search techniques are applied including the breadth first, depth first, and best first algorithms. The minimum-column and row entries for the Traveling Salesman Problem cost matrix provides a powerful heuristic to guide these search techniques. Mission planning subgoals are directed from the planner to the navigator for planning routes in mountainous terrain with threats. Terrain/threat information is abstracted into a graph of possible paths for which graph searches are performed. It is shown that paths can be well represented by a search graph based on the Voronoi diagram of points representing the vertices of mountain boundaries. A comparison of Dijkstra's dynamic programming algorithm and the A* graph search algorithm from artificial intelligence/operations research is performed for several navigation path planning examples. These examples illustrate paths that minimize a combination of distance and exposure to threats. Finally, the pilot system synthesizes the flight trajectory by creating the control commands to fly the aircraft.

Terminal area automatic navigation, guidance, and control research using the Microwave Landing System (MLS). Part 2: RNAV/MLS transition problems for aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Pines, S.

1982-01-01

The problems in navigation and guidance encountered by aircraft in the initial transition period in changing from distance measuring equipment, VORTAC, and barometric instruments to the more precise microwave landing system data type navaids in the terminal area are investigated. The effects of the resulting discontinuities on the estimates of position and velocity for both optimal (Kalman type navigation schemes) and fixed gain (complementary type) navigation filters, and the effects of the errors in cross track, track angle, and altitude on the guidance equation and control commands during the critical landing phase are discussed. A method is presented to remove the discontinuities from the navigation loop and to reconstruct an RNAV path designed to land the aircraft with minimal turns and altitude changes.

SFOL Pulse: A High Accuracy DME Pulse for Alternative Aircraft Position and Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Euiho Kim

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA performance based navigation strategy announced in 2016, the FAA stated that it would retain and expand the Distance Measuring Equipment (DME infrastructure to ensure resilient aircraft navigation capability during the event of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS outage. However, the main drawback of the DME as a GNSS back up system is that it requires a significant expansion of the current DME ground infrastructure due to its poor distance measuring accuracy over 100 m. The paper introduces a method to improve DME distance measuring accuracy by using a new DME pulse shape. The proposed pulse shape was developed by using Genetic Algorithms and is less susceptible to multipath effects so that the ranging error reduces by 36.0–77.3% when compared to the Gaussian and Smoothed Concave Polygon DME pulses, depending on noise environment.

Assessment of aircraft risk reduction at Pantex Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Y.T.; Hedtke, R.; Fike, D.; Diniz, J.

1996-01-01

The possibility of an aircraft crashing into the Department of Energy's (DOE) Pantex plant facility has been of concern in risk assessments. In response to public concerns, and in an effort to reduce risks associated with overflights of Pantex, several changes to navigational aids at Amarillo International Airport have been implemented. For over one year, a radar airspace monitor and recording system has been connected to the airport surveillance radar at Amarillo to record the flight paths, aircraft types, and traffic density of aircraft in the vicinity of the Pantex plant. The data has provided a better understanding of the overflight risk at Pantex as well as a means to measure the effectiveness of risk reduction efforts

ACCURACY EVALUATION OF THE OBJECT LOCATION VISUALIZATION FOR GEO-INFORMATION AND DISPLAY SYSTEMS OF MANNED AIRCRAFTS NAVIGATION COMPLEXES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. O. Kostishin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the issue of accuracy estimating for the object location display in the geographic information systems and display systems of manned aircrafts navigation complexes. Application features of liquid crystal screens with a different number of vertical and horizontal pixels are considered at displaying of geographic information data on different scales. Estimation display of navigation parameters values on board the aircraft is done in two ways: a numeric value is directly displayed on the screen of multi-color indicator, and a silhouette of the object is formed on the screen on a substrate background, which is a graphical representation of area map in the flight zone. Various scales of area digital map display currently used in the aviation industry have been considered. Calculation results of one pixel scale interval, depending on the specifications of liquid crystal screen and zoom of the map display area on the multifunction digital display, are given. The paper contains experimental results of the accuracy evaluation for area position display of the aircraft based on the data from the satellite navigation system and inertial navigation system, obtained during the flight program run of the real object. On the basis of these calculations a family of graphs was created for precision error display of the object reference point position using the onboard indicators with liquid crystal screen with different screen resolutions (6 "×8", 7.2 "×9.6", 9"×12" for two map display scales (1:0 , 25 km, 1-2 km. These dependency graphs can be used both to assess the error value of object area position display in existing navigation systems and to calculate the error value in upgrading facilities.

LiDAR Scan Matching Aided Inertial Navigation System in GNSS-Denied Environments

OpenAIRE

Tang, Jian; Chen, Yuwei; Niu, Xiaoji; Wang, Li; Chen, Liang; Liu, Jingbin; Shi, Chuang; Hyyppä, Juha

2015-01-01

A new scan that matches an aided Inertial Navigation System (INS) with a low-cost LiDAR is proposed as an alternative to GNSS-based navigation systems in GNSS-degraded or -denied environments such as indoor areas, dense forests, or urban canyons. In these areas, INS-based Dead Reckoning (DR) and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technologies are normally used to estimate positions as separate tools. However, there are critical implementation problems with each standalone system. Th...

Development of performance measures based on visibility for effective placement of aids to navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Tae Hyun; Kim, Yeon-Gyu; Gong, In-Young; Park, Sekil; Kim, Ah-Young

2015-09-01

In order to develop the challenging process of placing Aids to Navigation (AtoN), we propose performance measures which quantifies the effect of such placement. The best placement of AtoNs is that from which the navigator can best recognize the information provided by an AtoN. The visibility of AtoNs depends mostly on light sources, the weather condition and the position of the navigator. Visual recognition is enabled by achieving adequate contrast between the AtoN light source and background light. Therefore, the performance measures can be formulated through the amount of differences between these two lights. For simplification, this approach is based on the values of the human factor suggested by International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). Performance measures for AtoN placement can be evaluated through AtoN Simulator, which has been being developed by KIOST/KRISO in Korea and has been launched by Korea National Research Program. Simulations for evaluation are carried out at waterway in Busan port in Korea.

Development of performance measures based on visibility for effective placement of aids to navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae Hyun Fang

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In order to develop the challenging process of placing Aids to Navigation (AtoN, we propose performance measures which quantifies the effect of such placement. The best placement of AtoNs is that from which the navigator can best recognize the information provided by an AtoN. The visibility of AtoNs depends mostly on light sources, the weather condition and the position of the navigator. Visual recognition is enabled by achieving adequate contrast between the AtoN light source and background light. Therefore, the performance measures can be formulated through the amount of differences between these two lights. For simplification, this approach is based on the values of the human factor suggested by International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA. Performance measures for AtoN placement can be evaluated through AtoN Simulator, which has been being developed by KIOST/KRISO in Korea and has been launched by Korea National Research Program. Simulations for evaluation are carried out at waterway in Busan port in Korea.

Evaluation of Mobile Phone Interference With Aircraft GPS Navigation Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Pace, Scott; Oria, A. J.; Guckian, Paul; Nguyen, Truong X.

2004-01-01

This report compiles and analyzes tests that were conducted to measure cell phone spurious emissions in the Global Positioning System (GPS) radio frequency band that could affect the navigation system of an aircraft. The cell phone in question had, as reported to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), caused interference to several GPS receivers on-board a small single engine aircraft despite being compliant with data filed at the time with the FCC by the manufacturer. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and industry tests show that while there is an emission in the 1575 MHz GPS band due to a specific combination of amplifier output impedance and load impedance that induces instability in the power amplifier, these spurious emissions (i.e., not the intentional transmit signal) are similar to those measured on non-intentionally transmitting devices such as, for example, laptop computers. Additional testing on a wide sample of different commercial cell phones did not result in any emission in the 1575 MHz GPS Band above the noise floor of the measurement receiver.

A Visual-Aided Inertial Navigation and Mapping System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Munguía

2016-05-01

Full Text Available State estimation is a fundamental necessity for any application involving autonomous robots. This paper describes a visual-aided inertial navigation and mapping system for application to autonomous robots. The system, which relies on Kalman filtering, is designed to fuse the measurements obtained from a monocular camera, an inertial measurement unit (IMU and a position sensor (GPS. The estimated state consists of the full state of the vehicle: the position, orientation, their first derivatives and the parameter errors of the inertial sensors (i.e., the bias of gyroscopes and accelerometers. The system also provides the spatial locations of the visual features observed by the camera. The proposed scheme was designed by considering the limited resources commonly available in small mobile robots, while it is intended to be applied to cluttered environments in order to perform fully vision-based navigation in periods where the position sensor is not available. Moreover, the estimated map of visual features would be suitable for multiple tasks: i terrain analysis; ii three-dimensional (3D scene reconstruction; iii localization, detection or perception of obstacles and generating trajectories to navigate around these obstacles; and iv autonomous exploration. In this work, simulations and experiments with real data are presented in order to validate and demonstrate the performance of the proposal.

Context-Aided Sensor Fusion for Enhanced Urban Navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Martí, Enrique David; Martín, David; García, Jesús; de la Escalera, Arturo; Molina, José Manuel; Armingol, José María

2012-01-01

The deployment of Intelligent Vehicles in urban environments requires reliable estimation of positioning for urban navigation. The inherent complexity of this kind of environments fosters the development of novel systems which should provide reliable and precise solutions to the vehicle. This article details an advanced GNSS/IMU fusion system based on a context-aided Unscented Kalman filter for navigation in urban conditions. The constrained non-linear filter is here conditioned by a contextual knowledge module which reasons about sensor quality and driving context in order to adapt it to the situation, while at the same time it carries out a continuous estimation and correction of INS drift errors. An exhaustive analysis has been carried out with available data in order to characterize the behavior of available sensors and take it into account in the developed solution. The performance is then analyzed with an extensive dataset containing representative situations. The proposed solution suits the use of fusion algorithms for deploying Intelligent Transport Systems in urban environments. PMID:23223080

Aircraft Instrument, Fire Protection, Warning, Communication, Navigation and Cabin Atmosphere Control System (Course Outline), Aviation Mechanics 3 (Air Frame): 9067.04.

Science.gov (United States)

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This document presents an outline for a 135-hour course designed to familiarize the student with manipulative skills and theoretical knowledge concerning aircraft instrument systems like major flight and engine instruments; fire protection and fire fighting systems; warning systems and navigation systems; aircraft cabin control systems, such as…

The contribution of virtual reality to the diagnosis of spatial navigation disorders and to the study of the role of navigational aids: A systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cogné, M; Taillade, M; N'Kaoua, B; Tarruella, A; Klinger, E; Larrue, F; Sauzéon, H; Joseph, P-A; Sorita, E

2017-06-01

Spatial navigation, which involves higher cognitive functions, is frequently implemented in daily activities, and is critical to the participation of human beings in mainstream environments. Virtual reality is an expanding tool, which enables on one hand the assessment of the cognitive functions involved in spatial navigation, and on the other the rehabilitation of patients with spatial navigation difficulties. Topographical disorientation is a frequent deficit among patients suffering from neurological diseases. The use of virtual environments enables the information incorporated into the virtual environment to be manipulated empirically. But the impact of manipulations seems differ according to their nature (quantity, occurrence, and characteristics of the stimuli) and the target population. We performed a systematic review of research on virtual spatial navigation covering the period from 2005 to 2015. We focused first on the contribution of virtual spatial navigation for patients with brain injury or schizophrenia, or in the context of ageing and dementia, and then on the impact of visual or auditory stimuli on virtual spatial navigation. On the basis of 6521 abstracts identified in 2 databases (Pubmed and Scopus) with the keywords « navigation » and « virtual », 1103 abstracts were selected by adding the keywords "ageing", "dementia", "brain injury", "stroke", "schizophrenia", "aid", "help", "stimulus" and "cue"; Among these, 63 articles were included in the present qualitative analysis. Unlike pencil-and-paper tests, virtual reality is useful to assess large-scale navigation strategies in patients with brain injury or schizophrenia, or in the context of ageing and dementia. Better knowledge about both the impact of the different aids and the cognitive processes involved is essential for the use of aids in neurorehabilitation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Decision-Aiding and Optimization for Vertical Navigation of Long-Haul Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Patrick, Nicholas J. M.; Sheridan, Thomas B.

1996-01-01

Most decisions made in the cockpit are related to safety, and have therefore been proceduralized in order to reduce risk. There are very few which are made on the basis of a value metric such as economic cost. One which can be shown to be value based, however, is the selection of a flight profile. Fuel consumption and flight time both have a substantial effect on aircraft operating cost, but they cannot be minimized simultaneously. In addition, winds, turbulence, and performance vary widely with altitude and time. These factors make it important and difficult for pilots to (a) evaluate the outcomes associated with a particular trajectory before it is flown and (b) decide among possible trajectories. The two elements of this problem considered here are: (1) determining what constitutes optimality, and (2) finding optimal trajectories. Pilots and dispatchers from major u.s. airlines were surveyed to determine which attributes of the outcome of a flight they considered the most important. Avoiding turbulence-for passenger comfort-topped the list of items which were not safety related. Pilots' decision making about the selection of flight profile on the basis of flight time, fuel burn, and exposure to turbulence was then observed. Of the several behavioral and prescriptive decision models invoked to explain the pilots' choices, utility maximization is shown to best reproduce the pilots' decisions. After considering more traditional methods for optimizing trajectories, a novel method is developed using a genetic algorithm (GA) operating on a discrete representation of the trajectory search space. The representation is a sequence of command altitudes, and was chosen to be compatible with the constraints imposed by Air Traffic Control, and with the training given to pilots. Since trajectory evaluation for the GA is performed holistically, a wide class of objective functions can be optimized easily. Also, using the GA it is possible to compare the costs associated with

Crew aiding and automation: A system concept for terminal area operations, and guidelines for automation design

Science.gov (United States)

Dwyer, John P.

1994-01-01

This research and development program comprised two efforts: the development of guidelines for the design of automated systems, with particular emphasis on automation design that takes advantage of contextual information, and the concept-level design of a crew aiding system, the Terminal Area Navigation Decision Aiding Mediator (TANDAM). This concept outlines a system capable of organizing navigation and communication information and assisting the crew in executing the operations required in descent and approach. In service of this endeavor, problem definition activities were conducted that identified terminal area navigation and operational familiarization exercises addressing the terminal area navigation problem. Both airborne and ground-based (ATC) elements of aircraft control were extensively researched. The TANDAM system concept was then specified, and the crew interface and associated systems described. Additionally, three descent and approach scenarios were devised in order to illustrate the principal functions of the TANDAM system concept in relation to the crew, the aircraft, and ATC. A plan for the evaluation of the TANDAM system was established. The guidelines were developed based on reviews of relevant literature, and on experience gained in the design effort.

36 CFR 294.2 - Navigation of aircraft within airspace reservation over the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Navigation of aircraft within airspace reservation over the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Superior National Forest, Minnesota... Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Superior National Forest, Minnesota. (a) Description of areas...

Feasibility of Using Synthetic Aperture Radar to Aid UAV Navigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nitti, Davide O; Bovenga, Fabio; Chiaradia, Maria T; Greco, Mario; Pinelli, Gianpaolo

2015-07-28

This study explores the potential of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to aid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) navigation when Inertial Navigation System (INS) measurements are not accurate enough to eliminate drifts from a planned trajectory. This problem can affect medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV class, which permits heavy and wide payloads (as required by SAR) and flights for thousands of kilometres accumulating large drifts. The basic idea is to infer position and attitude of an aerial platform by inspecting both amplitude and phase of SAR images acquired onboard. For the amplitude-based approach, the system navigation corrections are obtained by matching the actual coordinates of ground landmarks with those automatically extracted from the SAR image. When the use of SAR amplitude is unfeasible, the phase content can be exploited through SAR interferometry by using a reference Digital Terrain Model (DTM). A feasibility analysis was carried out to derive system requirements by exploring both radiometric and geometric parameters of the acquisition setting. We showed that MALE UAV, specific commercial navigation sensors and SAR systems, typical landmark position accuracy and classes, and available DTMs lead to estimated UAV coordinates with errors bounded within ±12 m, thus making feasible the proposed SAR-based backup system.

Feasibility of Using Synthetic Aperture Radar to Aid UAV Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davide O. Nitti

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This study explores the potential of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR to aid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV navigation when Inertial Navigation System (INS measurements are not accurate enough to eliminate drifts from a planned trajectory. This problem can affect medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE UAV class, which permits heavy and wide payloads (as required by SAR and flights for thousands of kilometres accumulating large drifts. The basic idea is to infer position and attitude of an aerial platform by inspecting both amplitude and phase of SAR images acquired onboard. For the amplitude-based approach, the system navigation corrections are obtained by matching the actual coordinates of ground landmarks with those automatically extracted from the SAR image. When the use of SAR amplitude is unfeasible, the phase content can be exploited through SAR interferometry by using a reference Digital Terrain Model (DTM. A feasibility analysis was carried out to derive system requirements by exploring both radiometric and geometric parameters of the acquisition setting. We showed that MALE UAV, specific commercial navigation sensors and SAR systems, typical landmark position accuracy and classes, and available DTMs lead to estimated UAV coordinates with errors bounded within ±12 m, thus making feasible the proposed SAR-based backup system.

Context-Aided Sensor Fusion for Enhanced Urban Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enrique David Martí

2012-12-01

Full Text Available  The deployment of Intelligent Vehicles in urban environments requires reliable estimation of positioning for urban navigation. The inherent complexity of this kind of environments fosters the development of novel systems which should provide reliable and precise solutions to the vehicle. This article details an advanced GNSS/IMU fusion system based on a context-aided Unscented Kalman filter for navigation in urban conditions. The constrained non-linear filter is here conditioned by a contextual knowledge module which reasons about sensor quality and driving context in order to adapt it to the situation, while at the same time it carries out a continuous estimation and correction of INS drift errors. An exhaustive analysis has been carried out with available data in order to characterize the behavior of available sensors and take it into account in the developed solution. The performance is then analyzed with an extensive dataset containing representative situations. The proposed solution suits the use of fusion algorithms for deploying Intelligent Transport Systems in urban environments.

Vision-aided inertial navigation system for robotic mobile mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Bayoud, Fadi; Skaloud, Jan

2008-04-01

A mapping system by vision-aided inertial navigation was developed for areas where GNSS signals are unreachable. In this framework, a methodology on the integration of vision and inertial sensors is presented, analysed and tested. The system employs the method of “SLAM: Simultaneous Localisation And Mapping” where the only external input available to the system at the beginning of the mapping mission is a number of features with known coordinates. SLAM is a term used in the robotics community to describe the problem of mapping the environment and at the same time using this map to determine the location of the mapping device. Differing from the robotics approach, the presented development stems from the frameworks of photogrammetry and kinematic geodesy that are merged in two filters that run in parallel: the Least-Squares Adjustment (LSA) for features coordinates determination and the Kalman filter (KF) for navigation correction. To test this approach, a mapping system-prototype comprising two CCD cameras and one Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is introduced. Conceptually, the outputs of the LSA photogrammetric resection are used as the external measurements for the KF that corrects the inertial navigation. The filtered position and orientation are subsequently employed in the photogrammetric intersection to map the surrounding features that are used as control points for the resection in the next epoch. We confirm empirically the dependency of navigation performance on the quality of the images and the number of tracked features, as well as on the geometry of the stereo-pair. Due to its autonomous nature, the SLAM's performance is further affected by the quality of IMU initialisation and the a-priory assumptions on error distribution. Using the example of the presented system we show that centimetre accuracy can be achieved in both navigation and mapping when the image geometry is optimal.

LiDAR Scan Matching Aided Inertial Navigation System in GNSS-Denied Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jian; Chen, Yuwei; Niu, Xiaoji; Wang, Li; Chen, Liang; Liu, Jingbin; Shi, Chuang; Hyyppä, Juha

2015-07-10

A new scan that matches an aided Inertial Navigation System (INS) with a low-cost LiDAR is proposed as an alternative to GNSS-based navigation systems in GNSS-degraded or -denied environments such as indoor areas, dense forests, or urban canyons. In these areas, INS-based Dead Reckoning (DR) and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technologies are normally used to estimate positions as separate tools. However, there are critical implementation problems with each standalone system. The drift errors of velocity, position, and heading angles in an INS will accumulate over time, and on-line calibration is a must for sustaining positioning accuracy. SLAM performance is poor in featureless environments where the matching errors can significantly increase. Each standalone positioning method cannot offer a sustainable navigation solution with acceptable accuracy. This paper integrates two complementary technologies-INS and LiDAR SLAM-into one navigation frame with a loosely coupled Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to use the advantages and overcome the drawbacks of each system to establish a stable long-term navigation process. Static and dynamic field tests were carried out with a self-developed Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) platform-NAVIS. The results prove that the proposed approach can provide positioning accuracy at the centimetre level for long-term operations, even in a featureless indoor environment.

Nautical Navigation Aids (NAVAID) Locations

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Structures intended to assist a navigator to determine position or safe course, or to warn of dangers or obstructions to navigation. This dataset includes lights,...

Aircraft cybernetics

Science.gov (United States)

1977-01-01

The use of computers for aircraft control, flight simulation, and inertial navigation is explored. The man-machine relation problem in aviation is addressed. Simple and self-adapting autopilots are described and the assets and liabilities of digital navigation techniques are assessed.

A review of computer-aided oral and maxillofacial surgery: planning, simulation and navigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaojun; Xu, Lu; Sun, Yi; Politis, Constantinus

2016-11-01

Currently, oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) still poses a significant challenge for surgeons due to the anatomic complexity and limited field of view of the oral cavity. With the great development of computer technologies, he computer-aided surgery has been widely used for minimizing the risks and improving the precision of surgery. Areas covered: The major goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive reference source of current and future development of computer-aided OMFS including surgical planning, simulation and navigation for relevant researchers. Expert commentary: Compared with the traditional OMFS, computer-aided OMFS overcomes the disadvantage that the treatment on the region of anatomically complex maxillofacial depends almost exclusively on the experience of the surgeon.

LiDAR Scan Matching Aided Inertial Navigation System in GNSS-Denied Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Tang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available A new scan that matches an aided Inertial Navigation System (INS with a low-cost LiDAR is proposed as an alternative to GNSS-based navigation systems in GNSS-degraded or -denied environments such as indoor areas, dense forests, or urban canyons. In these areas, INS-based Dead Reckoning (DR and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM technologies are normally used to estimate positions as separate tools. However, there are critical implementation problems with each standalone system. The drift errors of velocity, position, and heading angles in an INS will accumulate over time, and on-line calibration is a must for sustaining positioning accuracy. SLAM performance is poor in featureless environments where the matching errors can significantly increase. Each standalone positioning method cannot offer a sustainable navigation solution with acceptable accuracy. This paper integrates two complementary technologies—INS and LiDAR SLAM—into one navigation frame with a loosely coupled Extended Kalman Filter (EKF to use the advantages and overcome the drawbacks of each system to establish a stable long-term navigation process. Static and dynamic field tests were carried out with a self-developed Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV platform—NAVIS. The results prove that the proposed approach can provide positioning accuracy at the centimetre level for long-term operations, even in a featureless indoor environment.

Cloud Absorption Radiometer Autonomous Navigation System - CANS

Science.gov (United States)

Kahle, Duncan; Gatebe, Charles; McCune, Bill; Hellwig, Dustan

2013-01-01

CAR (cloud absorption radiometer) acquires spatial reference data from host aircraft navigation systems. This poses various problems during CAR data reduction, including navigation data format, accuracy of position data, accuracy of airframe inertial data, and navigation data rate. Incorporating its own navigation system, which included GPS (Global Positioning System), roll axis inertia and rates, and three axis acceleration, CANS expedites data reduction and increases the accuracy of the CAR end data product. CANS provides a self-contained navigation system for the CAR, using inertial reference and GPS positional information. The intent of the software application was to correct the sensor with respect to aircraft roll in real time based upon inputs from a precision navigation sensor. In addition, the navigation information (including GPS position), attitude data, and sensor position details are all streamed to a remote system for recording and later analysis. CANS comprises a commercially available inertial navigation system with integral GPS capability (Attitude Heading Reference System AHRS) integrated into the CAR support structure and data system. The unit is attached to the bottom of the tripod support structure. The related GPS antenna is located on the P-3 radome immediately above the CAR. The AHRS unit provides a RS-232 data stream containing global position and inertial attitude and velocity data to the CAR, which is recorded concurrently with the CAR data. This independence from aircraft navigation input provides for position and inertial state data that accounts for very small changes in aircraft attitude and position, sensed at the CAR location as opposed to aircraft state sensors typically installed close to the aircraft center of gravity. More accurate positional data enables quicker CAR data reduction with better resolution. The CANS software operates in two modes: initialization/calibration and operational. In the initialization/calibration mode

DVL Velocity Aiding in the HUGIN 1000 Integrated Inertial Navigation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjørn Jalving

2004-10-01

Full Text Available The RDI WHN-600 Doppler Velocity Log (DVL is a key navigation sensor for the HUG1N 1000 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV. HUGIN 1000 is designed for autonomous submerged operation for long periods of time. This is facilitated by a low drift velocity aided Inertial Navigation System (INS. Major factors determining the position error growth are the IMU and DVL error characteristics and the mission plan pattern_ For instance, low frequency DVL errors cause an approximately linear drift in a straight-line trajectory, while these errors tend to be cancelled out by a lawn mower pattern_ The paper focuses on the accuracy offered by the DVL. HUGIN 1000 is a permanent organic mine countermeasure (MCM capacity on the Royal Norwegian Navy MCM vessel KNM Karmoy. HUGIN 1000 will be part of the NATO force MCMFORNORTH in fall 2004.

Integrated INS/GPS Navigation from a Popular Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Omerbashich, Mensur

2002-01-01

Inertial navigation, blended with other navigation aids, Global Positioning System (GPS) in particular, has gained significance due to enhanced navigation and inertial reference performance and dissimilarity for fault tolerance and anti-jamming. Relatively new concepts based upon using Differential GPS (DGPS) blended with Inertial (and visual) Navigation Sensors (INS) offer the possibility of low cost, autonomous aircraft landing. The FAA has decided to implement the system in a sophisticated form as a new standard navigation tool during this decade. There have been a number of new inertial sensor concepts in the recent past that emphasize increased accuracy of INS/GPS versus INS and reliability of navigation, as well as lower size and weight, and higher power, fault tolerance, and long life. The principles of GPS are not discussed; rather the attention is directed towards general concepts and comparative advantages. A short introduction to the problems faced in kinematics is presented. The intention is to relate the basic principles of kinematics to probably the most used navigation method in the future-INS/GPS. An example of the airborne INS is presented, with emphasis on how it works. The discussion of the error types and sources in navigation, and of the role of filters in optimal estimation of the errors then follows. The main question this paper is trying to answer is 'What are the benefits of the integration of INS and GPS and how is this, navigation concept of the future achieved in reality?' The main goal is to communicate the idea about what stands behind a modern navigation method.

Survey of symbology for aeronautical charts and electronic displays : navigation aids, airports, lines, and linear patterns

Science.gov (United States)

2008-09-01

This industry survey documents the symbols for navigation aids, airports, lines, and linear patterns currently in use by avionics manufactureres and chart providers for depicting aeronautical charting information. Nine avionics display manufacturers ...

Vision/INS Integrated Navigation System for Poor Vision Navigation Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youngsun Kim

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the performance of an inertial navigation system, many aiding sensors can be used. Among these aiding sensors, a vision sensor is of particular note due to its benefits in terms of weight, cost, and power consumption. This paper proposes an inertial and vision integrated navigation method for poor vision navigation environments. The proposed method uses focal plane measurements of landmarks in order to provide position, velocity and attitude outputs even when the number of landmarks on the focal plane is not enough for navigation. In order to verify the proposed method, computer simulations and van tests are carried out. The results show that the proposed method gives accurate and reliable position, velocity and attitude outputs when the number of landmarks is insufficient.

Global navigation satellite systems performance analysis and augmentation strategies in aviation

Science.gov (United States)

Sabatini, Roberto; Moore, Terry; Ramasamy, Subramanian

2017-11-01

In an era of significant air traffic expansion characterized by a rising congestion of the radiofrequency spectrum and a widespread introduction of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are being exposed to a variety of threats including signal interferences, adverse propagation effects and challenging platform-satellite relative dynamics. Thus, there is a need to characterize GNSS signal degradations and assess the effects of interfering sources on the performance of avionics GNSS receivers and augmentation systems used for an increasing number of mission-essential and safety-critical aviation tasks (e.g., experimental flight testing, flight inspection/certification of ground-based radio navigation aids, wide area navigation and precision approach). GNSS signal deteriorations typically occur due to antenna obscuration caused by natural and man-made obstructions present in the environment (e.g., elevated terrain and tall buildings when flying at low altitude) or by the aircraft itself during manoeuvring (e.g., aircraft wings and empennage masking the on-board GNSS antenna), ionospheric scintillation, Doppler shift, multipath, jamming and spurious satellite transmissions. Anyone of these phenomena can result in partial to total loss of tracking and possible tracking errors, depending on the severity of the effect and the receiver characteristics. After designing GNSS performance threats, the various augmentation strategies adopted in the Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management and Avionics (CNS + A) context are addressed in detail. GNSS augmentation can take many forms but all strategies share the same fundamental principle of providing supplementary information whose objective is improving the performance and/or trustworthiness of the system. Hence it is of paramount importance to consider the synergies offered by different augmentation strategies including Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS), Ground

GPS surveying method applied to terminal area navigation flight experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murata, M; Shingu, H; Satsushima, K; Tsuji, T; Ishikawa, K; Miyazawa, Y; Uchida, T [National Aerospace Laboratory, Tokyo (Japan)

1993-03-01

With an objective of evaluating accuracy of new landing and navigation systems such as microwave landing guidance system and global positioning satellite (GPS) system, flight experiments are being carried out using experimental aircraft. This aircraft mounts a GPS and evaluates its accuracy by comparing the standard orbits spotted by a Kalman filter from the laser tracing data on the aircraft with the navigation results. The GPS outputs position and speed information from an earth-centered-earth-fixed system called the World Geodetic System, 1984 (WGS84). However, in order to compare the navigation results with output from a reference orbit sensor or other navigation sensor, it is necessary to structure a high-precision reference coordinates system based on the WGS84. A method that applies the GPS phase interference measurement for this problem was proposed, and used actually in analyzing a flight experiment data. As referred to a case of the method having been applied to evaluating an independent navigation accuracy, the method was verified sufficiently effective and reliable not only in navigation method analysis, but also in the aspect of navigational operations. 12 refs., 10 figs., 5 tabs.

Mapping automotive like controls to a general aviation aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Christopher G.

The purpose of this thesis was to develop fly-by-wire control laws enabling a general aviation aircraft to be flown with automotive controls, i.e. a steering wheel and gas/brake pedals. There was a six speed shifter used to change the flight mode of the aircraft. This essentially allows the pilot to have control over different aspects of the flight profile such as climb/descend or cruise. A highway in the sky was used to aid in the navigation since it is not intuitive to people without flight experience how to navigate from the sky or when to climb and descend. Many believe that general aviation could become as widespread as the automobile. Every person could have a personal aircraft at their disposal and it would be as easy to operate as driving an automobile. The goal of this thesis is to fuse the ease of drivability of a car with flight of a small general aviation aircraft. A standard automotive control hardware setup coupled with variably autonomous control laws will allow new pilots to fly a plane as easily as driving a car. The idea is that new pilots will require very little training to become proficient with these controls. Pilots with little time to stay current can maintain their skills simply by driving a car which is typically a daily activity. A human factors study was conducted to determine the feasibility of the applied control techniques. Pilot performance metrics were developed to compare candidates with no aviation background and experienced pilots. After analyzing the relative performance between pilots and non-pilots, it has been determined that the control system is robust and easy to learn. Candidates with no aviation experience whatsoever can learn to fly an aircraft as safely and efficiently as someone with hundreds of hours of flight experience using these controls.

14 CFR 135.165 - Communication and navigation equipment: Extended over-water or IFR operations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Communication and navigation equipment... PERSONS ON BOARD SUCH AIRCRAFT Aircraft and Equipment § 135.165 Communication and navigation equipment... aircraft used for IFR operations is equipped with at least— (i) One marker beacon receiver providing visual...

Triangulating laser profilometer as a navigational aid for the blind: optical aspects

Science.gov (United States)

Farcy, R.; Denise, B.; Damaschini, R.

1996-03-01

We propose a navigational aid approach for the blind that relies on active optical profilometry with real-time electrotactile interfacing on the skin. Here we are concerned with the optical parts of this system. We point out the particular requirements the profilometer must meet to meet the needs of blind people. We show experimentally that an adequate compromise is possible that consists of a compact class I IR laser-diode triangulation profilometer with the following angular resolution, 20-ms acquisition time per measure of distance, 60 degrees angular scanning field.

Velocity-Aided Attitude Estimation for Helicopter Aircraft Using Microelectromechanical System Inertial-Measurement Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sang Cheol Lee

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an algorithm for velocity-aided attitude estimation for helicopter aircraft using a microelectromechanical system inertial-measurement unit. In general, high- performance gyroscopes are used for estimating the attitude of a helicopter, but this type of sensor is very expensive. When designing a cost-effective attitude system, attitude can be estimated by fusing a low cost accelerometer and a gyro, but the disadvantage of this method is its relatively low accuracy. The accelerometer output includes a component that occurs primarily as the aircraft turns, as well as the gravitational acceleration. When estimating attitude, the accelerometer measurement terms other than gravitational ones can be considered as disturbances. Therefore, errors increase in accordance with the flight dynamics. The proposed algorithm is designed for using velocity as an aid for high accuracy at low cost. It effectively eliminates the disturbances of accelerometer measurements using the airspeed. The algorithm was verified using helicopter experimental data. The algorithm performance was confirmed through a comparison with an attitude estimate obtained from an attitude heading reference system based on a high accuracy optic gyro, which was employed as core attitude equipment in the helicopter.

Velocity-Aided Attitude Estimation for Helicopter Aircraft Using Microelectromechanical System Inertial-Measurement Units

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang Cheol; Hong, Sung Kyung

2016-01-01

This paper presents an algorithm for velocity-aided attitude estimation for helicopter aircraft using a microelectromechanical system inertial-measurement unit. In general, high- performance gyroscopes are used for estimating the attitude of a helicopter, but this type of sensor is very expensive. When designing a cost-effective attitude system, attitude can be estimated by fusing a low cost accelerometer and a gyro, but the disadvantage of this method is its relatively low accuracy. The accelerometer output includes a component that occurs primarily as the aircraft turns, as well as the gravitational acceleration. When estimating attitude, the accelerometer measurement terms other than gravitational ones can be considered as disturbances. Therefore, errors increase in accordance with the flight dynamics. The proposed algorithm is designed for using velocity as an aid for high accuracy at low cost. It effectively eliminates the disturbances of accelerometer measurements using the airspeed. The algorithm was verified using helicopter experimental data. The algorithm performance was confirmed through a comparison with an attitude estimate obtained from an attitude heading reference system based on a high accuracy optic gyro, which was employed as core attitude equipment in the helicopter. PMID:27973429

BOREAS Level-0 ER-2 Navigation Data

Science.gov (United States)

Strub, Richard; Dominguez, Roseanne; Newcomer, Jeffrey A.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor)

2000-01-01

The BOREAS Staff Science effort covered those activities that were BOREAS community-level activities or required uniform data collection procedures across sites and time. These activities included the acquisition, processing, and archiving of aircraft navigation/attitude data to complement the digital image data. The level-0 ER-2 navigation data files contain aircraft attitude and position information acquired during the digital image and photographic data collection missions. Temporally, the data were acquired from April to September 1994. Data were recorded at intervals of 5 seconds. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files.

Radar and electronic navigation

CERN Document Server

Sonnenberg, G J

2013-01-01

Radar and Electronic Navigation, Sixth Edition discusses radar in marine navigation, underwater navigational aids, direction finding, the Decca navigator system, and the Omega system. The book also describes the Loran system for position fixing, the navy navigation satellite system, and the global positioning system (GPS). It reviews the principles, operation, presentations, specifications, and uses of radar. It also describes GPS, a real time position-fixing system in three dimensions (longitude, latitude, altitude), plus velocity information with Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). It is accur

Gravity Matching Aided Inertial Navigation Technique Based on Marginal Robust Unscented Kalman Filter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is concerned with the topic of gravity matching aided inertial navigation technology using Kalman filter. The dynamic state space model for Kalman filter is constructed as follows: the error equation of the inertial navigation system is employed as the process equation while the local gravity model based on 9-point surface interpolation is employed as the observation equation. The unscented Kalman filter is employed to address the nonlinearity of the observation equation. The filter is refined in two ways as follows. The marginalization technique is employed to explore the conditionally linear substructure to reduce the computational load; specifically, the number of the needed sigma points is reduced from 15 to 5 after this technique is used. A robust technique based on Chi-square test is employed to make the filter insensitive to the uncertainties in the above constructed observation model. Numerical simulation is carried out, and the efficacy of the proposed method is validated by the simulation results.

GRIP DC-8 NAVIGATION AND HOUSEKEEPING DATA V1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This dataset contains aircraft navigational data obtained during the GRIP campaign (15 Aug 2010 - 30 Sep 2010). The NASA DC-8 is outfitted with a navigational...

GRIP DC-8 NAVIGATION AND HOUSEKEEPING DATA V1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The GRIP DC-8 Navigation and Housekeeping Data contains aircraft navigational data obtained during the GRIP campaign (15 Aug 2010 - 30 Sep 2010). The major goal was...

Analysis of the Effects of Thermal Environment on Optical Systems for Navigation Guidance and Control in Supersonic Aircraft Based on Empirical Equations.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Xuemin; Yang, Yikang; Hao, Qun

2016-10-17

The thermal environment is an important factor in the design of optical systems. This study investigated the thermal analysis technology of optical systems for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft by developing empirical equations for the front temperature gradient and rear thermal diffusion distance, and for basic factors such as flying parameters and the structure of the optical system. Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to study the relationship between flying and front dome parameters and the system temperature field. Systematic deduction was then conducted based on the effects of the temperature field on the physical geometry and ray tracing performance of the front dome and rear optical lenses, by deriving the relational expressions between the system temperature field and the spot size and positioning precision of the rear optical lens. The optical systems used for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft when the flight speed is in the range of 1-5 Ma were analysed using the derived equations. Using this new method it was possible to control the precision within 10% when considering the light spot received by the four-quadrant detector, and computation time was reduced compared with the traditional method of separately analysing the temperature field of the front dome and rear optical lens using FEA. Thus, the method can effectively increase the efficiency of parameter analysis and computation in an airborne optical system, facilitating the systematic, effective and integrated thermal analysis of airborne optical systems for navigation guidance and control.

PulsarPlane: a feasibility study for millisecond radio pulsar navigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buist, Peter; Hesselink, Henk; Gibbs, Alex; Keuning, Michel; Gaubitch, Nikolay; Noroozi, Arash; Bentum, Marinus Jan; Verhoeven, Chris; Heusdens, Richard; Fernandes, Jorge; Kabakchiev, Hristo; Kestilä, Antti

2014-01-01

Stars have been used -in what is called celestial navigation- since thousands of years by mankind. Celestial navigation was used extensively in aviation until the 1960s, and in marine navigation until recently. It has been investigated for agriculture applications, utilized for military aircraft

33 CFR 74.01-15 - Charges for placement of temporary aids.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... temporary aids. 74.01-15 Section 74.01-15 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION CHARGES FOR COAST GUARD AIDS TO NAVIGATION WORK Charges to the Public § 74.01-15 Charges for placement of temporary aids. Charges for placement of temporary aids will be...

Computer-aided system for detecting runway incursions

Science.gov (United States)

Sridhar, Banavar; Chatterji, Gano B.

1994-07-01

A synthetic vision system for enhancing the pilot's ability to navigate and control the aircraft on the ground is described. The system uses the onboard airport database and images acquired by external sensors. Additional navigation information needed by the system is provided by the Inertial Navigation System and the Global Positioning System. The various functions of the system, such as image enhancement, map generation, obstacle detection, collision avoidance, guidance, etc., are identified. The available technologies, some of which were developed at NASA, that are applicable to the aircraft ground navigation problem are noted. Example images of a truck crossing the runway while the aircraft flies close to the runway centerline are described. These images are from a sequence of images acquired during one of the several flight experiments conducted by NASA to acquire data to be used for the development and verification of the synthetic vision concepts. These experiments provide a realistic database including video and infrared images, motion states from the Inertial Navigation System and the Global Positioning System, and camera parameters.

En route position and time control of aircraft using Kalman filtering of radio aid data

Science.gov (United States)

Mcgee, L. A.; Christensen, J. V.

1973-01-01

Fixed-time-of-arrival (FTA) guidance and navigation is investigated as a possible technique capable of operation within much more stringent en route separation standards and offering significant advantages in safety, higher traffic densities, and improved scheduling reliability, both en route and in the terminal areas. This study investigated the application of FTA guidance previously used in spacecraft guidance. These FTA guidance techniques have been modified and are employed to compute the velocity corrections necessary to return an aircraft to a specified great-circle reference path in order to exercise en route time and position control throughout the entire flight. The necessary position and velocity estimates to accomplish this task are provided by Kalman filtering of data from Loran-C, VORTAC/TACAN, Doppler radar, radio or barometric altitude,and altitude rate. The guidance and navigation system was evaluated using a digital simulation of the cruise phase of supersonic and subsonic flights between San Francisco and New York City, and between New York City and London.

GPM Ground Validation Navigation Data ER-2 OLYMPEX V1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The GPM Ground Validation NASA ER-2 Navigation Data OLYMPEX dataset supplies navigation data collected by the NASA ER-2 aircraft for flights that occurred during...

33 CFR 334.20 - Gulf of Maine off Cape Small, Maine; naval aircraft practice mining range area.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... REGULATIONS § 334.20 Gulf of Maine off Cape Small, Maine; naval aircraft practice mining range area. (a) The... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Gulf of Maine off Cape Small, Maine; naval aircraft practice mining range area. 334.20 Section 334.20 Navigation and Navigable Waters...

Correlated-Data Fusion and Cooperative Aiding in GNSS-Stressed or Denied Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Mokhtarzadeh, Hamid

, and BCInf filter measurement update equations. Furthermore, characteristics important to the proper implementation of CI and BCInf in practice are discussed. A new covariance normalization step is proposed as necessary to properly apply CI or BCInf. Lastly, both centralized and decentralized implementations of cooperative aiding are analyzed and evaluated using experimental data in the three applications. In the commercial aviation study aircraft are simulated to use their Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) and Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) systems to cooperatively aid their on board INS during a 60 min GPS outage in the national airspace. An availability study of cooperative navigation as proposed in this work around representative United States airports is performed. Availabilities between 70-100% were common at major airports like LGA and MSP in a 30 nmi radius around the airport during morning to evening hours. A GPS-denied navigation system for small UAVs based on cooperative information sharing is described. Experimentally collected flight data from 7 small UAV flights are played-back to evaluate the performance of the navigation system. The results show that the most effective of the architectures can lead to 5+ minutes of navigation without GPS maintaining position errors less than 200 m (1-sigma). The automotive case study considers 15 minutes of automotive traffic (2,000 + vehicles) driving through a half-mile stretch of highway without access to GPS. Automotive radar coupled with Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) protocol are used to implement cooperative aiding to a low-cost 2-D INS on board each vehicle. The centralized system achieves an order of magnitude reduction in uncertainty by aggressively aiding the INS on board each vehicle. The proposed CI-based decentralized estimator is demonstrated to be conservative and maintain consistency. A quantitative analysis of bandwidth requirements shows that the proposed

Ionosphere Delay Calibration and Calibration Errors for Satellite Navigation of Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Ian; Manucci, Anthony; Iijima, Byron; Lindqwister, Ulf; Muna, Demitri; Pi, Xiaoqing; Wilson, Brian

2000-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is implementing a satellite-based navigation system for aircraft using the Global Positioning System (GPS). Positioning accuracy of a few meters will be achieved by broadcasting corrections to the direct GPS signal. These corrections are derived using the wide-area augmentation system (WAAS), which includes a ground network of at least 24 GPS receivers across the Continental US (CONUS). WAAS will provide real-time total electron content (TEC) measurements that can be mapped to fixed grid points using a real-time mapping algorithm. These TECs will be converted into vertical delay corrections for the GPS L1 frequency and broadcast to users every five minutes via geosynchronous satellite. Users will convert these delays to slant calibrations along their own lines-of-sight (LOS) to GPS satellites. Uncertainties in the delay calibrations will also be broadcast, allowing users to estimate the uncertainty of their position. To maintain user safety without reverting to excessive safety margins an empirical model of user calibration errors has been developed. WAAS performance depends on factors that include geographic location (errors increase near WAAS borders), and ionospheric conditions, such as the enhanced spatial electron density gradients found during ionospheric storms.

Analysis of the Effects of Thermal Environment on Optical Systems for Navigation Guidance and Control in Supersonic Aircraft Based on Empirical Equations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuemin Cheng

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The thermal environment is an important factor in the design of optical systems. This study investigated the thermal analysis technology of optical systems for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft by developing empirical equations for the front temperature gradient and rear thermal diffusion distance, and for basic factors such as flying parameters and the structure of the optical system. Finite element analysis (FEA was used to study the relationship between flying and front dome parameters and the system temperature field. Systematic deduction was then conducted based on the effects of the temperature field on the physical geometry and ray tracing performance of the front dome and rear optical lenses, by deriving the relational expressions between the system temperature field and the spot size and positioning precision of the rear optical lens. The optical systems used for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft when the flight speed is in the range of 1–5 Ma were analysed using the derived equations. Using this new method it was possible to control the precision within 10% when considering the light spot received by the four-quadrant detector, and computation time was reduced compared with the traditional method of separately analysing the temperature field of the front dome and rear optical lens using FEA. Thus, the method can effectively increase the efficiency of parameter analysis and computation in an airborne optical system, facilitating the systematic, effective and integrated thermal analysis of airborne optical systems for navigation guidance and control.

Investigation of air transportation technology at Ohio University, 1980. [general aviation aircraft and navigation aids

Science.gov (United States)

Mcfarland, R. H.

1981-01-01

Specific configurations of first and second order all digital phase locked loops were analyzed for both ideal and additive gaussian noise inputs. In addition, a design for a hardware digital phase locked loop capable of either first or second order operation was evaluated along with appropriate experimental data obtained from testing of the hardware loop. All parameters chosen for the analysis and the design of the digital phase locked loop were consistent with an application to an Omega navigation receiver although neither the analysis nor the design are limited to this application. For all cases tested, the experimental data showed close agreement with the analytical results indicating that the Markov chain model for first and second order digital phase locked loops are valid.

GNSS-based receiver autonomous integrity monitoring for aircraft navigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Imparato, D.

2016-01-01

Nowadays, GNSS-based navigation is moving more and more to critical applications. Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), which in the past used to be represented by the American GPS and the Russian GLONASS are now growing in number and performance. The European systemGalileo and the Chinese

TCV software test and validation tools and technique. [Terminal Configured Vehicle program for commercial transport aircraft operation

Science.gov (United States)

Straeter, T. A.; Williams, J. R.

1976-01-01

The paper describes techniques for testing and validating software for the TCV (Terminal Configured Vehicle) program which is intended to solve problems associated with operating a commercial transport aircraft in the terminal area. The TCV research test bed is a Boeing 737 specially configured with digital computer systems to carry out automatic navigation, guidance, flight controls, and electronic displays research. The techniques developed for time and cost reduction include automatic documentation aids, an automatic software configuration, and an all software generation and validation system.

Ultrasound-Aided Pedestrian Dead Reckoning for Indoor Navigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fischer, C.; Kavitha Muthukrishnan, K.; Hazas, M.; Gellersen, H.

2008-01-01

Ad hoc solutions for tracking and providing navigation support to emergency response teams is an important and safety-critical challenge. We propose a navigation system based on a combination of foot-mounted inertial sensors and ultrasound beacons. We evaluate experimentally the performance of our

WiFi-Aided Magnetic Matching for Indoor Navigation with Consumer Portable Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

You Li

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a WiFi-aided magnetic matching (MM algorithm for indoor pedestrian navigation with consumer portable devices. This algorithm reduces both the mismatching rate (i.e., the rate of matching to an incorrect point that is more than 20 m away from the true value and computational load of MM by using WiFi positioning solutions to limit the MM search space. Walking tests with Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4 smartphones in two different indoor environments (i.e., Environment #1 with abundant WiFi APs and significant magnetic features, and Environment #2 with less WiFi and magnetic information were conducted to evaluate the proposed algorithm. It was found that WiFi fingerprinting accuracy is related to the signal distributions. MM provided results with small fluctuations but had a significant mismatch rate; when aided by WiFi, MM’s robustness was significantly improved. The outcome of this research indicates that WiFi and MM have complementary characteristics as the former is a point-by-point matching approach and the latter is based on profile-matching. Furthermore, performance improvement through integrating WiFi and MM depends on the environment (e.g., the signal distributions of magnetic intensity and WiFi RSS: In Environment #1 tests, WiFi-aided MM and WiFi provided similar results; in Environment #2 tests, the former was approximately 41.6% better. Our results supported that the WiFi-aided MM algorithm provided more reliable solutions than both WiFi and MM in the areas that have poor WiFi signal distribution or indistinctive magnetic-gradient features.

Advanced Navigation Aids System based on Augmented Reality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaeyong OH

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Many maritime accidents have been caused by human-error including such things as inadequate watch keeping and/or mistakes in ship handling. Also, new navigational equipment has been developed using Information Technology (IT technology to provide various kinds of information for safe navigation. Despite these efforts, the reduction of maritime accidents has not occurred to the degree expected because, navigational equipment provides too much information, and this information is not well organized, such that users feel it to be complicated rather than helpful. In this point of view, the method of representation of navigational information is more important than the quantity of that information and research is required on the representation of information to make that information more easily understood and to allow decisions to be made correctly and promptly. In this paper, we adopt Augmented Reality (AR technologies for the representation of information. AR is a 3D computer graphics technology that blends virtual reality and the real world. Recently, this technology has been widely applied in our daily lives because it can provide information more effectively to users. Therefore, we propose a new concept, a navigational system based on AR technology; we review experimental results from a ship-handling simulator and from an open sea test to verify the efficiency of the proposed system.

Soft tissue navigation for laparoscopic prostatectomy: evaluation of camera pose estimation for enhanced visualization

Science.gov (United States)

Baumhauer, M.; Simpfendörfer, T.; Schwarz, R.; Seitel, M.; Müller-Stich, B. P.; Gutt, C. N.; Rassweiler, J.; Meinzer, H.-P.; Wolf, I.

2007-03-01

We introduce a novel navigation system to support minimally invasive prostate surgery. The system utilizes transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and needle-shaped navigation aids to visualize hidden structures via Augmented Reality. During the intervention, the navigation aids are segmented once from a 3D TRUS dataset and subsequently tracked by the endoscope camera. Camera Pose Estimation methods directly determine position and orientation of the camera in relation to the navigation aids. Accordingly, our system does not require any external tracking device for registration of endoscope camera and ultrasonography probe. In addition to a preoperative planning step in which the navigation targets are defined, the procedure consists of two main steps which are carried out during the intervention: First, the preoperatively prepared planning data is registered with an intraoperatively acquired 3D TRUS dataset and the segmented navigation aids. Second, the navigation aids are continuously tracked by the endoscope camera. The camera's pose can thereby be derived and relevant medical structures can be superimposed on the video image. This paper focuses on the latter step. We have implemented several promising real-time algorithms and incorporated them into the Open Source Toolkit MITK (www.mitk.org). Furthermore, we have evaluated them for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) navigation scenarios. For this purpose, a virtual evaluation environment has been developed, which allows for the simulation of navigation targets and navigation aids, including their measurement errors. Besides evaluating the accuracy of the computed pose, we have analyzed the impact of an inaccurate pose and the resulting displacement of navigation targets in Augmented Reality.

Inertial Navigation System for India's Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD HEX) Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Umadevi, P.; Navas, A.; Karuturi, Kesavabrahmaji; Shukkoor, A. Abdul; Kumar, J. Krishna; Sreekumar, Sreejith; Basim, A. Mohammed

2017-12-01

This work presents the configuration of Inertial Navigation System (INS) used in India's Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) Program. In view of the specific features and requirements of the RLV-TD, specific improvements and modifications were required in the INS. A new system was designed, realised and qualified meeting the mission requirements of RLV-TD, at the same time taking advantage of the flight heritage attained in INS through various Launch vehicle Missions of the country. The new system has additional redundancy in acceleration channel, in-built inclinometer based bias update scheme for acceleration channels and sign conventions as employed in an aircraft. Data acquisition in micro cycle periodicity (10 ms) was incorporated which was required to provide rate and attitude information at higher sampling rate for ascent phase control. Provision was incorporated for acquisition of rate and acceleration data with high resolution for aerodynamic characterisation and parameter estimation. GPS aided navigation scheme was incorporated to meet the stringent accuracy requirements of the mission. Navigation system configuration for RLV-TD, specific features incorporated to meet the mission requirements, various tests carried out and performance during RLV-TD flight are highlighted.

VISION-AIDED CONTEXT-AWARE FRAMEWORK FOR PERSONAL NAVIGATION SERVICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Saeedi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The ubiquity of mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablet-PCs has encouraged the use of location-based services (LBS that are relevant to the current location and context of a mobile user. The main challenge of LBS is to find a pervasive and accurate personal navigation system (PNS in different situations of a mobile user. In this paper, we propose a method of personal navigation for pedestrians that allows a user to freely move in outdoor environments. This system aims at detection of the context information which is useful for improving personal navigation. The context information for a PNS consists of user activity modes (e.g. walking, stationary, driving, and etc. and the mobile device orientation and placement with respect to the user. After detecting the context information, a low-cost integrated positioning algorithm has been employed to estimate pedestrian navigation parameters. The method is based on the integration of the relative user’s motion (changes of velocity and heading angle estimation based on the video image matching and absolute position information provided by GPS. A Kalman filter (KF has been used to improve the navigation solution when the user is walking and the phone is in his/her hand. The Experimental results demonstrate the capabilities of this method for outdoor personal navigation systems.

Software engineering of a navigation and guidance system for commercial aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Lachmann, S. G.; Mckinstry, R. G.

1975-01-01

The avionics experimental configuration of the considered system is briefly reviewed, taking into account the concept of an advanced air traffic management system, flight critical and noncritical functions, and display system characteristics. Cockpit displays and the navigation computer are examined. Attention is given to the functions performed in the navigation computer, major programs in the navigation computer, and questions of software development.

Essentials of aircraft armaments

CERN Document Server

Kaushik, Mrinal

2017-01-01

This book aims to provide a complete exposure about armaments from their design to launch from the combat aircraft. The book details modern ammunition and their tactical roles in warfare. The proposed book discusses aerodynamics, propulsion, structural as well as navigation, control, and guidance of aircraft armament. It also introduces the various types of ammunition developed by different countries and their changing trends. The book imparts knowledge in the field of design, and development of aircraft armaments to aerospace engineers and covers the role of the United Nations in peacekeeping and disarmament. The book will be very useful to researchers, students, and professionals working in design and manufacturing of aircraft armaments. The book will also serve air force and naval aspirants, and those interested in working on defence research and developments organizations. .

33 CFR 5.29 - Assignment to duty on a motorboat, yacht, aircraft, or radio station.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., yacht, aircraft, or radio station. 5.29 Section 5.29 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GENERAL COAST GUARD AUXILIARY § 5.29 Assignment to duty on a motorboat, yacht, aircraft, or radio station. No member of the Auxiliary shall be placed in charge of a motorboat, yacht...

Aircraft Weather Mitigation for the Next Generation Air Transportation System

Science.gov (United States)

Stough, H. Paul, III

2007-01-01

Atmospheric effects on aviation are described by Mahapatra (1999) as including (1) atmospheric phenomena involving air motion - wind shear and turbulence; (2) hydrometeorological phenomena - rain, snow and hail; (3) aircraft icing; (4) low visibility; and (5) atmospheric electrical phenomena. Aircraft Weather Mitigation includes aircraft systems (e.g. airframe, propulsion, avionics, controls) that can be enacted (by a pilot, automation or hybrid systems) to suppress and/or prepare for the effects of encountered or unavoidable weather or to facilitate a crew operational decision-making process relative to weather. Aircraft weather mitigation can be thought of as a continuum (Figure 1) with the need to avoid all adverse weather at one extreme and the ability to safely operate in all weather conditions at the other extreme. Realistic aircraft capabilities fall somewhere between these two extremes. The capabilities of small general aviation aircraft would be expected to fall closer to the "Avoid All Adverse Weather" point, and the capabilities of large commercial jet transports would fall closer to the "Operate in All Weather Conditions" point. The ability to safely operate in adverse weather conditions is dependent upon the pilot s capabilities (training, total experience and recent experience), the airspace in which the operation is taking place (terrain, navigational aids, traffic separation), the capabilities of the airport (approach guidance, runway and taxiway lighting, availability of air traffic control), as well as the capabilities of the airplane. The level of mitigation may vary depending upon the type of adverse weather. For example, a small general aviation airplane may be equipped to operate "in the clouds" without outside visual references, but not be equipped to prevent airframe ice that could be accreted in those clouds.

Navigation integrity monitoring and obstacle detection for enhanced-vision systems

Science.gov (United States)

Korn, Bernd; Doehler, Hans-Ullrich; Hecker, Peter

2001-08-01

Typically, Enhanced Vision (EV) systems consist of two main parts, sensor vision and synthetic vision. Synthetic vision usually generates a virtual out-the-window view using databases and accurate navigation data, e. g. provided by differential GPS (DGPS). The reliability of the synthetic vision highly depends on both, the accuracy of the used database and the integrity of the navigation data. But especially in GPS based systems, the integrity of the navigation can't be guaranteed. Furthermore, only objects that are stored in the database can be displayed to the pilot. Consequently, unexpected obstacles are invisible and this might cause severe problems. Therefore, additional information has to be extracted from sensor data to overcome these problems. In particular, the sensor data analysis has to identify obstacles and has to monitor the integrity of databases and navigation. Furthermore, if a lack of integrity arises, navigation data, e.g. the relative position of runway and aircraft, has to be extracted directly from the sensor data. The main contribution of this paper is about the realization of these three sensor data analysis tasks within our EV system, which uses the HiVision 35 GHz MMW radar of EADS, Ulm as the primary EV sensor. For the integrity monitoring, objects extracted from radar images are registered with both database objects and objects (e. g. other aircrafts) transmitted via data link. This results in a classification into known and unknown radar image objects and consequently, in a validation of the integrity of database and navigation. Furthermore, special runway structures are searched for in the radar image where they should appear. The outcome of this runway check contributes to the integrity analysis, too. Concurrent to this investigation a radar image based navigation is performed without using neither precision navigation nor detailed database information to determine the aircraft's position relative to the runway. The performance of our

SYSTEM OF GUARANTEED RESOLUTION OF DYNAMIC CONFLICTS OF AIRCRAFTS IN REAL TIME

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svitlana Pavlova

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The present work is devoted to improving of flight safety in civil aviation by creating and implementing a new system of resolution of dynamic conflict of aircrafts. The developed system is aimed at ensuring a guaranteed level of safety when resolution of rarefied conflict situations of aircraft in real-time. Methods: The proposed system is based on a new method of conflict resolution of aircraft on the basis of the theory of invariance. Results: The development of the system of conflict resolution of aircraft in real time and the implementation of the respective algorithms such control will ensure effective prevention of dangerous approaches. Discussion: The system is implemented as single unified equipment using satellite and radar navigation systems that will ensure the positioning of aircraft in real time. Provided that the system should be installed on all aircraft and integrated on board to properly ensure its functionality and interact with navigation systems.

33 CFR 144.01-30 - First-aid kit.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false First-aid kit. 144.01-30 Section...) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES LIFESAVING APPLIANCES Manned Platforms § 144.01-30 First-aid kit. On each manned platform a first-aid kit approved by the Commandant or the U.S. Bureau of Mines shall be...

Terminal area automatic navigation, guidance, and control 1: Automatic rollout, turnoff, and taxis

Science.gov (United States)

Pines, S.

1981-01-01

A study developed for the TCV B-737, designed to apply existing navigation aids plus magnetic leader cable signals and develop breaking and reverse thrust guidance laws to provide for rapid automated rollout, turnoff, and taxi to reduce runway occupation time for a wide variety of landing conditions for conventional commercial-type aircraft, is described. Closed loop guidance laws for braking and reverse thrust are derived for rollout, turnoff, and taxi, as functions of the landing speed, the desired taxi speed and the distance to go. Brake limitations for wet runway conditions and reverse thrust limitations are taken into account to provide decision rules to avoid tire skid and to choose an alternate turnoff point, farther down the runway, to accommodate extreme landing conditions.

Cost of Lightning Strike Related Outages of Visual Navigational Aids at Airports in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Rakas, J.; Nikolic, M.; Bauranov, A.

2017-12-01

Lightning storms are a serious hazard that can cause damage to vital human infrastructure. In aviation, lightning strikes cause outages to air traffic control equipment and facilities that result in major disruptions in the network, causing delays and financial costs measured in the millions of dollars. Failure of critical systems, such as Visual Navigational Aids (Visual NAVAIDS), are particularly dangerous since NAVAIDS are an essential part of landing procedures. Precision instrument approach, an operation utilized during the poor visibility conditions, utilizes several of these systems, and their failure leads to holding patterns and ultimately diversions to other airports. These disruptions lead to both ground and airborne delay. Accurate prediction of these outages and their costs is a key prerequisite for successful investment planning. The air traffic management and control sector need accurate information to successfully plan maintenance and develop a more robust system under the threat of increasing lightning rates. To analyze the issue, we couple the Remote Monitoring and Logging System (RMLS) database and the Aviation System Performance Metrics (ASPM) databases to identify lightning-induced outages, and connect them with weather conditions, demand and landing runway to calculate the total delays induced by the outages, as well as the number of cancellations and diversions. The costs are then determined by calculating direct costs to aircraft operators and costs of passengers' time for delays, cancellations and diversions. The results indicate that 1) not all NAVAIDS are created equal, and 2) outside conditions matter. The cost of an outage depends on the importance of the failed system and the conditions that prevailed before, during and after the failure. The outage that occurs during high demand and poor weather conditions is more likely to result in more delays and higher costs.

HIV, AIDS, and the Future

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues HIV / AIDS HIV, AIDS, and the Future Past Issues / Summer 2009 ... turn Javascript on. Photo: The NAMES Project Foundation HIV and AIDS are a global catastrophe. While advances ...

4D Dynamic Required Navigation Performance Final Report

Science.gov (United States)

Finkelsztein, Daniel M.; Sturdy, James L.; Alaverdi, Omeed; Hochwarth, Joachim K.

2011-01-01

New advanced four dimensional trajectory (4DT) procedures under consideration for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) require an aircraft to precisely navigate relative to a moving reference such as another aircraft. Examples are Self-Separation for enroute operations and Interval Management for in-trail and merging operations. The current construct of Required Navigation Performance (RNP), defined for fixed-reference-frame navigation, is not sufficiently specified to be applicable to defining performance levels of such air-to-air procedures. An extension of RNP to air-to-air navigation would enable these advanced procedures to be implemented with a specified level of performance. The objective of this research effort was to propose new 4D Dynamic RNP constructs that account for the dynamic spatial and temporal nature of Interval Management and Self-Separation, develop mathematical models of the Dynamic RNP constructs, "Required Self-Separation Performance" and "Required Interval Management Performance," and to analyze the performance characteristics of these air-to-air procedures using the newly developed models. This final report summarizes the activities led by Raytheon, in collaboration with GE Aviation and SAIC, and presents the results from this research effort to expand the RNP concept to a dynamic 4D frame of reference.

Intelligent Aircraft Damage Assessment, Trajectory Planning, and Decision-Making under Uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Israel; Sarigul-Klijn, Nesrin

Situational awareness and learning are necessary to identify and select the optimal set of mutually non-exclusive hypothesis in order to maximize mission performance and adapt system behavior accordingly. This paper presents a hierarchical and decentralized approach for integrated damage assessment and trajectory planning in aircraft with uncertain navigational decision-making. Aircraft navigation can be safely accomplished by properly addressing the following: decision-making, obstacle perception, aircraft state estimation, and aircraft control. When in-flight failures or damage occur, rapid and precise decision-making under imprecise information is required in order to regain and maintain control of the aircraft. To achieve planned aircraft trajectory and complete safe landing, the uncertainties in system dynamics of the damaged aircraft need to be learned and incorporated at the level of motion planning. The damaged aircraft is simulated via a simplified kinematic model. The different sources and perspectives of uncertainties in the damage assessment process and post-failure trajectory planning are presented and classified. The decision-making process for an emergency motion planning and landing is developed via the Dempster-Shafer evidence theory. The objective of the trajectory planning is to arrive at a target position while maximizing the safety of the aircraft given uncertain conditions. Simulations are presented for an emergency motion planning and landing that takes into account aircraft dynamics, path complexity, distance to landing site, runway characteristics, and subjective human decision.

76 FR 64859 - Pilot Loading of Navigation and Terrain Awareness Database Updates

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-19

...-0763; Notice No. 11-05] RIN 2120-AJ91 Pilot Loading of Navigation and Terrain Awareness Database... equipment. This change would allow pilots who operate certificated aircraft to update the specified.... The effect of this revision would be to ensure that pilots using specified navigation equipment have...

Small transport aircraft technology

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, L. J.

1983-01-01

Information on commuter airline trends and aircraft developments is provided to upgrade the preliminary findings of a NASA-formed small transport aircraft technology (STAT) team, established to determine whether the agency's research and development programs could help commuter aircraft manufacturers solve technical problems related to passenger acceptance and use of 19- to 50-passenger aircraft. The results and conclusions of the full set of completed STAT studies are presented. These studies were performed by five airplane manufacturers, five engine manufacturers, and two propeller manufacturers. Those portions of NASA's overall aeronautics research and development programs which are applicable to commuter aircraft design are summarized. Areas of technology that might beneficially be expanded or initiated to aid the US commuter aircraft manufacturers in the evolution of improved aircraft for the market are suggested.

Pilot perception and confidence of location during a simulated helicopter navigation task.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ji Hyun; Cowden, Bradley T; Kennedy, Quinn; Schramm, Harrison; Sullivan, Joseph

2013-09-01

This paper aims to provide insights into human perception, navigation performance, and confidence in helicopter overland navigation. Helicopter overland navigation is a challenging mission area because it is a complex cognitive task, and failing to recognize when the aircraft is off-course can lead to operational failures and mishaps. A human-in-the-loop experiment to investigate pilot perception during simulated overland navigation by analyzing actual navigation trajectory, pilots' perceived location, and corresponding confidence levels was designed. There were 15 military officers with prior overland navigation experience who completed 4 simulated low-level navigation routes, 2 of which entailed auto-navigation. This route was paused roughly every 30 s for the subject to mark their perceived location on the map and their confidence level using a customized program. Analysis shows that there is no correlation between perceived and actual location of the aircraft, nor between confidence level and actual location. There is, however, some evidence that there is a correlation (rho = -0.60 to approximately 0.65) between perceived location and intended route of flight, suggesting that there is a bias toward believing one is on the intended flight route. If aviation personnel can proactively identify the circumstances in which usual misperceptions occur in navigation, they may reduce mission failure and accident rate. Fleet squadrons and instructional commands can benefit from this study to improve operations that require low-level flight while also improving crew resource management.

U.S. aerospace industry opinion of the effect of computer-aided prediction-design technology on future wind-tunnel test requirements for aircraft development programs

Science.gov (United States)

Treon, S. L.

1979-01-01

A survey of the U.S. aerospace industry in late 1977 suggests that there will be an increasing use of computer-aided prediction-design technology (CPD Tech) in the aircraft development process but that, overall, only a modest reduction in wind-tunnel test requirements from the current level is expected in the period through 1995. Opinions were received from key spokesmen in 23 of the 26 solicited major companies or corporate divisions involved in the design and manufacture of nonrotary wing aircraft. Development programs for nine types of aircraft related to test phases and wind-tunnel size and speed range were considered.

Image Dependent Relative Formation Navigation for Autonomous Aerial Refueling

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

and local variations of the Earth’s surface make a mathematical model difficult to create and use. The definition of an equipotential surface ...controlled with flight control surfaces attached to it. To refuel using this method, the receiver pilot flies the aircraft to within a defined refueling...I-frame would unnecessarily complicate aircraft navigation that, by definition, is limited to altitudes relatively close to the surface of the Earth

A Depth-Based Head-Mounted Visual Display to Aid Navigation in Partially Sighted Individuals

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Stephen L.; Wilson, Iain; Muhammed, Louwai; Worsfold, John; Downes, Susan M.; Kennard, Christopher

2013-01-01

Independent navigation for blind individuals can be extremely difficult due to the inability to recognise and avoid obstacles. Assistive techniques such as white canes, guide dogs, and sensory substitution provide a degree of situational awareness by relying on touch or hearing but as yet there are no techniques that attempt to make use of any residual vision that the individual is likely to retain. Residual vision can restricted to the awareness of the orientation of a light source, and hence any information presented on a wearable display would have to limited and unambiguous. For improved situational awareness, i.e. for the detection of obstacles, displaying the size and position of nearby objects, rather than including finer surface details may be sufficient. To test whether a depth-based display could be used to navigate a small obstacle course, we built a real-time head-mounted display with a depth camera and software to detect the distance to nearby objects. Distance was represented as brightness on a low-resolution display positioned close to the eyes without the benefit focussing optics. A set of sighted participants were monitored as they learned to use this display to navigate the course. All were able to do so, and time and velocity rapidly improved with practise with no increase in the number of collisions. In a second experiment a cohort of severely sight-impaired individuals of varying aetiologies performed a search task using a similar low-resolution head-mounted display. The majority of participants were able to use the display to respond to objects in their central and peripheral fields at a similar rate to sighted controls. We conclude that the skill to use a depth-based display for obstacle avoidance can be rapidly acquired and the simplified nature of the display may appropriate for the development of an aid for sight-impaired individuals. PMID:23844067

33 CFR 334.40 - Atlantic Ocean in vicinity of Duck Island, Maine, Isles of Shoals; naval aircraft bombing target...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Atlantic Ocean in vicinity of Duck Island, Maine, Isles of Shoals; naval aircraft bombing target area. 334.40 Section 334.40... Shoals; naval aircraft bombing target area. (a) The danger zone. A circular area with a radius of 500...

78 FR 67799 - Qualification, Service, and Use of Crewmembers and Aircraft Dispatchers

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-12

... and aircraft dispatcher training reflects that integrated operating environment. Since the publication... control systems, and unusual attitudes that result from flight control malfunctions and uncommanded flight... manipulate the aircraft controls and flight navigators are no longer used in part 121 operations, the FAA...

75 FR 51473 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-20

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG-2010-0656] Houston/Galveston... Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC) and its working groups will meet in Houston, Texas, to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects impacting safety on...

75 FR 23793 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG-2010-0032] Houston/Galveston... Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (``HOGANSAC'' or ``the Committee'') and its working groups will meet in Houston, Texas to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects...

Sensors and sensor systems for guidance and navigation II; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 22, 23, 1992

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Sharon S.

Topics discussed in this volume include aircraft guidance and navigation, optics for visual guidance of aircraft, spacecraft and missile guidance and navigation, lidar and ladar systems, microdevices, gyroscopes, cockpit displays, and automotive displays. Papers are presented on optical processing for range and attitude determination, aircraft collision avoidance using a statistical decision theory, a scanning laser aircraft surveillance system for carrier flight operations, star sensor simulation for astroinertial guidance and navigation, autonomous millimeter-wave radar guidance systems, and a 1.32-micron long-range solid state imaging ladar. Attention is also given to a microfabricated magnetometer using Young's modulus changes in magnetoelastic materials, an integrated microgyroscope, a pulsed diode ring laser gyroscope, self-scanned polysilicon active-matrix liquid-crystal displays, the history and development of coated contrast enhancement filters for cockpit displays, and the effect of the display configuration on the attentional sampling performance. (For individual items see A93-28152 to A93-28176, A93-28178 to A93-28180)

Monitoring and evaluation of Blyth Offshore Wind Farm. NAVAID (Navigational Aid) requirements for UK offshore wind farms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pepper, L.

2001-07-01

The principle aim of this report is to review and evaluate the Navigational Aid (NAVAID) requirements for the Blyth Offshore Wind Farms as specified by Trinity House. The effectiveness of the NAVAIDs was monitored and reviewed by the project team with the assistance of the harbour master and the local vessel operators regularly using Blyth Harbour. This report particularly looks at the reasons for the NAVAID specification and the practicalities of using a similar system on larger offshore wind farms. The document not only describes the specification, but also reviews its effectiveness including any difficulties that were encountered during the installation. (author)

Model Basis for the Navigation Aid Analysis Tool

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Morris, Peter

1999-01-01

...), a self-contained software product that computes the probability of being in a given system state, most commonly, the incident state, for a user-constructed scenario of surface marine navigation...

Addressing the Influence of Space Weather on Airline Navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, Lawrence

2012-01-01

The advent of satellite-based augmentation systems has made it possible to navigate aircraft safely using radio signals emitted by global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System. As a signal propagates through the earth's ionosphere, it suffers delay that is proportional to the total electron content encountered along the raypath. Since the magnitude of this total electron content is strongly influenced by space weather, the safety and reliability of GNSS for airline navigation requires continual monitoring of the state of the ionosphere and calibration of ionospheric delay. This paper examines the impact of space weather on GNSS-based navigation and provides an overview of how the Wide Area Augmentation System protects its users from positioning error due to ionospheric disturbances

Issues in symbol design for electronic displays of navigation information

Science.gov (United States)

2004-10-24

An increasing number of electronic displays, ranging from small hand-held displays for general aviation to installed displays for air transport, are showing navigation information, such as symbols representing navigational aids. The wide range of dis...

Neural-network-based depth computation for blind navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Farrah; Nagarajan, Ramachandran R.; Yaacob, Sazali

2004-12-01

A research undertaken to help blind people to navigate autonomously or with minimum assistance is termed as "Blind Navigation". In this research, an aid that could help blind people in their navigation is proposed. Distance serves as an important clue during our navigation. A stereovision navigation aid implemented with two digital video cameras that are spaced apart and fixed on a headgear to obtain the distance information is presented. In this paper, a neural network methodology is used to obtain the required parameters of the camera which is known as camera calibration. These parameters are not known but obtained by adjusting the weights in the network. The inputs to the network consist of the matching features in the stereo pair images. A back propagation network with 16-input neurons, 3 hidden neurons and 1 output neuron, which gives depth, is created. The distance information is incorporated into the final processed image as four gray levels such as white, light gray, dark gray and black. Preliminary results have shown that the percentage errors fall below 10%. It is envisaged that the distance provided by neural network shall enable blind individuals to go near and pick up an object of interest.

National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research

Science.gov (United States)

... Search Term(s): Main Navigation for the Office of AIDS Research Homepage ABOUT OAR SCIENTIFIC AREAS STRATEGIC PLAN ... HIV/AIDS INFORMATION Welcome to the Office of AIDS Research. Welcome to the Office of AIDS Research ...

Aircraft navigation and surveillance analysis for a spherical earth

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-01

This memorandum addresses a fundamental function in surveillance and navigation analysis : quantifying the geometry of two or more locations relative to each other and to a spherical earth. Here, geometry refers to: (a) points (idealized lo...

Organizations And Services In The System Of International Aviation Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander I. Travnikov

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In the present article author reveals the order of creation, structure, aims and objectives of national and international intergovernmental aeronautical organizations, governing procedure for flight operations and providing direct air traffic control over sovereign territory and abroad. In this article, author notes that in the world there are three main organizational and legal forms of air traffic control systems to ensure coordination between civil and military air navigation services (agencies. In the Russian Federation, author notes that air navigation services on behalf of the State are made by the State Corporation for Air Traffic Management that has the legal status of the commercial organization - the Federal State Unitary Enterprise. Author analyzes the work of the Organization for the Civil Air Navigation Services (CANSO, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers (IFATCA. During the study author also concludes that in the past decade, there is the steady trend of transferring functions of air navigation from the State to commercial organizations (joint stock companies and limited liability companies, which are financed from the funds received as payment for air traffic services. The responsibility for the improper maintenance of international air navigation, of course, is borne by the State. Author notes that regional and international intergovernmental aeronautical organizations operate in respect of all aircraft (public, civil, experimental, i.e., perform general air navigation, unlike ICAO, which takes standards and recommended practices, rules and procedures for safety and air traffic services only to civil aircraft, that does not ensure the creation of a regulatory framework for the global unification of aeronautical processes.

33 CFR 149.323 - What are the requirements for first aid kits?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... first aid kits? 149.323 Section 149.323 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... Lifesaving Equipment Manned Deepwater Port Requirements § 149.323 What are the requirements for first aid kits? (a) Each manned deepwater port must have an industrial first aid kit, approved by an appropriate...

HIV / AIDS: An Unequal Burden

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues HIV / AIDS HIV / AIDS: An Unequal Burden Past Issues / Summer 2009 ... high-risk category, emphasizes Dr. Cargill. Photo: iStock HIV and Pregnancy Are there ways to help HIV- ...

Improved artificial bee colony algorithm based gravity matching navigation method.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Wei; Zhao, Bo; Zhou, Guang Tao; Wang, Qiu Ying; Yu, Chun Yang

2014-07-18

Gravity matching navigation algorithm is one of the key technologies for gravity aided inertial navigation systems. With the development of intelligent algorithms, the powerful search ability of the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm makes it possible to be applied to the gravity matching navigation field. However, existing search mechanisms of basic ABC algorithms cannot meet the need for high accuracy in gravity aided navigation. Firstly, proper modifications are proposed to improve the performance of the basic ABC algorithm. Secondly, a new search mechanism is presented in this paper which is based on an improved ABC algorithm using external speed information. At last, modified Hausdorff distance is introduced to screen the possible matching results. Both simulations and ocean experiments verify the feasibility of the method, and results show that the matching rate of the method is high enough to obtain a precise matching position.

Fleet Management Decision Making With Individual Aircraft Tracking Data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Newcamp, Jeffrey; Verhagen, W.J.C.; Curran, R.

2017-01-01

Individual aircraft tracking data can be used by aircraft fleet managers to detect patterns in historical usage as a means to aid aging aircraft decision-making. This work tackles two aspects of applying these tracking data: investigating retirement patterns and assessing how base assignment can

INFORMATION USE ABOUT THE LEVEL OF AIRCRAFT FLIGHTS GROUND PROVISION TO PLAN AIR TRAFFIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The given article considers the task of building up the best aircraft route on the basis of information about the level of flight ground provision. Disadvantages of traditional radar surveillance facilities are given. Four types of Russian Feder- ation aerospace depending on the level of ground radio flight provision are considered. Relevance of selecting an aircraft route from the view of necessity to plan aerospace is substantiated. The formula to calculate probabilities of obtaining not correct aircraft navigation data is given. The analysis of errors arising while building up the aircraft route linked with both operational navigation and communication equipment faults as well as with a human factor is carried out. Formulas of wrong route selecting probability when an aircraft track changes or is maintained are suggested. A generalized weighted index of losses on the basis of various factors affecting an aircraft track change is introduced. Importance of these factors are considered. A rule of aircraft transition to the next route point is formulated. The conclusion is made which route is the most rational in case of following the rule of route selecting at every flight stage. Practical recommendations which can be used to solve conflict between aircraft cruising under the given rule are suggested.

A Navigation/Positioning Service Based on Pseudolites Installed on Stratospheric Airships

OpenAIRE

辻井, 利昭; TSUJII, Toshiaki; 張替, 正敏; HARIGAE, Masatoshi

2002-01-01

Transmitters of GPS-like signals, called pseudolites (PL) or "pseudo-satellites" have been widely investigated as an additional ranging source for performance enhancement of GPS. Ground-based GPS augmentation systems using pseudolites have been investigated for several applications such as vehicle navigation in downtown urban canyons, positioning in deep open-cut pits and mines and precision landing of aircraft. The concept of an innovative GPS navigation/ positioning system augmented by airs...

76 FR 2916 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee; Meetings

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [USCG-2010-1116] Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee; Meetings AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Notice of Meetings. SUMMARY: The Houston... will meet in Texas City, Texas and Houston, Texas to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation...

Terrain aided navigation for autonomous underwater vehicles with coarse maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Ling; Cheng, Xianghong; Zhu, Yixian

2016-01-01

Terrain aided navigation (TAN) is a form of geophysical localization technique for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) operating in GPS-denied environments. TAN performance on sensor-rich AUVs has been evaluated in sea trials. However, many challenges remain before TAN can be successfully implemented on sensor-limited AUVs, especially with coarse maps. To improve TAN performance over coarse maps, a Gaussian process (GP) is proposed for the modeling of bathymetric terrain and integrated into the particle filter (GP-PF). GP is applied to provide not only the bathymetric value prediction through learning a set of bathymetric data from coarse maps but also the variance of the prediction. As a measurement update, calculated on bathymetric deviation is performed through the PF to obtain absolute and bounded positioning accuracy. Through the analysis of TAN performance on experimental data for two different terrains with map resolutions of 10–50 m, both the ability of the proposed model to represent the actual bathymetric terrain with accuracy and the effect of the GP-PF for TAN on sensor-limited systems in suited terrain are demonstrated. The experiment results further verify that there is an inverse relationship between the coarseness of the map and the overall TAN accuracy in rough terrains, but there is hardly any relationship between them in relatively flat terrains. (paper)

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NAVIGATION SYSTEMS IN CIVIL AVIATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasiya Sergeyevna Stepanenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes the history of navigation systems formation, such as "Cicada" system, which at that time could compete with the US "Transit", European, Chinese Beidou navigation system and the Japanese Quasi-Zenit.The detailed information about improving the American GPS system, launched in 1978 and working till now is provided. The characteristics of GPS-III counterpart "Transit", which became the platform for creating such modern globalnavigation systems as GLONASS and GPS. The process of implementation of the GLONASS system in civil aviation, itssegments, functions and features are considered. The stages of GLONASS satellite system orbital grouping formation are analyzed. The author draws the analogy with the American GPS system, the GALILEO system, which has a number of additional advantages, are given. The author remarks the features of the European counterpart of the GALILEO global nav- igation system. One of the goals of this system is to provide a high-precision positioning system, which Europe can rely on regardless of the Russian GLONASS system, the US - GPS and the Chinese Beidou. GALILEO offers a unique global search and rescue function called SAR, with an important feedback function. The peculiarities of Chinese scientists’ navi- gation system, the Beidou satellite system, and the Japanese global Quasi-Zenith Satellite System are described.Global navigation systems development tendencies are considered. The author dwells upon the path to world satel- lite systems globalization, a good example of which is the trend towards GLONASS and Beidou unification. Most attention was paid to the latest development of Russian scientists’ autonomous navigation system SINS 2015, which is a strap-down inertial navigation system and allows you to navigate the aircraft without being connected to a global satellite system. The ways of navigation systems further development in Russia are determined. The two naturally opposite directions are

Mars rover local navigation and hazard avoidance

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, B. H.; Gennery, D. B.; Mishkin, A. H.

1989-01-01

A Mars rover sample return mission has been proposed for the late 1990's. Due to the long speed-of-light delays between earth and Mars, some autonomy on the rover is highly desirable. JPL has been conducting research in two possible modes of rover operation, Computer-Aided Remote Driving and Semiautonomous Navigation. A recently-completed research program used a half-scale testbed vehicle to explore several of the concepts in semiautonomous navigation. A new, full-scale vehicle with all computational and power resources on-board will be used in the coming year to demonstrate relatively fast semiautonomous navigation. The computational and power requirements for Mars rover local navigation and hazard avoidance are discussed.

Bayesian Software Health Management for Aircraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, Johann; Mbaya, Timmy; Menghoel, Ole

2011-01-01

Modern aircraft, both piloted fly-by-wire commercial aircraft as well as UAVs, more and more depend on highly complex safety critical software systems with many sensors and computer-controlled actuators. Despite careful design and V&V of the software, severe incidents have happened due to malfunctioning software. In this paper, we discuss the use of Bayesian networks (BNs) to monitor the health of the on-board software and sensor system, and to perform advanced on-board diagnostic reasoning. We will focus on the approach to develop reliable and robust health models for the combined software and sensor systems.

INFORMATION AS AN ELEMENT OF THE NAVIGATION DECISIONMAKING PROCESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej BANACHOWICZ

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The operation of vehicles (watercraft, aircraft, land-based, spacecraft, unmanned requires the use of navigation systems for their control. These systems can be characterized by varying degrees of complexity and technological advancement. However, each system has sources of information about the state (position of the navigating object, state of the environment in which the object is moving and the task to be accomplished. These components are integrated by the decision-maker (human or automated, who/which makes and implements decisions adjusted to current conditions

6-DOF Pose Estimation of a Robotic Navigation Aid by Tracking Visual and Geometric Features.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Cang; Hong, Soonhac; Tamjidi, Amirhossein

2015-10-01

This paper presents a 6-DOF Pose Estimation (PE) method for a Robotic Navigation Aid (RNA) for the visually impaired. The RNA uses a single 3D camera for PE and object detection. The proposed method processes the camera's intensity and range data to estimates the camera's egomotion that is then used by an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) as the motion model to track a set of visual features for PE. A RANSAC process is employed in the EKF to identify inliers from the visual feature correspondences between two image frames. Only the inliers are used to update the EKF's state. The EKF integrates the egomotion into the camera's pose in the world coordinate system. To retain the EKF's consistency, the distance between the camera and the floor plane (extracted from the range data) is used by the EKF as the observation of the camera's z coordinate. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method results in accurate pose estimates for positioning the RNA in indoor environments. Based on the PE method, a wayfinding system is developed for localization of the RNA in a home environment. The system uses the estimated pose and the floorplan to locate the RNA user in the home environment and announces the points of interest and navigational commands to the user through a speech interface. This work was motivated by the limitations of the existing navigation technology for the visually impaired. Most of the existing methods use a point/line measurement sensor for indoor object detection. Therefore, they lack capability in detecting 3D objects and positioning a blind traveler. Stereovision has been used in recent research. However, it cannot provide reliable depth data for object detection. Also, it tends to produce a lower localization accuracy because its depth measurement error quadratically increases with the true distance. This paper suggests a new approach for navigating a blind traveler. The method uses a single 3D time-of-flight camera for both 6-DOF PE and 3D object

An Overview of NASA's Subsonic Research Aircraft Testbed (SCRAT)

Science.gov (United States)

Baumann, Ethan; Hernandez, Joe; Ruhf, John C.

2013-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dryden Flight Research Center acquired a Gulfstream III (GIII) aircraft to serve as a testbed for aeronautics flight research experiments. The aircraft is referred to as SCRAT, which stands for SubsoniC Research Aircraft Testbed. The aircraft's mission is to perform aeronautics research; more specifically raising the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of advanced technologies through flight demonstrations and gathering high-quality research data suitable for verifying the technologies, and validating design and analysis tools. The SCRAT has the ability to conduct a range of flight research experiments throughout a transport class aircraft's flight envelope. Experiments ranging from flight-testing of a new aircraft system or sensor to those requiring structural and aerodynamic modifications to the aircraft can be accomplished. The aircraft has been modified to include an instrumentation system and sensors necessary to conduct flight research experiments along with a telemetry capability. An instrumentation power distribution system was installed to accommodate the instrumentation system and future experiments. An engineering simulation of the SCRAT has been developed to aid in integrating research experiments. A series of baseline aircraft characterization flights has been flown that gathered flight data to aid in developing and integrating future research experiments. This paper describes the SCRAT's research systems and capabilities.

Cost Valuation: A Model for Comparing Dissimilar Aircraft Platforms

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Long, Eric J

2006-01-01

.... A demonstration of the model's validity using aircraft and cost data from the Predator UAV and the F-16 was then performed to illustrate how it can be used to aid comparisons of dissimilar aircraft...

Aids to Navigation for US waters, including territories, as of April 2015

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Structures intended to assist a navigator to determine position or safe course, or to warn of dangers or obstructions to navigation. This dataset includes lights,...

Applying Required Navigation Performance Concept for Traffic Management of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Jaewoo; D'Souza, Sarah N.; Johnson, Marcus A.; Ishihara, Abraham K.; Modi, Hemil C.; Nikaido, Ben; Hasseeb, Hashmatullah

2016-01-01

In anticipation of a rapid increase in the number of civil Unmanned Aircraft System(UAS) operations, NASA is researching prototype technologies for a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system that will investigate airspace integration requirements for enabling safe, efficient low-altitude operations. One aspect a UTM system must consider is the correlation between UAS operations (such as vehicles, operation areas and durations), UAS performance requirements, and the risk to people and property in the operational area. This paper investigates the potential application of the International Civil Aviation Organizations (ICAO) Required Navigation Performance (RNP) concept to relate operational risk with trajectory conformance requirements. The approach is to first define a method to quantify operational risk and then define the RNP level requirement as a function of the operational risk. Greater operational risk corresponds to more accurate RNP level, or smaller tolerable Total System Error (TSE). Data from 19 small UAS flights are used to develop and validate a formula that defines this relationship. An approach to assessing UAS-RNP conformance capability using vehicle modeling and wind field simulation is developed to investigate how this formula may be applied in a future UTM system. The results indicate the modeled vehicles flight path is robust to the simulated wind variation, and it can meet RNP level requirements calculated by the formula. The results also indicate how vehicle-modeling fidelity may be improved to adequately verify assessed RNP level.

Basic research and 12 years of clinical experience in computer-assisted navigation technology: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewers, R; Schicho, K; Undt, G; Wanschitz, F; Truppe, M; Seemann, R; Wagner, A

2005-01-01

Computer-aided surgical navigation technology is commonly used in craniomaxillofacial surgery. It offers substantial improvement regarding esthetic and functional aspects in a range of surgical procedures. Based on augmented reality principles, where the real operative site is merged with computer generated graphic information, computer-aided navigation systems were employed, among other procedures, in dental implantology, arthroscopy of the temporomandibular joint, osteotomies, distraction osteogenesis, image guided biopsies and removals of foreign bodies. The decision to perform a procedure with or without computer-aided intraoperative navigation depends on the expected benefit to the procedure as well as on the technical expenditure necessary to achieve that goal. This paper comprises the experience gained in 12 years of research, development and routine clinical application. One hundred and fifty-eight operations with successful application of surgical navigation technology--divided into five groups--are evaluated regarding the criteria "medical benefit" and "technical expenditure" necessary to perform these procedures. Our results indicate that the medical benefit is likely to outweight the expenditure of technology with few exceptions (calvaria transplant, resection of the temporal bone, reconstruction of the orbital floor). Especially in dental implantology, specialized software reduces time and additional costs necessary to plan and perform procedures with computer-aided surgical navigation.

HIV / AIDS: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues HIV / AIDS HIV / AIDS: Symptoms , Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment Past Issues / ... Most people who have become recently infected with HIV will not have any symptoms. They may, however, ...

Safety assurance of non-deterministic flight controllers in aircraft applications

Science.gov (United States)

Noriega, Alfonso

Loss of control is a serious problem in aviation that primarily affects General Aviation. Technological advancements can help mitigate the problem, but the FAA certification process makes certain solutions economically unfeasible. This investigation presents the design of a generic adaptive autopilot that could potentially lead to a single certification for use in several makes and models of aircraft. The autopilot consists of a conventional controller connected in series with a robust direct adaptive model reference controller. In this architecture, the conventional controller is tuned once to provide outer-loop guidance and navigation to a reference model. The adaptive controller makes unknown aircraft behave like the reference model, allowing the conventional controller to successfully provide navigation without the need for retuning. A strong theoretical foundation is presented as an argument for the safety and stability of the controller. The stability proof of direct adaptive controllers require that the plant being controlled has no unstable transmission zeros and has a nonzero high frequency gain. Because most conventional aircraft do not readily meet these requirements, a process known as sensor blending was used. Sensor blending consists of using a linear combination of the plant's outputs that has no unstable transmission zeros and has a nonzero high frequency gain to drive the adaptive controller. Although this method does not present a problem for regulators, it can lead to a steady state error in tracking applications. The sensor blending theory was expanded to take advantage of the system's dynamics to allow for zero steady state error tracking. This method does not need knowledge of the specific system's dynamics, but instead uses the structure of the A and B matrices to perform the blending for the general case. The generic adaptive autopilot was tested in two high-fidelity nonlinear simulators of two typical General Aviation aircraft. The results

Multi-sensor fusion with interacting multiple model filter for improved aircraft position accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Taehwan; Lee, Changho; Choi, Sangbang

2013-03-27

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has decided to adopt Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) as the 21st century standard for navigation. Accordingly, ICAO members have provided an impetus to develop related technology and build sufficient infrastructure. For aviation surveillance with CNS/ATM, Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), multilateration (MLAT) and wide-area multilateration (WAM) systems are being established. These sensors can track aircraft positions more accurately than existing radar and can compensate for the blind spots in aircraft surveillance. In this paper, we applied a novel sensor fusion method with Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) filter to GBAS, ADS-B, MLAT, and WAM data in order to improve the reliability of the aircraft position. Results of performance analysis show that the position accuracy is improved by the proposed sensor fusion method with the IMM filter.

Evaluation of navigation interfaces in virtual environments

Science.gov (United States)

Mestre, Daniel R.

2014-02-01

When users are immersed in cave-like virtual reality systems, navigational interfaces have to be used when the size of the virtual environment becomes larger than the physical extent of the cave floor. However, using navigation interfaces, physically static users experience self-motion (visually-induced vection). As a consequence, sensorial incoherence between vision (indicating self-motion) and other proprioceptive inputs (indicating immobility) can make them feel dizzy and disoriented. We tested, in two experimental studies, different locomotion interfaces. The objective was twofold: testing spatial learning and cybersickness. In a first experiment, using first-person navigation with a flystick ®, we tested the effect of sensorial aids, a spatialized sound or guiding arrows on the ground, attracting the user toward the goal of the navigation task. Results revealed that sensorial aids tended to impact negatively spatial learning. Moreover, subjects reported significant levels of cybersickness. In a second experiment, we tested whether such negative effects could be due to poorly controlled rotational motion during simulated self-motion. Subjects used a gamepad, in which rotational and translational displacements were independently controlled by two joysticks. Furthermore, we tested first- versus third-person navigation. No significant difference was observed between these two conditions. Overall, cybersickness tended to be lower, as compared to experiment 1, but the difference was not significant. Future research should evaluate further the hypothesis of the role of passively perceived optical flow in cybersickness, but manipulating the virtual environment'sperrot structure. It also seems that video-gaming experience might be involved in the user's sensitivity to cybersickness.

Human Computer Interactions in Next-Generation of Aircraft Smart Navigation Management Systems: Task Analysis and Architecture under an Agent-Oriented Methodological Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Canino-Rodríguez, José M.; García-Herrero, Jesús; Besada-Portas, Juan; Ravelo-García, Antonio G.; Travieso-González, Carlos; Alonso-Hernández, Jesús B.

2015-01-01

The limited efficiency of current air traffic systems will require a next-generation of Smart Air Traffic System (SATS) that relies on current technological advances. This challenge means a transition toward a new navigation and air-traffic procedures paradigm, where pilots and air traffic controllers perform and coordinate their activities according to new roles and technological supports. The design of new Human-Computer Interactions (HCI) for performing these activities is a key element of SATS. However efforts for developing such tools need to be inspired on a parallel characterization of hypothetical air traffic scenarios compatible with current ones. This paper is focused on airborne HCI into SATS where cockpit inputs came from aircraft navigation systems, surrounding traffic situation, controllers’ indications, etc. So the HCI is intended to enhance situation awareness and decision-making through pilot cockpit. This work approach considers SATS as a system distributed on a large-scale with uncertainty in a dynamic environment. Therefore, a multi-agent systems based approach is well suited for modeling such an environment. We demonstrate that current methodologies for designing multi-agent systems are a useful tool to characterize HCI. We specifically illustrate how the selected methodological approach provides enough guidelines to obtain a cockpit HCI design that complies with future SATS specifications. PMID:25746092

Human computer interactions in next-generation of aircraft smart navigation management systems: task analysis and architecture under an agent-oriented methodological approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Canino-Rodríguez, José M; García-Herrero, Jesús; Besada-Portas, Juan; Ravelo-García, Antonio G; Travieso-González, Carlos; Alonso-Hernández, Jesús B

2015-03-04

The limited efficiency of current air traffic systems will require a next-generation of Smart Air Traffic System (SATS) that relies on current technological advances. This challenge means a transition toward a new navigation and air-traffic procedures paradigm, where pilots and air traffic controllers perform and coordinate their activities according to new roles and technological supports. The design of new Human-Computer Interactions (HCI) for performing these activities is a key element of SATS. However efforts for developing such tools need to be inspired on a parallel characterization of hypothetical air traffic scenarios compatible with current ones. This paper is focused on airborne HCI into SATS where cockpit inputs came from aircraft navigation systems, surrounding traffic situation, controllers' indications, etc. So the HCI is intended to enhance situation awareness and decision-making through pilot cockpit. This work approach considers SATS as a system distributed on a large-scale with uncertainty in a dynamic environment. Therefore, a multi-agent systems based approach is well suited for modeling such an environment. We demonstrate that current methodologies for designing multi-agent systems are a useful tool to characterize HCI. We specifically illustrate how the selected methodological approach provides enough guidelines to obtain a cockpit HCI design that complies with future SATS specifications.

Human Computer Interactions in Next-Generation of Aircraft Smart Navigation Management Systems: Task Analysis and Architecture under an Agent-Oriented Methodological Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José M. Canino-Rodríguez

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The limited efficiency of current air traffic systems will require a next-generation of Smart Air Traffic System (SATS that relies on current technological advances. This challenge means a transition toward a new navigation and air-traffic procedures paradigm, where pilots and air traffic controllers perform and coordinate their activities according to new roles and technological supports. The design of new Human-Computer Interactions (HCI for performing these activities is a key element of SATS. However efforts for developing such tools need to be inspired on a parallel characterization of hypothetical air traffic scenarios compatible with current ones. This paper is focused on airborne HCI into SATS where cockpit inputs came from aircraft navigation systems, surrounding traffic situation, controllers’ indications, etc. So the HCI is intended to enhance situation awareness and decision-making through pilot cockpit. This work approach considers SATS as a system distributed on a large-scale with uncertainty in a dynamic environment. Therefore, a multi-agent systems based approach is well suited for modeling such an environment. We demonstrate that current methodologies for designing multi-agent systems are a useful tool to characterize HCI. We specifically illustrate how the selected methodological approach provides enough guidelines to obtain a cockpit HCI design that complies with future SATS specifications.

Expertise on Cognitive Workloads and Performance During Navigation and Target Detection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

Examples may include sport orienteering, land navigation exercises, boy/girl scouts etc.)?      No Related Experience Very Limited...measure heart rate, HRV , and respiration? Luton, UK: Royal Aircraft Establishment Bedford. Shepherd, A., & Stammers, R. B. (2005). Task Analysis. In

Quantifying the impact on navigation performance in visually impaired: Auditory information loss versus information gain enabled through electronic travel aids.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex Kreilinger

Full Text Available This study's purpose was to analyze and quantify the impact of auditory information loss versus information gain provided by electronic travel aids (ETAs on navigation performance in people with low vision. Navigation performance of ten subjects (age: 54.9±11.2 years with visual acuities >1.0 LogMAR was assessed via the Graz Mobility Test (GMT. Subjects passed through a maze in three different modalities: 'Normal' with visual and auditory information available, 'Auditory Information Loss' with artificially reduced hearing (leaving only visual information, and 'ETA' with a vibrating ETA based on ultrasonic waves, thereby facilitating visual, auditory, and tactile information. Main performance measures comprised passage time and number of contacts. Additionally, head tracking was used to relate head movements to motion direction. When comparing 'Auditory Information Loss' to 'Normal', subjects needed significantly more time (p<0.001, made more contacts (p<0.001, had higher relative viewing angles (p = 0.002, and a higher percentage of orientation losses (p = 0.011. The only significant difference when comparing 'ETA' to 'Normal' was a reduced number of contacts (p<0.001. Our study provides objective, quantifiable measures of the impact of reduced hearing on the navigation performance in low vision subjects. Significant effects of 'Auditory Information Loss' were found for all measures; for example, passage time increased by 17.4%. These findings show that low vision subjects rely on auditory information for navigation. In contrast, the impact of the ETA was not significant but further analysis of head movements revealed two different coping strategies: half of the subjects used the ETA to increase speed, whereas the other half aimed at avoiding contacts.

75 FR 6215 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-08

... groups will meet in Houston, Texas to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects...; (b) Dredging subcommittee report; (c) Technology subcommittee report; (d) Waterways Optimization...

78 FR 19277 - Navigation Safety Advisory Council; Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-29

... regarding multiple risk assessments for U.S. ports and waterways. If you have been adversely affected by the... measures; marine information; diving safety; and aids to navigation systems. This notice corrects the...

A Discussion on e-Navigation and Implementation in Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y.V. Aydogdu

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Electronic navigation, which has great important for ship management, has taken a step with technological improvements. In the result of these enhancements, new systems appeared as well as existing systems and these systems began to be integrated each other or used data of obtaining from the others like that AIS, Radar, ECDIS etc. All these and likely future systems have been put together under the roof of enhanced navigation (e-navigation is defined by organizations such as International Maritime Organization (IMO, International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA, General Lighthouse Authority (GLA etc. Especially IALA guidelines serve as model future applications in Turkish waterways. In this study aim to redefine e-navigation concept based on maritime safety awareness, maritime service portfolio (MSC 85/26 and discuss possible applications.

Applications for Navy Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

comunication intelligence (COMINT) collection, and airborne electronic attack applications. If the UCAS-D program is successful in addressing many of the...position navigation and timing RF radio frequency RSTA reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition SAB Scientific Advisory Board SAR synthetic...Aircraft Systems Roadmap 2005–2030 and Unmanned Systems Roadmap 2007–2032, and the 2003 Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) UAS study

Celestial Navigation in the USA, Fiji, and Tunisia

Science.gov (United States)

Holbrook, Jarita C.

2015-05-01

Today there are many coastal communities that are home to navigators who use stars for position finding at night; I was, however, unaware of this fact when I began researching celestial navigation practices in 1997. My project focused on three communities: the Moce Islanders of Fiji, the Kerkennah Islanders in Tunisia, and the U.S. Navy officers and students at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. My goal was to answer the question of why people continue to navigate by the stars, but also to understand the role of technology in their navigation practices. Using anthropology techniques of ethnography including participant observation, formal and informal interviews, audio and videotaping, I gathered data over five years at the three communities. I began by learning the details of how they use the stars for navigation. Next, I learned about who did the navigation and where they learned to navigate. I gathered opinions on various navigation aids and instruments, and opinions about the future of using the stars for navigation. I listened to the stories that they told about navigating. In the United States I worked in English, in Fiji, in Fijian and English, and in Tunisia, French and English. For the formal interviews I worked with translators. The navigators use stars for navigating today but the future of their techniques is not certain. Though practiced today, these celestial navigation traditions have undergone and continue to undergo changes. New navigational technologies are part of the stimulation for change, thus 'a meeting of different worlds' is symbolized by peoples encounters with these technologies.

Evolving earth-based and in-situ satellite network architectures for Mars communications and navigation support

Science.gov (United States)

Hastrup, Rolf; Weinberg, Aaron; McOmber, Robert

1991-09-01

Results of on-going studies to develop navigation/telecommunications network concepts to support future robotic and human missions to Mars are presented. The performance and connectivity improvements provided by the relay network will permit use of simpler, lower performance, and less costly telecom subsystems for the in-situ mission exploration elements. Orbiting relay satellites can serve as effective navigation aids by supporting earth-based tracking as well as providing Mars-centered radiometric data for mission elements approaching, in orbit, or on the surface of Mars. The relay satellite orbits may be selected to optimize navigation aid support and communication coverage for specific mission sets.

33 CFR 334.410 - Albemarle Sound, Pamlico Sound, and adjacent waters, NC; danger zones for naval aircraft operations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Albemarle Sound, Pamlico Sound... AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.410 Albemarle Sound, Pamlico Sound, and adjacent waters, NC; danger zones for naval aircraft operations. (a) Target areas—(1) North Landing River (Currituck Sound...

Optimal Geometric Deployment of a Ground Based Pseudolite Navigation System to Track a Landing Aircraft

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Crawford, Matthew P

2006-01-01

With much of the military and civilian communities becoming dependent on GPS technology to navigate it has become imperative that the navigation systems be tested in situations in which GPS does not work...

Enhanced Subsea Acoustically Aided Inertial Navigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Martin Juhl

time is expensive so lots of effort is put into cutting down on time spent on all tasks. Accuracy demanding tasks such as subsea construction and surveying are subject to strict quality control requirements taking up a lot of time. Offshore equipment is rugged and sturdy as the environmental conditions...... are harsh, likewise should the use of it be simple and robust to ensure that it actually works. The contributions of this thesis are all focused on enhancing accuracy and time efficiency while bearing operational reliability and complexity strongly in mind. The basis of inertial navigation, the inertial...... at desired survey points; the other uses a mapping sensor such as subsea lidar to simply map the area in question. Both approaches are shown to work in practice. Generating high resolution maps, as the latter approach, is how the author anticipates all subsea surveys will be conducted in the near future....

Analysis of technology requirements and potential demand for general aviation avionics systems in the 1980's. [technology assessment and technological forecasting of the aircraft industry

Science.gov (United States)

Cohn, D. M.; Kayser, J. H.; Senko, G. M.; Glenn, D. R.

1974-01-01

The trend for the increasing need for aircraft-in-general as a major source of transportation in the United States is presented (military and commercial aircraft are excluded). Social, political, and economic factors that affect the aircraft industry are considered, and cost estimates are given. Aircraft equipment and navigation systems are discussed.

Small Aircraft Data Distribution System

Science.gov (United States)

Chazanoff, Seth L.; Dinardo, Steven J.

2012-01-01

The CARVE Small Aircraft Data Distribution System acquires the aircraft location and attitude data that is required by the various programs running on a distributed network. This system distributes the data it acquires to the data acquisition programs for inclusion in their data files. It uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) to broadcast data over a LAN (Local Area Network) to any programs that might have a use for the data. The program is easily adaptable to acquire additional data and log that data to disk. The current version also drives displays using precision pitch and roll information to aid the pilot in maintaining a level-level attitude for radar/radiometer mapping beyond the degree available by flying visually or using a standard gyro-driven attitude indicator. The software is designed to acquire an array of data to help the mission manager make real-time decisions as to the effectiveness of the flight. This data is displayed for the mission manager and broadcast to the other experiments on the aircraft for inclusion in their data files. The program also drives real-time precision pitch and roll displays for the pilot and copilot to aid them in maintaining the desired attitude, when required, during data acquisition on mapping lines.

Satellite Imagery Assisted Road-Based Visual Navigation System

Science.gov (United States)

Volkova, A.; Gibbens, P. W.

2016-06-01

There is a growing demand for unmanned aerial systems as autonomous surveillance, exploration and remote sensing solutions. Among the key concerns for robust operation of these systems is the need to reliably navigate the environment without reliance on global navigation satellite system (GNSS). This is of particular concern in Defence circles, but is also a major safety issue for commercial operations. In these circumstances, the aircraft needs to navigate relying only on information from on-board passive sensors such as digital cameras. An autonomous feature-based visual system presented in this work offers a novel integral approach to the modelling and registration of visual features that responds to the specific needs of the navigation system. It detects visual features from Google Earth* build a feature database. The same algorithm then detects features in an on-board cameras video stream. On one level this serves to localise the vehicle relative to the environment using Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM). On a second level it correlates them with the database to localise the vehicle with respect to the inertial frame. The performance of the presented visual navigation system was compared using the satellite imagery from different years. Based on comparison results, an analysis of the effects of seasonal, structural and qualitative changes of the imagery source on the performance of the navigation algorithm is presented. * The algorithm is independent of the source of satellite imagery and another provider can be used

Autocalibrating vision guided navigation of unmanned air vehicles via tactical monocular cameras in GPS denied environments

Science.gov (United States)

Celik, Koray

This thesis presents a novel robotic navigation strategy by using a conventional tactical monocular camera, proving the feasibility of using a monocular camera as the sole proximity sensing, object avoidance, mapping, and path-planning mechanism to fly and navigate small to medium scale unmanned rotary-wing aircraft in an autonomous manner. The range measurement strategy is scalable, self-calibrating, indoor-outdoor capable, and has been biologically inspired by the key adaptive mechanisms for depth perception and pattern recognition found in humans and intelligent animals (particularly bats), designed to assume operations in previously unknown, GPS-denied environments. It proposes novel electronics, aircraft, aircraft systems, systems, and procedures and algorithms that come together to form airborne systems which measure absolute ranges from a monocular camera via passive photometry, mimicking that of a human-pilot like judgement. The research is intended to bridge the gap between practical GPS coverage and precision localization and mapping problem in a small aircraft. In the context of this study, several robotic platforms, airborne and ground alike, have been developed, some of which have been integrated in real-life field trials, for experimental validation. Albeit the emphasis on miniature robotic aircraft this research has been tested and found compatible with tactical vests and helmets, and it can be used to augment the reliability of many other types of proximity sensors.

Kinematic Navigation in Total Knee Replacement — Experience from the First 50 Cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Wei Chang

2006-01-01

Conclusion: Use of a kinematic navigation system in TKR provides better accuracy than conventional manual methods. The technique is easy to use, has a short learning curve, and requires an additional operation time of less than 10 minutes. Precise alignment can be achieved with the aid of navigation in most cases.

Navigation Aiding by a Hybrid Laser-Camera Motion Estimator for Micro Aerial Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamal Atman

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs equipped with various sensors are able to carry out autonomous flights. However, the self-localization of autonomous agents is mostly dependent on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS. In order to provide an accurate navigation solution in absence of GNSS signals, this article presents a hybrid sensor. The hybrid sensor is a deep integration of a monocular camera and a 2D laser rangefinder so that the motion of the MAV is estimated. This realization is expected to be more flexible in terms of environments compared to laser-scan-matching approaches. The estimated ego-motion is then integrated in the MAV’s navigation system. However, first, the knowledge about the pose between both sensors is obtained by proposing an improved calibration method. For both calibration and ego-motion estimation, 3D-to-2D correspondences are used and the Perspective-3-Point (P3P problem is solved. Moreover, the covariance estimation of the relative motion is presented. The experiments show very accurate calibration and navigation results.

Navigation Aiding by a Hybrid Laser-Camera Motion Estimator for Micro Aerial Vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Atman, Jamal; Popp, Manuel; Ruppelt, Jan; Trommer, Gert F

2016-09-16

Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) equipped with various sensors are able to carry out autonomous flights. However, the self-localization of autonomous agents is mostly dependent on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). In order to provide an accurate navigation solution in absence of GNSS signals, this article presents a hybrid sensor. The hybrid sensor is a deep integration of a monocular camera and a 2D laser rangefinder so that the motion of the MAV is estimated. This realization is expected to be more flexible in terms of environments compared to laser-scan-matching approaches. The estimated ego-motion is then integrated in the MAV's navigation system. However, first, the knowledge about the pose between both sensors is obtained by proposing an improved calibration method. For both calibration and ego-motion estimation, 3D-to-2D correspondences are used and the Perspective-3-Point (P3P) problem is solved. Moreover, the covariance estimation of the relative motion is presented. The experiments show very accurate calibration and navigation results.

The Nation's Top HIV/AIDS Researcher Discusses This Continuing Health Threat

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues HIV / AIDS The Nation's Top HIV/AIDS Researcher Discusses This Continuing Health Threat Past Issues / ... on. For more than 30 years, the NIH's HIV/AIDS research program has been led by Dr. Anthony S. ...

Landmark navigation and autonomous landing approach with obstacle detection for aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Fuerst, Simon; Werner, Stefan; Dickmanns, Dirk; Dickmanns, Ernst D.

1997-06-01

A machine perception system for aircraft and helicopters using multiple sensor data for state estimation is presented. By combining conventional aircraft sensor like gyros, accelerometers, artificial horizon, aerodynamic measuring devices and GPS with vision data taken by conventional CCD-cameras mounted on a pan and tilt platform, the position of the craft can be determined as well as the relative position to runways and natural landmarks. The vision data of natural landmarks are used to improve position estimates during autonomous missions. A built-in landmark management module decides which landmark should be focused on by the vision system, depending on the distance to the landmark and the aspect conditions. More complex landmarks like runways are modeled with different levels of detail that are activated dependent on range. A supervisor process compares vision data and GPS data to detect mistracking of the vision system e.g. due to poor visibility and tries to reinitialize the vision system or to set focus on another landmark available. During landing approach obstacles like trucks and airplanes can be detected on the runway. The system has been tested in real-time within a hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Simulated aircraft measurements corrupted by noise and other characteristic sensor errors have been fed into the machine perception system; the image processing module for relative state estimation was driven by computer generated imagery. Results from real-time simulation runs are given.

Intelligent Behavioral Action Aiding for Improved Autonomous Image Navigation

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-13

odometry, SICK laser scanning unit ( Lidar ), Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and ultrasonic distance measurement system (Figure 32). The Lidar , IMU...2010, July) GPS world. [Online]. http://www.gpsworld.com/tech-talk- blog/gnss-independent-navigation-solution-using-integrated- lidar -data-11378 [4...Milford, David McKinnon, Michael Warren, Gordon Wyeth, and Ben Upcroft, "Feature-based Visual Odometry and Featureless Place Recognition for SLAM in

Enabling obstacle avoidance for Google maps' navigation service

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nedkov, S.; Zlatanova, S.

2011-01-01

City infrastructures are sensitive to disasters. To aid rescue workers and citizens, a system is needed which determines the shortest route to a certain location, taking the damages of the infrastructure into account. The biggest disadvantage of current navigation systems is that they are “closed”

Traditional boat-building and navigational techniques of southern Orissa

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripati, S.

of the region. No written records on ancient boatbuilding and navigational aids of the region are available for the reconstruction of the technique of boat-building. Boats of this area have been classified into two categories, namely planked and log boats...

Star pattern recognition algorithm aided by inertial information

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bao; Wang, Ke-dong; Zhang, Chao

2011-08-01

Star pattern recognition is one of the key problems of the celestial navigation. The traditional star pattern recognition approaches, such as the triangle algorithm and the star angular distance algorithm, are a kind of all-sky matching method whose recognition speed is slow and recognition success rate is not high. Therefore, the real time and reliability of CNS (Celestial Navigation System) is reduced to some extent, especially for the maneuvering spacecraft. However, if the direction of the camera optical axis can be estimated by other navigation systems such as INS (Inertial Navigation System), the star pattern recognition can be fulfilled in the vicinity of the estimated direction of the optical axis. The benefits of the INS-aided star pattern recognition algorithm include at least the improved matching speed and the improved success rate. In this paper, the direction of the camera optical axis, the local matching sky, and the projection of stars on the image plane are estimated by the aiding of INS firstly. Then, the local star catalog for the star pattern recognition is established in real time dynamically. The star images extracted in the camera plane are matched in the local sky. Compared to the traditional all-sky star pattern recognition algorithms, the memory of storing the star catalog is reduced significantly. Finally, the INS-aided star pattern recognition algorithm is validated by simulations. The results of simulations show that the algorithm's computation time is reduced sharply and its matching success rate is improved greatly.

Aircraft Design Software

Science.gov (United States)

1997-01-01

Successful commercialization of the AirCraft SYNThesis (ACSYNT) tool has resulted in the creation of Phoenix Integration, Inc. ACSYNT has been exclusively licensed to the company, an outcome of a seven year, $3 million effort to provide unique software technology to a focused design engineering market. Ames Research Center formulated ACSYNT and in working with the Virginia Polytechnic Institute CAD Laboratory, began to design and code a computer-aided design for ACSYNT. Using a Joint Sponsored Research Agreement, Ames formed an industry-government-university alliance to improve and foster research and development for the software. As a result of the ACSYNT Institute, the software is becoming a predominant tool for aircraft conceptual design. ACSYNT has been successfully applied to high- speed civil transport configuration, subsonic transports, and supersonic fighters.

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTIC MEMS-BASED IMUs FOR UAVs NAVIGATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. A. Mohamed

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Accurate 3D reconstruction has become essential for non-traditional mapping applications such as urban planning, mining industry, environmental monitoring, navigation, surveillance, pipeline inspection, infrastructure monitoring, landslide hazard analysis, indoor localization, and military simulation. The needs of these applications cannot be satisfied by traditional mapping, which is based on dedicated data acquisition systems designed for mapping purposes. Recent advances in hardware and software development have made it possible to conduct accurate 3D mapping without using costly and high-end data acquisition systems. Low-cost digital cameras, laser scanners, and navigation systems can provide accurate mapping if they are properly integrated at the hardware and software levels. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs are emerging as a mobile mapping platform that can provide additional economical and practical advantages. However, such economical and practical requirements need navigation systems that can provide uninterrupted navigation solution. Hence, testing the performance characteristics of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS or low cost navigation sensors for various UAV applications is important research. This work focuses on studying the performance characteristics under different manoeuvres using inertial measurements integrated with single point positioning, Real-Time-Kinematic (RTK, and additional navigational aiding sensors. Furthermore, the performance of the inertial sensors is tested during Global Positioning System (GPS signal outage.

Model-base visual navigation of a mobile robot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roening, J.

1992-08-01

The thesis considers the problems of visual guidance of a mobile robot. A visual navigation system is formalized consisting of four basic components: world modelling, navigation sensing, navigation and action. According to this formalization an experimental system is designed and realized enabling real-world navigation experiments. A priori knowledge of the world is used for global path finding, aiding scene analysis and providing feedback information to the close the control loop between planned and actual movements. Two world models were developed. The first approach was a map-based model especially designed for low-level description of indoor environments. The other was a higher level and more symbolic representation of the surroundings utilizing the spatial graph concept. Two passive vision approaches were developed to extract navigation information. With passive three- camera stereovision a sparse depth map of the scene was produced. Another approach employed a fish-eye lens to map the entire scene of the surroundings without camera scanning. The local path planning of the system is supported by three-dimensional scene interpreter providing a partial understanding of scene contents. The interpreter consists of data-driven low-level stages and a model-driven high-level stage. Experiments were carried out in a simulator and test vehicle constructed in the laboratory. The test vehicle successfully navigated indoors

Performance Characteristic Mems-Based IMUs for UAVs Navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, H. A.; Hansen, J. M.; Elhabiby, M. M.; El-Sheimy, N.; Sesay, A. B.

2015-08-01

Accurate 3D reconstruction has become essential for non-traditional mapping applications such as urban planning, mining industry, environmental monitoring, navigation, surveillance, pipeline inspection, infrastructure monitoring, landslide hazard analysis, indoor localization, and military simulation. The needs of these applications cannot be satisfied by traditional mapping, which is based on dedicated data acquisition systems designed for mapping purposes. Recent advances in hardware and software development have made it possible to conduct accurate 3D mapping without using costly and high-end data acquisition systems. Low-cost digital cameras, laser scanners, and navigation systems can provide accurate mapping if they are properly integrated at the hardware and software levels. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are emerging as a mobile mapping platform that can provide additional economical and practical advantages. However, such economical and practical requirements need navigation systems that can provide uninterrupted navigation solution. Hence, testing the performance characteristics of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) or low cost navigation sensors for various UAV applications is important research. This work focuses on studying the performance characteristics under different manoeuvres using inertial measurements integrated with single point positioning, Real-Time-Kinematic (RTK), and additional navigational aiding sensors. Furthermore, the performance of the inertial sensors is tested during Global Positioning System (GPS) signal outage.

METHODS AND MEANS OF MEASURING THE COORDINATES OF AIRCRAFTS BY TIME DELAY OF SIGNALS IN MULTIPOSITIONING RADIO RANGEFINDING AERONAVIGATION AND LANDING SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya. V. Kondrashov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The principles of operation of radio range finding interrogation-reply system to provide navigational and landing operations of aircraft are considered. A precise method of measuring of time delays of signals for determining the location of aircraft with high accuracy is proposed.

Portable Integrated Wireless Device Threat Assessment to Aircraft Radio Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Salud, Maria Theresa P.; Williams, Reuben A. (Technical Monitor)

2004-01-01

An assessment was conducted on multiple wireless local area network (WLAN) devices using the three wireless standards for spurious radiated emissions to determine their threat to aircraft radio navigation systems. The measurement process, data and analysis are provided for devices tested using IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, and Bluetooth as well as data from portable laptops/tablet PCs and PDAs (grouping known as PEDs). A comparison was made between wireless LAN devices and portable electronic devices. Spurious radiated emissions were investigated in the radio frequency bands for the following aircraft systems: Instrument Landing System Localizer and Glideslope, Very High Frequency (VHF) Communication, VHF Omnidirectional Range, Traffic Collision Avoidance System, Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System, Microwave Landing System and Global Positioning System. Since several of the contiguous navigation systems were grouped under one encompassing measurement frequency band, there were five measurement frequency bands where spurious radiated emissions data were collected for the PEDs and WLAN devices. The report also provides a comparison between emissions data and regulatory emission limit.

A 10-gram Microflyer for Vision-based Indoor Navigation

OpenAIRE

Zufferey, Jean-Christophe; Klaptocz, Adam; Beyeler, Antoine; Nicoud, Jean-Daniel; Floreano, Dario

2006-01-01

We aim at developing ultralight autonomous microflyers capable of navigating within houses or small built environments. Our latest prototype is a fixed-wing aircraft weighing a mere 10 g, flying around 1.5 m/s and carrying the necessary electronics for airspeed regulation and collision avoidance. This microflyer is equipped with two tiny camera modules, two rate gyroscopes, an anemometer, a small microcontroller, and a Bluetooth radio module. In-flight tests are carried out ...

Navigation Signal Disturbances by Multipath Propagation - Scaled Measurements with a Universal Channel Sounder Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Geise, Robert; Neubauer, Bjoern; Zimmer, Georg

2015-11-01

The performance of navigation systems is always reduced by unwanted multipath propagation. This is especially of practical importance for airborne navigation systems like the instrument landing system (ILS) or the VHF omni directional radio range (VOR). Nevertheless, the quantitative analysis of corresponding, potentially harmful multipath propagation disturbances is very difficult due to the large parameter space. Experimentally difficulties arise due to very expensive, real scale measurement campaigns and numerical simulation techniques still have shortcomings which are briefly discussed. In this contribution a new universal approach is introduced on how to measure very flexibly multipath propagation effects for arbitrary navigation systems using a channel sounder architecture in a scaled measurement environment. Two relevant scenarios of multipath propagation and the impact on navigation signals are presented. The first describes disturbances of the ILS due to large taxiing aircraft. The other example shows the influence of rotating wind turbines on the VOR.

Personal Aircraft Point to the Future of Transportation

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, as well as a number of Agency innovations, have helped Duluth, Minnesota-based Cirrus Design Corporation become one of the world's leading manufacturers of general aviation aircraft. SBIRs with Langley Research Center provided the company with cost-effective composite airframe manufacturing methods, while crashworthiness testing at the Center increased the safety of its airplanes. Other NASA-derived technologies on Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft include synthetic vision systems that help pilots navigate and full-plane parachutes that have saved the lives of more than 30 Cirrus pilots and passengers to date. Today, the SR22 is the world's top-selling Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified single-engine airplane.

'Outsmarting Traffic, Together': Driving as Social Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Hind

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The automotive world is evolving. Ten years ago Nigel Thrift (2004: 41 made the claim that the experience of driving was slipping into our 'technological unconscious'. Only recently the New York Times suggested that with the rise of automated driving, standalone navigation tools as we know them would cease to exist, instead being 'fully absorbed into the machine' (Fisher, 2013. But in order to bridge the gap between past and future driving worlds, another technological evolution is emerging. This short, critical piece charts the rise of what has been called 'social navigation' in the industry; the development of digital mapping platforms designed to foster automotive sociality. It makes two provisional points. Firstly, that 'ludic' conceptualisations can shed light on the ongoing reconfiguration of drivers, vehicles, roads and technological aids such as touch-screen satellite navigation platforms. And secondly, that as a result of this, there is a coming-into-being of a new kind of driving politics; a 'casual politicking' centred on an engagement with digital interfaces. We explicate both by turning our attention towards Waze; a social navigation application that encourages users to interact with various driving dynamics.

Adaptive Kalman Filter of Transfer Alignment with Un-modeled Wing Flexure of Aircraft

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2008-01-01

The alignment accuracy of the strap-down inertial navigation system (SINS) of airborne weapon is greatly degraded by the dynamic wing flexure of the aircraft. An adaptive Kalman filter uses innovation sequences based on the maximum likelihood estimated criterion to adapt the system noise covariance matrix and the measurement noise covariance matrix on line, which is used to estimate the misalignment if the model of wing flexure of the aircraft is unknown. From a number of simulations, it is shown that the accuracy of the adaptive Kalman filter is better than the conventional Kalman filter, and the erroneous misalignment models of the wing flexure of aircraft will cause bad estimation results of Kalman filter using attitude match method.

Information Potential Fields Navigation in Wireless Ad-Hoc Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Qi

2011-05-01

Full Text Available As wireless sensor networks (WSNs are increasingly being deployed in some important applications, it becomes imperative that we consider application requirements in in-network processes. We intend to use a WSN to aid information querying and navigation within a dynamic and real-time environment. We propose a novel method that relies on the heat diffusion equation to finish the navigation process conveniently and easily. From the perspective of theoretical analysis, our proposed work holds the lower constraint condition. We use multiple scales to reach the goal of accurate navigation. We present a multi-scale gradient descent method to satisfy users’ requirements in WSNs. Formula derivations and simulations show that the method is accurately and efficiently able to solve typical sensor network configuration information navigation problems. Simultaneously, the structure of heat diffusion equation allows more flexibility and adaptability in searching algorithm designs.

Optical wireless networked-systems: applications to aircrafts

Science.gov (United States)

Kavehrad, Mohsen; Fadlullah, Jarir

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on leveraging the progress in semiconductor technologies to facilitate production of efficient light-based in-flight entertainment (IFE), distributed sensing, navigation and control systems. We demonstrate the ease of configuring "engineered pipes" using cheap lenses, etc. to achieve simple linear transmission capacity growth. Investigation of energy-efficient, miniaturized transceivers will create a wireless medium, for both inter and intra aircrafts, providing enhanced security, and improved quality-of-service for communications links in greater harmony with onboard systems. The applications will seamlessly inter-connect multiple intelligent devices in a network that is deployable for aircrafts navigation systems, onboard sensors and entertainment data delivery systems, and high-definition audio-visual broadcasting systems. Recent experimental results on a high-capacity infrared (808 nm) system are presented. The light source can be applied in a hybrid package along with a visible lighting LED for both lighting and communications. Also, we present a pragmatic combination of light communications through "Spotlighting" and existing onboard power-lines. It is demonstrated in details that a high-capacity IFE visible light system communicating over existing power-lines (VLC/PLC) may lead to savings in many areas through reduction of size, weight and energy consumption. This paper addresses the challenges of integrating optimized optical devices in the variety of environments described above, and presents mitigation and tailoring approaches for a multi-purpose optical network.

Visual Navigation of Complex Information Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah North

1995-11-01

Full Text Available The authors lay the foundation for the introduction of visual navigation aid to assist computer users in direct manipulation of the complex information spaces. By exploring present research on scientific data visualisation and creating a case for improved information visualisation tools, they introduce the design of an improved information visualisation interface utilizing dynamic slider, called Visual-X, incorporating icons with bindable attributes (glyphs. Exploring the improvement that these data visualisations, make to a computing environment, the authors conduct an experiment to compare the performance of subjects who use traditional interfaces and Visual-X. Methodology is presented and conclusions reveal that the use of Visual-X appears to be a promising approach in providing users with a navigation tool that does not overload their cognitive processes.

Cooperative Navigation for Low-bandwidth Mobile Acoustic Networks

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

travel-time TXCO temperature compensated crystal oscillator UKF unscented Kalman filter UMBS University of Michigan Biological Station USBL ultra...access CEKF centralized extended Kalman filter CEIF centralized extended information filter CI covariance intersection CNA cooperative navigation aid DCCL...programming DEIF decentralized extended information filter DVL Doppler velocity log EIF extended information filter EKF extended Kalman filter FDMA

14 CFR Appendix F to Part 60 - Definitions and Abbreviations for Flight Simulation Training Devices

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... procedures, navigation aids, maps, and visual modeling detail sufficient to enable completion of an Airline..., catering, or cargo trucks; pedestrians) presented to pose a potential conflict with the simulated aircraft... Airline Transport Association. ICAOInternational Civil Aviation Organization. IGEIn ground effect...

14 CFR Appendix A to Part 63 - Test Requirements for Flight Navigator Certificate

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... all planets available for navigation at the time of the examination and explain the method of... nearest fire extinguisher, life preserver, life rafts, exits, axe, first aid kits, etc. (9) Recite the...

7110.65H Air Traffic Control

Science.gov (United States)

1993-09-16

limits of the capability of self.contained aids, or a combination of these. ASDA --(See ACCELERATE-STOP DISTANCE AVAIL- ABLE). ARINC-An acronym for...Aeronautical Radio, Inc., a corporation largely owned by a group of airlines. ARINC ASDA [ICAO]--(See ICAO Term ACCELERATE-STOP is licensed by the FCC as...See AIRCRAFT SITUATION DISPLAY). which permits aircraft operation on any desired flight path within the coverage of station-referenced navigation ASDA

MODELING OF HARDWARE AND ALGORITHMIC STRUCTURE OF MOBILE MULTIPOSITIONING RADIO RANGEFINDING NAVIGATION AND LANDING AEROSYSTEM IN ITS SPATIAL CONFIGURATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya. V. Kondrashov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of structuring of radio equipment, mathematical and algorithmic tools to provide computing operations for determining the location of aircraft in spatial configuration of mobile (portable multipositioning radio rangefinding interrogation-reply navigation and landing system is considered in this article. The mathematical modeling of algorithms of aircraft traffic terminal control is carried out. The results of calculations of potential system performance and its analysis for compliance with international safety requirements are represented.

A Simple Two Aircraft Conflict Resolution Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterji, Gano B.

2006-01-01

Conflict detection and resolution methods are crucial for distributed air-ground traffic management in which the crew in, the cockpit, dispatchers in operation control centers sad and traffic controllers in the ground-based air traffic management facilities share information and participate in the traffic flow and traffic control functions. This paper describes a conflict detection, and a conflict resolution method. The conflict detection method predicts the minimum separation and the time-to-go to the closest point of approach by assuming that both the aircraft will continue to fly at their current speeds along their current headings. The conflict resolution method described here is motivated by the proportional navigation algorithm, which is often used for missile guidance during the terminal phase. It generates speed and heading commands to rotate the line-of-sight either clockwise or counter-clockwise for conflict resolution. Once the aircraft achieve a positive range-rate and no further conflict is predicted, the algorithm generates heading commands to turn back the aircraft to their nominal trajectories. The speed commands are set to the optimal pre-resolution speeds. Six numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the conflict detection, and the conflict resolution methods.

NASA LaRC Workshop on Guidance, Navigation, Controls, and Dynamics for Atmospheric Flight, 1993

Science.gov (United States)

Buttrill, Carey S. (Editor)

1993-01-01

This publication is a collection of materials presented at a NASA workshop on guidance, navigation, controls, and dynamics (GNC&D) for atmospheric flight. The workshop was held at the NASA Langley Research Center on March 18-19, 1993. The workshop presentations describe the status of current research in the GNC&D area at Langley over a broad spectrum of research branches. The workshop was organized in eight sessions: overviews, general, controls, military aircraft, dynamics, guidance, systems, and a panel discussion. A highlight of the workshop was the panel discussion which addressed the following issue: 'Direction of guidance, navigation, and controls research to ensure U.S. competitiveness and leadership in aerospace technologies.'

Flight evaluations of approach/landing navigation sensor systems. MLS to kohokei hiko jikken. ; 1990 nendo no jikken gaiyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-07-01

Flight test results of such navigation sensor systems as MLS (microwave landing system), GPS(global positioning system) and INS (inertial navigation system) on the Dornier-228 research aircraft in 1990 were reported, which tests have being promoted by National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL), Japan to develop unmanned approach/landing (A/L) navigation sensor systems for the future spaceplane HOPE. The measured data corresponding to a WGS84 (world geodetic system 1984) navigation coordinate system were evaluated, and the reference orbit was also prepared by laser tracker analysis. The navigation sensor systems such as MLS were evaluated on the basis of CMN (control motion noise) or PFE (path following error), and preliminary calculation was also conducted for a GPS-INS hybrid system. As experimental results, several data were gathered for each sensor system resulting in possible data comparison between the sensor systems, and the feasibility of the GPS-INS hybrid system was also confirmed. 35 refs., 49 figs., 22 tabs.

Augmented Reality as a Navigation Tool to Employment Opportunities for Postsecondary Education Students with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Don; Cihak, David F.; Wright, Rachel

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of location-based augmented reality navigation compared to Google Maps and paper maps as navigation aids for students with disabilities. The participants in this single subject study were three college students with intellectual disability and one college student with autism spectrum disorder.…

HIV/AIDS: A Nontraditional Security Threat for AFRICOM

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Letcher, Kenneth W

2008-01-01

.... Africa Command must navigate. The study will draw on research of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its effect on the effectiveness of the militaries of southern Africa, leaning heavily on the research of Stefan Elbe and a small cadre...

INS/GNSS Integration for Aerobatic Flight Applications and Aircraft Motion Surveying.

Science.gov (United States)

V Hinüber, Edgar L; Reimer, Christian; Schneider, Tim; Stock, Michael

2017-04-26

This paper presents field tests of challenging flight applications obtained with a new family of lightweight low-power INS/GNSS ( inertial navigation system/global satellite navigation system ) solutions based on MEMS ( micro-electro-mechanical- sensor ) machined sensors, being used for UAV ( unmanned aerial vehicle ) navigation and control as well as for aircraft motion dynamics analysis and trajectory surveying. One key is a 42+ state extended Kalman-filter-based powerful data fusion, which also allows the estimation and correction of parameters that are typically affected by sensor aging, especially when applying MEMS-based inertial sensors, and which is not yet deeply considered in the literature. The paper presents the general system architecture, which allows iMAR Navigation the integration of all classes of inertial sensors and GNSS ( global navigation satellite system ) receivers from very-low-cost MEMS and high performance MEMS over FOG ( fiber optical gyro ) and RLG ( ring laser gyro ) up to HRG ( hemispherical resonator gyro ) technology, and presents detailed flight test results obtained under extreme flight conditions. As a real-world example, the aerobatic maneuvers of the World Champion 2016 (Red Bull Air Race) are presented. Short consideration is also given to surveying applications, where the ultimate performance of the same data fusion, but applied on gravimetric surveying, is discussed.

Demonstration of a Moving-Map System for Improved Lane Navigation of Amphibious Vehicles

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Clohrenz, Maura

2003-01-01

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is testing and demonstrating a prototype moving-map system on amphibious vehicles and landing craft to aid the location neutralization and navigation around mines and obstacles in the surf and beach zone...

Transport Canada : navigable water protection technical paper on boating safety at dams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Putt, B [Transport Canada, Sarnia, ON (Canada); Di Censo, V M [Transport Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2009-07-01

The Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) was designed to ensure a balance between public rights of navigation and the need to build bridges, dams, and other structures. This paper discussed an owner's guide to navigation safety around water control structures. Developed by Transport Canada, the guide was intended to help owners of water control structures address boating safety matters and assist owners in making applications under the NWPA. The guide was prepared to address amendments made to the NWPA in 2009 as well as to assist owners in identifying potential hazards and interactions by the boating public at water control structures. The guide included information related to signage; navigation aids; barriers and booms; warning alerts and alarms; portage and access around structures; and application requirements. It was concluded that the guide will also provide a summary of legislation that may affect owners of water control structures.

Structural analysis of aircraft impact on a nuclear powered ship

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dietrich, R.

1976-01-01

As part of a general safety analysis, the reliability against structural damage due to an aircraft crash on a nuclear powered ship is evaluated. This structural analysis is an aid in safety design. It is assumed that a Phantom military jet-fighter hits a nuclear powered ship. The total reaction force due to such an aircraft impact on a rigid barrier is specified in the guidelines of the Reaktor-Sicherheitskommission (German Safety Advisory Committee) for pressurized water reactors. This paper investigates the aircraft impact on the collision barrier at the side of the ship. The aircraft impact on top of the reactor hatchway is investigated by another analysis. It appears that the most unfavorable angle of impact is always normal to the surface of the collision barrier. Consequently, only normal impact will be considered here. For the specific case of an aircraft striking a nuclear powered ship, the following two effects are considered: Local penetration and dynamic response of the structure. (Auth.)

Environmental gamma dose rate monitoring along Mumbai-Pune route using environmental radiation monitor with navigational aid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padmanabhan, N.; Kale, M.S.; Raman, N.; Krishnamachari, G.; Harikumar, M.; Sharma, D.N.; Mehta, S.K.

1997-01-01

A continuous environmental radiation monitor with navigational aid (ERMNA) for mapping natural gamma radiation background on country wide scale by deployment in railway coaches, has been designed. The system makes use of Indian railway network which is one of the widest network of railways in the world covering nearly complete length and breadth of the country. The system uses an energy compensated (within ± 30%) GN detectors for measurement of environmental dose rate due to natural background, a global positioning system (GPS) for on-line acquisition of positional co-ordinates (longitude and latitude) and an 8085 based data acquisition and processing unit. This system is deployed in guard's cabin of a train. The dose rate data tagged with positional co-ordinates and collected by the system during train journey is down loaded into a Lap Top PC for storage, analysis and graphical representation. The system has been used for background monitoring between Mumbai and Pune. The dose rates recorded over a period of three months ranging from November 1996 to February 1997 along the route show no change in the values which vary from 4 μr/h to 6 μR/h along the route. It drops down to <3 μR/h within tunnels en route. (author)

78 FR 65555 - Establishment of Class E Airspace; Salmon, ID

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

...-0531; Airspace Docket No. 13-ANM-20] Establishment of Class E Airspace; Salmon, ID AGENCY: Federal... at the Salmon VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid, Salmon, ID, to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Salt Lake...

Navigation errors encountered using weather-mapping radar for helicopter IFR guidance to oil rigs

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, J. D.; Bull, J. S.; Hegarty, D. M.; Dugan, D. C.

1980-01-01

In 1978 a joint NASA-FAA helicopter flight test was conducted to examine the use of weather-mapping radar for IFR guidance during landing approaches to oil rig helipads. The following navigation errors were measured: total system error, radar-range error, radar-bearing error, and flight technical error. Three problem areas were identified: (1) operational problems leading to pilot blunders, (2) poor navigation to the downwind final approach point, and (3) pure homing on final approach. Analysis of these problem areas suggests improvement in the radar equipment, approach procedure, and pilot training, and gives valuable insight into the development of future navigation aids to serve the off-shore oil industry.

The Use of the Lead and Line by Early Navigators in the North Sea?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Kemp

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper draws attention to the lack of information as to how early North Sea sailors navigated, particularly during the one thousand year period that followed Roman times. The lead and line was the only navigational aid available for most of this period, but there is little recorded as to whether it was used simply for ensuring a ship or boat had enough water to proceed or whether, together with the knowledge it provided of the nature of the sea bed, it was used as a more positive position fixing device. The author would appreciate any information relating to navigation techniques used during this period.

Comparison of two navigation systems for CT-guided interventions under special consideration of the ergonomic properties of the used systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulz, T.; Roettger, S.; Bahner-Heyne, E.J.; Kluge, G.

2009-01-01

Purpose: investigation of the influence of CT-based navigation systems on the success of an intervention, assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of the utilized systems, and evaluation of the ergonomic system properties. Materials and method: a simple guiding system PatPos Invent trademark and the computer-based navigation system PinPoint trademark were employed on two CT systems. In order to investigate the influence of the navigation aids on the success of the interventions, 96 prospective, randomized, and standardized punctures were performed on a specifically developed, rigid phantom. 16 examiners punctured 6 targets with 3 degrees of difficulty with the navigation aids. Results: irrespective of the experience of the examiner, both navigation systems guided the target with an equal degree of certainty. PinPoint significantly reduced the length of the examination time (12 - 25 min) as compared to PatPos Invent (20 - 40 min). The expectation conformity and comprehensibility of PatPos Invent were assessed significantly more positively than PinPoint with regard to the general handling of the system. In contrast, the assessment of the usability during preoperative setup favored PinPoint. The type of navigation system has no influence on the precision of the implementation of a puncture procedure. (orig.)

Vertical Navigation Control Laws and Logic for the Next Generation Air Transportation System

Science.gov (United States)

Hueschen, Richard M.; Khong, Thuan H.

2013-01-01

A vertical navigation (VNAV) outer-loop control system was developed to capture and track the vertical path segments of energy-efficient trajectories that are being developed for high-density operations in the evolving Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The VNAV control system has a speed-on-elevator control mode to pitch the aircraft for tracking a calibrated airspeed (CAS) or Mach number profile and a path control mode for tracking the VNAV altitude profile. Mode control logic was developed for engagement of either the speed or path control modes. The control system will level the aircraft to prevent it from flying through a constraint altitude. A stability analysis was performed that showed that the gain and phase margins of the VNAV control system significantly exceeded the design gain and phase margins. The system performance was assessed using a six-deg-of-freedom non-linear transport aircraft simulation and the performance is illustrated with time-history plots of recorded simulation data.

GPS/MEMS IMU/Microprocessor Board for Navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Gender, Thomas K.; Chow, James; Ott, William E.

2009-01-01

A miniaturized instrumentation package comprising a (1) Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, (2) an inertial measurement unit (IMU) consisting largely of surface-micromachined sensors of the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) type, and (3) a microprocessor, all residing on a single circuit board, is part of the navigation system of a compact robotic spacecraft intended to be released from a larger spacecraft [e.g., the International Space Station (ISS)] for exterior visual inspection of the larger spacecraft. Variants of the package may also be useful in terrestrial collision-detection and -avoidance applications. The navigation solution obtained by integrating the IMU outputs is fed back to a correlator in the GPS receiver to aid in tracking GPS signals. The raw GPS and IMU data are blended in a Kalman filter to obtain an optimal navigation solution, which can be supplemented by range and velocity data obtained by use of (l) a stereoscopic pair of electronic cameras aboard the robotic spacecraft and/or (2) a laser dynamic range imager aboard the ISS. The novelty of the package lies mostly in those aspects of the design of the MEMS IMU that pertain to controlling mechanical resonances and stabilizing scale factors and biases.

Towards Safe Navigation by Formalizing Navigation Rules

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arne Kreutzmann

2013-06-01

Full Text Available One crucial aspect of safe navigation is to obey all navigation regulations applicable, in particular the collision regulations issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO Colregs. Therefore, decision support systems for navigation need to respect Colregs and this feature should be verifiably correct. We tackle compliancy of navigation regulations from a perspective of software verification. One common approach is to use formal logic, but it requires to bridge a wide gap between navigation concepts and simple logic. We introduce a novel domain specification language based on a spatio-temporal logic that allows us to overcome this gap. We are able to capture complex navigation concepts in an easily comprehensible representation that can direcly be utilized by various bridge systems and that allows for software verification.

Feature and Pose Constrained Visual Aided Inertial Navigation for Computationally Constrained Aerial Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Brian; Hudson, Nicolas; Tweddle, Brent; Brockers, Roland; Matthies, Larry

2011-01-01

A Feature and Pose Constrained Extended Kalman Filter (FPC-EKF) is developed for highly dynamic computationally constrained micro aerial vehicles. Vehicle localization is achieved using only a low performance inertial measurement unit and a single camera. The FPC-EKF framework augments the vehicle's state with both previous vehicle poses and critical environmental features, including vertical edges. This filter framework efficiently incorporates measurements from hundreds of opportunistic visual features to constrain the motion estimate, while allowing navigating and sustained tracking with respect to a few persistent features. In addition, vertical features in the environment are opportunistically used to provide global attitude references. Accurate pose estimation is demonstrated on a sequence including fast traversing, where visual features enter and exit the field-of-view quickly, as well as hover and ingress maneuvers where drift free navigation is achieved with respect to the environment.

Towards a Sign-Based Indoor Navigation System for People with Visual Impairments.

Science.gov (United States)

Rituerto, Alejandro; Fusco, Giovanni; Coughlan, James M

2016-10-01

Navigation is a challenging task for many travelers with visual impairments. While a variety of GPS-enabled tools can provide wayfinding assistance in outdoor settings, GPS provides no useful localization information indoors. A variety of indoor navigation tools are being developed, but most of them require potentially costly physical infrastructure to be installed and maintained, or else the creation of detailed visual models of the environment. We report development of a new smartphone-based navigation aid, which combines inertial sensing, computer vision and floor plan information to estimate the user's location with no additional physical infrastructure and requiring only the locations of signs relative to the floor plan. A formative study was conducted with three blind volunteer participants demonstrating the feasibility of the approach and highlighting the areas needing improvement.

Development of an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program: ACUASI

Science.gov (United States)

Webley, P. W.; Cahill, C. F.; Rogers, M.; Hatfield, M. C.

2017-12-01

The Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI) has developed a comprehensive program that incorporates pilots, flight/mission planners, geoscientists, university undergraduate and graduate students, and engineers together as one. We lead and support unmanned aircraft system (UAS) missions for geoscience research, emergency response, humanitarian needs, engineering design, and policy development. We are the University of Alaska's UAS research program, lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex (PPUTRC) with Hawaii, Oregon, and Mississippi and in 2015 became a core member of the FAA Center of Excellence for UAS Research, managed by Mississippi State University. ACUASI's suite of aircraft include small hand-launched/vertical take-off and landing assets for short-term rapid deployment to large fixed-wing gas powered systems that provide multiple hours of flight time. We have extensive experience in Arctic and sub-Arctic environments and will present on how we have used our aircraft and payloads in numerous missions that include beyond visual line of sight flights, mapping the river ice-hazard in Alaska during spring break-up, and providing UAS-based observations for local Alaskans to navigate through the changing ice shelf of Northern Alaska. Several sensor developments of interest in the near future include building payloads for thermal infrared mapping at high spatial resolutions, combining forward and nadir looking cameras on the same UAS aircraft for topographic mapping, and using neutral density and narrow band filters to map very high temperature thermally active hazards, such as forest fires and volcanic eruptions. The ACUASI team working together provide us the experience, tools, capabilities, and personnel to build and maintain a world class research center for unmanned aircraft systems as well as support both real-time operations and geoscience research.

Corrosion Sensor Development for Condition-Based Maintenance of Aircraft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gino Rinaldi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aircraft routinely operate in atmospheric environments that, over time, will impact their structural integrity. Material protection and selection schemes notwithstanding, recurrent exposure to chlorides, pollution, temperature gradients, and moisture provide the necessary electrochemical conditions for the development and profusion of corrosion in aircraft structures. For aircraft operators, this becomes an important safety matter as corrosion found in a given aircraft must be assumed to be present in all of that type of aircraft. This safety protocol and its associated unscheduled maintenance requirement drive up the operational costs of the fleet and limit the availability of the aircraft. Hence, there is an opportunity at present for developing novel sensing technologies and schemes to aid in shifting time-based maintenance schedules towards condition-based maintenance procedures. In this work, part of the ongoing development of a multiparameter integrated corrosion sensor is presented. It consists of carbon nanotube/polyaniline polymer sensors and commercial-off-the-shelf sensors. It is being developed primarily for monitoring environmental and material factors for the purpose of providing a means to more accurately assess the structural integrity of aerospace aluminium alloys through fusion of multiparameter sensor data. Preliminary experimental test results are presented for chloride ion concentration, hydrogen gas evolution, humidity variations, and material degradation.

Space Launch Systems Block 1B Preliminary Navigation System Design

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, T. Emerson; Park, Thomas; Anzalone, Evan; Smith, Austin; Strickland, Dennis; Patrick, Sean

2018-01-01

NASA is currently building the Space Launch Systems (SLS) Block 1 launch vehicle for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight. In parallel, NASA is also designing the Block 1B launch vehicle. The Block 1B vehicle is an evolution of the Block 1 vehicle and extends the capability of the NASA launch vehicle. This evolution replaces the Interim Cryogenic Propulsive Stage (ICPS) with the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). As the vehicle evolves to provide greater lift capability, increased robustness for manned missions, and the capability to execute more demanding missions so must the SLS Integrated Navigation System evolved to support those missions. This paper describes the preliminary navigation systems design for the SLS Block 1B vehicle. The evolution of the navigation hard-ware and algorithms from an inertial-only navigation system for Block 1 ascent flight to a tightly coupled GPS-aided inertial navigation system for Block 1B is described. The Block 1 GN&C system has been designed to meet a LEO insertion target with a specified accuracy. The Block 1B vehicle navigation system is de-signed to support the Block 1 LEO target accuracy as well as trans-lunar or trans-planetary injection accuracy. Additionally, the Block 1B vehicle is designed to support human exploration and thus is designed to minimize the probability of Loss of Crew (LOC) through high-quality inertial instruments and robust algorithm design, including Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) logic.

NAVIGATION AIDS AS TOOLS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENCES IN THE CONDITIONS OF REALIZATION OF INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL TRAJECTORY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. F. Zeer

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Continuing education or «education through all life» is required of the person by modern realities of the information, quickly changing society; thus, continuing education is carried out on a development trajectory, individual for each person. Maintenance of such educational process needs effective tools. The relevance of its development caused the research presented in the publication.The aim is to show the possibilities of navigation aids during realization of individual routes of the training conforming to federal state educational standards and considering the purposes and interests of each separately taken personality.Methodology and research methods. The leading methodological basis is personality-oriented approach in the implementation of individual educational trajectory. Logical-pedagogical analysis of students’ individual educational trajectory progress is used.Results and scientific novelty. The interrelation of the concepts «individual educational trajectory» and «individual educational route» is revealed. The conceptual model of maintenance of an individual educational trajectory as a set of reference points of mastering of competences necessary for the expert is offered. Navigators of educational process and cases of individual educational achievements assessment act as didactic means in model. It is shown whence application of components of models allows to: organize the professional orientation actions more effectively; exercise entrance control of knowledge prior to training; control actions during vocational training; correlate an individual trajectory of training to the standard; have a guide when studying disciplines of various cycles, when passing educational and production training, protection of final qualification work; finally, it is possible for a pupil to carry out self-estimation of the acquired competences.Practical significance. The materials of the present publication will be useful to

Navigation in diagnosis and therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vannier, Michael W.; Haller, John W.

1999-01-01

Image-guided navigation for surgery and other therapeutic interventions has grown in importance in recent years. During image-guided navigation a target is detected, localized and characterized for diagnosis and therapy. Thus, images are used to select, plan, guide and evaluate therapy, thereby reducing invasiveness and improving outcomes. A shift from traditional open surgery to less-invasive image-guided surgery will continue to impact the surgical marketplace. Increases in the speed and capacity of computers and computer networks have enabled image-guided interventions. Key elements in image navigation systems are pre-operative 3D imaging (or real-time image acquisition), a graphical display and interactive input devices, such as surgical instruments with light emitting diodes (LEDs). CT and MRI, 3D imaging devices, are commonplace today and 3D images are useful in complex interventions such as radiation oncology and surgery. For example, integrated surgical imaging workstations can be used for frameless stereotaxy during neurosurgical interventions. In addition, imaging systems are being expanded to include decision aids in diagnosis and treatment. Electronic atlases, such as Voxel Man or others derived from the Visible Human Project, combine a set of image data with non-image knowledge such as anatomic labels. Robot assistants and magnetic guidance technology are being developed for minimally invasive surgery and other therapeutic interventions. Major progress is expected at the interface between the disciplines of radiology and surgery where imaging, intervention and informatics converge

An Online Solution of LiDAR Scan Matching Aided Inertial Navigation System for Indoor Mobile Mapping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoji Niu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Multisensors (LiDAR/IMU/CAMERA integrated Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM technology for navigation and mobile mapping in a GNSS-denied environment, such as indoor areas, dense forests, or urban canyons, becomes a promising solution. An online (real-time version of such system can extremely extend its applications, especially for indoor mobile mapping. However, the real-time response issue of multisensors is a big challenge for an online SLAM system, due to the different sampling frequencies and processing time of different algorithms. In this paper, an online Extended Kalman Filter (EKF integrated algorithm of LiDAR scan matching and IMU mechanization for Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV indoor navigation system is introduced. Since LiDAR scan matching is considerably more time consuming than the IMU mechanism, the real-time synchronous issue is solved via a one-step-error-state-transition method in EKF. Stationary and dynamic field tests had been performed using a UGV platform along typical corridor of office building. Compared to the traditional sequential postprocessed EKF algorithm, the proposed method can significantly mitigate the time delay of navigation outputs under the premise of guaranteeing the positioning accuracy, which can be used as an online navigation solution for indoor mobile mapping.

Inertial Navigation System/Doppler Velocity Log (INS/DVL Fusion with Partial DVL Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asaf Tal

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The Technion autonomous underwater vehicle (TAUV is an ongoing project aiming to develop and produce a small AUV to carry on research missions, including payload dropping, and to demonstrate acoustic communication. Its navigation system is based on an inertial navigation system (INS aided by a Doppler velocity log (DVL, magnetometer, and pressure sensor (PS. In many INSs, such as the one used in TAUV, only the velocity vector (provided by the DVL can be used for aiding the INS, i.e., enabling only a loosely coupled integration approach. In cases of partial DVL measurements, such as failure to maintain bottom lock, the DVL cannot estimate the vehicle velocity. Thus, in partial DVL situations no velocity data can be integrated into the TAUV INS, and as a result its navigation solution will drift in time. To circumvent that problem, we propose a DVL-based vehicle velocity solution using the measured partial raw data of the DVL and additional information, thereby deriving an extended loosely coupled (ELC approach. The implementation of the ELC approach requires only software modification. In addition, we present the TAUV six degrees of freedom (6DOF simulation that includes all functional subsystems. Using this simulation, the proposed approach is evaluated and the benefit of using it is shown.

A situation-response model for intelligent pilot aiding

Science.gov (United States)

Schudy, Robert; Corker, Kevin

1987-01-01

An intelligent pilot aiding system needs models of the pilot information processing to provide the computational basis for successful cooperation between the pilot and the aiding system. By combining artificial intelligence concepts with the human information processing model of Rasmussen, an abstraction hierarchy of states of knowledge, processing functions, and shortcuts are developed, which is useful for characterizing the information processing both of the pilot and of the aiding system. This approach is used in the conceptual design of a real time intelligent aiding system for flight crews of transport aircraft. One promising result was the tentative identification of a particular class of information processing shortcuts, from situation characterizations to appropriate responses, as the most important reliable pathway for dealing with complex time critical situations.

MOBIC: Designing a Travel Aid for Blind and Elderly People

Science.gov (United States)

Petrie, Helen; Johnson, Valerie; Strothotte, Thomas; Raab, Andreas; Fritz, Steffi; Michel, Rainer

This paper presents the research for the development of a new travel aid to increase the independent mobility of blind and elderly travellers. This aid will build on the technologies of geographical information systems (GIS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS). The MOBIC Travel Aid (MOTA) consists of two interrelated components: the MOBIC Pre-journey System (MOPS) to assist users in planning journeys and the MOBIC Outdoor System (MOODS) to execute these plans by providing users with orientation and navigation assistance during journeys. The MOBIC travel aid is complementary to primary mobility aids such as the long cane or guide dog. Results of a study of user requirements are presented and their implications for the initial design of the system are discussed.

Aurora Flight Sciences' Perseus B Remotely Piloted Aircraft in Flight

Science.gov (United States)

1998-01-01

from a mobile flight control station on the ground. A Global Positioning System (GPS) unit provides navigation data for continuous and precise location during flight. The ground control station features dual independent consoles for aircraft control and systems monitoring. A flight termination system, required for all remotely piloted aircraft being flown in military-restricted airspace, includes a parachute system deployed on command plus a C-Band radar beacon and a Mode-C transponder to aid in location. Dryden has provided hanger and office space for the Perseus B aircraft and for the flight test development team when on site for flight or ground testing. NASA's ERAST project is developing aeronautical technologies for a new generation of remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft for a variety of upper-atmospheric science missions and commercial applications. Dryden is the lead center in NASA for ERAST management and operations. Perseus B is approximately 25 feet long, has a wingspan of 71.5 feet, and stands 12 feet high. Perseus B is powered by a Rotax 914, four-cylinder piston engine mounted in the mid-fuselage area and integrated with an Aurora-designed three-stage turbocharger, connected to a lightweight two-blade propeller.

Improving Real World Performance of Vision Aided Navigation in a Flight Environment

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-15

alternatives for military systems by leveraging information from non-navigation sen- sors that are already deployed on fielded platforms. The motivation of...plane x and y residuals are provided in the title. Each color represents residuals from a specific image. . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 xi Figure Page 29...are provided in the title. Each color represents residuals from a specific image. . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 30. Illustration of landmark database

46 CFR 35.20-1 - Notice to mariners; aids to navigation-T/OCLB.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Notices to Mariners (Great Lakes Edition), published by the Commander, 9th Coast Guard District, contain... of navigation on the Great Lakes. These notices may be obtained free of charge, by making application to Commander, 9th Coast Guard District. (c) Weekly Notices to Mariners (worldwide coverage) are...

Virtual Sensor for Failure Detection, Identification and Recovery in the Transition Phase of a Morphing Aircraft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo Heredia

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The Helicopter Adaptive Aircraft (HADA is a morphing aircraft which is able to take-off as a helicopter and, when in forward flight, unfold the wings that are hidden under the fuselage, and transfer the power from the main rotor to a propeller, thus morphing from a helicopter to an airplane. In this process, the reliable folding and unfolding of the wings is critical, since a failure may determine the ability to perform a mission, and may even be catastrophic. This paper proposes a virtual sensor based Fault Detection, Identification and Recovery (FDIR system to increase the reliability of the HADA aircraft. The virtual sensor is able to capture the nonlinear interaction between the folding/unfolding wings aerodynamics and the HADA airframe using the navigation sensor measurements. The proposed FDIR system has been validated using a simulation model of the HADA aircraft, which includes real phenomena as sensor noise and sampling characteristics and turbulence and wind perturbations.

Virtual sensor for failure detection, identification and recovery in the transition phase of a morphing aircraft.

Science.gov (United States)

Heredia, Guillermo; Ollero, Aníbal

2010-01-01

The Helicopter Adaptive Aircraft (HADA) is a morphing aircraft which is able to take-off as a helicopter and, when in forward flight, unfold the wings that are hidden under the fuselage, and transfer the power from the main rotor to a propeller, thus morphing from a helicopter to an airplane. In this process, the reliable folding and unfolding of the wings is critical, since a failure may determine the ability to perform a mission, and may even be catastrophic. This paper proposes a virtual sensor based Fault Detection, Identification and Recovery (FDIR) system to increase the reliability of the HADA aircraft. The virtual sensor is able to capture the nonlinear interaction between the folding/unfolding wings aerodynamics and the HADA airframe using the navigation sensor measurements. The proposed FDIR system has been validated using a simulation model of the HADA aircraft, which includes real phenomena as sensor noise and sampling characteristics and turbulence and wind perturbations.

Toward a human-centered aircraft automation philosophy

Science.gov (United States)

Billings, Charles E.

1989-01-01

The evolution of automation in civil aircraft is examined in order to discern trends in the respective roles and functions of automation technology and the humans who operate these aircraft. The effects of advances in automation technology on crew reaction is considered and it appears that, though automation may well have decreased the frequency of certain types of human errors in flight, it may also have enabled new categories of human errors, some perhaps less obvious and therefore more serious than those it has alleviated. It is suggested that automation could be designed to keep the pilot closer to the control of the vehicle, while providing an array of information management and aiding functions designed to provide the pilot with data regarding flight replanning, degraded system operation, and the operational status and limits of the aircraft, its systems, and the physical and operational environment. The automation would serve as the pilot's assistant, providing and calculating data, watching for the unexpected, and keeping track of resources and their rate of expenditure.

Low Cost Multisensor Kinematic Positioning and Navigation System with Linux/RTAI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baoxin Hu

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Despite its popularity, the development of an embedded real-time multisensor kinematic positioning and navigation system discourages many researchers and developers due to its complicated hardware environment setup and time consuming device driver development. To address these issues, this paper proposed a multisensor kinematic positioning and navigation system built on Linux with Real Time Application Interface (RTAI, which can be constructed in a fast and economical manner upon popular hardware platforms. The authors designed, developed, evaluated and validated the application of Linux/RTAI in the proposed system for the integration of the low cost MEMS IMU and OEM GPS sensors. The developed system with Linux/RTAI as the core of a direct geo-referencing system provides not only an excellent hard real-time performance but also the conveniences for sensor hardware integration and real-time software development. A software framework is proposed in this paper for a universal kinematic positioning and navigation system with loosely-coupled integration architecture. In addition, general strategies of sensor time synchronization in a multisensor system are also discussed. The success of the loosely-coupled GPS-aided inertial navigation Kalman filter is represented via post-processed solutions from road tests.

The use of virtual surgical planning and navigation in the treatment of orbital trauma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Scott Herford

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Virtual surgical planning (VSP has recently been introduced in craniomaxillofacial surgery with the goal of improving efficiency and precision for complex surgical operations. Among many indications, VSP can also be applied for the treatment of congenital and acquired craniofacial defects, including orbital fractures. VSP permits the surgeon to visualize the complex anatomy of craniofacial region, showing the relationship between bone and neurovascular structures. It can be used to design and print using three-dimensional (3D printing technology and customized surgical models. Additionally, intraoperative navigation may be useful as an aid in performing the surgery. Navigation is useful for both the surgical dissection as well as to confirm the placement of the implant. Navigation has been found to be especially useful for orbit and sinus surgery. The present paper reports a case describing the use of VSP and computerized navigation for the reconstruction of a large orbital floor defect with a custom implant.

Optimal Geometric Deployment of a Ground Based Pseudolite Navigation System to Track a Landing Aircraft

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Crawford, Matthew P

2006-01-01

.... This testing is especially necessary for precise tasks such as landing an aircraft. Currently, research is being conducted into using a pseudolite-based reference system to use as a truth model for the GPS jamming test...

Models of Human Information Requirements: "When Reasonable Aiding Systems Disagree"

Science.gov (United States)

Corker, Kevin; Pisanich, Gregory; Shafto, Michael (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Aircraft flight management and Air Traffic Control (ATC) automation are under development to maximize the economy of flight and to increase the capacity of the terminal area airspace while maintaining levels of flight safety equal to or better than current system performance. These goals are being realized by the introduction of flight management automation aiding and operations support systems on the flight deck and by new developments of ATC aiding systems that seek to optimize scheduling of aircraft while potentially reducing required separation and accounting for weather and wake vortex turbulence. Aiding systems on both the flight deck and the ground operate through algorithmic functions on models of the aircraft and of the airspace. These models may differ from each other as a result of variations in their models of the immediate environment. The resultant flight operations or ATC commands may differ in their response requirements (e.g. different preferred descent speeds or descent initiation points). The human operators in the system must then interact with the automation to reconcile differences and resolve conflicts. We have developed a model of human performance including cognitive functions (decision-making, rule-based reasoning, procedural interruption recovery and forgetting) that supports analysis of the information requirements for resolution of flight aiding and ATC conflicts. The model represents multiple individuals in the flight crew and in ATC. The model is supported in simulation on a Silicon Graphics' workstation using Allegro Lisp. Design guidelines for aviation automation aiding systems have been developed using the model's specification of information and team procedural requirements. Empirical data on flight deck operations from full-mission flight simulation are provided to support the model's predictions. The paper describes the model, its development and implementation, the simulation test of the model predictions, and the empirical

Optimal Geometric Deployment of a Ground Based Pseudolite Navigation System to Track a Landing Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

2006-06-01

Machine Guidance Using LocataNet In this pilot study [3], conducted at the BlueScope Steel warehouse in Port Kembla, Australia, the LocataNet system...Study at BlueScope Steel”. Proceedings of the 2004 Annual Meeting of the Institute of Navigation. Dayton, OH, June 2004. 4. Barnes, Joel, Chris

Navigation-aided visualization of lumbosacral nerves for anterior sacroiliac plate fixation: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Takao, Masaki; Nishii, Takashi; Sakai, Takashi; Sugano, Nobuhiko

2014-06-01

Anterior sacroiliac joint plate fixation for unstable pelvic ring fractures avoids soft tissue problems in the buttocks; however, the lumbosacral nerves lie in close proximity to the sacroiliac joint and may be injured during the procedure. A 49 year-old woman with a type C pelvic ring fracture was treated with an anterior sacroiliac plate using a computed tomography (CT)-three-dimensional (3D)-fluoroscopy matching navigation system, which visualized the lumbosacral nerves as well as the iliac and sacral bones. We used a flat panel detector 3D C-arm, which made it possible to superimpose our preoperative CT-based plan on the intra-operative 3D-fluoroscopic images. No postoperative complications were noted. Intra-operative lumbosacral nerve visualization using computer navigation was useful to recognize the 'at-risk' area for nerve injury during anterior sacroiliac plate fixation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improving Canada's Marine Navigation System through e-Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Breton

2016-06-01

The conclusion proposed is that on-going work with key partners and stakeholders can be used as the primary mechanism to identify e-Navigation related innovation and needs, and to prioritize next steps. Moving forward in Canada, implementation of new e-navigation services will continue to be stakeholder driven, and used to drive improvements to Canada's marine navigation system.

Living Day by Day: The Meaning of Living With HIV/AIDS Among Women in Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Rachel L; Khoury, Cynthia El; Field, Emily R S; Mokhbat, Jacques

2016-01-01

We examined the meaning of living with HIV/AIDS among women in Lebanon. Ten women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) described their experiences via semistructured in-depth interviews. They navigated a process of HIV diagnosis acceptance that incorporated six overlapping elements: receiving the news, accessing care, starting treatment, navigating disclosure decisions, negotiating stigma, and maintaining stability. Through these elements, we provide a framework for understanding three major themes that were constructed during data analysis: Stand by my side: Decisions of disclosure; Being "sick" and feeling "normal": Interacting with self, others, and society; and Living day by day: focusing on the present. We contribute to the existing literature by providing a theoretical framework for understanding the process of diagnosis and sero-status acceptance among WLWHA. This was the first study of its kind to examine the meaning of living with HIV/AIDS among women in a Middle Eastern country.

Navigating on handheld displays: Dynamic versus Static Keyhole Navigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mehra, S.; Werkhoven, P.; Worring, M.

2006-01-01

Handheld displays leave little space for the visualization and navigation of spatial layouts representing rich information spaces. The most common navigation method for handheld displays is static peephole navigation: The peephole is static and we move the spatial layout behind it (scrolling). A

Hänsel, Gretel and the slime mould—how an external spatial memory aids navigation in complex environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith-Ferguson, Jules; Latty, Tanya; Beekman, Madeleine; Reid, Chris R

2017-01-01

The ability to navigate through an environment is critical to most organisms’ ability to survive and reproduce. The presence of a memory system greatly enhances navigational success. Therefore, natural selection is likely to drive the creation of memory systems, even in non-neuronal organisms, if having such a system is adaptive. Here we examine if the external spatial memory system present in the acellular slime mould, Physarum polycephalum , provides an adaptive advantage for resource acquisition. P. polycephalum lays tracks of extracellular slime as it moves through its environment. Previous work has shown that the presence of extracellular slime allows the organism to escape from a trap in laboratory experiments simply by avoiding areas previously explored. Here we further investigate the benefits of using extracellular slime as an external spatial memory by testing the organism’s ability to navigate through environments of differing complexity with and without the ability to use its external memory. Our results suggest that the external memory has an adaptive advantage in ‘open’ and simple bounded environments. However, in a complex bounded environment, the extracellular slime provides no advantage, and may even negatively affect the organism’s navigational abilities. Our results indicate that the exact experimental set up matters if one wants to fully understand how the presence of extracellular slime affects the slime mould’s search behaviour. (paper)

Hänsel, Gretel and the slime mould—how an external spatial memory aids navigation in complex environments

Science.gov (United States)

Smith-Ferguson, Jules; Reid, Chris R.; Latty, Tanya; Beekman, Madeleine

2017-10-01

The ability to navigate through an environment is critical to most organisms’ ability to survive and reproduce. The presence of a memory system greatly enhances navigational success. Therefore, natural selection is likely to drive the creation of memory systems, even in non-neuronal organisms, if having such a system is adaptive. Here we examine if the external spatial memory system present in the acellular slime mould, Physarum polycephalum, provides an adaptive advantage for resource acquisition. P. polycephalum lays tracks of extracellular slime as it moves through its environment. Previous work has shown that the presence of extracellular slime allows the organism to escape from a trap in laboratory experiments simply by avoiding areas previously explored. Here we further investigate the benefits of using extracellular slime as an external spatial memory by testing the organism’s ability to navigate through environments of differing complexity with and without the ability to use its external memory. Our results suggest that the external memory has an adaptive advantage in ‘open’ and simple bounded environments. However, in a complex bounded environment, the extracellular slime provides no advantage, and may even negatively affect the organism’s navigational abilities. Our results indicate that the exact experimental set up matters if one wants to fully understand how the presence of extracellular slime affects the slime mould’s search behaviour.

A Conceptual Design and Optimization Method for Blended-Wing-Body Aircraft

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, R.; Van Dommelen, J.

2012-01-01

This paper details a new software tool to aid in the conceptual design of blended-wingbody aircraft. The tool consists of four main modules. In the preliminary sizing model a class I estimate of the maximum take-off weight, wing loading, and thrust-to-weight ratio is calculated. This information is

An artificial intelligence approach to onboard fault monitoring and diagnosis for aircraft applications

Science.gov (United States)

Schutte, P. C.; Abbott, K. H.

1986-01-01

Real-time onboard fault monitoring and diagnosis for aircraft applications, whether performed by the human pilot or by automation, presents many difficult problems. Quick response to failures may be critical, the pilot often must compensate for the failure while diagnosing it, his information about the state of the aircraft is often incomplete, and the behavior of the aircraft changes as the effect of the failure propagates through the system. A research effort was initiated to identify guidelines for automation of onboard fault monitoring and diagnosis and associated crew interfaces. The effort began by determining the flight crew's information requirements for fault monitoring and diagnosis and the various reasoning strategies they use. Based on this information, a conceptual architecture was developed for the fault monitoring and diagnosis process. This architecture represents an approach and a framework which, once incorporated with the necessary detail and knowledge, can be a fully operational fault monitoring and diagnosis system, as well as providing the basis for comparison of this approach to other fault monitoring and diagnosis concepts. The architecture encompasses all aspects of the aircraft's operation, including navigation, guidance and controls, and subsystem status. The portion of the architecture that encompasses subsystem monitoring and diagnosis was implemented for an aircraft turbofan engine to explore and demonstrate the AI concepts involved. This paper describes the architecture and the implementation for the engine subsystem.

UAS in the NAS: Survey Responses by ATC, Manned Aircraft Pilots, and UAS Pilots

Science.gov (United States)

Comstock, James R., Jr.; McAdaragh, Raymon; Ghatas, Rania W.; Burdette, Daniel W.; Trujillo, Anna C.

2014-01-01

NASA currently is working with industry and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish future requirements for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) flying in the National Airspace System (NAS). To work these issues NASA has established a multi-center "UAS Integration in the NAS" project. In order to establish Ground Control Station requirements for UAS, the perspective of each of the major players in NAS operations was desired. Three on-line surveys were administered that focused on Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), pilots of manned aircraft, and pilots of UAS. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with some survey respondents. The survey questions addressed UAS control, navigation, and communications from the perspective of small and large unmanned aircraft. Questions also addressed issues of UAS equipage, especially with regard to sense and avoid capabilities. From the civilian ATC and military ATC perspectives, of particular interest are how mixed operations (manned / UAS) have worked in the past and the role of aircraft equipage. Knowledge gained from this information is expected to assist the NASA UAS Integration in the NAS project in directing research foci thus assisting the FAA in the development of rules, regulations, and policies related to UAS in the NAS.

Flight Load Assessment for Light Aircraft Landing Trajectories in Windy Atmosphere and Near Wind Farms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmine Varriale

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This work focuses on the wake encounter problem occurring when a light, or very light, aircraft flies through or nearby a wind turbine wake. The dependency of the aircraft normal load factor on the distance from the turbine rotor in various flight and environmental conditions is quantified. For this research, a framework of software applications has been developed for generating and controlling a population of flight simulation scenarios in presence of assigned wind and turbulence fields. The JSBSim flight dynamics model makes use of several autopilot systems for simulating a realistic pilot behavior during navigation. The wind distribution, calculated with OpenFOAM, is a separate input for the dynamic model and is considered frozen during each flight simulation. The aircraft normal load factor during wake encounters is monitored at different distances from the rotor, aircraft speeds, rates of descent and crossing angles. Based on these figures, some preliminary guidelines and recommendations on safe encounter distances are provided for general aviation aircraft, with considerations on pilot comfort and flight safety. These are needed, for instance, when an accident risk assessment study is required for flight in proximity of aeolic parks. A link to the GitHub code repository is provided.

Analytical Design Package (ADP2): A computer aided engineering tool for aircraft transparency design

Science.gov (United States)

Wuerer, J. E.; Gran, M.; Held, T. W.

1994-01-01

The Analytical Design Package (ADP2) is being developed as a part of the Air Force Frameless Transparency Program (FTP). ADP2 is an integrated design tool consisting of existing analysis codes and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software. The objective of the ADP2 is to develop and confirm an integrated design methodology for frameless transparencies, related aircraft interfaces, and their corresponding tooling. The application of this methodology will generate high confidence for achieving a qualified part prior to mold fabrication. ADP2 is a customized integration of analysis codes, CAE software, and material databases. The primary CAE integration tool for the ADP2 is P3/PATRAN, a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software tool. The open architecture of P3/PATRAN allows customized installations with different applications modules for specific site requirements. Integration of material databases allows the engineer to select a material, and those material properties are automatically called into the relevant analysis code. The ADP2 materials database will be composed of four independent schemas: CAE Design, Processing, Testing, and Logistics Support. The design of ADP2 places major emphasis on the seamless integration of CAE and analysis modules with a single intuitive graphical interface. This tool is being designed to serve and be used by an entire project team, i.e., analysts, designers, materials experts, and managers. The final version of the software will be delivered to the Air Force in Jan. 1994. The Analytical Design Package (ADP2) will then be ready for transfer to industry. The package will be capable of a wide range of design and manufacturing applications.

A strategic planning methodology for aircraft redesign

Science.gov (United States)

Romli, Fairuz Izzuddin

Due to a progressive market shift to a customer-driven environment, the influence of engineering changes on the product's market success is becoming more prominent. This situation affects many long lead-time product industries including aircraft manufacturing. Derivative development has been the key strategy for many aircraft manufacturers to survive the competitive market and this trend is expected to continue in the future. Within this environment of design adaptation and variation, the main market advantages are often gained by the fastest aircraft manufacturers to develop and produce their range of market offerings without any costly mistakes. This realization creates an emphasis on the efficiency of the redesign process, particularly on the handling of engineering changes. However, most activities involved in the redesign process are supported either inefficiently or not at all by the current design methods and tools, primarily because they have been mostly developed to improve original product development. In view of this, the main goal of this research is to propose an aircraft redesign methodology that will act as a decision-making aid for aircraft designers in the change implementation planning of derivative developments. The proposed method, known as Strategic Planning of Engineering Changes (SPEC), combines the key elements of the product redesign planning and change management processes. Its application is aimed at reducing the redesign risks of derivative aircraft development, improving the detection of possible change effects propagation, increasing the efficiency of the change implementation planning and also reducing the costs and the time delays due to the redesign process. To address these challenges, four research areas have been identified: baseline assessment, change propagation prediction, change impact analysis and change implementation planning. Based on the established requirements for the redesign planning process, several methods and

Perseus A High Altitude Remotely Piloted Aircraft being Towed in Flight

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

aircraft again crashed on Oct. 1, 1999, near Barstow, California, suffering moderate damage to the aircraft but no property damage, fire, or injuries in the area of the crash. Perseus B is flown remotely by a pilot from a mobile flight control station on the ground. A Global Positioning System (GPS) unit provides navigation data for continuous and precise location during flight. The ground control station features dual independent consoles for aircraft control and systems monitoring. A flight termination system, required for all remotely piloted aircraft being flown in military-restricted airspace, includes a parachute system deployed on command plus a C-Band radar beacon and a Mode-C transponder to aid in location. Dryden has provided hanger and office space for the Perseus B aircraft and for the flight test development team when on site for flight or ground testing. NASA's ERAST project is developing aeronautical technologies for a new generation of remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft for a variety of upper-atmospheric science missions and commercial applications. Dryden is the lead center in NASA for ERAST management and operations. Perseus B is approximately 25 feet long, has a wingspan of 71.5 feet, and stands 12 feet high. Perseus B is powered by a Rotax 914, four-cylinder piston engine mounted in the mid-fuselage area and integrated with an Aurora-designed three-stage turbocharger, connected to a lightweight two-blade propeller.

SLS Block 1-B and Exploration Upper Stage Navigation System Design

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, T. Emerson; Park, Thomas B.; Smith, Austin; Anzalone, Evan; Bernard, Bill; Strickland, Dennis; Geohagan, Kevin; Green, Melissa; Leggett, Jarred

2018-01-01

The SLS Block 1B vehicle is planned to extend NASA's heavy lift capability beyond the initial SLS Block 1 vehicle. The most noticeable change for this vehicle from SLS Block 1 is the swapping of the upper stage from the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion stage (ICPS), a modified Delta IV upper stage, to the more capable Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). As the vehicle evolves to provide greater lift capability and execute more demanding missions so must the SLS Integrated Navigation System to support those missions. The SLS Block 1 vehicle carries two independent navigation systems. The responsibility of the two systems is delineated between ascent and upper stage flight. The Block 1 navigation system is responsible for the phase of flight between the launch pad and insertion into Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). The upper stage system assumes the mission from LEO to payload separation. For the Block 1B vehicle, the two functions are combined into a single system intended to navigate from ground to payload insertion. Both are responsible for self-disposal once payload delivery is achieved. The evolution of the navigation hardware and algorithms from an inertial-only navigation system for Block 1 ascent flight to a tightly coupled GPS-aided inertial navigation system for Block 1-B is described. The Block 1 GN&C system has been designed to meet a LEO insertion target with a specified accuracy. The Block 1-B vehicle navigation system is designed to support the Block 1 LEO target accuracy as well as trans-lunar or trans-planetary injection accuracy. This is measured in terms of payload impact and stage disposal requirements. Additionally, the Block 1-B vehicle is designed to support human exploration and thus is designed to minimize the probability of Loss of Crew (LOC) through high-quality inertial instruments and Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) logic. The preliminary Block 1B integrated navigation system design is presented along with the challenges associated with

33 CFR 2.36 - Navigable waters of the United States, navigable waters, and territorial waters.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Navigable waters of the United States, navigable waters, and territorial waters. 2.36 Section 2.36 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GENERAL JURISDICTION Jurisdictional Terms § 2.36 Navigable waters...

Doppler Navigation System with a Non-Stabilized Antenna as a Sea-Surface Wind Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Nekrasov, Alexey; Khachaturian, Alena; Veremyev, Vladimir; Bogachev, Mikhail

2017-06-09

We propose a concept of the utilization of an aircraft Doppler Navigation System (DNS) as a sea-surface wind sensor complementary to its normal functionality. The DNS with an antenna, which is non-stabilized physically to the local horizontal with x -configured beams, is considered. We consider the wind measurements by the DNS configured in the multi-beam scatterometer mode for a rectilinear flight scenario. The system feasibility and the efficiency of the proposed wind algorithm retrieval are supported by computer simulations. Finally, the associated limitations of the proposed approach are considered.

Optimizing height presentation for aircraft cockpit displays

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Chris S.; Croft, D.; Selcon, Stephen J.; Markin, H.; Jackson, M.

1997-02-01

This paper describes an experiment conducted to investigate the type of display symbology that most effectively conveys height information to users of head-down plan-view radar displays. The experiment also investigated the use of multiple information sources (redundancy) in the design of such displays. Subjects were presented with eight different height display formats. These formats were constructed from a control, and/or one, two, or three sources of redundant information. The three formats were letter coding, analogue scaling, and toggling (spatially switching the position of the height information from above to below the aircraft symbol). Subjects were required to indicate altitude awareness via a four-key, forced-choice keyboard response. Error scores and response times were taken as performance measures. There were three main findings. First, there was a significant performance advantage when the altitude information was presented above and below the symbol to aid the representation of height information. Second, the analogue scale, a line whose length indicated altitude, proved significantly detrimental to performance. Finally, no relationship was found between the number of redundant information sources employed and performance. The implications for future aircraft and displays are discussed in relation to current aircraft tactical displays and in the context of perceptual psychological theory.

Human-centered automation and AI - Ideas, insights, and issues from the Intelligent Cockpit Aids research effort

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Kathy H.; Schutte, Paul C.

1989-01-01

A development status evaluation is presented for the NASA-Langley Intelligent Cockpit Aids research program, which encompasses AI, human/machine interfaces, and conventional automation. Attention is being given to decision-aiding concepts for human-centered automation, with emphasis on inflight subsystem fault management, inflight mission replanning, and communications management. The cockpit envisioned is for advanced commercial transport aircraft.

Object Tracking with LiDAR: Monitoring Taxiing and Landing Aircraft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoltan Koppanyi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Mobile light detection and ranging (LiDAR sensors used in car navigation and robotics, such as the Velodyne’s VLP-16 and HDL-32E, allow for sensing the surroundings of the platform with high temporal resolution to detect obstacles, tracking objects and support path planning. This study investigates the feasibility of using LiDAR sensors for tracking taxiing or landing aircraft close to the ground to improve airport safety. A prototype system was developed and installed at an airfield to capture point clouds to monitor aircraft operations. One of the challenges of accurate object tracking using the Velodyne sensors is the relatively small vertical field of view (30°, 41.3° and angular resolution (1.33°, 2°, resulting in a small number of points of the tracked object. The point density decreases with the object–sensor distance, and is already sparse at a moderate range of 30–40 m. The paper introduces our model-based tracking algorithms, including volume minimization and cube trajectories, to address the optimal estimation of object motion and tracking based on sparse point clouds. Using a network of sensors, multiple tests were conducted at an airport to assess the performance of the demonstration system and the algorithms developed. The investigation was focused on monitoring small aircraft moving on runways and taxiways, and the results indicate less than 0.7 m/s and 17 cm velocity and positioning accuracy achieved, respectively. Overall, based on our findings, this technology is promising not only for aircraft monitoring but for airport applications.

Message formulation, organization, and navigation schemes for icon-based communication aids.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Rupal

2011-01-01

Individuals with severe speech and motor impairments rely on assistive communication devices to convey their needs and desires in social, educational, and vocational situations. Users with limited motor control or literacy often choose to use icon-based devices that afford increased speed of message formulation at the cost of fully generative language formulation on letter-based devices. A major challenge with large vocabulary icon-based systems is rate of communication. Message formulation, vocabulary organization, and navigation schemes can be used to mitigate the trade-off between vocabulary size and communication rate. This paper summarizes our research efforts to leverage semantic frame theory, situational context, and rapid serial visual presentation to improve message formulation speed and completeness in our iconCHAT and RSVP iconCHAT systems. Usability data and persisting challenges are discussed.

Aircraft family design using enhanced collaborative optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Brian Douglas

Significant progress has been made toward the development of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) methods that are well-suited to practical large-scale design problems. However, opportunities exist for further progress. This thesis describes the development of enhanced collaborative optimization (ECO), a new decomposition-based MDO method. To support the development effort, the thesis offers a detailed comparison of two existing MDO methods: collaborative optimization (CO) and analytical target cascading (ATC). This aids in clarifying their function and capabilities, and it provides inspiration for the development of ECO. The ECO method offers several significant contributions. First, it enhances communication between disciplinary design teams while retaining the low-order coupling between them. Second, it provides disciplinary design teams with more authority over the design process. Third, it resolves several troubling computational inefficiencies that are associated with CO. As a result, ECO provides significant computational savings (relative to CO) for the test cases and practical design problems described in this thesis. New aircraft development projects seldom focus on a single set of mission requirements. Rather, a family of aircraft is designed, with each family member tailored to a different set of requirements. This thesis illustrates the application of decomposition-based MDO methods to aircraft family design. This represents a new application area, since MDO methods have traditionally been applied to multidisciplinary problems. ECO offers aircraft family design the same benefits that it affords to multidisciplinary design problems. Namely, it simplifies analysis integration, it provides a means to manage problem complexity, and it enables concurrent design of all family members. In support of aircraft family design, this thesis introduces a new wing structural model with sufficient fidelity to capture the tradeoffs associated with component

Dynamic Mobile RobotNavigation Using Potential Field Based Immune Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guan-Chun Luh

2007-04-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a potential filed immune network (PFIN for dynamic navigation of mobile robots in an unknown environment with moving obstacles and fixed/moving targets. The Velocity Obstacle method is utilized to determine imminent obstacle collision of a robot moving in the time-varying environment. The response of the overall immune network is derived by the aid of fuzzy system. Simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in unknown environments with single and multiple moving obstacles

77 FR 42637 - Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments; Corrections

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-20

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard 33 CFR Parts 84 and 115 [Docket No. USCG-2012-0306] RIN 1625-AB86 Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments...), the Coast Guard published a final rule entitled ``Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical...

Perm State University HPC-hardware and software services: capabilities for aircraft engine aeroacoustics problems solving

Science.gov (United States)

Demenev, A. G.

2018-02-01

The present work is devoted to analyze high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure capabilities for aircraft engine aeroacoustics problems solving at Perm State University. We explore here the ability to develop new computational aeroacoustics methods/solvers for computer-aided engineering (CAE) systems to handle complicated industrial problems of engine noise prediction. Leading aircraft engine engineering company, including “UEC-Aviadvigatel” JSC (our industrial partners in Perm, Russia), require that methods/solvers to optimize geometry of aircraft engine for fan noise reduction. We analysed Perm State University HPC-hardware resources and software services to use efficiently. The performed results demonstrate that Perm State University HPC-infrastructure are mature enough to face out industrial-like problems of development CAE-system with HPC-method and CFD-solvers.

Evaluation of the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing System for Performance-Based Navigation Arrivals

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Jaewoo; Swenson, Harry; Thipphavong, Jane; Martin, Lynne Hazel; Chen, Liang; Nguyen, Jimmy

2013-01-01

The growth of global demand for air transportation has put increasing strain on the nation's air traffic management system. To relieve this strain, the International Civil Aviation Organization has urged all nations to adopt Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), which can help to reduce air traffic congestion, decrease aviation fuel consumption, and protect the environment. NASA has developed a Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) system that can support increased use of PBN during periods of high traffic, while supporting fuel-efficient, continuous descent approaches. In the original development of this system, arrival aircraft are assigned fuel-efficient Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Terminal Arrival Routes before their initial descent from cruise, with routing defined to a specific runway. The system also determines precise schedules for these aircraft that facilitate continuous descent through the assigned routes. To meet these schedules, controllers are given a set of advisory tools to precisely control aircraft. The TAPSS system has been evaluated in a series of human-in-the-loop (HITL) air traffic simulations during 2010 and 2011. Results indicated increased airport arrival throughput up to 10 over current operations, and maintained fuel-efficient aircraft decent profiles from the initial descent to landing with reduced controller workload. This paper focuses on results from a joint NASA and FAA HITL simulation conducted in 2012. Due to the FAA rollout of the advance terminal area PBN procedures at mid-sized airports first, the TAPSS system was modified to manage arrival aircraft as they entered Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). Dallas-Love Field airport (DAL) was selected by the FAA as a representative mid-sized airport within a constrained TRACON airspace due to the close proximity of a major airport, in this case Dallas-Ft Worth International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. To address this constraint, RNAV routes and

WAYS OF NAVIGATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CNS/ATM CONCEPT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor A. Chekhov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The general development principles of the civil aviation air navigation systems for the next years according to the concept of International Civil Aviation Organization (IСAO CNS/ATM are stated in the article. It was reflected in the Global air navigation plan of IСAO accepted in 2013. The author considered the structure of block modernization of aviation system directed to optimization according to four main characteristics, such as: operations at the airports; systems and data interoperable on a global scale; optimum capacity and flexible flight routes, and also effective trajectories of flight. At the same time the main attention in the plan is paid to questions of the performance based navigation (PBN, the basic theses of which lean on four main units that make the concept of PBN. The possible ways of the specified blocks implementation taking into account features of the Russian Federation airspace use are considered in this paper. On the basis of the carried-out analysis conclusions are drawn on gradual transition from the RNAV navigation specifications to the RNP specifications, on increase in accuracy of navigation by modernization of ground radio navigational aids, both on a flight route and airspace of airfield area, on need of continuing the development of inexact calling schemes, using GNSS, with the subsequent transition to schemes of exact landing approaches by means of functional additions to GLONASS – GBAS and SBAS, also on the need of opportunities research in the domestic system SBAS (SDKM for the increase in accuracy of navigation at various stages of flight. At the same time, standard instrument routes of arrival and departure (SID/STAR have to be carried out in the mode of constant climb or continuous descent.

Investigating accidents involving aircraft manufactured from polymer composite materials

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Leigh

This study looks into the examination of polymer composite wreckage from the perspective of the aircraft accident investigator. It develops an understanding of the process of wreckage examination as well as identifying the potential for visual and macroscopic interpretation of polymer composite aircraft wreckage. The in-field examination of aircraft wreckage, and subsequent interpretations of material failures, can be a significant part of an aircraft accident investigation. As the use of composite materials in aircraft construction increases, the understanding of how macroscopic failure characteristics of composite materials may aid the field investigator is becoming of increasing importance.. The first phase of this research project was to explore how investigation practitioners conduct wreckage examinations. Four accident investigation case studies were examined. The analysis of the case studies provided a framework of the wreckage examination process. Subsequently, a literature survey was conducted to establish the current level of knowledge on the visual and macroscopic interpretation of polymer composite failures. Relevant literature was identified and a compendium of visual and macroscopic characteristics was created. Two full-scale polymer composite wing structures were loaded statically, in an upward bending direction, until each wing structure fractured and separated. The wing structures were subsequently examined for the existence of failure characteristics. The examination revealed that whilst characteristics were present, the fragmentation of the structure destroyed valuable evidence. A hypothetical accident scenario utilising the fractured wing structures was developed, which UK government accident investigators subsequently investigated. This provided refinement to the investigative framework and suggested further guidance on the interpretation of polymer composite failures by accident investigators..

Observability Analysis of DVL/PS Aided INS for a Maneuvering AUV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itzik Klein

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Recently, ocean exploration has increased considerably through the use of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV. A key enabling technology is the precision of the AUV navigation capability. In this paper, we focus on understanding the limitation of the AUV navigation system. That is, what are the observable error-states for different maneuvering types of the AUV? Since analyzing the performance of an underwater navigation system is highly complex, to answer the above question, current approaches use simulations. This, of course, limits the conclusions to the emulated type of vehicle used and to the simulation setup. For this reason, we take a different approach and analyze the system observability for different types of vehicle dynamics by finding the set of observable and unobservable states. To that end, we apply the observability Gramian approach, previously used only for terrestrial applications. We demonstrate our analysis for an underwater inertial navigation system aided by a Doppler velocity logger or by a pressure sensor. The result is a first prediction of the performance of an AUV standing, rotating at a position and turning at a constant speed. Our conclusions of the observable and unobservable navigation error states for different dynamics are supported by extensive numerical simulation.

Correction of static pressure on a research aircraft in accelerated flight using differential pressure measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. R. Rodi

2012-11-01

Full Text Available A method is described that estimates the error in the static pressure measurement on an aircraft from differential pressure measurements on the hemispherical surface of a Rosemount model 858AJ air velocity probe mounted on a boom ahead of the aircraft. The theoretical predictions for how the pressure should vary over the surface of the hemisphere, involving an unknown sensitivity parameter, leads to a set of equations that can be solved for the unknowns – angle of attack, angle of sideslip, dynamic pressure and the error in static pressure – if the sensitivity factor can be determined. The sensitivity factor was determined on the University of Wyoming King Air research aircraft by comparisons with the error measured with a carefully designed sonde towed on connecting tubing behind the aircraft – a trailing cone – and the result was shown to have a precision of about ±10 Pa over a wide range of conditions, including various altitudes, power settings, and gear and flap extensions. Under accelerated flight conditions, geometric altitude data from a combined Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS and inertial measurement unit (IMU system are used to estimate acceleration effects on the error, and the algorithm is shown to predict corrections to a precision of better than ±20 Pa under those conditions. Some limiting factors affecting the precision of static pressure measurement on a research aircraft are discussed.

Analysis and Compensation of Modulation Angular Rate Error Based on Missile-Borne Rotation Semi-Strapdown Inertial Navigation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiayu Zhang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The Semi-Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SSINS provides a new solution to attitude measurement of a high-speed rotating missile. However, micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS inertial measurement unit (MIMU outputs are corrupted by significant sensor errors. In order to improve the navigation precision, a rotation modulation technology method called Rotation Semi-Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (RSSINS is introduced into SINS. In fact, the stability of the modulation angular rate is difficult to achieve in a high-speed rotation environment. The changing rotary angular rate has an impact on the inertial sensor error self-compensation. In this paper, the influence of modulation angular rate error, including acceleration-deceleration process, and instability of the angular rate on the navigation accuracy of RSSINS is deduced and the error characteristics of the reciprocating rotation scheme are analyzed. A new compensation method is proposed to remove or reduce sensor errors so as to make it possible to maintain high precision autonomous navigation performance by MIMU when there is no external aid. Experiments have been carried out to validate the performance of the method. In addition, the proposed method is applicable for modulation angular rate error compensation under various dynamic conditions.

Multi-spectrum-based enhanced synthetic vision system for aircraft DVE operations

Science.gov (United States)

Kashyap, Sudesh K.; Naidu, V. P. S.; Shanthakumar, N.

2016-04-01

This paper focus on R&D being carried out at CSIR-NAL on Enhanced Synthetic Vision System (ESVS) for Indian regional transport aircraft to enhance all weather operational capabilities with safety and pilot Situation Awareness (SA) improvements. Flight simulator has been developed to study ESVS related technologies and to develop ESVS operational concepts for all weather approach and landing and to provide quantitative and qualitative information that could be used to develop criteria for all-weather approach and landing at regional airports in India. Enhanced Vision System (EVS) hardware prototype with long wave Infrared sensor and low light CMOS camera is used to carry out few field trials on ground vehicle at airport runway at different visibility conditions. Data acquisition and playback system has been developed to capture EVS sensor data (image) in time synch with test vehicle inertial navigation data during EVS field experiments and to playback the experimental data on ESVS flight simulator for ESVS research and concept studies. Efforts are on to conduct EVS flight experiments on CSIR-NAL research aircraft HANSA in Degraded Visual Environment (DVE).

Application of the H-Mode, a Design and Interaction Concept for Highly Automated Vehicles, to Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Goodrich, Kenneth H.; Flemisch, Frank O.; Schutte, Paul C.; Williams, Ralph A.

2006-01-01

Driven by increased safety, efficiency, and airspace capacity, automation is playing an increasing role in aircraft operations. As aircraft become increasingly able to autonomously respond to a range of situations with performance surpassing human operators, we are compelled to look for new methods that help us understand their use and guide their design using new forms of automation and interaction. We propose a novel design metaphor to aid the conceptualization, design, and operation of highly-automated aircraft. Design metaphors transfer meaning from common experiences to less familiar applications or functions. A notable example is the "Desktop metaphor" for manipulating files on a computer. This paper describes a metaphor for highly automated vehicles known as the H-metaphor and a specific embodiment of the metaphor known as the H-mode as applied to aircraft. The fundamentals of the H-metaphor are reviewed followed by an overview of an exploratory usability study investigating human-automation interaction issues for a simple H-mode implementation. The envisioned application of the H-mode concept to aircraft is then described as are two planned evaluations.

Navigation Problems in Blind-to-Blind Pedestrians Tele-assistance Navigation

OpenAIRE

Balata , Jan; Mikovec , Zdenek; Maly , Ivo

2015-01-01

International audience; We raise a question whether it is possible to build a large-scale navigation system for blind pedestrians where a blind person navigates another blind person remotely by mobile phone. We have conducted an experiment, in which we observed blind people navigating each other in a city center in 19 sessions. We focused on problems in the navigator’s attempts to direct the traveler to the destination. We observed 96 problems in total, classified them on the basis of the typ...

Information Fields Navigation with Piece-Wise Polynomial Approximation for High-Performance OFDM in WSNs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Wei

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Since Wireless sensor networks (WSNs are dramatically being arranged in mission-critical applications,it changes into necessary that we consider application requirements in Internet of Things. We try to use WSNs to assist information query and navigation within a practical parking spaces environment. Integrated with high-performance OFDM by piece-wise polynomial approximation, we present a new method that is based on a diffusion equation and a position equation to accomplish the navigation process conveniently and efficiently. From the point of view of theoretical analysis, our jobs hold the lower constraint condition and several inappropriate navigation can be amended. Information diffusion and potential field are introduced to reach the goal of accurate navigation and gradient descent method is applied in the algorithm. Formula derivations and simulations manifest that the method facilitates the solution of typical sensor network configuration information navigation. Concurrently, we also treat channel estimation and ICI mitigation for very high mobility OFDM systems, and the communication is between a BS and mobile target at a terrible scenario. The scheme proposed here combines the piece-wise polynomial expansion to approximate timevariations of multipath channels. Two near symbols are applied to estimate the first-and second-order parameters. So as to improve the estimation accuracy and mitigate the ICI caused by pilot-aided estimation, the multipath channel parameters were reestimated in timedomain employing the decided OFDM symbol. Simulation results show that this method would improve system performance in a complex environment.

Demonstration of coherent Doppler lidar for navigation in GPS-denied environments

Science.gov (United States)

Amzajerdian, Farzin; Hines, Glenn D.; Pierrottet, Diego F.; Barnes, Bruce W.; Petway, Larry B.; Carson, John M.

2017-05-01

A coherent Doppler lidar has been developed to address NASA's need for a high-performance, compact, and cost-effective velocity and altitude sensor onboard its landing vehicles. Future robotic and manned missions to solar system bodies require precise ground-relative velocity vector and altitude data to execute complex descent maneuvers and safe, soft landing at a pre-designated site. This lidar sensor, referred to as a Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL), meets the required performance of the landing missions while complying with vehicle size, mass, and power constraints. Operating from up to four kilometers altitude, the NDL obtains velocity and range precision measurements reaching 2 cm/sec and 2 meters, respectively, dominated by the vehicle motion. Terrestrial aerial vehicles will also benefit from NDL data products as enhancement or replacement to GPS systems when GPS is unavailable or redundancy is needed. The NDL offers a viable option to aircraft navigation in areas where the GPS signal can be blocked or jammed by intentional or unintentional interference. The NDL transmits three laser beams at different pointing angles toward the ground to measure range and velocity along each beam using a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) technique. The three line-of-sight measurements are then combined in order to determine the three components of the vehicle velocity vector and its altitude relative to the ground. This paper describes the performance and capabilities that the NDL demonstrated through extensive ground tests, helicopter flight tests, and onboard an autonomous rocket-powered test vehicle while operating in closedloop with a guidance, navigation, and control (GN and C) system.

Babies' Portal Website Hearing Aid Section: Assessment by Audiologists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bastos, Bárbara Guimarães

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction The family has ultimate responsibility for decisions about the use and care during the daily routine and problem solving in the manipulation of hearing aids (HA in infants and children. Objective The purpose of the study was to assess technical and content quality of Babies' Portal website Hearing Aid section by audiologists. Methods Letters and e-mails were sent inviting professionals to surf the website and anonymously fill out an online form with 58 questions covering demographic data as well as the website's technical (Emory questionnaire with the subscales of accuracy, authorship, updates, public, navigation, links, and structure and content quality. Results A total of 109 professionals (tree men and 106 women with mean age of 31.6 years participated in the study. Emory percentage scores ranged from 90.1 to 96.7%. The Hearing Aid section contents were considered good or very good. Conclusion The website was deemed to have good technical and content quality, being suitable to supplement informational counseling to parents of hearing-impaired children fitted with hearing aids.

Database on aircraft accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishio, Masahide; Koriyama, Tamio

2012-09-01

The Reactor Safety Subcommittee in the Nuclear Safety and Preservation Committee published the report 'The criteria on assessment of probability of aircraft crash into light water reactor facilities' as the standard method for evaluating probability of aircraft crash into nuclear reactor facilities in July 2002. In response to the report, Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization has been collecting open information on aircraft accidents of commercial airplanes, self-defense force (SDF) airplanes and US force airplanes every year since 2003, sorting out them and developing the database of aircraft accidents for latest 20 years to evaluate probability of aircraft crash into nuclear reactor facilities. This year, the database was revised by adding aircraft accidents in 2010 to the existing database and deleting aircraft accidents in 1991 from it, resulting in development of the revised 2011 database for latest 20 years from 1991 to 2010. Furthermore, the flight information on commercial aircrafts was also collected to develop the flight database for latest 20 years from 1991 to 2010 to evaluate probability of aircraft crash into reactor facilities. The method for developing the database of aircraft accidents to evaluate probability of aircraft crash into reactor facilities is based on the report 'The criteria on assessment of probability of aircraft crash into light water reactor facilities' described above. The 2011 revised database for latest 20 years from 1991 to 2010 shows the followings. The trend of the 2011 database changes little as compared to the last year's one. (1) The data of commercial aircraft accidents is based on 'Aircraft accident investigation reports of Japan transport safety board' of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 4 large fixed-wing aircraft accidents, 58 small fixed-wing aircraft accidents, 5 large bladed aircraft accidents and 114 small bladed aircraft accidents occurred. The relevant accidents for evaluating

A computer-aided software-tool for sustainable process synthesis-intensification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumar Tula, Anjan; Babi, Deenesh K.; Bottlaender, Jack

2017-01-01

and determine within the design space, the more sustainable processes. In this paper, an integrated computer-aided software-tool that searches the design space for hybrid/intensified more sustainable process options is presented. Embedded within the software architecture are process synthesis...... operations as well as reported hybrid/intensified unit operations is large and can be difficult to manually navigate in order to determine the best process flowsheet for the production of a desired chemical product. Therefore, it is beneficial to utilize computer-aided methods and tools to enumerate, analyze...... constraints while also matching the design targets, they are therefore more sustainable than the base case. The application of the software-tool to the production of biodiesel is presented, highlighting the main features of the computer-aided, multi-stage, multi-scale methods that are able to determine more...

14 CFR 21.6 - Manufacture of new aircraft, aircraft engines, and propellers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Manufacture of new aircraft, aircraft... Manufacture of new aircraft, aircraft engines, and propellers. (a) Except as specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, no person may manufacture a new aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller based on...

Data from an instrumented navigational light tower off the Savanah River estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, D.W.; Dicks, A.S.; Blanton, J.O.

1978-01-01

An oceanographic and meteorological instrumentation system operating on the Savannah Navigational Light Tower is providing synoptic information on ocean temperatures, currents, tides, and meteorological conditions. The Savannah Navigational Light Tower, an unmanned U.S. Coast Guard tower, is located about nine miles off Savannah Beach, Georgia, in about 16 m of water. The tower is currently instrumented to measure and record water temperatures from six depths, water velocities at two depts, tides, air temperature, barometric pressure, and wind speed and velocity at two heights. The outputs are currently being recorded every 10 minutes. These data aid in the interpretation of the processes governing pollutant transport in the Savannah River marine region and support other DOE funded programs in the southeastern United States. This past year, computer programs were written and are being tested for processing the raw data from the tower and for performing correlative analysis of the data

Database on aircraft accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishio, Masahide; Koriyama, Tamio

2013-11-01

The Reactor Safety Subcommittee in the Nuclear Safety and Preservation Committee published 'The criteria on assessment of probability of aircraft crash into light water reactor facilities' as the standard method for evaluating probability of aircraft crash into nuclear reactor facilities in July 2002. In response to this issue, Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization has been collecting open information on aircraft accidents of commercial airplanes, self-defense force (SDF) airplanes and US force airplanes every year since 2003, sorting out them and developing the database of aircraft accidents for the latest 20 years to evaluate probability of aircraft crash into nuclear reactor facilities. In this report the database was revised by adding aircraft accidents in 2011 to the existing database and deleting aircraft accidents in 1991 from it, resulting in development of the revised 2012 database for the latest 20 years from 1992 to 2011. Furthermore, the flight information on commercial aircrafts was also collected to develop the flight database for the latest 20 years from 1992 to 2011 to evaluate probability of aircraft crash into reactor facilities. The method for developing the database of aircraft accidents to evaluate probability of aircraft crash into reactor facilities is based on the report 'The criteria on assessment of probability of aircraft crash into light water reactor facilities' described above. The 2012 revised database for the latest 20 years from 1992 to 2011 shows the followings. The trend of the 2012 database changes little as compared to the last year's report. (1) The data of commercial aircraft accidents is based on 'Aircraft accident investigation reports of Japan transport safety board' of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The number of commercial aircraft accidents is 4 for large fixed-wing aircraft, 58 for small fixed-wing aircraft, 5 for large bladed aircraft and 99 for small bladed aircraft. The relevant accidents

Air traffic management evaluation tool

Science.gov (United States)

Sridhar, Banavar (Inventor); Sheth, Kapil S. (Inventor); Chatterji, Gano Broto (Inventor); Bilimoria, Karl D. (Inventor); Grabbe, Shon (Inventor); Schipper, John F. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Methods for evaluating and implementing air traffic management tools and approaches for managing and avoiding an air traffic incident before the incident occurs. A first system receives parameters for flight plan configurations (e.g., initial fuel carried, flight route, flight route segments followed, flight altitude for a given flight route segment, aircraft velocity for each flight route segment, flight route ascent rate, flight route descent route, flight departure site, flight departure time, flight arrival time, flight destination site and/or alternate flight destination site), flight plan schedule, expected weather along each flight route segment, aircraft specifics, airspace (altitude) bounds for each flight route segment, navigational aids available. The invention provides flight plan routing and direct routing or wind optimal routing, using great circle navigation and spherical Earth geometry. The invention provides for aircraft dynamics effects, such as wind effects at each altitude, altitude changes, airspeed changes and aircraft turns to provide predictions of aircraft trajectory (and, optionally, aircraft fuel use). A second system provides several aviation applications using the first system. Several classes of potential incidents are analyzed and averted, by appropriate change en route of one or more parameters in the flight plan configuration, as provided by a conflict detection and resolution module and/or traffic flow management modules. These applications include conflict detection and resolution, miles-in trail or minutes-in-trail aircraft separation, flight arrival management, flight re-routing, weather prediction and analysis and interpolation of weather variables based upon sparse measurements. The invention combines these features to provide an aircraft monitoring system and an aircraft user system that interact and negotiate changes with each other.

The Performance Analysis of the Map-Aided Fuzzy Decision Tree Based on the Pedestrian Dead Reckoning Algorithm in an Indoor Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai-Wei Chiang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Hardware sensors embedded in a smartphone allow the device to become an excellent mobile navigator. A smartphone is ideal for this task because its great international popularity has led to increased phone power and since most of the necessary infrastructure is already in place. However, using a smartphone for indoor pedestrian navigation can be problematic due to the low accuracy of sensors, imprecise predictability of pedestrian motion, and inaccessibility of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS in some indoor environments. Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR is one of the most common technologies used for pedestrian navigation, but in its present form, various errors tend to accumulate. This study introduces a fuzzy decision tree (FDT aided by map information to improve the accuracy and stability of PDR with less dependency on infrastructure. First, the map is quickly surveyed by the Indoor Mobile Mapping System (IMMS. Next, Bluetooth beacons are implemented to enable the initializing of any position. Finally, map-aided FDT can estimate navigation solutions in real time. The experiments were conducted in different fields using a variety of smartphones and users in order to verify stability. The contrast PDR system demonstrates low stability for each case without pre-calibration and post-processing, but the proposed low-complexity FDT algorithm shows good stability and accuracy under the same conditions.

Cracking the Student Aid Code: Parent and Student Perspectives on Paying for College

Science.gov (United States)

College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, 2010

2010-01-01

Paying for college is a challenge for many Americans and navigating the financial aid process can be very difficult, especially for low-income and first-generation college students. The College Board commissioned research to learn more about students' and parents' knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about the importance of a college education and how…

Weather-enabled future onboard surveillance and navigation systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mutuel, L.; Baillon, B.; Barnetche, B.; Delpy, P.

2009-09-01

With the increasing traffic and the development of business trajectories, there is a widespread need to anticipate any adverse weather conditions that could impact the performance of the flight or to use of atmospheric parameters to optimize trajectories. Current sensors onboard air transport are challenged to provide the required service, while new products for business jets and general aviation open the door to innovative assimilation of weather information in onboard surveillance and navigation. The paper aims at surveying current technology available to air transport aircraft and pointing out their shortcomings in view of the modernization proposed in SESAR and NextGen implementation plans. Foreseen innovations are then illustrated via results of ongoing research like FLYSAFE or standardization efforts, in particular meteorological datalink services and impact on Human-Machine Interface. The paper covers the operational need to avoid adverse weather like thunderstorm, icing, turbulence, windshear and volcanic ash, but also the requirement to control in 4D the trajectory through the integration of wind and temperature grids in the flight management. The former will lead to enhanced surveillance systems onboard the aircraft with new displays and new alerting schemes, ranging from targeted information supporting better re-planning to auto-escape strategies. The latter will be standard in next generation flight management systems. Finally both will rely on ATM products that will also assimilate weather information so that situational awareness is shared and decision is collaborative.

Building the Traffic, Navigation, and Situation Awareness System (T-NASA) for Surface Operations

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Robert S.

1996-01-01

We report the results of a part-task simulation evaluating the separate and combined effects of an electronic moving map display and newly developed HUD symbology on ground taxi performance, under moderate- and low-visibility conditions. Twenty-four commercial airline pilots carried out a series of 28 gate-to-runway taxi trials at Chicago O'Hare. Half of the trials were conducted under moderate visibility (RVR 1400 ft), and half under low visibility (RVR 700 ft). In the baseline condition, where navigation support was limited to surface features and a Jeppesen paper map, navigation errors were committed on almost half of the trials. These errors were virtually abolished when the electronic moving map or the HUD symbology was available; in addition, compare, the baseline condition, both forms of navigation aid yielded an increase in forward taxi speed. The speed increase was greater for HUD than the electronic moving map, and greater under low visibility than under moderate visibility. These results suggest that combination of electronic moving map and HUD symbology has the potential to greatly increase the efficiency of ground operations, particularly under low-visibility conditions.

Indoor wayfinding and navigation

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

Due to the widespread use of navigation systems for wayfinding and navigation in the outdoors, researchers have devoted their efforts in recent years to designing navigation systems that can be used indoors. This book is a comprehensive guide to designing and building indoor wayfinding and navigation systems. It covers all types of feasible sensors (for example, Wi-Fi, A-GPS), discussing the level of accuracy, the types of map data needed, the data sources, and the techniques for providing routes and directions within structures.

Control algorithms for autonomous robot navigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jorgensen, C.C.

1985-01-01

This paper examines control algorithm requirements for autonomous robot navigation outside laboratory environments. Three aspects of navigation are considered: navigation control in explored terrain, environment interactions with robot sensors, and navigation control in unanticipated situations. Major navigation methods are presented and relevance of traditional human learning theory is discussed. A new navigation technique linking graph theory and incidental learning is introduced

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for high resolution topography and monitoring: civil protection purposes on hydrogeological contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Bertacchini, Eleonora; Castagnetti, Cristina; Corsini, Alessandro; De Cono, Stefano

2014-10-01

The proposed work concerns the analysis of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), also known as drones, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or UAS (Unmanned Aerial System), on hydrogeological contexts for civil protection purposes, underlying the advantages of using a flexible and relatively low cost system. The capabilities of photogrammetric RPAS multi-sensors platform were examined in term of mapping, creation of orthophotos, 3D models generation, data integration into a 3D GIS (Geographic Information System) and validation through independent techniques such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). The RPAS used (multirotor OktoXL, of the Mikrokopter) was equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, digital cameras for photos and videos, an inertial navigation system, a radio device for communication and telemetry, etc. This innovative way of viewing and understanding the environment showed huge potentialities for the study of the territory, and due to its characteristics could be well integrated with aircraft surveys. However, such characteristics seem to give priority to local applications for rigorous and accurate analysis, while it remains a means of expeditious investigation for more extended areas. According to civil protection purposes, the experimentation was carried out by simulating operational protocols, for example for inspection, surveillance, monitoring, land mapping, georeferencing methods (with or without Ground Control Points - GCP) based on high resolution topography (2D and 3D information).

Comparison of two navigation systems for CT-guided interventions under special consideration of the ergonomic properties of the used systems; Vergleich zweier Navigationshilfen fuer CT-gesteuerte Interventionen unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung der Nutzungseigenschaften der verwendeten Systeme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulz, T. [Inst. fuer Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitaetsklinikum Jena (Germany); Roettger, S. [Klinik fuer Nuklearmedizin, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Germany); Bahner-Heyne, E.J.; Kluge, G. [Inst. fuer Psychologie und Arbeitswissenschaft, FG Arbeits-, Ingenieur- und Organisationspsychologie, TU Berlin (Germany)

2009-06-15

Purpose: investigation of the influence of CT-based navigation systems on the success of an intervention, assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of the utilized systems, and evaluation of the ergonomic system properties. Materials and method: a simple guiding system PatPos Invent trademark and the computer-based navigation system PinPoint trademark were employed on two CT systems. In order to investigate the influence of the navigation aids on the success of the interventions, 96 prospective, randomized, and standardized punctures were performed on a specifically developed, rigid phantom. 16 examiners punctured 6 targets with 3 degrees of difficulty with the navigation aids. Results: irrespective of the experience of the examiner, both navigation systems guided the target with an equal degree of certainty. PinPoint significantly reduced the length of the examination time (12 - 25 min) as compared to PatPos Invent (20 - 40 min). The expectation conformity and comprehensibility of PatPos Invent were assessed significantly more positively than PinPoint with regard to the general handling of the system. In contrast, the assessment of the usability during preoperative setup favored PinPoint. The type of navigation system has no influence on the precision of the implementation of a puncture procedure. (orig.)

Deviation from Trajectory Detection in Vision based Robotic Navigation using SURF and Subsequent Restoration by Dynamic Auto Correction Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ray Debraj

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Speeded Up Robust Feature (SURF is used to position a robot with respect to an environment and aid in vision-based robotic navigation. During the course of navigation irregularities in the terrain, especially in an outdoor environment may deviate a robot from the track. Another reason for deviation can be unequal speed of the left and right robot wheels. Hence it is essential to detect such deviations and perform corrective operations to bring the robot back to the track. In this paper we propose a novel algorithm that uses image matching using SURF to detect deviation of a robot from the trajectory and subsequent restoration by corrective operations. This algorithm is executed in parallel to positioning and navigation algorithms by distributing tasks among different CPU cores using Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP API.

Methods for determining unimpeded aircraft taxiing time and evaluating airport taxiing performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Zhang

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to improve the methods of determining unimpeded (nominal taxiing time, which is the reference time used for estimating taxiing delay, a widely accepted performance indicator of airport surface movement. After reviewing existing methods used widely by different air navigation service providers (ANSP, new methods relying on computer software and statistical tools, and econometrics regression models are proposed. Regression models are highly recommended because they require less detailed data and can serve the needs of general performance analysis of airport surface operations. The proposed econometrics model outperforms existing ones by introducing more explanatory variables, especially taking aircraft passing and over-passing into the considering of queue length calculation and including runway configuration, ground delay program, and weather factors. The length of the aircraft queue in the taxiway system and the interaction between queues are major contributors to long taxi-out times. The proposed method provides a consistent and more accurate method of calculating taxiing delay and it can be used for ATM-related performance analysis and international comparison.

Evaluation of the Terminal Sequencing and Spacing System for Performance Based Navigation Arrivals

Science.gov (United States)

Thipphavong, Jane; Jung, Jaewoo; Swenson, Harry N.; Martin, Lynne; Lin, Melody; Nguyen, Jimmy

2013-01-01

NASA has developed the Terminal Sequencing and Spacing (TSS) system, a suite of advanced arrival management technologies combining timebased scheduling and controller precision spacing tools. TSS is a ground-based controller automation tool that facilitates sequencing and merging arrivals that have both current standard ATC routes and terminal Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) routes, especially during highly congested demand periods. In collaboration with the FAA and MITRE's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD), TSS system performance was evaluated in human-in-the-loop (HITL) simulations with currently active controllers as participants. Traffic scenarios had mixed Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) equipage, where the more advanced RNP-equipped aircraft had preferential treatment with a shorter approach option. Simulation results indicate the TSS system achieved benefits by enabling PBN, while maintaining high throughput rates-10% above baseline demand levels. Flight path predictability improved, where path deviation was reduced by 2 NM on average and variance in the downwind leg length was 75% less. Arrivals flew more fuel-efficient descents for longer, spending an average of 39 seconds less in step-down level altitude segments. Self-reported controller workload was reduced, with statistically significant differences at the p less than 0.01 level. The RNP-equipped arrivals were also able to more frequently capitalize on the benefits of being "Best-Equipped, Best- Served" (BEBS), where less vectoring was needed and nearly all RNP approaches were conducted without interruption.

A Leapfrog Navigation System

Science.gov (United States)

Opshaug, Guttorm Ringstad

There are times and places where conventional navigation systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), are unavailable due to anything from temporary signal occultations to lack of navigation system infrastructure altogether. The goal of the Leapfrog Navigation System (LNS) is to provide localized positioning services for such cases. The concept behind leapfrog navigation is to advance a group of navigation units teamwise into an area of interest. In a practical 2-D case, leapfrogging assumes known initial positions of at least two currently stationary navigation units. Two or more mobile units can then start to advance into the area of interest. The positions of the mobiles are constantly being calculated based on cross-range distance measurements to the stationary units, as well as cross-ranges among the mobiles themselves. At some point the mobile units stop, and the stationary units are released to move. This second team of units (now mobile) can then overtake the first team (now stationary) and travel even further towards the common goal of the group. Since there always is one stationary team, the position of any unit can be referenced back to the initial positions. Thus, LNS provides absolute positioning. I developed navigation algorithms needed to solve leapfrog positions based on cross-range measurements. I used statistical tools to predict how position errors would grow as a function of navigation unit geometry, cross-range measurement accuracy and previous position errors. Using this knowledge I predicted that a 4-unit Leapfrog Navigation System using 100 m baselines and 200 m leap distances could travel almost 15 km before accumulating absolute position errors of 10 m (1sigma). Finally, I built a prototype leapfrog navigation system using 4 GPS transceiver ranging units. I placed the 4 units in the vertices a 10m x 10m square, and leapfrogged the group 20 meters forwards, and then back again (40 m total travel). Average horizontal RMS position

Introducing navigation during melanoma-related sentinel lymph node procedures in the head-and-neck region.

Science.gov (United States)

KleinJan, Gijs H; Karakullukçu, Baris; Klop, W Martin C; Engelen, Thijs; van den Berg, Nynke S; van Leeuwen, Fijs W B

2017-08-17

Intraoperative sentinel node (SN) identification in patients with head-and-neck malignancies can be challenging due to unexpected drainage patterns and anatomical complexity. Here, intraoperative navigation-based guidance technologies may provide outcome. In this study, gamma camera-based freehandSPECT was evaluated in combination with the hybrid tracer ICG- 99m Tc-nanocolloid. Eight patients with melanoma located in the head-and-neck area were included. Indocyanine green (ICG)- 99m Tc-nanocolloid was injected preoperatively, whereafter lymphoscintigraphy and SPECT/CT imaging were performed in order to define the location of the SN(s). FreehandSPECT scans were generated in the operation room using a portable gamma camera. For lesion localization during surgery, freehandSPECT scans were projected in an augmented reality video-view that was used to spatially position a gamma-ray detection probe. Intraoperative fluorescence imaging was used to confirm the accuracy of the navigation-based approach and identify the exact location of the SNs. Preoperatively, 15 SNs were identified, of which 14 were identified using freehandSPECT. Navigation towards these nodes using the freehandSPECT approach was successful in 13 nodes. Fluorescence imaging provided optical confirmation of the navigation accuracy in all patients. In addition, fluorescence imaging allowed for the identification of (clustered) SNs that could not be identified based on navigation alone. The use of gamma camera-based freehandSPECT aids intraoperative lesion identification and, with that, supports the transition from pre- to intraoperative imaging via augmented reality display and directional guidance.

Optimal motion planning using navigation measure

Science.gov (United States)

Vaidya, Umesh

2018-05-01

We introduce navigation measure as a new tool to solve the motion planning problem in the presence of static obstacles. Existence of navigation measure guarantees collision-free convergence at the final destination set beginning with almost every initial condition with respect to the Lebesgue measure. Navigation measure can be viewed as a dual to the navigation function. While the navigation function has its minimum at the final destination set and peaks at the obstacle set, navigation measure takes the maximum value at the destination set and is zero at the obstacle set. A linear programming formalism is proposed for the construction of navigation measure. Set-oriented numerical methods are utilised to obtain finite dimensional approximation of this navigation measure. Application of the proposed navigation measure-based theoretical and computational framework is demonstrated for a motion planning problem in a complex fluid flow.

Integrated navigation method of a marine strapdown inertial navigation system using a star sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qiuying; Diao, Ming; Gao, Wei; Zhu, Minghong; Xiao, Shu

2015-01-01

This paper presents an integrated navigation method of the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) using a star sensor. According to the principle of SINS, its own navigation information contains an error that increases with time. Hence, the inertial attitude matrix from the star sensor is introduced as the reference information to correct the SINS increases error. For the integrated navigation method, the vehicle’s attitude can be obtained in two ways: one is calculated from SINS; the other, which we have called star sensor attitude, is obtained as the product between the SINS position and the inertial attitude matrix from the star sensor. Therefore, the SINS position error is introduced in the star sensor attitude error. Based on the characteristics of star sensor attitude error and the mathematical derivation, the SINS navigation errors can be obtained by the coupling calculation between the SINS attitude and the star sensor attitude. Unlike several current techniques, the navigation process of this method is non-radiating and invulnerable to jamming. The effectiveness of this approach was demonstrated by simulation and experimental study. The results show that this integrated navigation method can estimate the attitude error and the position error of SINS. Therefore, the SINS navigation accuracy is improved. (paper)

A Damping Grid Strapdown Inertial Navigation System Based on a Kalman Filter for Ships in Polar Regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Weiquan; Fang, Tao; Luo, Li; Zhao, Lin; Che, Fengzhu

2017-07-03

The grid strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) used in polar navigation also includes three kinds of periodic oscillation errors as common SINS are based on a geographic coordinate system. Aiming ships which have the external information to conduct a system reset regularly, suppressing the Schuler periodic oscillation is an effective way to enhance navigation accuracy. The Kalman filter based on the grid SINS error model which applies to the ship is established in this paper. The errors of grid-level attitude angles can be accurately estimated when the external velocity contains constant error, and then correcting the errors of the grid-level attitude angles through feedback correction can effectively dampen the Schuler periodic oscillation. The simulation results show that with the aid of external reference velocity, the proposed external level damping algorithm based on the Kalman filter can suppress the Schuler periodic oscillation effectively. Compared with the traditional external level damping algorithm based on the damping network, the algorithm proposed in this paper can reduce the overshoot errors when the state of grid SINS is switched from the non-damping state to the damping state, and this effectively improves the navigation accuracy of the system.

How do students navigate and learn from nonlinear science texts: Can metanavigation support promote science learning?

Science.gov (United States)

Stylianou, Agni

2003-06-01

Digital texts which are based on hypertext and hypermedia technologies are now being used to support science learning. Hypertext offers certain opportunities for learning as well as difficulties that challenge readers to become metacognitively aware of their navigation decisions in order to trade both meaning and structure while reading. The goal of this study was to investigate whether supporting sixth grade students to monitor and regulate their navigation behavior while reading from hypertext would lead to better navigation and learning. Metanavigation support in the form of prompts was provided to groups of students who used a hypertext system called CoMPASS to complete a design challenge. The metanavigation prompts aimed at encouraging students to understand the affordances of the navigational aids in CoMPASS and use them to guide their navigation. The study was conducted in a real classroom setting during the implementation of CoMPASS in sixth grade science classes. Multiple sources of group and individual data were collected and analyzed. Measures included student's individual performance in a pre-science knowledge test, the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI), a reading comprehension test and a concept map test. Process measures included log file information that captured group navigation paths during the use of CoMPASS. The results suggested that providing metanavigation support enabled the groups to make coherent transitions among the text units. Findings also revealed that reading comprehension, presence of metanavigation support and prior domain knowledge significantly predicted students' individual understanding of science. Implications for hypertext design and literacy research fields are discussed.

Investigational Clinical Trial of a Prototype Optoelectronic Computer-Aided Navigation Device for Dental Implant Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Jokstad, Asbjørn; Winnett, Brenton; Fava, Joseph; Powell, David; Somogyi-Ganss, Eszter

New digital technologies enable real-time computer-aided (CA) three-dimensional (3D) guidance during dental implant surgery. The aim of this investigational clinical trial was to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of a prototype optoelectronic CA-navigation device in comparison with the conventional approach for planning and effecting dental implant surgery. Study participants with up to four missing teeth were recruited from the pool of patients referred to the University of Toronto Graduate Prosthodontics clinic. The first 10 participants were allocated to either a conventional or a prototype device study arm in a randomized trial. The next 10 participants received implants using the prototype device. All study participants were restored with fixed dental prostheses after 3 (mandible) or 6 (maxilla) months healing, and monitored over 12 months. The primary outcome was the incidence of any surgical, biologic, or prosthetic adverse events or device-related complications. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of positioning of implants not considered suitable for straightforward prosthetic restoration (yes/no); the perception of the ease of use of the prototype device by the two oral surgeons, recorded by use of a Likert-type questionnaire; and the clinical performance of the implant and superstructure after 1 year in function. Positioning of the implants was appraised on periapical radiographs and clinical photographs by four independent blinded examiners. Peri-implant bone loss was measured on periapical radiographs by a blinded examiner. No adverse events occurred related to placing any implants. Four device-related complications led to a switch from using the prototype device to the conventional method. All implants placed by use of the prototype device were in a position considered suitable for straightforward prosthetic restoration (n = 21). The qualitative evaluation by the surgeons was generally positive, although ergonomic challenges were identified

Project Management Using Modern Guidance, Navigation and Control Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Terry

2010-01-01

The idea of control theory and its application to project management is not new, however literature on the topic and real-world applications is not as readily available and comprehensive in how all the principals of Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) apply. This paper will address how the fundamental principals of modern GN&C Theory have been applied to NASA's Constellation Space Suit project and the results in the ability to manage the project within cost, schedule and budget. A s with physical systems, projects can be modeled and managed with the same guiding principles of GN&C as if it were a complex vehicle, system or software with time-varying processes, at times non-linear responses, multiple data inputs of varying accuracy and a range of operating points. With such systems the classic approach could be applied to small and well-defined projects; however with larger, multi-year projects involving multiple organizational structures, external influences and a multitude of diverse resources, then modern control theory is required to model and control the project. The fundamental principals of G N&C stated that a system is comprised of these basic core concepts: State, Behavior, Control system, Navigation system, Guidance and Planning Logic, Feedback systems. The state of a system is a definition of the aspects of the dynamics of the system that can change, such as position, velocity, acceleration, coordinate-based attitude, temperature, etc. The behavior of the system is more of what changes are possible rather than what can change, which is captured in the state of the system. The behavior of a system is captured in the system modeling and if properly done, will aid in accurate system performance prediction in the future. The Control system understands the state and behavior of the system and feedback systems to adjust the control inputs into the system. The Navigation system takes the multiple data inputs and based upon a priori knowledge of the input

Lunar Navigation Architecture Design Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

D'Souza, Christopher; Getchius, Joel; Holt, Greg; Moreau, Michael

2009-01-01

The NASA Constellation Program is aiming to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface. The Constellation elements (Orion, Altair, Earth Departure Stage, and Ares launch vehicles) will require a lunar navigation architecture for navigation state updates during lunar-class missions. Orion in particular has baselined earth-based ground direct tracking as the primary source for much of its absolute navigation needs. However, due to the uncertainty in the lunar navigation architecture, the Orion program has had to make certain assumptions on the capabilities of such architectures in order to adequately scale the vehicle design trade space. The following paper outlines lunar navigation requirements, the Orion program assumptions, and the impacts of these assumptions to the lunar navigation architecture design. The selection of potential sites was based upon geometric baselines, logistical feasibility, redundancy, and abort support capability. Simulated navigation covariances mapped to entry interface flightpath- angle uncertainties were used to evaluate knowledge errors. A minimum ground station architecture was identified consisting of Goldstone, Madrid, Canberra, Santiago, Hartebeeshoek, Dongora, Hawaii, Guam, and Ascension Island (or the geometric equivalent).

Comparison of Different Computer–Aided Surgery Systems in Skull Base Surgery

OpenAIRE

Ecke, U.; Luebben, B.; Maurer, J.; Boor, S.; Mann, W. J.

2003-01-01

Computer–aided surgery (CAS) based on high–resolution imaging techniques represents an important adjunct to precise intraoperative orientation when anatomical landmarks are distorted or missing. Several commercial systems, mostly based on optical or electromagnetic navigation principles, are on the market. This study investigated the application of EasyGuide®, VectorVision®, and InstaTrak® CAS systems in ENT surgery under practical and laboratory conditions. System accuracy, time required, ha...

E-navigation Services for Non-SOLAS Ships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kwang An

2016-06-01

Full Text Available It is clearly understood that the main benefits of e-navigation are improved safety and better protection of the environment through the promotion of standards of navigational system and a reduction in human error. In order to meet the expectations on the benefit of e-navigation, e-navigation services should be more focused on non-SOLAS ships. The purpose of this paper is to present necessary e-navigation services for non-SOLAS ships in order to prevent marine accidents in Korean coastal waters. To meet the objectives of the study, an examination on the present navigation and communication system for non-SOLAS ships was performed. Based on the IMO's e-navigation Strategy Implementation Plan (SIP and Korea's national SIP for e-navigation, future trends for the development and implementation of e-navigation were discussed. Consequently, Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC download and ENC up-date service, ENC streaming service, route support service and communication support service based on Maritime Cloud were presented as essential e-navigation services for non-SOLAS ships. This study will help for the planning and designing of the Korean e-navigation system. It is expected that the further researches on the navigation support systems based on e-navigation will be carried out in order to implement the essential e-navigation services for non-SOLAS ships.

Remote sensing and implications for variable-rate application using agricultural aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Steven J.; Smith, Lowrey A.; Ray, Jeffrey D.; Zimba, Paul V.

2004-01-01

Aircraft routinely used for agricultural spray application are finding utility for remote sensing. Data obtained from remote sensing can be used for prescription application of pesticides, fertilizers, cotton growth regulators, and water (the latter with the assistance of hyperspectral indices and thermal imaging). Digital video was used to detect weeds in early cotton, and preliminary data were obtained to see if nitrogen status could be detected in early soybeans. Weeds were differentiable from early cotton at very low altitudes (65-m), with the aid of supervised classification algorithms in the ENVI image analysis software. The camera was flown at very low altitude for acceptable pixel resolution. Nitrogen status was not detectable by statistical analysis of digital numbers (DNs) obtained from images, but soybean cultivar differences were statistically discernable (F=26, p=0.01). Spectroradiometer data are being analyzed to identify narrow spectral bands that might aid in selecting camera filters for determination of plant nitrogen status. Multiple camera configurations are proposed to allow vegetative indices to be developed more readily. Both remotely sensed field images and ground data are to be used for decision-making in a proposed variable-rate application system for agricultural aircraft. For this system, prescriptions generated from digital imagery and data will be coupled with GPS-based swath guidance and programmable flow control.

Navigation and flight director guidance for the NASA/FAA helicopter MLS curved approach flight test program

Science.gov (United States)

Phatak, A. V.; Lee, M. G.

1985-01-01

The navigation and flight director guidance systems implemented in the NASA/FAA helicopter microwave landing system (MLS) curved approach flight test program is described. Flight test were conducted at the U.S. Navy's Crows Landing facility, using the NASA Ames UH-lH helicopter equipped with the V/STOLAND avionics system. The purpose of these tests was to investigate the feasibility of flying complex, curved and descending approaches to a landing using MLS flight director guidance. A description of the navigation aids used, the avionics system, cockpit instrumentation and on-board navigation equipment used for the flight test is provided. Three generic reference flight paths were developed and flown during the test. They were as follows: U-Turn, S-turn and Straight-In flight profiles. These profiles and their geometries are described in detail. A 3-cue flight director was implemented on the helicopter. A description of the formulation and implementation of the flight director laws is also presented. Performance data and analysis is presented for one pilot conducting the flight director approaches.

The Proposed Use of Unmanned Aerial System Surrogate Research Aircraft for National Airspace System Integration Research

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, Charles T., III

2011-01-01

Research is needed to determine what procedures, aircraft sensors and other systems will be required to allow Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to safely operate with manned aircraft in the National Airspace System (NAS). This paper explores the use of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Surrogate research aircraft to serve as platforms for UAS systems research, development, and flight testing. These aircraft would be manned with safety pilots and researchers that would allow for flight operations almost anywhere in the NAS without the need for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Certificate of Authorization (COA). With pilot override capability, these UAS Surrogate aircraft would be controlled from ground stations like true UAS s. It would be possible to file and fly these UAS Surrogate aircraft in the NAS with normal traffic and they would be better platforms for real world UAS research and development over existing vehicles flying in restricted ranges or other sterilized airspace. These UAS surrogate aircraft could be outfitted with research systems as required such as computers, state sensors, video recording, data acquisition, data link, telemetry, instrumentation, and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). These surrogate aircraft could also be linked to onboard or ground based simulation facilities to further extend UAS research capabilities. Potential areas for UAS Surrogate research include the development, flight test and evaluation of sensors to aide in the process of air traffic "see-and-avoid". These and other sensors could be evaluated in real-time and compared with onboard human evaluation pilots. This paper examines the feasibility of using UAS Surrogate research aircraft as test platforms for a variety of UAS related research.

Predicting Loss-of-Control Boundaries Toward a Piloting Aid

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, Jonathan; Stepanyan, Vahram; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje

2012-01-01

This work presents an approach to predicting loss-of-control with the goal of providing the pilot a decision aid focused on maintaining the pilot's control action within predicted loss-of-control boundaries. The predictive architecture combines quantitative loss-of-control boundaries, a data-based predictive control boundary estimation algorithm and an adaptive prediction method to estimate Markov model parameters in real-time. The data-based loss-of-control boundary estimation algorithm estimates the boundary of a safe set of control inputs that will keep the aircraft within the loss-of-control boundaries for a specified time horizon. The adaptive prediction model generates estimates of the system Markov Parameters, which are used by the data-based loss-of-control boundary estimation algorithm. The combined algorithm is applied to a nonlinear generic transport aircraft to illustrate the features of the architecture.

Volcanic hazards and aviation safety

Science.gov (United States)

Casadevall, Thomas J.; Thompson, Theodore B.; Ewert, John W.; ,

1996-01-01

An aeronautical chart was developed to determine the relative proximity of volcanoes or ash clouds to the airports and flight corridors that may be affected by volcanic debris. The map aims to inform and increase awareness about the close spatial relationship between volcanoes and aviation operations. It shows the locations of the active volcanoes together with selected aeronautical navigation aids and great-circle routes. The map mitigates the threat that volcanic hazards pose to aircraft and improves aviation safety.

Indoor navigation by image recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Io Teng; Leong, Chi Chong; Hong, Ka Wo; Pun, Chi-Man

2017-07-01

With the progress of smartphones hardware, it is simple on smartphone using image recognition technique such as face detection. In addition, indoor navigation system development is much slower than outdoor navigation system. Hence, this research proves a usage of image recognition technique for navigation in indoor environment. In this paper, we introduced an indoor navigation application that uses the indoor environment features to locate user's location and a route calculating algorithm to generate an appropriate path for user. The application is implemented on Android smartphone rather than iPhone. Yet, the application design can also be applied on iOS because the design is implemented without using special features only for Android. We found that digital navigation system provides better and clearer location information than paper map. Also, the indoor environment is ideal for Image recognition processing. Hence, the results motivate us to design an indoor navigation system using image recognition.

Transition to Glass: Pilot Training for High-Technology Transport Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Wiener, Earl L.; Chute, Rebecca D.; Moses, John H.

1999-01-01

This report examines the activities of a major commercial air carrier between 1993 and late 1996 as it acquired an advanced fleet of high-technology aircraft (Boeing 757). Previously, the airline's fleet consisted of traditional (non-glass) aircraft, and this report examines the transition from a traditional fleet to a glass one. A total of 150 pilots who were entering the B-757 transition training volunteered for the study, which consisted of three query phases: (1) first day of transition training, (2) 3 to 4 months after transition training, and (3) 12 to 14 months after initial operating experience. Of these initial 150 pilots, 99 completed all three phases of the study, with each phase consisting of probes on attitudes and experiences associated with their training and eventual transition to flying the line. In addition to the three questionnaires, 20 in-depth interviews were conducted. Although the primary focus of this study was on the flight training program, additional factors such as technical support, documentation, and training aids were investigated as well. The findings generally indicate that the pilot volunteers were highly motivated and very enthusiastic about their training program. In addition, the group had low levels of apprehension toward automation and expressed a high degree of satisfaction toward their training. However, there were some concerns expressed regarding the deficiencies in some of the training aids and lack of a free-play flight management system training device.

Hearing the way: requirements and preferences for technology-supported navigation aids.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Laura; Sharples, Sarah; Chandler, Ed; Worsfold, John

2015-05-01

Many systems have been developed to assist wayfinding for people with sight problems. There is a need for user requirements for such systems to be defined. This paper presents a study which aimed to determine such user requirements. An experiment was also conducted to establish the best way of guiding users between locations. The focus group results indicated that users require systems to provide them with information about their surroundings, to guide them along their route and to provide progress information. They also showed that users with sight conditions interact with systems differently to sighted users, thereby highlighting the importance of designing systems for the needs of these users. Results of the experiment found that the preferred method of guiding users was a notification when they were both on and off track. However, performance was best when only provided with the off track notification, implying that this cue is particularly important. Technology has the potential to support navigation for people with sight problems. Users should have control over cues provided and for these cues should supplement environmental cues rather than replacing them. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Navigation Lights - USACE IENC

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — These inland electronic Navigational charts (IENCs) were developed from available data used in maintenance of Navigation channels. Users of these IENCs should be...

Surface navigation on Mars with a Navigation Satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayaraghavan, A.; Thurman, Sam W.; Kahn, Robert D.; Hastrup, Rolf C.

Radiometric navigation data from the Deep Space Network (DSN) stations on the earth to transponders and other surface elements such as rovers and landers on Mars, can determine their positions to only within a kilometer in inertial space. The positional error is mostly in the z-component of the surface element parallel to the Martian spin-axis. However, with Doppler and differenced-Doppler data from a Navigation Satellite in orbit around Mars to two or more of such transponders on the planetary surface, their positions can be determined to within 15 meters (or 20 meters for one-way Doppler beacons on Mars) in inertial space. In this case, the transponders (or other vehicles) on Mars need not even be capable of directly communicating to the earth. When the Navigation Satellite data is complemented by radiometric observations from the DSN stations also, directly to the surface elements on Mars, their positions can be determined to within 3 meters in inertial space. The relative positions of such surface elements on Mars (relative to one another) in Mars-fixed coordinates, however, can be determined to within 5 meters from simply range and Doppler data from the DSN stations to the surface elements. These results are obtained from covariance studies assuming X-band data noise levels and data-arcs not exceeding 10 days. They are significant in the planning and deployment of a Mars-based navigation network necessary to support real-time operations during critical phases of manned exploration of Mars.

Observability of satellite launcher navigation with INS, GPS, attitude sensors and reference trajectory

Science.gov (United States)

Beaudoin, Yanick; Desbiens, André; Gagnon, Eric; Landry, René

2018-01-01

The navigation system of a satellite launcher is of paramount importance. In order to correct the trajectory of the launcher, the position, velocity and attitude must be known with the best possible precision. In this paper, the observability of four navigation solutions is investigated. The first one is the INS/GPS couple. Then, attitude reference sensors, such as magnetometers, are added to the INS/GPS solution. The authors have already demonstrated that the reference trajectory could be used to improve the navigation performance. This approach is added to the two previously mentioned navigation systems. For each navigation solution, the observability is analyzed with different sensor error models. First, sensor biases are neglected. Then, sensor biases are modelled as random walks and as first order Markov processes. The observability is tested with the rank and condition number of the observability matrix, the time evolution of the covariance matrix and sensitivity to measurement outlier tests. The covariance matrix is exploited to evaluate the correlation between states in order to detect structural unobservability problems. Finally, when an unobservable subspace is detected, the result is verified with theoretical analysis of the navigation equations. The results show that evaluating only the observability of a model does not guarantee the ability of the aiding sensors to correct the INS estimates within the mission time. The analysis of the covariance matrix time evolution could be a powerful tool to detect this situation, however in some cases, the problem is only revealed with a sensitivity to measurement outlier test. None of the tested solutions provide GPS position bias observability. For the considered mission, the modelling of the sensor biases as random walks or Markov processes gives equivalent results. Relying on the reference trajectory can improve the precision of the roll estimates. But, in the context of a satellite launcher, the roll

Propulsion controlled aircraft computer

Science.gov (United States)

Cogan, Bruce R. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A low-cost, easily retrofit Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA) system for use on a wide range of commercial and military aircraft consists of an propulsion controlled aircraft computer that reads in aircraft data including aircraft state, pilot commands and other related data, calculates aircraft throttle position for a given maneuver commanded by the pilot, and then displays both current and calculated throttle position on a cockpit display to show the pilot where to move throttles to achieve the commanded maneuver, or is automatically sent digitally to command the engines directly.

ESCOMPTE experiment: intercomparison of four aircraft dynamical, thermodynamical, radiation and chemical measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Saïd, F.; Corsmeier, U.; Kalthoff, N.; Kottmeier, C.; Lothon, M.; Wieser, A.; Hofherr, T.; Perros, P.

2005-03-01

Among seven airplanes involved in the Experience sur Site pour COntraindre les Modèles de Pollution atmosphérique et de Transport d'Emission (ESCOMPTE) experiment in 2001, four measured classical meteorological parameters, radiation fluxes, trace gases and turbulence (for three among four): the Dornier 128 from the Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung, the Fokker 27 ARAT from the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers, the Merlin 4 and Piper Aztec 23 from Météo France. This paper presents the results of intercomparison flights between three pairs of aircraft. The results are very similar for mean parameters except for the horizontal wind measurements provided by the Merlin that showed a problem that is probably linked to the measurement of the aircraft velocity. Further investigation is required to know whether corrections are possible or not for these wind measurements. Turbulence is studied along two legs over a flat and homogeneous area: in spite of the heterogeneity of the measured functions (one leg is close to the top of the boundary layer), the comparison is rather good. The relative accuracy of the data provided to the data base is given. It easily allows to use the huge amount of aircraft data collected during the experiment with very few restrictions. We underline some points where efforts should be borne for future experiments: wind coupling between Inertial Navigation System data and Global Positioning System (GPS) data, CO and NO x measurements.

Efficacy of navigation in skull base surgery using composite computer graphics of magnetic resonance and computed tomography images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Nakamasa; Kurimoto, Masanori; Hirashima, Yutaka; Ikeda, Hiroaki; Shibata, Takashi; Tomita, Takahiro; Endo, Shunro

2001-01-01

The efficacy of a neurosurgical navigation system using three-dimensional composite computer graphics (CGs) of magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) images was evaluated in skull base surgery. Three-point transformation was used for integration of MR and CT images. MR and CT image data were obtained with three skin markers placed on the patient's scalp. Volume-rendering manipulations of the data produced three-dimensional CGs of the scalp, brain, and lesions from the MR images, and the scalp and skull from the CT. Composite CGs of the scalp, skull, brain, and lesion were created by registering the three markers on the three-dimensional rendered scalp images obtained from MR imaging and CT in the system. This system was used for 14 patients with skull base lesions. Three-point transformation using three-dimensional CGs was easily performed for multimodal registration. Simulation of surgical procedures on composite CGs aided in comprehension of the skull base anatomy and selection of the optimal approaches. Intraoperative navigation aided in determination of actual spatial position in the skull base and the optimal trajectory to the tumor during surgical procedures. (author)

To the North Coast of Devon: Collaborative Navigation While Exploring Unfamiliar Terrain

Science.gov (United States)

Clancey, William J.; Lee, Pascal; Cockell, Charles S.; Braham, Stephen; Shafto, Mike

2006-01-01

Navigation-knowing where one is and finding a safe route-is a fundamental aspect of all exploration. In unfamiliar terrain, one may use maps and instruments such as a compass or binoculars to assist, and people often collaborate in finding their way. This paper analyzes a group of people driving a humvee from a base camp to the north coast of Devon Island in the High Canadian Arctic. A complete audio recording and video during most stops allows a quantitative and semantic analysis of the conversations when the team stopped to take bearings and replan a route. Over a period of 2 hours, the humvee stopped 20 times, with an average duration of 3.15 min/pause and 3.85 min moving forward. The team failed to reach its goal due to difficult terrain causing mechanical problems. The analysis attempts to explain these facts by considering a variety of complicating factors, especially the navigation problem of relating maps and the world to locate the humvee and to plan a route. The analysis reveals patterns in topic structure and turn-taking, supporting the view that the collaboration was efficient, but the tools and information were inadequate for the task. This work is relevant for planning and training for planetary surface missions, as well as developing computer systems that could aid navigation.

Semiotic resources for navigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Due, Brian Lystgaard; Lange, Simon Bierring

2018-01-01

This paper describes two typical semiotic resources blind people use when navigating in urban areas. Everyone makes use of a variety of interpretive semiotic resources and senses when navigating. For sighted individuals, this especially involves sight. Blind people, however, must rely on everything...... else than sight, thereby substituting sight with other modalities and distributing the navigational work to other semiotic resources. Based on a large corpus of fieldwork among blind people in Denmark, undertaking observations, interviews, and video recordings of their naturally occurring practices...... of walking and navigating, this paper shows how two prototypical types of semiotic resources function as helpful cognitive extensions: the guide dog and the white cane. This paper takes its theoretical and methodological perspective from EMCA multimodal interaction analysis....

UCare navigator: A dynamic guide to the hybrid electronic and paper medical record in transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Bokser, Seth J; Cucina, Russell J; Love, Jeffrey S; Blum, Michael S

2007-10-11

During the phased transition from a paper-based record to an electronic health record (EHR), we found that clinicians had difficulty remembering where to find important clinical documents. We describe our experience with the design and use of a web-based map of the hybrid medical record. With between 50 to 75 unique visits per day, the UCare Navigator has served as an important aid to clinicians practicing in the transitional environment of a large EHR implementation.

Identifying opportune landing sites in degraded visual environments with terrain and cultural databases

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, Marc; Fisher, Robert; Little, J. Kristin

2014-06-01

Boeing has developed a degraded visual environment navigational aid that is flying on the Boeing AH-6 light attack helicopter. The navigational aid is a two dimensional software digital map underlay generated by the Boeing™ Geospatial Embedded Mapping Software (GEMS) and fully integrated with the operational flight program. The page format on the aircraft's multi function displays (MFD) is termed the Approach page. The existing work utilizes Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) and OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics capabilities to compute the pertinent graphics underlay entirely on the graphics processor unit (GPU) within the AH-6 mission computer. The next release will incorporate cultural databases containing Digital Vertical Obstructions (DVO) to warn the crew of towers, buildings, and power lines when choosing an opportune landing site. Future IRAD will include Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) point cloud generating sensors to provide 2D and 3D synthetic vision on the final approach to the landing zone. Collision detection with respect to terrain, cultural, and point cloud datasets may be used to further augment the crew warning system. The techniques for creating the digital map underlay leverage the GPU almost entirely, making this solution viable on most embedded mission computing systems with an OpenGL ES 2.0 capable GPU. This paper focuses on the AH-6 crew interface process for determining a landing zone and flying the aircraft to it.

An Examination of Selected Datacom Options for the Near-Term Implementation of Trajectory Based Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Walter W.; Lachter, Joel B.; Battiste, Vernol; Lim, Veranika; Brandt, Summer L.; Koteskey, Robert W.; Dao, Arik-Quang V.; Ligda, Sarah V.; Wu, Shu-Chieh

2011-01-01

A primary feature of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is trajectory based operations (TBO). Under TBO, aircraft flight plans are known to computer systems on the ground that aid in scheduling and separation. The Future Air Navigation System (FANS) was developed to support TBO, but relatively few aircraft in the US are FANSequipped. Thus, any near-term implementation must provide TBO procedures for non-FANS aircraft. Previous research has explored controller clearances, but any implementation must also provide procedures for aircraft requests. The work presented here aims to surface issues surrounding TBO communication procedures for non-FANS aircraft and for aircraft requesting deviations around weather. Three types of communication were explored: Voice, FANS, and ACARS,(Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System). ACARS and FANS are datacom systems that differ in that FANS allows uplinked flight plans to be loaded into the Flight Management System (FMS), while ACARS delivers flight plans as text that must be entered manually via the Control Display Unit (CDU). Sixteen pilots (eight two-person flight decks) and four controllers participated in 32 20-minute scenarios that required the flight decks to navigate through convective weather as they approached their top of descents (TODs). Findings: The rate of non-conformance was higher than anticipated, with aircraft off path more than 20% of the time. Controllers did not differentiate between the ACARS and FANS datacom, and were mixed in their preference for Voice vs. datacom (ACARS and FANS). Pilots uniformly preferred Voice to datacom, particularly ACARS. Much of their dislike appears to result from the slow response times in the datacom conditions. As a result, participants frequently resorted to voice communication. These results imply that, before implementing TBO in environments where pilots make weather deviation requests, further research is needed to develop communication

Systems Analysis Initiated for All-Electric Aircraft Propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Kohout, Lisa L.

2003-01-01

-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) models of representative PEM fuel cell stack and components were developed and integrated into the virtual reality environment along with an Excel-based model used to calculate fuel cell electrical performance on the basis of cell dimensions (see the figure). CAD models of a representative general aviation aircraft were also developed and added to the environment. With the use of special headgear, users will be able to virtually manipulate the fuel cell s physical characteristics and its placement within the aircraft while receiving information on the resultant fuel cell output power and performance. As the systems analysis effort progresses, we will add more component models to the GRUVE environment to help us more fully understand the effect of various system configurations on the aircraft.

Capabilities of unmanned aircraft vehicles for low altitude weed detection

Science.gov (United States)

Pflanz, Michael; Nordmeyer, Henning

2014-05-01

Sustainable crop production and food security require a consumer and environmental safe plant protection. It is recently known, that precise weed monitoring approaches could help apply pesticides corresponding to field variability. In this regard the site-specific weed management may contribute to an application of herbicides with higher ecologically aware and economical savings. First attempts of precision agriculture date back to the 1980's. Since that time, remote sensing from satellites or manned aircrafts have been investigated and used in agricultural practice, but are currently inadequate for the separation of weeds in an early growth stage from cultivated plants. In contrast, low-cost image capturing at low altitude from unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAV) provides higher spatial resolution and almost real-time processing. Particularly, rotary-wing aircrafts are suitable for precise path or stationary flight. This minimises motion blur and provides better image overlapping for stitching and mapping procedures. Through improved image analyses and the recent increase in the availability of microcontrollers and powerful batteries for UAVs, it can be expected that the spatial mapping of weeds will be enhanced in the future. A six rotors microcopter was equipped with a modified RGB camera taking images from agricultural fields. The hexacopter operates within predefined pathways at adjusted altitudes (from 5 to 10 m) by using GPS navigation. Different scenarios of optical weed detection have been carried out regarding to variable altitude, image resolution, weed and crop growth stages. Our experiences showed high capabilities for site-specific weed control. Image analyses with regard to recognition of weed patches can be used to adapt herbicide application to varying weed occurrence across a field.

Real-time precision pedestrian navigation solution using Inertial Navigation System and Global Positioning System

OpenAIRE

Yong-Jin Yoon; King Ho Holden Li; Jiahe Steven Lee; Woo-Tae Park

2015-01-01

Global Positioning System and Inertial Navigation System can be used to determine position and velocity. A Global Positioning System module is able to accurately determine position without sensor drift, but its usage is limited in heavily urbanized environments and heavy vegetation. While high-cost tactical-grade Inertial Navigation System can determine position accurately, low-cost micro-electro-mechanical system Inertial Navigation System sensors are plagued by significant errors. Global Po...

A RLS-SVM Aided Fusion Methodology for INS during GPS Outages.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yiqing; Xu, Xiaosu

2017-02-24

In order to maintain a relatively high accuracy of navigation performance during global positioning system (GPS) outages, a novel robust least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM)-aided fusion methodology is explored to provide the pseudo-GPS position information for the inertial navigation system (INS). The relationship between the yaw, specific force, velocity, and the position increment is modeled. Rather than share the same weight in the traditional LS-SVM, the proposed algorithm allocates various weights for different data, which makes the system immune to the outliers. Field test data was collected to evaluate the proposed algorithm. The comparison results indicate that the proposed algorithm can effectively provide position corrections for standalone INS during the 300 s GPS outage, which outperforms the traditional LS-SVM method. Historical information is also involved to better represent the vehicle dynamics.

A RLS-SVM Aided Fusion Methodology for INS during GPS Outages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiqing Yao

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In order to maintain a relatively high accuracy of navigation performance during global positioning system (GPS outages, a novel robust least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM-aided fusion methodology is explored to provide the pseudo-GPS position information for the inertial navigation system (INS. The relationship between the yaw, specific force, velocity, and the position increment is modeled. Rather than share the same weight in the traditional LS-SVM, the proposed algorithm allocates various weights for different data, which makes the system immune to the outliers. Field test data was collected to evaluate the proposed algorithm. The comparison results indicate that the proposed algorithm can effectively provide position corrections for standalone INS during the 300 s GPS outage, which outperforms the traditional LS-SVM method. Historical information is also involved to better represent the vehicle dynamics.

An Online Solution of LiDAR Scan Matching Aided Inertial Navigation System for Indoor Mobile Mapping

OpenAIRE

Niu, Xiaoji; Yu, Tong; Tang, Jian; Chang, Le

2017-01-01

Multisensors (LiDAR/IMU/CAMERA) integrated Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM) technology for navigation and mobile mapping in a GNSS-denied environment, such as indoor areas, dense forests, or urban canyons, becomes a promising solution. An online (real-time) version of such system can extremely extend its applications, especially for indoor mobile mapping. However, the real-time response issue of multisensors is a big challenge for an online SLAM system, due to the different sampling f...

Navigating oceans and cultures: Polynesian and European navigation systems in the late eighteenth century

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, M.

2012-05-01

Significant differences in the rotation of the celestial dome between the tropical and temperate zones did not stop the peoples of either the tropical Pacific or temperate Europe from using geocentric astronomy to guide exploration of the oceans. Although the differences in the night sky contributed to differences between the Pacific Island and European systems for navigation at sea, the two navigation systems exhibit substantial similarities. Both systems define positions on the surface of the Earth using two coordinates that vary at right angles to each other and use stars, and to a lesser extent the sun, to determine directions. This essay explores similarities and differences in the use of geocentric astronomy for navigation at sea by the peoples of Polynesia and Europe in the late eighteenth century. Captain Cook's orders to discover the unknown southern continent after observing the transit of Venus combined with differences in language and culture to obscure the deeper similarities between the navigation systems used by Cook and the Polynesians. Although it was a further 200 years before anthropologists studied Pacific navigation, collaborations in voyaging with communities in Oceania demonstrated the effectiveness of Pacific navigation systems, revived interest in traditional voyaging in island communities around the Pacific, and potentially open the way for further collaborations in other areas.

Multi-Flight-Phase GPS Navigation Filter Applications to Terrestrial Vehicle Navigation and Positioning

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Young W.; Montez, Moises N.

1994-01-01

A candidate onboard space navigation filter demonstrated excellent performance (less than 8 meter level RMS semi-major axis accuracy) in performing orbit determination of a low-Earth orbit Explorer satellite using single-frequency real GPS data. This performance is significantly better than predicted by other simulation studies using dual-frequency GPS data. The study results revealed the significance of two new modeling approaches evaluated in the work. One approach introduces a single-frequency ionospheric correction through pseudo-range and phase range averaging implementation. The other approach demonstrates a precise axis-dependent characterization of dynamic sample space uncertainty to compute a more accurate Kalman filter gain. Additionally, this navigation filter demonstrates a flexibility to accommodate both perturbational dynamic and observational biases required for multi-flight phase and inhomogeneous application environments. This paper reviews the potential application of these methods and the filter structure to terrestrial vehicle and positioning applications. Both the single-frequency ionospheric correction method and the axis-dependent state noise modeling approach offer valuable contributions in cost and accuracy improvements for terrestrial GPS receivers. With a modular design approach to either 'plug-in' or 'unplug' various force models, this multi-flight phase navigation filter design structure also provides a versatile GPS navigation software engine for both atmospheric and exo-atmospheric navigation or positioning use, thereby streamlining the flight phase or application-dependent software requirements. Thus, a standardized GPS navigation software engine that can reduce the development and maintenance cost of commercial GPS receivers is now possible.

Usability Testing of Two Ambulatory EHR Navigators.

Science.gov (United States)

Hultman, Gretchen; Marquard, Jenna; Arsoniadis, Elliot; Mink, Pamela; Rizvi, Rubina; Ramer, Tim; Khairat, Saif; Fickau, Keri; Melton, Genevieve B

2016-01-01

Despite widespread electronic health record (EHR) adoption, poor EHR system usability continues to be a significant barrier to effective system use for end users. One key to addressing usability problems is to employ user testing and user-centered design. To understand if redesigning an EHR-based navigation tool with clinician input improved user performance and satisfaction. A usability evaluation was conducted to compare two versions of a redesigned ambulatory navigator. Participants completed tasks for five patient cases using the navigators, while employing a think-aloud protocol. The tasks were based on Meaningful Use (MU) requirements. The version of navigator did not affect perceived workload, and time to complete tasks was longer in the redesigned navigator. A relatively small portion of navigator content was used to complete the MU-related tasks, though navigation patterns were highly variable across participants for both navigators. Preferences for EHR navigation structures appeared to be individualized. This study demonstrates the importance of EHR usability assessments to evaluate group and individual performance of different interfaces and preferences for each design.

PUSHBROOM HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING FROM AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (UAS) – GEOMETRIC PROCESSINGWORKFLOW AND ACCURACY ASSESSMENT

KAUST Repository

Turner, D.

2017-08-31

In this study, we assess two push broom hyperspectral sensors as carried by small (10-15 kg) multi-rotor Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). We used a Headwall Photonics micro-Hyperspec push broom sensor with 324 spectral bands (4-5 nm FWHM) and a Headwall Photonics nano-Hyperspec sensor with 270 spectral bands (6 nm FWHM) both in the VNIR spectral range (400-1000 nm). A gimbal was used to stabilise the sensors in relation to the aircraft flight dynamics, and for the micro-Hyperspec a tightly coupled dual frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and Machine Vision Camera (MVC) were used for attitude and position determination. For the nano-Hyperspec, a navigation grade GNSS system and IMU provided position and attitude data. This study presents the geometric results of one flight over a grass oval on which a dense Ground Control Point (GCP) network was deployed. The aim being to ascertain the geometric accuracy achievable with the system. Using the PARGE software package (ReSe - Remote Sensing Applications) we ortho-rectify the push broom hyperspectral image strips and then quantify the accuracy of the ortho-rectification by using the GCPs as check points. The orientation (roll, pitch, and yaw) of the sensor is measured by the IMU. Alternatively imagery from a MVC running at 15 Hz, with accurate camera position data can be processed with Structure from Motion (SfM) software to obtain an estimated camera orientation. In this study, we look at which of these data sources will yield a flight strip with the highest geometric accuracy.

Predicting visibility of aircraft.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Watson

Full Text Available Visual detection of aircraft by human observers is an important element of aviation safety. To assess and ensure safety, it would be useful to be able to be able to predict the visibility, to a human observer, of an aircraft of specified size, shape, distance, and coloration. Examples include assuring safe separation among aircraft and between aircraft and unmanned vehicles, design of airport control towers, and efforts to enhance or suppress the visibility of military and rescue vehicles. We have recently developed a simple metric of pattern visibility, the Spatial Standard Observer (SSO. In this report we examine whether the SSO can predict visibility of simulated aircraft images. We constructed a set of aircraft images from three-dimensional computer graphic models, and measured the luminance contrast threshold for each image from three human observers. The data were well predicted by the SSO. Finally, we show how to use the SSO to predict visibility range for aircraft of arbitrary size, shape, distance, and coloration.

75 FR 50884 - Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-18

... 3 and 165 to reflect changes in Coast Guard internal organizational structure. Sector Portland and... 1625-ZA25 Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector... Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector Columbia River.'' 2. On page 48564...

Impact of aircraft systems within aircraft operation: A MEA trajectory optimisation study

OpenAIRE

Seresinhe, R.

2014-01-01

Air transport has been a key component of the socio-economic globalisation. The ever increasing demand for air travel and air transport is a testament to the success of the aircraft. But this growing demand presents many challenges. One of which is the environmental impact due to aviation. The scope of the environmental impact of aircraft can be discussed from many viewpoints. This research focuses on the environmental impact due to aircraft operation. Aircraft operation causes...

Getting Lost Through Navigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Debus, Michael S.

2017-01-01

In this presentation, I argued two things. First, that it is navigation that lies at the core of contemporary (3D-) videogames and that its analysis is of utmost importance. Second, that this analysis needs a more rigorous differentiation between specific acts of navigation. Considering the Oxford...... in videogames is a configurational rather than an interpretational one (Eskelinen 2001). Especially in the case of game spaces, navigation appears to be of importance (Wolf 2009; Flynn 2008). Further, it does not only play a crucial role for the games themselves, but also for the experience of the player...

Inertial navigation without accelerometers

Science.gov (United States)

Boehm, M.

The Kennedy-Thorndike (1932) experiment points to the feasibility of fiber-optic inertial velocimeters, to which state-of-the-art technology could furnish substantial sensitivity and accuracy improvements. Velocimeters of this type would obviate the use of both gyros and accelerometers, and allow inertial navigation to be conducted together with vehicle attitude control, through the derivation of rotation rates from the ratios of the three possible velocimeter pairs. An inertial navigator and reference system based on this approach would probably have both fewer components and simpler algorithms, due to the obviation of the first level of integration in classic inertial navigators.

Aircraft to aircraft intercomparison during SEMAPHORE

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Dominique; Durand, Pierre

1998-10-01

During the Structure des Echanges Mer-Atmosphère, Propriétés des Hétérogénéités Océaniques: Recherche Expérimentale (SEMAPHORE) experiment, performed in the Azores region in 1993, two French research aircraft were simultaneously used for in situ measurements in the atmospheric boundary layer. We present the results obtained from one intercomparison flight between the two aircraft. The mean parameters generally agree well, although the temperature has to be slightly shifted in order to be in agreement for the two aircraft. A detailed comparison of the turbulence parameters revealed no bias. The agreement is good for variances and is satisfactory for fluxes and skewness. A thorough study of the errors involved in flux computation revealed that the greatest accuracy is obtained for latent heat flux. Errors in sensible heat flux are considerably greater, and the worst results are obtained for momentum flux. The latter parameter, however, is more accurate than expected from previous parameterizations.

Energy management - The delayed flap approach

Science.gov (United States)

Bull, J. S.

1976-01-01

Flight test evaluation of a Delayed Flap approach procedure intended to provide reductions in noise and fuel consumption is underway using the NASA CV-990 test aircraft. Approach is initiated at a high airspeed (240 kt) and in a drag configuration that allows for low thrust. The aircraft is flown along the conventional ILS glide slope. A Fast/Slow message display signals the pilot when to extend approach flaps, landing gear, and land flaps. Implementation of the procedure in commercial service may require the addition of a DME navigation aid co-located with the ILS glide slope transmitter. The Delayed Flap approach saves 250 lb of fuel over the Reduced Flap approach, with a 95 EPNdB noise contour only 43% as large.

78 FR 41304 - Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments; Correction

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-10

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard 33 CFR Part 105 [Docket No. USCG-2013-0397] RIN 1625-AC06 Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments; Correction AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Final rule; correction. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard published a final rule...

Weather Avoidance Using Route Optimization as a Decision Aid: An AWIN Topical Study. Phase 1

Science.gov (United States)

1998-01-01

The aviation community is faced with reducing the fatal aircraft accident rate by 80 percent within 10 years. This must be achieved even with ever increasing, traffic and a changing National Airspace System. This is not just an altruistic goal, but a real necessity, if our growing level of commerce is to continue. Honeywell Technology Center's topical study, "Weather Avoidance Using Route Optimization as a Decision Aid", addresses these pressing needs. The goal of this program is to use route optimization and user interface technologies to develop a prototype decision aid for dispatchers and pilots. This decision aid will suggest possible diversions through single or multiple weather hazards and present weather information with a human-centered design. At the conclusion of the program, we will have a laptop prototype decision aid that will be used to demonstrate concepts to industry for integration into commercialized products for dispatchers and/or pilots. With weather a factor in 30% of aircraft accidents, our program will prevent accidents by strategically avoiding weather hazards in flight. By supplying more relevant weather information in a human-centered format along with the tools to generate flight plans around weather, aircraft exposure to weather hazards can be reduced. Our program directly addresses the NASA's five year investment areas of Strategic Weather Information and Weather Operations (simulation/hazard characterization and crew/dispatch/ATChazard monitoring, display, and decision support) (NASA Aeronautics Safety Investment Strategy: Weather Investment Recommendations, April 15, 1997). This program is comprised of two phases, Phase I concluded December 31, 1998. This first phase defined weather data requirements, lateral routing algorithms, an conceptual displays for a user-centered design. Phase II runs from January 1999 through September 1999. The second phase integrates vertical routing into the lateral optimizer and combines the user

The Effect of Modified Control Limits on the Performance of a Generic Commercial Aircraft Engine

Science.gov (United States)

Csank, Jeffrey T.; May, Ryan D.; Gou, Ten-Huei; Litt, Jonathan S.

2012-01-01

This paper studies the effect of modifying the control limits of an aircraft engine to obtain additional performance. In an emergency situation, the ability to operate an engine above its normal operating limits and thereby gain additional performance may aid in the recovery of a distressed aircraft. However, the modification of an engine s limits is complex due to the risk of an engine failure. This paper focuses on the tradeoff between enhanced performance and risk of either incurring a mechanical engine failure or compromising engine operability. The ultimate goal is to increase the engine performance, without a large increase in risk of an engine failure, in order to increase the probability of recovering the distressed aircraft. The control limit modifications proposed are to extend the rotor speeds, temperatures, and pressures to allow more thrust to be produced by the engine, or to increase the rotor accelerations and allow the engine to follow a fast transient. These modifications do result in increased performance; however this study indicates that these modifications also lead to an increased risk of engine failure.

A Dynamic Precision Evaluation Method for the Star Sensor in the Stellar-Inertial Navigation System.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jiazhen; Lei, Chaohua; Yang, Yanqiang

2017-06-28

Integrating the advantages of INS (inertial navigation system) and the star sensor, the stellar-inertial navigation system has been used for a wide variety of applications. The star sensor is a high-precision attitude measurement instrument; therefore, determining how to validate its accuracy is critical in guaranteeing its practical precision. The dynamic precision evaluation of the star sensor is more difficult than a static precision evaluation because of dynamic reference values and other impacts. This paper proposes a dynamic precision verification method of star sensor with the aid of inertial navigation device to realize real-time attitude accuracy measurement. Based on the gold-standard reference generated by the star simulator, the altitude and azimuth angle errors of the star sensor are calculated for evaluation criteria. With the goal of diminishing the impacts of factors such as the sensors' drift and devices, the innovative aspect of this method is to employ static accuracy for comparison. If the dynamic results are as good as the static results, which have accuracy comparable to the single star sensor's precision, the practical precision of the star sensor is sufficiently high to meet the requirements of the system specification. The experiments demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Navigating hybridity: investigating the dance between culture and values within the cuban national education system.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erik Byker

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Hybridity is the dynamic relationship between local and global factors that push and pull on people and nations. Hybridity is deeply situated in socio-contextual factors, like cultural beliefs, education, and political systems, that aid and hinder a people’s navigation of globalized phenomena. Simply put, hybridity is how people and societies adapt to a changing world. This article examines the case of Cuba in response to hybridity. Specifically, the article’s purpose is to examine ways that the Cuban National Education System impacts how Cubans navigate the global march towards hybridity. The article reports on a focused ethnographic study of a week long education trip to Cuba during February 2013. The ethnography includes over 100 hours of data collection, including semi-structured interviews with 26 Cuban participants. The study uses Freire’s (1970 notion of “humanizing pedagogy” to analyze how the impact of the Cuban National Education System values in the context of Cuba and larger global context. The study found that three values in particular, amor, solidaridad, and conciencia de derechos y response, were deeply embedded in the Cuban National Education System and effect the way that Cubans navigate the complex hybridity that situates their island nation.

Restricted Navigation Areas - USACE IENC

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — These inland electronic Navigational charts (IENCs) were developed from available data used in maintenance of Navigation channels. Users of these IENCs should be...

NFC Internal: An Indoor Navigation System

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdenizci, Busra; Coskun, Vedat; Ok, Kerem

2015-01-01

Indoor navigation systems have recently become a popular research field due to the lack of GPS signals indoors. Several indoors navigation systems have already been proposed in order to eliminate deficiencies; however each of them has several technical and usability limitations. In this study, we propose NFC Internal, a Near Field Communication (NFC)-based indoor navigation system, which enables users to navigate through a building or a complex by enabling a simple location update, simply by touching NFC tags those are spread around and orient users to the destination. In this paper, we initially present the system requirements, give the design details and study the viability of NFC Internal with a prototype application and a case study. Moreover, we evaluate the performance of the system and compare it with existing indoor navigation systems. It is seen that NFC Internal has considerable advantages and significant contributions to existing indoor navigation systems in terms of security and privacy, cost, performance, robustness, complexity, user preference and commercial availability. PMID:25825976

75 FR 48564 - Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-11

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard 33 CFR Parts 3 and 165 [Docket No. USCG-2010-0351] RIN 1625-ZA25 Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector Columbia River, WA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This rule makes non-substantive...

A High-Rate Virtual Instrument of Marine Vehicle Motions for Underwater Navigation and Ocean Remote Sensing

CERN Document Server

Gelin, Chrystel

2013-01-01

Dead-Reckoning aided with Doppler velocity measurement has been the most common method for underwater navigation for small vehicles. Unfortunately DR requires frequent position recalibrations and underwater vehicle navigation systems are limited to periodic position update when they surface. Finally standard Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are unable to provide the rate or precision required when used on a small vessel. To overcome this, a low cost high rate motion measurement system for an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) with underwater and oceanographic purposes is proposed. The proposed onboard system for the USV consists of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) with accelerometers and rate gyros, a GPS receiver, a flux-gate compass, a roll and tilt sensor and an ADCP. Interfacing all the sensors proved rather challenging because of their different characteristics. The proposed data fusion technique integrates the sensors and develops an embeddable software package, using real time data fusion method...

Sex differences in navigation strategy and efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Boone, Alexander P; Gong, Xinyi; Hegarty, Mary

2018-05-22

Research on human navigation has indicated that males and females differ in self-reported navigation strategy as well as objective measures of navigation efficiency. In two experiments, we investigated sex differences in navigation strategy and efficiency using an objective measure of strategy, the dual-solution paradigm (DSP; Marchette, Bakker, & Shelton, 2011). Although navigation by shortcuts and learned routes were the primary strategies used in both experiments, as in previous research on the DSP, individuals also utilized route reversals and sometimes found the goal location as a result of wandering. Importantly, sex differences were found in measures of both route selection and navigation efficiency. In particular, males were more likely to take shortcuts and reached their goal location faster than females, while females were more likely to follow learned routes and wander. Self-report measures of strategy were only weakly correlated with objective measures of strategy, casting doubt on their usefulness. This research indicates that the sex difference in navigation efficiency is large, and only partially related to an individual's navigation strategy as measured by the dual-solution paradigm.

Design of all-weather celestial navigation system

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hongchi; Mu, Rongjun; Du, Huajun; Wu, Peng

2018-03-01

In order to realize autonomous navigation in the atmosphere, an all-weather celestial navigation system is designed. The research of celestial navigation system include discrimination method of comentropy and the adaptive navigation algorithm based on the P value. The discrimination method of comentropy is studied to realize the independent switching of two celestial navigation modes, starlight and radio. Finally, an adaptive filtering algorithm based on P value is proposed, which can greatly improve the disturbance rejection capability of the system. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the three axis attitude is better than 10″, and it can work all weather. In perturbation environment, the position accuracy of the integrated navigation system can be increased 20% comparing with the traditional method. It basically meets the requirements of the all-weather celestial navigation system, and it has the ability of stability, reliability, high accuracy and strong anti-interference.

An on-line monitoring system for navigation equipment

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bo; Yang, Ping; Liu, Jing; Yang, Zhengbo; Liang, Fei

2017-10-01

Civil air navigation equipment is the most important infrastructure of Civil Aviation, which is closely related to flight safety. In addition to regular flight inspection, navigation equipment's patrol measuring, maintenance measuring, running measuring under special weather conditions are the important means of ensuring aviation flight safety. According to the safety maintenance requirements of Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control navigation equipment, this paper developed one on-line monitoring system with independent intellectual property rights for navigation equipment, the system breakthroughs the key technologies of measuring navigation equipment on-line including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and VHF Omni-directional Range (VOR), which also meets the requirements of navigation equipment ground measurement set by the ICAO DOC 8071, it provides technical means of the ground on-line measurement for navigation equipment, improves the safety of navigation equipment operation, and reduces the impact of measuring navigation equipment on airport operation.

32 CFR 644.3 - Navigation Projects.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Navigation Projects. 644.3 Section 644.3 National... HANDBOOK Project Planning Civil Works § 644.3 Navigation Projects. (a) Land to be acquired in fee. All... construction and borrow areas. (3) In navigation-only projects, the right to permanently flood should be...

14 CFR 121.349 - Communication and navigation equipment for operations under VFR over routes not navigated by...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Communication and navigation equipment for... § 121.349 Communication and navigation equipment for operations under VFR over routes not navigated by... receiver providing visual and aural signals; and (iii) One ILS receiver; and (3) Any RNAV system used to...

Quantum imaging for underwater arctic navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzagorta, Marco

2017-05-01

The precise navigation of underwater vehicles is a difficult task due to the challenges imposed by the variable oceanic environment. It is particularly difficult if the underwater vehicle is trying to navigate under the Arctic ice shelf. Indeed, in this scenario traditional navigation devices such as GPS, compasses and gyrocompasses are unavailable or unreliable. In addition, the shape and thickness of the ice shelf is variable throughout the year. Current Arctic underwater navigation systems include sonar arrays to detect the proximity to the ice. However, these systems are undesirable in a wartime environment, as the sound gives away the position of the underwater vehicle. In this paper we briefly describe the theoretical design of a quantum imaging system that could allow the safe and stealthy navigation of underwater Arctic vehicles.

Structural analysis at aircraft conceptual design stage

Science.gov (United States)

Mansouri, Reza

In the past 50 years, computers have helped by augmenting human efforts with tremendous pace. The aircraft industry is not an exception. Aircraft industry is more than ever dependent on computing because of a high level of complexity and the increasing need for excellence to survive a highly competitive marketplace. Designers choose computers to perform almost every analysis task. But while doing so, existing effective, accurate and easy to use classical analytical methods are often forgotten, which can be very useful especially in the early phases of the aircraft design where concept generation and evaluation demands physical visibility of design parameters to make decisions [39, 2004]. Structural analysis methods have been used by human beings since the very early civilization. Centuries before computers were invented; the pyramids were designed and constructed by Egyptians around 2000 B.C, the Parthenon was built by the Greeks, around 240 B.C, Dujiangyan was built by the Chinese. Persepolis, Hagia Sophia, Taj Mahal, Eiffel tower are only few more examples of historical buildings, bridges and monuments that were constructed before we had any advancement made in computer aided engineering. Aircraft industry is no exception either. In the first half of the 20th century, engineers used classical method and designed civil transport aircraft such as Ford Tri Motor (1926), Lockheed Vega (1927), Lockheed 9 Orion (1931), Douglas DC-3 (1935), Douglas DC-4/C-54 Skymaster (1938), Boeing 307 (1938) and Boeing 314 Clipper (1939) and managed to become airborne without difficulty. Evidencing, while advanced numerical methods such as the finite element analysis is one of the most effective structural analysis methods; classical structural analysis methods can also be as useful especially during the early phase of a fixed wing aircraft design where major decisions are made and concept generation and evaluation demands physical visibility of design parameters to make decisions

Autonomous Robot Navigation based on Visual Landmarks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Livatino, Salvatore

2005-01-01

The use of landmarks for robot navigation is a popular alternative to having a geometrical model of the environment through which to navigate and monitor self-localization. If the landmarks are defined as special visual structures already in the environment then we have the possibility of fully a...... automatically learn and store visual landmarks, and later recognize these landmarks from arbitrary positions and thus estimate robot position and heading.......The use of landmarks for robot navigation is a popular alternative to having a geometrical model of the environment through which to navigate and monitor self-localization. If the landmarks are defined as special visual structures already in the environment then we have the possibility of fully...... autonomous navigation and self-localization using automatically selected landmarks. The thesis investigates autonomous robot navigation and proposes a new method which benefits from the potential of the visual sensor to provide accuracy and reliability to the navigation process while relying on naturally...

NFC Internal: An Indoor Navigation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busra Ozdenizci

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Indoor navigation systems have recently become a popular research field due to the lack of GPS signals indoors. Several indoors navigation systems have already been proposed in order to eliminate deficiencies; however each of them has several technical and usability limitations. In this study, we propose NFC Internal, a Near Field Communication (NFC-based indoor navigation system, which enables users to navigate through a building or a complex by enabling a simple location update, simply by touching NFC tags those are spread around and orient users to the destination. In this paper, we initially present the system requirements, give the design details and study the viability of NFC Internal with a prototype application and a case study. Moreover, we evaluate the performance of the system and compare it with existing indoor navigation systems. It is seen that NFC Internal has considerable advantages and significant contributions to existing indoor navigation systems in terms of security and privacy, cost, performance, robustness, complexity, user preference and commercial availability.

Inland Electronic Navigational Charts (IENC)

Data.gov (United States)

Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, Department of Defense — These Inland Electronic Navigational Charts (IENCs) were developed from available data used in maintenance of Navigation channels. Users of these IENCs should be...

Low Cost Integrated Navigation System for Unmanned Vessel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Changsong

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Large errors of low-cost MEMS inertial measurement unit (MIMU lead to huge navigation errors, even wrong navigation information. An integrated navigation system for unmanned vessel is proposed. It consists of a low-cost MIMU and Doppler velocity sonar (DVS. This paper presents an integrated navigation method, to improve the performance of navigation system. The integrated navigation system is tested using simulation and semi-physical simulation experiments, whose results show that attitude, velocity and position accuracy has improved awfully, giving exactly accurate navigation results. By means of the combination of low-cost MIMU and DVS, the proposed system is able to overcome fast drift problems of the low cost IMU.

Intelligent personal navigator supported by knowledge-based systems for estimating dead reckoning navigation parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Moafipoor, Shahram

Personal navigators (PN) have been studied for about a decade in different fields and applications, such as safety and rescue operations, security and emergency services, and police and military applications. The common goal of all these applications is to provide precise and reliable position, velocity, and heading information of each individual in various environments. In the PN system developed in this dissertation, the underlying assumption is that the system does not require pre-existing infrastructure to enable pedestrian navigation. To facilitate this capability, a multisensor system concept, based on the Global Positioning System (GPS), inertial navigation, barometer, magnetometer, and a human pedometry model has been developed. An important aspect of this design is to use the human body as navigation sensor to facilitate Dead Reckoning (DR) navigation in GPS-challenged environments. The system is designed predominantly for outdoor environments, where occasional loss of GPS lock may happen; however, testing and performance demonstration have been extended to indoor environments. DR navigation is based on a relative-measurement approach, with the key idea of integrating the incremental motion information in the form of step direction (SD) and step length (SL) over time. The foundation of the intelligent navigation system concept proposed here rests in exploiting the human locomotion pattern, as well as change of locomotion in varying environments. In this context, the term intelligent navigation represents the transition from the conventional point-to-point DR to dynamic navigation using the knowledge about the mechanism of the moving person. This approach increasingly relies on integrating knowledge-based systems (KBS) and artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies, including artificial neural networks (ANN) and fuzzy logic (FL). In addition, a general framework of the quality control for the real-time validation of the DR processing is proposed, based on a

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, BACKROUND FOR SHORT/ MEDIUM COURIER TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matei POPA

2010-03-01

Full Text Available In accordance with Air Force requirements, the comparative analysis of short/medium transport aircraft comes to sustain procurement decision of short/medium transport aircraft. This paper presents, in short, the principles and the results of the comparative analysis for short/medium military transport aircraft.

SGA-WZ: A New Strapdown Airborne Gravimeter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaidong Zhang

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Inertial navigation systems and gravimeters are now routinely used to map the regional gravitational quantities from an aircraft with mGal accuracy and a spatial resolution of a few kilometers. However, airborne gravimeter of this kind is limited by the inaccuracy of the inertial sensor performance, the integrated navigation technique and the kinematic acceleration determination. As the GPS technique developed, the vehicle acceleration determination is no longer the limiting factor in airborne gravity due to the cancellation of the common mode acceleration in differential mode. A new airborne gravimeter taking full advantage of the inertial navigation system is described with improved mechanical design, high precision time synchronization, better thermal control and optimized sensor modeling. Apart from the general usage, the Global Positioning System (GPS after differentiation is integrated to the inertial navigation system which provides not only more precise altitude information along with the navigation aiding, but also an effective way to calculate the vehicle acceleration. Design description and test results on the performance of the gyroscopes and accelerations will be emphasized. Analysis and discussion of the airborne field test results are also given.

SOLAR AIRCRAFT DESIGN

OpenAIRE

RAHMATI, Sadegh; GHASED, Amir

2015-01-01

Abstract. Generally domain Aircraft uses conventional fuel. These fuel having limited life, high cost and pollutant. Also nowadays price of petrol and other fuels are going to be higher, because of scarcity of those fuels. So there is great demand of use of non-exhaustible unlimited source of energy like solar energy. Solar aircraft is one of the ways to utilize solar energy. Solar aircraft uses solar panel to collect the solar radiation for immediate use but it also store the remaining part ...

Development of field navigation system; Field navigation system no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ibara, S; Minode, M; Nishioka, K [Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd., Osaka (Japan)

1995-04-20

This paper describes the following matters on a field navigation system developed for the purpose of covering a field of several kilometer square. This system consists of a center system and a vehicle system, and the center system comprises a map information computer and a communication data controlling computer; since the accuracy for a vehicle position detected by a GPS is not sufficient, an attempt of increasing the accuracy of vehicle position detection is made by means of a hybrid system; the hybrid system uses a satellite navigation method of differential system in which the error components in the GPS are transmitted from the center, and also uses a self-contained navigation method which performs an auxiliary function when the accuracy in the GPS has dropped; corrected GPS values, emergency messages to all of the vehicles and data of each vehicle position are communicated by wireless transmission in two ways between the center and vehicles; and accommodation of the map data adopted a system that can respond quickly to any change in roads and facilities. 3 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab.

Compact autonomous navigation system (CANS)

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Y. C.; Ying, L.; Xiong, K.; Cheng, H. Y.; Qiao, G. D.

2017-11-01

Autonomous navigation of Satellite and constellation has series of benefits, such as to reduce operation cost and ground station workload, to avoid the event of crises of war and natural disaster, to increase spacecraft autonomy, and so on. Autonomous navigation satellite is independent of ground station support. Many systems are developed for autonomous navigation of satellite in the past 20 years. Along them American MANS (Microcosm Autonomous Navigation System) [1] of Microcosm Inc. and ERADS [2] [3] (Earth Reference Attitude Determination System) of Honeywell Inc. are well known. The systems anticipate a series of good features of autonomous navigation and aim low cost, integrated structure, low power consumption and compact layout. The ERADS is an integrated small 3-axis attitude sensor system with low cost and small volume. It has the Earth center measurement accuracy higher than the common IR sensor because the detected ultraviolet radiation zone of the atmosphere has a brightness gradient larger than that of the IR zone. But the ERADS is still a complex system because it has to eliminate many problems such as making of the sapphire sphere lens, birefringence effect of sapphire, high precision image transfer optical fiber flattener, ultraviolet intensifier noise, and so on. The marginal sphere FOV of the sphere lens of the ERADS is used to star imaging that may be bring some disadvantages., i.e. , the image energy and attitude measurements accuracy may be reduced due to the tilt image acceptance end of the fiber flattener in the FOV. Besides Japan, Germany and Russia developed visible earth sensor for GEO [4] [5]. Do we have a way to develop a cheaper/easier and more accurate autonomous navigation system that can be used to all LEO spacecraft, especially, to LEO small and micro satellites? To return this problem we provide a new type of the system—CANS (Compact Autonomous Navigation System) [6].

Parsimonious Ways to Use Vision for Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Graham

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The use of visual information for navigation appears to be a universal strategy for sighted animals, amongst which, one particular group of expert navigators are the ants. The broad interest in studies of ant navigation is in part due to their small brains, thus biomimetic engineers expect to be impressed by elegant control solutions, and psychologists might hope for a description of the minimal cognitive requirements for complex spatial behaviours. In this spirit, we have been taking an interdisciplinary approach to the visual guided navigation of ants in their natural habitat. Behavioural experiments and natural image statistics show that visual navigation need not depend on the remembering or recognition of objects. Further modelling work suggests how simple behavioural routines might enable navigation using familiarity detection rather than explicit recall, and we present a proof of concept that visual navigation using familiarity can be achieved without specifying when or what to learn, nor separating routes into sequences of waypoints. We suggest that our current model represents the only detailed and complete model of insect route guidance to date. What's more, we believe the suggested mechanisms represent useful parsimonious hypotheses for the visually guided navigation in larger-brain animals.

Risk management model of winter navigation operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valdez Banda, Osiris A.; Goerlandt, Floris; Kuzmin, Vladimir; Kujala, Pentti; Montewka, Jakub

2016-01-01

The wintertime maritime traffic operations in the Gulf of Finland are managed through the Finnish–Swedish Winter Navigation System. This establishes the requirements and limitations for the vessels navigating when ice covers this area. During winter navigation in the Gulf of Finland, the largest risk stems from accidental ship collisions which may also trigger oil spills. In this article, a model for managing the risk of winter navigation operations is presented. The model analyses the probability of oil spills derived from collisions involving oil tanker vessels and other vessel types. The model structure is based on the steps provided in the Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and adapted into a Bayesian Network model. The results indicate that ship independent navigation and convoys are the operations with higher probability of oil spills. Minor spills are most probable, while major oil spills found very unlikely but possible. - Highlights: •A model to assess and manage the risk of winter navigation operations is proposed. •The risks of oil spills in winter navigation in the Gulf of Finland are analysed. •The model assesses and prioritizes actions to control the risk of the operations. •The model suggests navigational training as the most efficient risk control option.

An Aerial-Ground Robotic System for Navigation and Obstacle Mapping in Large Outdoor Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Zapata

2013-01-01

Full Text Available There are many outdoor robotic applications where a robot must reach a goal position or explore an area without previous knowledge of the environment around it. Additionally, other applications (like path planning require the use of known maps or previous information of the environment. This work presents a system composed by a terrestrial and an aerial robot that cooperate and share sensor information in order to address those requirements. The ground robot is able to navigate in an unknown large environment aided by visual feedback from a camera on board the aerial robot. At the same time, the obstacles are mapped in real-time by putting together the information from the camera and the positioning system of the ground robot. A set of experiments were carried out with the purpose of verifying the system applicability. The experiments were performed in a simulation environment and outdoor with a medium-sized ground robot and a mini quad-rotor. The proposed robotic system shows outstanding results in simultaneous navigation and mapping applications in large outdoor environments.

A Navigation System for the Visually Impaired: A Fusion of Vision and Depth Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Kanwal, Nadia; Bostanci, Erkan; Currie, Keith; Clark, Adrian F.

2015-01-01

For a number of years, scientists have been trying to develop aids that can make visually impaired people more independent and aware of their surroundings. Computer-based automatic navigation tools are one example of this, motivated by the increasing miniaturization of electronics and the improvement in processing power and sensing capabilities. This paper presents a complete navigation system based on low cost and physically unobtrusive sensors such as a camera and an infrared sensor. The system is based around corners and depth values from Kinect's infrared sensor. Obstacles are found in images from a camera using corner detection, while input from the depth sensor provides the corresponding distance. The combination is both efficient and robust. The system not only identifies hurdles but also suggests a safe path (if available) to the left or right side and tells the user to stop, move left, or move right. The system has been tested in real time by both blindfolded and blind people at different indoor and outdoor locations, demonstrating that it operates adequately. PMID:27057135

Aircraft operations management manual

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

The NASA aircraft operations program is a multifaceted, highly diverse entity that directly supports the agency mission in aeronautical research and development, space science and applications, space flight, astronaut readiness training, and related activities through research and development, program support, and mission management aircraft operations flights. Users of the program are interagency, inter-government, international, and the business community. This manual provides guidelines to establish policy for the management of NASA aircraft resources, aircraft operations, and related matters. This policy is an integral part of and must be followed when establishing field installation policy and procedures covering the management of NASA aircraft operations. Each operating location will develop appropriate local procedures that conform with the requirements of this handbook. This manual should be used in conjunction with other governing instructions, handbooks, and manuals.

Conceptual design of high speed supersonic aircraft: A brief review on SR-71 (Blackbird) aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Hui; Khawaja, H.; Moatamedi, M.

2014-12-01

The paper presents the conceptual design of high-speed supersonic aircraft. The study focuses on SR-71 (Blackbird) aircraft. The input to the conceptual design is a mission profile. Mission profile is a flight profile of the aircraft defined by the customer. This paper gives the SR-71 aircraft mission profile specified by US air force. Mission profile helps in defining the attributes the aircraft such as wing profile, vertical tail configuration, propulsion system, etc. Wing profile and vertical tail configurations have direct impact on lift, drag, stability, performance and maneuverability of the aircraft. A propulsion system directly influences the performance of the aircraft. By combining the wing profile and the propulsion system, two important parameters, known as wing loading and thrust to weight ratio can be calculated. In this work, conceptual design procedure given by D. P. Raymer (AIAA Educational Series) is applied to calculate wing loading and thrust to weight ratio. The calculated values are compared against the actual values of the SR-71 aircraft. Results indicates that the values are in agreement with the trend of developments in aviation.

Adaptive Landmark-Based Navigation System Using Learning Techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeidan, Bassel; Dasgupta, Sakyasingha; Wörgötter, Florentin

2014-01-01

The goal-directed navigational ability of animals is an essential prerequisite for them to survive. They can learn to navigate to a distal goal in a complex environment. During this long-distance navigation, they exploit environmental features, like landmarks, to guide them towards their goal. In...... hexapod robots. As a result, it allows the robots to successfully learn to navigate to distal goals in complex environments.......The goal-directed navigational ability of animals is an essential prerequisite for them to survive. They can learn to navigate to a distal goal in a complex environment. During this long-distance navigation, they exploit environmental features, like landmarks, to guide them towards their goal....... Inspired by this, we develop an adaptive landmark-based navigation system based on sequential reinforcement learning. In addition, correlation-based learning is also integrated into the system to improve learning performance. The proposed system has been applied to simulated simple wheeled and more complex...

A navigational evaluation model for content management systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilani, S.; Majeed, A.

2016-01-01

Web applications are widely used world-wide, however it is important that the navigation of these websites is effective, to enhance usability. Navigation is not limited to links between pages, it is also how we complete a task. Navigational structure presented as hypertext is one of the most important component of the Web application besides content and presentation. The main objective of this paper is to explore the navigational structure of various open source Content Management Systems from the developer's perspective. For this purpose three CMS are chosen which are WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. Objective of the research is to identify the important navigational aspects present in these CMSs. Moreover, a comparative study of these CMSs in terms of navigational support is required. For this purpose an industrial survey is conducted based on our proposed navigational evaluation model. The results shows that there exist correlation between the identified factors and these CMSs provide helpful and effective navigational support to their users. (author)

Interactive navigation-guided ophthalmic plastic surgery: navigation enabling of telescopes and their use in endoscopic lacrimal surgeries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali MJ

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Mohammad Javed Ali,1 Swati Singh,1 Milind N Naik,1 Swathi Kaliki,2 Tarjani Vivek Dave1 1The Institute of Dacryology, 2The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India Purpose: The aims of this study were to report the preliminary experience of using telescopes, which were enabled for navigation guidance, and their utility in complex endoscopic lacrimal surgeries. Methods: Navigation enabling of the telescope was achieved by using the AxiEM™ malleable neuronavigation shunt stylet. Image-guided dacryolocalization was performed in five patients using the intraoperative image-guided StealthStation™ system in the electromagnetic mode. The “look ahead” protocol software was used to assist the surgeon in assessing the intraoperative geometric location of the endoscope and what lies ahead in real time. All patients underwent navigation-guided powered endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy. The utility of uninterrupted navigation guidance throughout the surgery with the endoscope as the navigating tool was noted. Results: Intraoperative geometric localization of the lacrimal sac and the nasolacrimal duct could be easily deciphered. Constant orientation of the lacrimal drainage system and the peri-lacrimal anatomy was possible without the need for repeated point localizations throughout the surgery. The “look ahead” features could accurately alert the surgeon of anatomical structures that exists at 5, 10 and 15 mm in front of the endoscope. Good securing of the shunt stylet with the telescope was found to be essential for constant and accurate navigation. Conclusion: Navigation-enabled endoscopes provide the surgeon with the advantage of sustained stereotactic anatomical awareness at all times during the surgery. Keywords: telescope, endoscope, image guidance, navigation, lacrimal surgery, powered endoscopic DCR

Solar thermal aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Charles L.

2007-09-18

A solar thermal powered aircraft powered by heat energy from the sun. A heat engine, such as a Stirling engine, is carried by the aircraft body for producing power for a propulsion mechanism, such as a propeller. The heat engine has a thermal battery in thermal contact with it so that heat is supplied from the thermal battery. A solar concentrator, such as reflective parabolic trough, is movably connected to an optically transparent section of the aircraft body for receiving and concentrating solar energy from within the aircraft. Concentrated solar energy is collected by a heat collection and transport conduit, and heat transported to the thermal battery. A solar tracker includes a heliostat for determining optimal alignment with the sun, and a drive motor actuating the solar concentrator into optimal alignment with the sun based on a determination by the heliostat.

Vibrotactile in-vehicle navigation system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Erp, J.B.F. van; Veen, H.J. van

2004-01-01

A vibrotactile display, consisting ofeight vibrating elements or tactors mounted in a driver's seat, was tested in a driving simulator. Participants drove with visual, tactile and multimodal navigation displays through a built-up area. Workload and the reaction time to navigation messages were

The attack navigator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Probst, Christian W.; Willemson, Jan; Pieters, Wolter

2016-01-01

The need to assess security and take protection decisions is at least as old as our civilisation. However, the complexity and development speed of our interconnected technical systems have surpassed our capacity to imagine and evaluate risk scenarios. This holds in particular for risks...... that are caused by the strategic behaviour of adversaries. Therefore, technology-supported methods are needed to help us identify and manage these risks. In this paper, we describe the attack navigator: a graph-based approach to security risk assessment inspired by navigation systems. Based on maps of a socio...

ANALYSIS OF FREE ROUTE AIRSPACE AND PERFORMANCE BASED NAVIGATION IMPLEMENTATION IN THE EUROPEAN AIR NAVIGATION SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svetlana Pavlova

2014-12-01

Full Text Available European Air Traffic Management system requires continuous improvements as air traffic is increasingday by day. For this purpose it was developed by international organizations Free Route Airspace and PerformanceBased Navigation concepts that allow to offer a required level of safety, capacity, environmental performance alongwith cost-effectiveness. The aim of the article is to provide detailed analysis of Free Route Airspace and PerformanceBased Navigation implementation status within European region including Ukrainian air navigation system.

Architectural elements of hybrid navigation systems for future space transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Trigo, Guilherme F.; Theil, Stephan

2017-12-01

The fundamental limitations of inertial navigation, currently employed by most launchers, have raised interest for GNSS-aided solutions. Combination of inertial measurements and GNSS outputs allows inertial calibration online, solving the issue of inertial drift. However, many challenges and design options unfold. In this work we analyse several architectural elements and design aspects of a hybrid GNSS/INS navigation system conceived for space transportation. The most fundamental architectural features such as coupling depth, modularity between filter and inertial propagation, and open-/closed-loop nature of the configuration, are discussed in the light of the envisaged application. Importance of the inertial propagation algorithm and sensor class in the overall system are investigated, being the handling of sensor errors and uncertainties that arise with lower grade sensory also considered. In terms of GNSS outputs we consider receiver solutions (position and velocity) and raw measurements (pseudorange, pseudorange-rate and time-difference carrier phase). Receiver clock error handling options and atmospheric error correction schemes for these measurements are analysed under flight conditions. System performance with different GNSS measurements is estimated through covariance analysis, being the differences between loose and tight coupling emphasized through partial outage simulation. Finally, we discuss options for filter algorithm robustness against non-linearities and system/measurement errors. A possible scheme for fault detection, isolation and recovery is also proposed.

Architectural elements of hybrid navigation systems for future space transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Trigo, Guilherme F.; Theil, Stephan

2018-06-01

The fundamental limitations of inertial navigation, currently employed by most launchers, have raised interest for GNSS-aided solutions. Combination of inertial measurements and GNSS outputs allows inertial calibration online, solving the issue of inertial drift. However, many challenges and design options unfold. In this work we analyse several architectural elements and design aspects of a hybrid GNSS/INS navigation system conceived for space transportation. The most fundamental architectural features such as coupling depth, modularity between filter and inertial propagation, and open-/closed-loop nature of the configuration, are discussed in the light of the envisaged application. Importance of the inertial propagation algorithm and sensor class in the overall system are investigated, being the handling of sensor errors and uncertainties that arise with lower grade sensory also considered. In terms of GNSS outputs we consider receiver solutions (position and velocity) and raw measurements (pseudorange, pseudorange-rate and time-difference carrier phase). Receiver clock error handling options and atmospheric error correction schemes for these measurements are analysed under flight conditions. System performance with different GNSS measurements is estimated through covariance analysis, being the differences between loose and tight coupling emphasized through partial outage simulation. Finally, we discuss options for filter algorithm robustness against non-linearities and system/measurement errors. A possible scheme for fault detection, isolation and recovery is also proposed.

A Risk Assessment Model for Reduced Aircraft Separation: A Quantitative Method to Evaluate the Safety of Free Flight

Science.gov (United States)

Cassell, Rick; Smith, Alex; Connors, Mary; Wojciech, Jack; Rosekind, Mark R. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

As new technologies and procedures are introduced into the National Airspace System, whether they are intended to improve efficiency, capacity, or safety level, the quantification of potential changes in safety levels is of vital concern. Applications of technology can improve safety levels and allow the reduction of separation standards. An excellent example is the Precision Runway Monitor (PRM). By taking advantage of the surveillance and display advances of PRM, airports can run instrument parallel approaches to runways separated by 3400 feet with the same level of safety as parallel approaches to runways separated by 4300 feet using the standard technology. Despite a wealth of information from flight operations and testing programs, there is no readily quantifiable relationship between numerical safety levels and the separation standards that apply to aircraft on final approach. This paper presents a modeling approach to quantify the risk associated with reducing separation on final approach. Reducing aircraft separation, both laterally and longitudinally, has been the goal of several aviation R&D programs over the past several years. Many of these programs have focused on technological solutions to improve navigation accuracy, surveillance accuracy, aircraft situational awareness, controller situational awareness, and other technical and operational factors that are vital to maintaining flight safety. The risk assessment model relates different types of potential aircraft accidents and incidents and their contribution to overall accident risk. The framework links accident risks to a hierarchy of failsafe mechanisms characterized by procedures and interventions. The model will be used to assess the overall level of safety associated with reducing separation standards and the introduction of new technology and procedures, as envisaged under the Free Flight concept. The model framework can be applied to various aircraft scenarios, including parallel and in

SLS Model Based Design: A Navigation Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, T. Emerson; Anzalone, Evan; Park, Thomas; Geohagan, Kevin

2018-01-01

The SLS Program has implemented a Model-based Design (MBD) and Model-based Requirements approach for managing component design information and system requirements. This approach differs from previous large-scale design efforts at Marshall Space Flight Center where design documentation alone conveyed information required for vehicle design and analysis and where extensive requirements sets were used to scope and constrain the design. The SLS Navigation Team is responsible for the Program-controlled Design Math Models (DMMs) which describe and represent the performance of the Inertial Navigation System (INS) and the Rate Gyro Assemblies (RGAs) used by Guidance, Navigation, and Controls (GN&C). The SLS Navigation Team is also responsible for navigation algorithms. The navigation algorithms are delivered for implementation on the flight hardware as a DMM. For the SLS Block 1B design, the additional GPS Receiver hardware model is managed as a DMM at the vehicle design level. This paper describes the models, and discusses the processes and methods used to engineer, design, and coordinate engineering trades and performance assessments using SLS practices as applied to the GN&C system, with a particular focus on the navigation components.

Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft Acoustic Test Preparations and Facility Upgrades

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Stephanie L.; Brooks, Thomas F.; Hutcheson, Florence V.; Doty, Michael J.; Haskin, Henry H.; Spalt, Taylor B.; Bahr, Christopher J.; Burley, Casey L.; Bartram, Scott M.; Humphreys, William M.;

Applications of navigation for orthognathic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Bobek, Samuel L

2014-11-01

Stereotactic surgical navigation has been used in oral and maxillofacial surgery for orbital reconstruction, reduction of facial fractures, localization of foreign bodies, placement of implants, skull base surgery, tumor removal, temporomandibular joint surgery, and orthognathic surgery. The primary goals in adopting intraoperative navigation into these different surgeries were to define and localize operative anatomy, to localize implant position, and to orient the surgical wound. Navigation can optimize the functional and esthetic outcomes in patients with dentofacial deformities by identifying pertinent anatomic structures, transferring the surgical plan to the patient, and verifying the surgical result. This article discusses the principles of navigation-guided orthognathic surgery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long Range Aircraft Trajectory Prediction

OpenAIRE

Magister, Tone

2009-01-01

The subject of the paper is the improvement of the aircraft future trajectory prediction accuracy for long-range airborne separation assurance. The strategic planning of safe aircraft flights and effective conflict avoidance tactics demand timely and accurate conflict detection based upon future four–dimensional airborne traffic situation prediction which is as accurate as each aircraft flight trajectory prediction. The improved kinematics model of aircraft relative flight considering flight ...

Collective navigation of complex networks: Participatory greedy routing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleineberg, Kaj-Kolja; Helbing, Dirk

2017-06-06

Many networks are used to transfer information or goods, in other words, they are navigated. The larger the network, the more difficult it is to navigate efficiently. Indeed, information routing in the Internet faces serious scalability problems due to its rapid growth, recently accelerated by the rise of the Internet of Things. Large networks like the Internet can be navigated efficiently if nodes, or agents, actively forward information based on hidden maps underlying these systems. However, in reality most agents will deny to forward messages, which has a cost, and navigation is impossible. Can we design appropriate incentives that lead to participation and global navigability? Here, we present an evolutionary game where agents share the value generated by successful delivery of information or goods. We show that global navigability can emerge, but its complete breakdown is possible as well. Furthermore, we show that the system tends to self-organize into local clusters of agents who participate in the navigation. This organizational principle can be exploited to favor the emergence of global navigability in the system.

Navigating the fifth dimension: new concepts in interactive multimodality and multidimensional image navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Ratib, Osman; Rosset, Antoine; Dahlbom, Magnus; Czernin, Johannes

2005-04-01

Display and interpretation of multi dimensional data obtained from the combination of 3D data acquired from different modalities (such as PET-CT) require complex software tools allowing the user to navigate and modify the different image parameters. With faster scanners it is now possible to acquire dynamic images of a beating heart or the transit of a contrast agent adding a fifth dimension to the data. We developed a DICOM-compliant software for real time navigation in very large sets of 5 dimensional data based on an intuitive multidimensional jog-wheel widely used by the video-editing industry. The software, provided under open source licensing, allows interactive, single-handed, navigation through 3D images while adjusting blending of image modalities, image contrast and intensity and the rate of cine display of dynamic images. In this study we focused our effort on the user interface and means for interactively navigating in these large data sets while easily and rapidly changing multiple parameters such as image position, contrast, intensity, blending of colors, magnification etc. Conventional mouse-driven user interface requiring the user to manipulate cursors and sliders on the screen are too cumbersome and slow. We evaluated several hardware devices and identified a category of multipurpose jogwheel device that is used in the video-editing industry that is particularly suitable for rapidly navigating in five dimensions while adjusting several display parameters interactively. The application of this tool will be demonstrated in cardiac PET-CT imaging and functional cardiac MRI studies.

Intelligent Pilot Aids for Flight Re-Planning in Emergencies

Science.gov (United States)

Pritchett, Amy R.; Ockerman, Jennifer

2005-01-01

Effective and safe control of an aircraft may be difficult or nearly impossible for a pilot following an unexpected system failure. Without prior training, the pilot must ascertain on the fly those changes in both manual control technique and procedures that will lead to a safe landing of the aircraft. Sophisticated techniques for determining the required control techniques are now available. Likewise, a body of literature on pilot decision making provides formalisms for examining how pilots approach discrete decisions framed as the selection between options. However, other aspects of behavior, such as the task of route planning and guidance, are not as well studied. Not only is the pilot faced with possible performance changes to the aircraft dynamics, but he or she is also tasked to create a plan of actions that will effectively take the aircraft down to a safe landing. In this plan, the many actions that the pilot can perform are closely intertwined with the trajectory of the aircraft, making it difficult to accurately predict the final outcome. Coupled with the vast number of potential actions to be taken, this problem may seem intractable. This is reflected in the lack of a pre-specified procedure capable of giving pilots the ability to find a resolution for this task. This report summarizes a multi-year effort to examine methods to aid pilots in planning an approach and arrival to an airport following an aircraft systems failure. Ultimately, we hypothesize that automatic assistance to pilots can be provided in real-time in the form of improving pilot control of a damaged aircraft and providing pilots with procedural directives suitable for critical flight conditions; such systems may also benefit pilot training and procedure design. To achieve this result, a systematic, comprehensive research program was followed, building on prior research. This approach included a pencil-and-paper study with airline pilots examining methods of representing a flight route in

77 FR 42704 - 36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-20

... Systems with Inertial Navigation, 30 30mm Automatic Chain Guns, 8 Aircraft Ground Power Units, 52 AN/AVS-6... Inertial Navigation, 30 30mm Automatic Chain Guns, 8 Aircraft Ground Power Units, 52 AN/AVS-6 Night Vision...

Target relative navigation results from hardware-in-the-loop tests using the sinplex navigation system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steffes, S.; Dumke, M.; Heise, D.; Sagliano, M.; Samaan, M.; Theil, S.; Boslooper, E.C.; Oosterling, J.A.J.; Schulte, J.; Skaborn, D.; Söderholm, S.; Conticello, S.; Esposito, M.; Yanson, Y.; Monna, B.; Stelwagen, F.; Visee, R.

2014-01-01

The goal of the SINPLEX project is to develop an innovative solution to significantly reduce the mass of the navigation subsystem for exploration missions which include landing and/or rendezvous and capture phases. The system mass is reduced while still maintaining good navigation performance as

Time and Motion Study of a Community Patient Navigator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara S. Phillips

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Research on patient navigation has focused on validating the utility of navigators by defining their roles and analyzing their effects on patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. Patient navigators are increasingly used outside the research context, and their roles without research responsibilities may look very different. This pilot study captured the activities of a community patient navigator for uninsured women with a positive screening test for breast cancer, using a time and motion approach over a period of three days. We followed the actions of this navigator minute by minute to assess the relative ratios of actions performed and to identify areas for time efficiency improvement to increase direct time with patients. This novel approach depicts the duties of a community patient navigator no longer fettered by navigation logs, research team meetings, surveys, and the consent process. We found that the community patient navigator was able to spend more time with patients in the clinical context relative to performing paperwork or logging communication with patients as a result of her lack of research responsibilities. By illuminating how community patient navigation functions as separate from the research setting, our results will inform future hiring and training of community patient navigators, system design and operations for improving the efficiency and efficacy of navigators, and our understanding of what community patient navigators do in the absence of research responsibilities.

Adapting existing training standards for unmanned aircraft: finding ways to train staff for unmanned aircraft operations

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Burger, CR

2011-09-01

Full Text Available - unmanned aircraft; pilot training. I. INTRODUCTION Unmanned aircraft offer flexibility not found in manned aircraft. They can be made smaller and cheaper to operate. They offer payload advantages relative to small manned aircraft. They can also perform... certificate to non-state users. To facilitate useful operations by UAs, future operations must be subject to no more than routine notification (e.g. an ATC flight plan), just like manned aircraft already are. Before such operations can be established, some...

An Investigation Into the Feasibility of Using a Modern Gravity Gradient Instrument for Passive Aircraft Navigation and Terrain Avoidance

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-01

the research objectives for this study are presented. It should be noted that sensor cost was not considered for this study. Additionally, further...development costs ) for gravity compensation require- ments of its trident submarine inertial navigation systems and by the Air Force Geo- physics...52]: T (r, φ, λ) = GM ae Nmax∑ n=2 n∑ m=0 (a r )n+1 (Cnm cosmλ+ Snm sinmλ)P nm(cos φ) (31) 44 where r, φ, λ are the geocentric distance, lattitude and

Optical surgical navigation system causes pulse oximeter malfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Satoh, Masaaki; Hara, Tetsuhito; Tamai, Kenji; Shiba, Juntaro; Hotta, Kunihisa; Takeuchi, Mamoru; Watanabe, Eiju

2015-01-01

An optical surgical navigation system is used as a navigator to facilitate surgical approaches, and pulse oximeters provide valuable information for anesthetic management. However, saw-tooth waves on the monitor of a pulse oximeter and the inability of the pulse oximeter to accurately record the saturation of a percutaneous artery were observed when a surgeon started an optical navigation system. The current case is thought to be the first report of this navigation system interfering with pulse oximetry. The causes of pulse jamming and how to manage an optical navigation system are discussed.

An investigation of the roles of geomagnetic and acoustic cues in whale navigation and orientation

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Ann Nichole

Many species of whales migrate annually between high-latitude feeding grounds and low-latitude breeding grounds. Yet, very little is known about how these animals navigate during these migrations. This thesis takes a first look at the roles of geomagnetic and acoustic cues in humpback whale navigation and orientation, in addition to documenting some effects of human-produced sound on beaked whales. The tracks of satellite-tagged humpback whales migrating from Hawaii to Alaska were found to have systematic deviations from the most direct route to their destination. For each whale, a migration track was modeled using only geomagnetic inclination and intensity as navigation cues. The directions in which the observed and modeled tracks deviated from the direct route were compared and found to match for 7 out of 9 tracks, which suggests that migrating humpback whales may use geomagnetic cues for navigation. Additionally, in all cases the observed tracks followed a more direct route to the destination than the modeled tracks, indicating that the whales are likely using additional navigational cues to improve their routes. There is a significant amount of sound available in the ocean to aid in navigation and orientation of a migrating whale. This research investigates the possibility that humpback whales migrating near-shore listen to sounds of snapping shrimp to detect the presence of obstacles, such as rocky islands. A visual tracking study was used, together with hydrophone recordings near a rocky island, to determine whether the whales initiated an avoidance reaction at distances that varied with the acoustic detection range of the island. No avoidance reaction was found. Propagation modeling of the snapping shrimp sounds suggested that the detection range of the island was beyond the visual limit of the survey, indicating that snapping shrimp sounds may be suited as a long-range indicator of a rocky island. Lastly, this thesis identifies a prolonged avoidance

Computer aided systems human engineering: A hypermedia tool

Science.gov (United States)

Boff, Kenneth R.; Monk, Donald L.; Cody, William J.

1992-01-01

The Computer Aided Systems Human Engineering (CASHE) system, Version 1.0, is a multimedia ergonomics database on CD-ROM for the Apple Macintosh II computer, being developed for use by human system designers, educators, and researchers. It will initially be available on CD-ROM and will allow users to access ergonomics data and models stored electronically as text, graphics, and audio. The CASHE CD-ROM, Version 1.0 will contain the Boff and Lincoln (1988) Engineering Data Compendium, MIL-STD-1472D and a unique, interactive simulation capability, the Perception and Performance Prototyper. Its features also include a specialized data retrieval, scaling, and analysis capability and the state of the art in information retrieval, browsing, and navigation.

33 CFR 117.458 - Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, New Orleans.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, New Orleans. 117.458 Section 117.458 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... Harbor Navigation Canal, New Orleans. (a) The draws of the SR 46 (St. Claude Avenue) bridge, mile 0.5...

33 CFR 209.170 - Violations of laws protecting navigable waters.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Violations of laws protecting navigable waters. 209.170 Section 209.170 Navigation and Navigable Waters CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF... navigable waters. (a) [Reserved] (b) Injuries to Government works. Section 14 of the River and Harbor Act of...

40 CFR 87.6 - Aircraft safety.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Aircraft safety. 87.6 Section 87.6... POLLUTION FROM AIRCRAFT AND AIRCRAFT ENGINES General Provisions § 87.6 Aircraft safety. The provisions of... met within the specified time without creating a safety hazard. ...

Fault-tolerant and Diagnostic Methods for Navigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blanke, Mogens

2003-01-01

to diagnose faults and autonomously provide valid navigation data, disregarding any faulty sensor data and use sensor fusion to obtain a best estimate for users. This paper discusses how diagnostic and fault-tolerant methods are applicable in marine systems. An example chosen is sensor fusion for navigation......Precise and reliable navigation is crucial, and for reasons of safety, essential navigation instruments are often duplicated. Hardware redundancy is mostly used to manually switch between instruments should faults occur. In contrast, diagnostic methods are available that can use analytic redundancy...

Navigating ‘riskscapes’

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gee, Stephanie; Skovdal, Morten

2017-01-01

This paper draws on interview data to examine how international health care workers navigated risk during the unprecedented Ebola outbreak in West Africa. It identifies the importance of place in risk perception, including how different spatial localities give rise to different feelings of threat...... or safety, some from the construction of physical boundaries, and others mediated through aspects of social relations, such as trust, communication and team dynamics. Referring to these spatial localities as ‘riskscapes’, the paper calls for greater recognition of the role of place in understanding risk...... perception, and how people navigate risk....

Comparison of Navigation-Related Brain Regions in Migratory versus Non-Migratory Noctuid Moths

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liv de Vries

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Brain structure and function are tightly correlated across all animals. While these relations are ultimately manifestations of differently wired neurons, many changes in neural circuit architecture lead to larger-scale alterations visible already at the level of brain regions. Locating such differences has served as a beacon for identifying brain areas that are strongly associated with the ecological needs of a species—thus guiding the way towards more detailed investigations of how brains underlie species-specific behaviors. Particularly in relation to sensory requirements, volume-differences in neural tissue between closely related species reflect evolutionary investments that correspond to sensory abilities. Likewise, memory-demands imposed by lifestyle have revealed similar adaptations in regions associated with learning. Whether this is also the case for species that differ in their navigational strategy is currently unknown. While the brain regions associated with navigational control in insects have been identified (central complex (CX, lateral complex (LX and anterior optic tubercles (AOTU, it remains unknown in what way evolutionary investments have been made to accommodate particularly demanding navigational strategies. We have thus generated average-shape atlases of navigation-related brain regions of a migratory and a non-migratory noctuid moth and used volumetric analysis to identify differences. We further compared the results to identical data from Monarch butterflies. Whereas we found differences in the size of the nodular unit of the AOTU, the LX and the protocerebral bridge (PB between the two moths, these did not unambiguously reflect migratory behavior across all three species. We conclude that navigational strategy, at least in the case of long-distance migration in lepidopteran insects, is not easily deductible from overall neuropil anatomy. This suggests that the adaptations needed to ensure successful migratory behavior

Optimal Topology of Aircraft Rib and Spar Structures under Aeroelastic Loads

Science.gov (United States)

Stanford, Bret K.; Dunning, Peter D.

2014-01-01

Several topology optimization problems are conducted within the ribs and spars of a wing box. It is desired to locate the best position of lightening holes, truss/cross-bracing, etc. A variety of aeroelastic metrics are isolated for each of these problems: elastic wing compliance under trim loads and taxi loads, stress distribution, and crushing loads. Aileron effectiveness under a constant roll rate is considered, as are dynamic metrics: natural vibration frequency and flutter. This approach helps uncover the relationship between topology and aeroelasticity in subsonic transport wings, and can therefore aid in understanding the complex aircraft design process which must eventually consider all these metrics and load cases simultaneously.

Examining the Relationship Between Passenger Airline Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing and Aircraft Safety

Science.gov (United States)

Monaghan, Kari L.

The problem addressed was the concern for aircraft safety rates as they relate to the rate of maintenance outsourcing. Data gathered from 14 passenger airlines: AirTran, Alaska, America West, American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, United, and USAir covered the years 1996 through 2008. A quantitative correlational design, utilizing Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the coefficient of determination were used in the present study to measure the correlation between variables. Elements of passenger airline aircraft maintenance outsourcing and aircraft accidents, incidents, and pilot deviations within domestic passenger airline operations were analyzed, examined, and evaluated. Rates of maintenance outsourcing were analyzed to determine the association with accident, incident, and pilot deviation rates. Maintenance outsourcing rates used in the evaluation were the yearly dollar expenditure of passenger airlines for aircraft maintenance outsourcing as they relate to the total airline aircraft maintenance expenditures. Aircraft accident, incident, and pilot deviation rates used in the evaluation were the yearly number of accidents, incidents, and pilot deviations per miles flown. The Pearson r-values were calculated to measure the linear relationship strength between the variables. There were no statistically significant correlation findings for accidents, r(174)=0.065, p=0.393, and incidents, r(174)=0.020, p=0.793. However, there was a statistically significant correlation for pilot deviation rates, r(174)=0.204, p=0.007 thus indicating a statistically significant correlation between maintenance outsourcing rates and pilot deviation rates. The calculated R square value of 0.042 represents the variance that can be accounted for in aircraft pilot deviation rates by examining the variance in aircraft maintenance outsourcing rates; accordingly, 95.8% of the variance is unexplained. Suggestions for future research include

Magnetic navigation in a coronary phantom: experimental results.

Science.gov (United States)

García-García, Héctor M; Tsuchida, Keiichi; Meulenbrug, Hans; Ong, Andrew T L; Van der Giessen, Willem J; Serruys, Patrick W

2005-11-01

The objective was to investigate the efficacy of a magnetic navigation system (MNS) in a coronary phantom. The number of coronary interventional procedures performed is steadily increasing with the availability of new devices to treat more complex lesions. Vessel tortuosity remains an important limiting factor in percutaneous coronary intervention. The MNS can orient the tip of magnetized wire. The coronary phantom is a representation of the coronary tree. Two operators using both a magnetic wire and a standard wire, measured the procedural time (PT), the fluoroscopic time (FT) and the radiation exposure/area product (DAP) required to navigate through to fourteen segments. Ten wire advancements were performed per segment. In all but two segments, the PT was significantly longer using magnetic navigation than using manual navigation. The median FT in the left main artery (LMA) - first septal segment was 7 seconds vs. 18 seconds, with magnetic and manual navigation respectively, (p=0.05); in the LMA - obtuse marginal segment the median FT was 15 seconds with magnetic navigation vs. 29.5 seconds with manual navigation, (p=0.01); in the segment from proximal right coronary artery (RCA1) to the acute marginal branch, the median FT was 8 seconds with magnetic vs. 11 seconds with manual navigation, (p=0.05); and in the RCA1 -posterior descending segment the median FT was 9.5 seconds with magnetic vs. 15 seconds with manual navigation, (p=0.006). The MNS facilitates wire access to distal segments in a coronary phantom, with a reduction in FT and radiation exposure using magnetic navigation in tortuous segments.

Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration into the National Airspace System Visual-Line-of-Sight Human-in-the-Loop Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Ghatas, Rania W.; Mcadaragh, Raymon; Burdette, Daniel W.; Comstock, James R.; Hempley, Lucas E.; Fan, Hui

2015-01-01

As part of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) project, research on integrating small UAS (sUAS) into the NAS was underway by a human-systems integration (HSI) team at the NASA Langley Research Center. Minimal to no research has been conducted on the safe, effective, and efficient manner in which to integrate these aircraft into the NAS. sUAS are defined as aircraft weighing 55 pounds or less. The objective of this human system integration team was to build a UAS Ground Control Station (GCS) and to develop a research test-bed and database that provides data, proof of concept, and human factors guidelines for GCS operations in the NAS. The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of flying sUAS in Class D and Class G airspace utilizing manual control inputs and voice radio communications between the pilot, mission control, and air traffic control. The design of the experiment included three sets of GCS display configurations, in addition to a hand-held control unit. The three different display configurations were VLOS, VLOS + Primary Flight Display (PFD), and VLOS + PFD + Moving Map (Map). Test subject pilots had better situation awareness of their vehicle position, altitude, airspeed, location over the ground, and mission track using the Map display configuration. This configuration allowed the pilots to complete the mission objectives with less workload, at the expense of having better situation awareness of other aircraft. The subjects were better able to see other aircraft when using the VLOS display configuration. However, their mission performance, as well as their ability to aviate and navigate, was reduced compared to runs that included the PFD and Map displays.

System for indicating fuel-efficient aircraft altitude

Science.gov (United States)

Gary, B. L. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

A method and apparatus are provided for indicating the altitude at which an aircraft should fly so the W/d ratio (weight of the aircraft divided by the density of air) more closely approaches the optimum W/d for the aircraft. A passive microwave radiometer on the aircraft is directed at different angles with respect to the horizon to determine the air temperature, and therefore the density of the air, at different altitudes. The weight of the aircraft is known. The altitude of the aircraft is changed to fly the aircraft at an altitude at which is W/d ratio more closely approaches the optimum W/d ratio for that aircraft.

150 Passenger Commercial Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Bucovsky, Adrian; Romli, Fairuz I.; Rupp, Jessica

2002-01-01

It has been projected that the need for a short-range mid-sized, aircraft is increasing. The future strategy to decrease long-haul flights will increase the demand for short-haul flights. Since passengers prefer to meet their destinations quickly, airlines will increase the frequency of flights, which will reduce the passenger load on the aircraft. If a point-to-point flight is not possible, passengers will prefer only a one-stop short connecting flight to their final destination. A 150-passenger aircraft is an ideal vehicle for these situations. It is mid-sized aircraft and has a range of 3000 nautical miles. This type of aircraft would market U.S. domestic flights or inter-European flight routes. The objective of the design of the 150-passenger aircraft is to minimize fuel consumption. The configuration of the aircraft must be optimized. This aircraft must meet CO2 and NOx emissions standards with minimal acquisition price and operating costs. This report contains all the work that has been performed for the completion of the design of a 150 passenger commercial aircraft. The methodology used is the Technology Identification, Evaluation, and Selection (TIES) developed at Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Design laboratory (ASDL). This is an eight-step conceptual design process to evaluate the probability of meeting the design constraints. This methodology also allows for the evaluation of new technologies to be implemented into the design. The TIES process begins with defining the problem with a need established and a market targeted. With the customer requirements set and the target values established, a baseline concept is created. Next, the design space is explored to determine the feasibility and viability of the baseline aircraft configuration. If the design is neither feasible nor viable, new technologies can be implemented to open up the feasible design space and allow for a plausible solution. After the new technologies are identified, they must be evaluated

Piles, tabs and overlaps in navigation among documents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Mikkel Rønne; Hornbæk, Kasper

2010-01-01

Navigation among documents is a frequent, but ill supported activity. Overlapping or tabbed documents are widespread, but they offer limited visibility of their content. We explore variations on navigation support: arranging documents with tabs, as overlapping windows, and in piles. In an experim......Navigation among documents is a frequent, but ill supported activity. Overlapping or tabbed documents are widespread, but they offer limited visibility of their content. We explore variations on navigation support: arranging documents with tabs, as overlapping windows, and in piles....... In an experiment we compared 11 participants’ navigation with these variations and found strong task effects. Overall, overlapping windows were preferred and their structured layout worked well with some tasks. Surprisingly, tabbed documents were efficient in tasks requiring simply finding a document. Piled...... on document navigation and its support by piling....

The Utilisation of Pisang Island as a Platform to Support the Current Safety and Security Needs of Marine Navigation in the Straits of Malacca

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Current marine navigational practice relies less on long-range visual marine signals such as lighthouses for reference purposes. This is due to the availability of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS, which are integrated with other navigational aids on ships. Therefore, the objective of this study is to review the function of Pisang Island lighthouse and to propose the most relevant use of Pisang Island for current navigational needs. The function of the lighthouse was reviewed according to the IALA Navigational Guide and the AIS data image. The result showed that the most suitable navigational use of the lighthouse is to act as a reference for Line of Position (LOP. The AIS data image indicated that mariners are not using Pisang Island lighthouse for LOP. The trend in the Straits of Malacca (SoM was compared with the trend in the Straits of Dover, UK. The selected experts verified that LOP was not practised there. As a specific example, a tanker ship route in the South China Sea was used to further support that LOP was not practised. This evidence supported the view that Pisang Island lighthouse is less relevant for current navigational practice and does not directly support the coastal state VTS operation and the establishment of the marine electronic highway. Furthermore, the existing shore-based VTS radar has limitations on range and the detection of targets near Pisang Island. Therefore, this study proposes the establishment of a new radar station on Pisang Island at the existing site of the lighthouse. The proposed new radar station on Pisang Island will add to the existing coverage of the VTS radar, bridging the coverage gaps to overcome the weakness of the existing shore-based radar and improve the safety and security of marine navigation in the SoM.

Location Accuracy of INS/Gravity-Integrated Navigation System on the Basis of Ocean Experiment and Simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hubiao; Wu, Lin; Chai, Hua; Bao, Lifeng; Wang, Yong

2017-12-20

An experiment comparing the location accuracy of gravity matching-aided navigation in the ocean and simulation is very important to evaluate the feasibility and the performance of an INS/gravity-integrated navigation system (IGNS) in underwater navigation. Based on a 1' × 1' marine gravity anomaly reference map and multi-model adaptive Kalman filtering algorithm, a matching location experiment of IGNS was conducted using data obtained using marine gravimeter. The location accuracy under actual ocean conditions was 2.83 nautical miles (n miles). Several groups of simulated data of marine gravity anomalies were obtained by establishing normally distributed random error N ( u , σ 2 ) with varying mean u and noise variance σ 2 . Thereafter, the matching location of IGNS was simulated. The results show that the changes in u had little effect on the location accuracy. However, an increase in σ 2 resulted in a significant decrease in the location accuracy. A comparison between the actual ocean experiment and the simulation along the same route demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed simulation method and quantitative analysis results. In addition, given the gravimeter (1-2 mGal accuracy) and the reference map (resolution 1' × 1'; accuracy 3-8 mGal), location accuracy of IGNS was up to reach ~1.0-3.0 n miles in the South China Sea.

An Integrated Approach to Electronic Navigation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Shaw, Peter; Pettus, Bill

2001-01-01

While the Global Positioning System (GPS) is and will continue to be an excellent navigation system, it is neither flawless nor is it the only system employed in the navigation of today's seagoing warfighters...

Fault-tolerant Sensor Fusion for Marine Navigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blanke, Mogens

2006-01-01

Reliability of navigation data are critical for steering and manoeuvring control, and in particular so at high speed or in critical phases of a mission. Should faults occur, faulty instruments need be autonomously isolated and faulty information discarded. This paper designs a navigation solution...... where essential navigation information is provided even with multiple faults in instrumentation. The paper proposes a provable correct implementation through auto-generated state-event logics in a supervisory part of the algorithms. Test results from naval vessels document the performance and shows...... events where the fault-tolerant sensor fusion provided uninterrupted navigation data despite temporal instrument defects...

Navigation in Cross-cultural business relationships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Poul Houman

2001-01-01

Cross-cultural business navigation concerns the process of handling the complexity of several interacting cultural spheres of influence......Cross-cultural business navigation concerns the process of handling the complexity of several interacting cultural spheres of influence...

Comparative advantage between traditional and smart navigation systems

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Jeongkyu; Kim, Pan-Jun; Kim, Seunghwan

2013-03-01

The smart navigation system that refers to real-time traffic data is believed to be superior to traditional navigation systems. To verify this belief, we created an agent-based traffic model and examined the effect of changing market share of the traditional shortest-travel-time algorithm based navigation and the smart navigation system. We tested our model on the grid and actual metropolitan road network structures. The result reveals that the traditional navigation system have better performance than the smart one as the market share of the smart navigation system exceeds a critical value, which is contrary to conventional expectation. We suggest that the superiority inversion between agent groups is strongly related to the traffic weight function form, and is general. We also found that the relationship of market share, traffic flow density and travel time is determined by the combination of congestion avoidance behavior of the smartly navigated agents and the inefficiency of shortest-travel-time based navigated agents. Our results can be interpreted with the minority game and extended to the diverse topics of opinion dynamics. This work was supported by the Original Technology Research Program for Brain Science through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology(No. 2010-0018847).

Exploitation of Semantic Building Model in Indoor Navigation Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Anjomshoaa, A.; Shayeganfar, F.; Tjoa, A. Min

2009-04-01

There are many types of indoor and outdoor navigation tools and methodologies available. A majority of these solutions are based on Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and instant video and image processing. These approaches are ideal for open world environments where very few information about the target location is available, but for large scale building environments such as hospitals, governmental offices, etc the end-user will need more detailed information about the surrounding context which is especially important in case of people with special needs. This paper presents a smart indoor navigation solution that is based on Semantic Web technologies and Building Information Model (BIM). The proposed solution is also aligned with Google Android's concepts to enlighten the realization of results. Keywords: IAI IFCXML, Building Information Model, Indoor Navigation, Semantic Web, Google Android, People with Special Needs 1 Introduction Built environment is a central factor in our daily life and a big portion of human life is spent inside buildings. Traditionally the buildings are documented using building maps and plans by utilization of IT tools such as computer-aided design (CAD) applications. Documenting the maps in an electronic way is already pervasive but CAD drawings do not suffice the requirements regarding effective building models that can be shared with other building-related applications such as indoor navigation systems. The navigation in built environment is not a new issue, however with the advances in emerging technologies like GPS, mobile and networked environments, and Semantic Web new solutions have been suggested to enrich the traditional building maps and convert them to smart information resources that can be reused in other applications and improve the interpretability with building inhabitants and building visitors. Other important issues that should be addressed in building navigation scenarios are location tagging and end-user communication

A fuzzy logic based navigation for mobile robot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adel Ali S Al-Jumaily; Shamsudin M Amin; Mohamed Khalil

1998-01-01

The main issue of intelligent robot is how to reach its goal safely in real time when it moves in unknown environment. The navigational planning is becoming the central issue in development of real-time autonomous mobile robots. Behaviour based robots have been successful in reacting with dynamic environment but still there are some complexity and challenging problems. Fuzzy based behaviours present as powerful method to solve the real time reactive navigation problems in unknown environment. We shall classify the navigation generation methods, five some characteristics of these methods, explain why fuzzy logic is suitable for the navigation of mobile robot and automated guided vehicle, and describe a reactive navigation that is flexible to react through their behaviours to the change of the environment. Some simulation results will be presented to show the navigation of the robot. (Author)

A Qualitative Comparison between the Proportional Navigation and Differential Geometry Guidance Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunes Sh. ALQUDSI

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses and presents an overview of the proportional navigation (PN guidance law as well as the differential geometry (DG guidance algorithm that are used to develop the intercept course of a certain target. The intent of this study is to illustrate the advantages of the guidance algorithm generated based on the concepts of differential geometry against the well-known PN guidance law. The basic principles behind the both algorithms are mentioned. Moreover, the different versions of the PN approach is briefly clarified to show the essential improvement from one version to the other. The paper terminated with numerous two-dimension simulation figures to give a great value of visual aids, illustrating the significant relations and main features and properties of both algorithms.

Fettered aircraft for using wind energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoeppner, H.; Horvath, E.; Ulrich, S.

1980-08-28

The invention concerns an aircraft tethered by cables, whose balloon-shaped central body produces static and aerodynamic upthrust and which carries turbines, which are used to convert wind energy and to drive the aircraft. The purpose of the invention is to provide an aircraft, which will keep wind energy plant at the optimum height. A new type of aircraft is used to solve the problem, which, according to the invention, combines static upthrust, the production of aerodynamic upthrust, wind energy conversion, energy transport and forward drive in a technically integrated aircraft. If the use of windpower is interrupted, then if necessary the drive together with a remote control system provides controlled free flight of the aircraft. One variant of the object of the invention consists of a central, balloon-shaped body for upthrust, in which there are wind turbines driving electrical generators. According to the invention the motors required to start the wind turbines are of such dimensions that they will drive the turbines in free flight of the aircraft and thus provide forward drive of the aircraft. A power generating unit, consisting of an internal combustion engine and the starter motors switched over to generator operation is used to provide house service supplies for control and regulation of the aircraft.

Navigating diversity with nursing students through difficult dialogues: A qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deirdre E. van Jaarsveldt

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Difficult Dialogues project is an international initiative that promotes the development of the art and skill of civil discourse as an essential outcome of higher education. At the University of the Free State, South Africa, the project is implemented by the Centre for Teaching and Learning. When intergroup conflict started disrupting the academic performance of first year nursing students, the School of Nursing consulted with the centre to facilitate a Difficult Dialogues session. This article describes the engineering of a session programme to facilitate learning about navigating diversity and responding to conflict in a constructive way. The rich data of a qualitative inquiry conducted via the Critical Incident Questionnaire are triangulated with literature and other feedback provided to describe to what extent the session contributed towards student learning. A number of participants indicated that they had learnt to respect diversity and had realised that they could co-operate as a team in spite of individual differences. As additional evidence, the students listed specific skills that could aid them in navigating diversity and conflict in future. Considering that the School strives to establish inclusion during the orientation of students, this case raises questions about the sufficiency of such endeavours. In conclusion it is asked to what extent nurse educators should be expected to implement strategies to address issues of diversity in the classroom on a continuous basis.

Intelligent navigation to improve obstetrical sonography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Lami; Romero, Roberto

2016-04-01

'Manual navigation' by the operator is the standard method used to obtain information from two-dimensional and volumetric sonography. Two-dimensional sonography is highly operator dependent and requires extensive training and expertise to assess fetal anatomy properly. Most of the sonographic examination time is devoted to acquisition of images, while 'retrieval' and display of diagnostic planes occurs rapidly (essentially instantaneously). In contrast, volumetric sonography has a rapid acquisition phase, but the retrieval and display of relevant diagnostic planes is often time-consuming, tedious and challenging. We propose the term 'intelligent navigation' to refer to a new method of interrogation of a volume dataset whereby identification and selection of key anatomical landmarks allow the system to: 1) generate a geometrical reconstruction of the organ of interest; and 2) automatically navigate, find, extract and display specific diagnostic planes. This is accomplished using operator-independent algorithms that are both predictable and adaptive. Virtual Intelligent Sonographer Assistance (VIS-Assistance®) is a tool that allows operator-independent sonographic navigation and exploration of the surrounding structures in previously identified diagnostic planes. The advantage of intelligent (over manual) navigation in volumetric sonography is the short time required for both acquisition and retrieval and display of diagnostic planes. Intelligent navigation technology automatically realigns the volume, and reorients and standardizes the anatomical position, so that the fetus and the diagnostic planes are consistently displayed in the same manner each time, regardless of the fetal position or the initial orientation. Automatic labeling of anatomical structures, subject orientation and each of the diagnostic planes is also possible. Intelligent navigation technology can operate on conventional computers, and is not dependent on specific ultrasound platforms or on the

Ecodesign Navigator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simon, M; Evans, S.; McAloone, Timothy Charles

The Ecodesign Navigator is the product of a three-year research project called DEEDS - DEsign for Environment Decision Support. The initial partners were Manchester Metropolitan University, Cranfield University, Engineering 6 Physical Sciences Resaech Council, Electrolux, ICL, and the Industry...

Research on computer aided testing of pilot response to critical in-flight events

Science.gov (United States)

Giffin, W. C.; Rockwell, T. H.; Smith, P. J.

1984-01-01

Experiments on pilot decision making are described. The development of models of pilot decision making in critical in flight events (CIFE) are emphasized. The following tests are reported on the development of: (1) a frame system representation describing how pilots use their knowledge in a fault diagnosis task; (2) assessment of script norms, distance measures, and Markov models developed from computer aided testing (CAT) data; and (3) performance ranking of subject data. It is demonstrated that interactive computer aided testing either by touch CRT's or personal computers is a useful research and training device for measuring pilot information management in diagnosing system failures in simulated flight situations. Performance is dictated by knowledge of aircraft sybsystems, initial pilot structuring of the failure symptoms and efficient testing of plausible causal hypotheses.

Metrics for evaluating patient navigation during cancer diagnosis and treatment: crafting a policy-relevant research agenda for patient navigation in cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Guadagnolo, B Ashleigh; Dohan, Daniel; Raich, Peter

2011-08-01

Racial and ethnic minorities as well as other vulnerable populations experience disparate cancer-related health outcomes. Patient navigation is an emerging health care delivery innovation that offers promise in improving quality of cancer care delivery to these patients who experience unique health-access barriers. Metrics are needed to evaluate whether patient navigation can improve quality of care delivery, health outcomes, and overall value in health care during diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Information regarding the current state of the science examining patient navigation interventions was gathered via search of the published scientific literature. A focus group of providers, patient navigators, and health-policy experts was convened as part of the Patient Navigation Leadership Summit sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Key metrics were identified for assessing the efficacy of patient navigation in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Patient navigation data exist for all stages of cancer care; however, the literature is more robust for its implementation during prevention, screening, and early diagnostic workup of cancer. Relatively fewer data are reported for outcomes and efficacy of patient navigation during cancer treatment. Metrics are proposed for a policy-relevant research agenda to evaluate the efficacy of patient navigation in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Patient navigation is understudied with respect to its use in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Core metrics are defined to evaluate its efficacy in improving outcomes and mitigating health-access barriers. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

Shape Perception and Navigation in Blind Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Gori, Monica; Cappagli, Giulia; Baud-Bovy, Gabriel; Finocchietti, Sara

2017-01-01

Different sensory systems interact to generate a representation of space and to navigate. Vision plays a critical role in the representation of space development. During navigation, vision is integrated with auditory and mobility cues. In blind individuals, visual experience is not available and navigation therefore lacks this important sensory signal. In blind individuals, compensatory mechanisms can be adopted to improve spatial and navigation skills. On the other hand, the limitations of these compensatory mechanisms are not completely clear. Both enhanced and impaired reliance on auditory cues in blind individuals have been reported. Here, we develop a new paradigm to test both auditory perception and navigation skills in blind and sighted individuals and to investigate the effect that visual experience has on the ability to reproduce simple and complex paths. During the navigation task, early blind, late blind and sighted individuals were required first to listen to an audio shape and then to recognize and reproduce it by walking. After each audio shape was presented, a static sound was played and the participants were asked to reach it. Movements were recorded with a motion tracking system. Our results show three main impairments specific to early blind individuals. The first is the tendency to compress the shapes reproduced during navigation. The second is the difficulty to recognize complex audio stimuli, and finally, the third is the difficulty in reproducing the desired shape: early blind participants occasionally reported perceiving a square but they actually reproduced a circle during the navigation task. We discuss these results in terms of compromised spatial reference frames due to lack of visual input during the early period of development. PMID:28144226

A simultaneous navigation and radiation evasion algorithm (SNARE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khasawneh, Mohammed A., E-mail: mkha@ieee.org [Department of Electrical Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 221 10 (Jordan); Jaradat, Mohammad A., E-mail: majaradat@just.edu.jo [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 221 10 (Jordan); Al-Shboul, Zeina Aman M., E-mail: xeinaaman@gmail.com [Department of Electrical Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 221 10 (Jordan)

2013-12-15

Highlights: • A new navigation algorithm for radiation evasion around nuclear facilities. • An optimization criteria minimized under algorithm operation. • A man-borne device guiding the occupational worker towards paths that warrant least radiation × time products. • Benefits of using localized navigation as opposed to global navigation schemas. • A path discrimination function for finding the navigational paths exhibiting the least amounts of radiation. - Abstract: In this paper, we address the issue of localization as pertains to indoor navigation under radiation contaminated environments. In this context, navigation, in the absence of any GPS signals, is guided by the location of the sensors that make up the entire wireless sensor network in a given locality within a nuclear facility. It, also, draws on the radiation levels as measured by the sensors around a given locale. Here, localization is inherently embedded into the algorithm presented in (Khasawneh et al., 2011a, 2011b) which was designed to provide navigational guidance to optimize any of two criteria: “Radiation Evasion” and “Nearest Exit”. As such, the algorithm can either be applied to setting a navigational “lowest” radiation exposure path from an initial point A to some other point B; a case typical of occupational workers performing maintenance operations around the facility; or providing a radiation-safe passage from point A to the nearest exit. Algorithm's navigational performance is tested under statistical reference, wherein for a given number of runs (trials) algorithm performance is evaluated as a function of the number of steps of look-ahead it uses to acquire navigational information, and is compared against the performance of the renowned Dijkstra global navigation algorithm. This is done with reference to the amount of (radiation × time) product and that of the time needed to reach an exit point, under the two optimization criteria. To evaluate algorithm

A simultaneous navigation and radiation evasion algorithm (SNARE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khasawneh, Mohammed A.; Jaradat, Mohammad A.; Al-Shboul, Zeina Aman M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A new navigation algorithm for radiation evasion around nuclear facilities. • An optimization criteria minimized under algorithm operation. • A man-borne device guiding the occupational worker towards paths that warrant least radiation × time products. • Benefits of using localized navigation as opposed to global navigation schemas. • A path discrimination function for finding the navigational paths exhibiting the least amounts of radiation. - Abstract: In this paper, we address the issue of localization as pertains to indoor navigation under radiation contaminated environments. In this context, navigation, in the absence of any GPS signals, is guided by the location of the sensors that make up the entire wireless sensor network in a given locality within a nuclear facility. It, also, draws on the radiation levels as measured by the sensors around a given locale. Here, localization is inherently embedded into the algorithm presented in (Khasawneh et al., 2011a, 2011b) which was designed to provide navigational guidance to optimize any of two criteria: “Radiation Evasion” and “Nearest Exit”. As such, the algorithm can either be applied to setting a navigational “lowest” radiation exposure path from an initial point A to some other point B; a case typical of occupational workers performing maintenance operations around the facility; or providing a radiation-safe passage from point A to the nearest exit. Algorithm's navigational performance is tested under statistical reference, wherein for a given number of runs (trials) algorithm performance is evaluated as a function of the number of steps of look-ahead it uses to acquire navigational information, and is compared against the performance of the renowned Dijkstra global navigation algorithm. This is done with reference to the amount of (radiation × time) product and that of the time needed to reach an exit point, under the two optimization criteria. To evaluate algorithm

Off the Beaten tracks: Exploring Three Aspects of Web Navigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weinreich, H.; Obendorf, H.; Herder, E.; Mayer, M.; Edmonds, H.; Hawkey, K.; Kellar, M.; Turnbull, D.

2006-01-01

This paper presents results of a long-term client-side Web usage study, updating previous studies that range in age from five to ten years. We focus on three aspects of Web navigation: changes in the distribution of navigation actions, speed of navigation and within-page navigation. “Navigation

Aircraft Capability Management

Science.gov (United States)

Mumaw, Randy; Feary, Mike

2018-01-01

This presentation presents an overview of work performed at NASA Ames Research Center in 2017. The work concerns the analysis of current aircraft system management displays, and the initial development of an interface for providing information about aircraft system status. The new interface proposes a shift away from current aircraft system alerting interfaces that report the status of physical components, and towards displaying the implications of degradations on mission capability. The proposed interface describes these component failures in terms of operational consequences of aircraft system degradations. The research activity was an effort to examine the utility of different representations of complex systems and operating environments to support real-time decision making of off-nominal situations. A specific focus was to develop representations that provide better integrated information to allow pilots to more easily reason about the operational consequences of the off-nominal situations. The work is also seen as a pathway to autonomy, as information is integrated and understood in a form that automated responses could be developed for the off-nominal situations in the future.

Responsibility navigator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuhlmann, Stefan; Edler, Jakob; Ordonez Matamoros, Hector Gonzalo; Randles, Sally; Walhout, Bart; Walhout, Bart; Gough, Clair; Lindner, Ralf; Lindner, Ralf; Kuhlmann, Stefan; Randles, Sally; Bedsted, Bjorn; Gorgoni, Guido; Griessler, Erich; Loconto, Allison; Mejlgaard, Niels

2016-01-01

Research and innovation activities need to become more responsive to societal challenges and concerns. The Responsibility Navigator, developed in the Res-AGorA project, supports decision-makers to govern such activities towards more conscious responsibility. What is considered “responsible” will

Letting in-vehicle navigation lead the way: Older drivers' perceptions of and ability to follow a GPS navigation system.

Science.gov (United States)

Stinchcombe, Arne; Gagnon, Sylvain; Kateb, Matthew; Curtis, Meredith; Porter, Michelle M; Polgar, Jan; Bédard, Michel

2017-09-01

In-vehicle navigation systems have the potential to simplify the driving task by reducing the drivers' need to engage in wayfinding, especially in unfamiliar environments. This study sought to characterize older drivers' overall assessment of using in-vehicle GPS technology as part of a research study and to explore whether the use of this technology has an impact on participants' driving behaviour. Forty-seven older drivers completed an on-road evaluation where directions were provided by an in-vehicle GPS navigation system and their behaviour was recorded using video technology. They later completed a questionnaire to assess their perception of the navigation system. After the study, participants were grouped based on whether they were able to accurately follow the instructions provided by the navigation system. The results indicated that most drivers were satisfied with the navigation technology and found the directions it provided to be clear. There were no statistically significant differences in the number of on-road errors committed by drivers who did not follow the directions from the navigation system in comparison to drivers who did follow the directions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ballistic Aspects of Feasibility for Prospective Satellite Navigation Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. N. Lysenko

2015-01-01

Full Text Available When modeling the operating processes of ballistics and navigation support it is expedient to make decomposition of the general problem of coordinate-time and navigation support into the typical options of its engineering implementation.As the satellite navigation technologies the paper considers inter-satellite measurement and autonomous navigation mode of differential correction. It also assesses the possibility of their application to improve the accuracy of navigation determinations.Technologies using inter-satellite measurement tools such as GLONASS / GPS equipment, equipment of inter-satellite radio link, astro-optical space based devices are an independent class of navigation technologies.However, each of these options has both advantages and disadvantages that affect the eva luation of the appropriateness and feasibility of their use.The paper separately considers the problem of increasing survivability of space systems and conservation of ground control complex due to introduction of requirements to ensure the independent functioning of spacecraft and application of technologies of ballistics and navigation support, supposing to involve minimum means of automated ground control complex for these purposes.Currently, there is a completely developed theory of autonomous navigation based on astronomical positional gauges, which are used as onboard optical sensors of orientation and stabilization systems.To date, the differential navigation mode is, virtually, the only approach that can allow the olution of tasks in terms of increased accuracy, but with some restrictions.The implementation of differential mode of treatment is carried out through the creation of differential subsystems of the satellite navigation systems. These subsystems are usually divided into wide-range, regional and local ones.Analysis of ballistic aspects to implement discussed navigation technologies allowed us to identify constraints for improving accuracy to define

Surgical Navigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azarmehr, Iman; Stokbro, Kasper; Bell, R. Bryan

2017-01-01

Purpose: This systematic review investigates the most common indications, treatments, and outcomes of surgical navigation (SN) published from 2010 to 2015. The evolution of SN and its application in oral and maxillofacial surgery have rapidly developed over recent years, and therapeutic indicatio...

Clinical applications of virtual navigation bronchial intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Kajiwara, Naohiro; Maehara, Sachio; Maeda, Junichi; Hagiwara, Masaru; Okano, Tetsuya; Kakihana, Masatoshi; Ohira, Tatsuo; Kawate, Norihiko; Ikeda, Norihiko

2018-01-01

In patients with bronchial tumors, we frequently consider endoscopic treatment as the first treatment of choice. All computed tomography (CT) must satisfy several conditions necessary to analyze images by Synapse Vincent. To select safer and more precise approaches for patients with bronchial tumors, we determined the indications and efficacy of virtual navigation intervention for the treatment of bronchial tumors. We examined the efficacy of virtual navigation bronchial intervention for the treatment of bronchial tumors located at a variety of sites in the tracheobronchial tree using a high-speed 3-dimensional (3D) image analysis system, Synapse Vincent. Constructed images can be utilized to decide on the simulation and interventional strategy as well as for navigation during interventional manipulation in two cases. Synapse Vincent was used to determine the optimal planning of virtual navigation bronchial intervention. Moreover, this system can detect tumor location and alsodepict surrounding tissues, quickly, accurately, and safely. The feasibility and safety of Synapse Vincent in performing useful preoperative simulation and navigation of surgical procedures can lead to safer, more precise, and less invasion for the patient, and makes it easy to construct an image, depending on the purpose, in 5-10 minutes using Synapse Vincent. Moreover, if the lesion is in the parenchyma or sub-bronchial lumen, it helps to perform simulation with virtual skeletal subtraction to estimate potential lesion movement. By using virtual navigation system for simulation, bronchial intervention was performed with no complications safely and precisely. Preoperative simulation using virtual navigation bronchial intervention reduces the surgeon's stress levels, particularly when highly skilled techniques are needed to operate on lesions. This task, including both preoperative simulation and intraoperative navigation, leads to greater safety and precision. These technological instruments

Requirements for e-Navigation Architectures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Axel Hahn

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Technology is changing the way of navigation. New technologies for communication and navigation can be found on virtually every vessel. System architectures define structure and cooperation of components and subsystems. IMO, IALA, costal authorities, technology provider and many more actually propose new architectures for e-Navigation. This paper looks at other transportation domains and technical as normative requirements for e-Navigation architectures. With the aim of identifying possible synergies in the research, development, certification and standardization, this paper sets out to compare requirements and approaches of these two domains with respect to safety and security aspects. Since from an autonomy perspective, the automotive domain has started earlier and therefore has achieved a higher degree of technical progress, we will start with an overview of the developments in this domain. After that, the paper discusses the requirements on automation and assistance systems in the maritime domain and gives an overview of the developments into this direction within the maritime domain. This then allows us to compare developments in both domains and to derive recommendations for further developments in the maritime domain at the end of this paper.

Development of an ultrasonic nondestructive inspection method for impact damage detection in composite aircraft structures

Science.gov (United States)

Capriotti, M.; Kim, H. E.; Lanza di Scalea, F.; Kim, H.

2017-04-01

High Energy Wide Area Blunt Impact (HEWABI) due to ground service equipment can often occur in aircraft structures causing major damages. These Wide Area Impact Damages (WAID) can affect the internal components of the structure, hence are usually not visible nor detectable by typical one-sided NDE techniques and can easily compromise the structural safety of the aircraft. In this study, the development of an NDI method is presented together with its application to impacted aircraft frames. The HEWABI from a typical ground service scenario has been previously tested and the desired type of damages have been generated, so that the aircraft panels could become representative study cases. The need of the aircraft industry for a rapid, ramp-friendly system to detect such WAID is here approached with guided ultrasonic waves (GUW) and a scanning tool that accesses the whole structure from the exterior side only. The wide coverage of the specimen provided by GUW has been coupled to a differential detection approach and is aided by an outlier statistical analysis to be able to inspect and detect faults in the challenging composite material and complex structure. The results will be presented and discussed with respect to the detection capability of the system and its response to the different damage types. Receiving Operating Characteristics curves (ROC) are also produced to quantify and assess the performance of the proposed method. Ongoing work is currently aimed at the penetration of the inner components of the structure, such as shear ties and C-frames, exploiting different frequency ranges and signal processing techniques. From the hardware and tool development side, different transducers and coupling methods, such as air-coupled transducers, are under investigation together with the design of a more suitable scanning technique.

Navigation System of Marks Areas - USACE IENC

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — These inland electronic Navigational charts (IENCs) were developed from available data used in maintenance of Navigation channels. Users of these IENCs should be...

Air traffic surveillance and control using hybrid estimation and protocol-based conflict resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Inseok

The continued growth of air travel and recent advances in new technologies for navigation, surveillance, and communication have led to proposals by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide reliable and efficient tools to aid Air Traffic Control (ATC) in performing their tasks. In this dissertation, we address four problems frequently encountered in air traffic surveillance and control; multiple target tracking and identity management, conflict detection, conflict resolution, and safety verification. We develop a set of algorithms and tools to aid ATC; These algorithms have the provable properties of safety, computational efficiency, and convergence. Firstly, we develop a multiple-maneuvering-target tracking and identity management algorithm which can keep track of maneuvering aircraft in noisy environments and of their identities. Secondly, we propose a hybrid probabilistic conflict detection algorithm between multiple aircraft which uses flight mode estimates as well as aircraft current state estimates. Our algorithm is based on hybrid models of aircraft, which incorporate both continuous dynamics and discrete mode switching. Thirdly, we develop an algorithm for multiple (greater than two) aircraft conflict avoidance that is based on a closed-form analytic solution and thus provides guarantees of safety. Finally, we consider the problem of safety verification of control laws for safety critical systems, with application to air traffic control systems. We approach safety verification through reachability analysis, which is a computationally expensive problem. We develop an over-approximate method for reachable set computation using polytopic approximation methods and dynamic optimization. These algorithms may be used either in a fully autonomous way, or as supporting tools to increase controllers' situational awareness and to reduce their work load.

Navigating in higher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thingholm, Hanne Balsby; Reimer, David; Keiding, Tina Bering

Denne rapport er skrevet på baggrund af spørgeskemaundersøgelsen – Navigating in Higher Education (NiHE) – der rummer besvarelser fra 1410 bachelorstuderende og 283 undervisere fordelt på ni uddannelser fra Aarhus Universitet: Uddannelsesvidenskab, Historie, Nordisk sprog og litteratur, Informati......Denne rapport er skrevet på baggrund af spørgeskemaundersøgelsen – Navigating in Higher Education (NiHE) – der rummer besvarelser fra 1410 bachelorstuderende og 283 undervisere fordelt på ni uddannelser fra Aarhus Universitet: Uddannelsesvidenskab, Historie, Nordisk sprog og litteratur...

PRIVATE GRAPHS – ACCESS RIGHTS ON GRAPHS FOR SEAMLESS NAVIGATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Dorner

2016-06-01

Full Text Available After the success of GNSS (Global Navigational Satellite Systems and navigation services for public streets, indoor seems to be the next big development in navigational services, relying on RTLS – Real Time Locating Services (e.g. WIFI and allowing seamless navigation. In contrast to navigation and routing services on public streets, seamless navigation will cause an additional challenge: how to make routing data accessible to defined users or restrict access rights for defined areas or only to parts of the graph to a defined user group? The paper will present case studies and data from literature, where seamless and especially indoor navigation solutions are presented (hospitals, industrial complexes, building sites, but the problem of restricted access rights was only touched from a real world, but not a technical perspective. The analysis of case studies will show, that the objective of navigation and the different target groups for navigation solutions will demand well defined access rights and require solutions, how to make only parts of a graph to a user or application available to solve a navigational task. The paper will therefore introduce the concept of private graphs, which is defined as a graph for navigational purposes covering the street, road or floor network of an area behind a public street and suggest different approaches how to make graph data for navigational purposes available considering access rights and data protection, privacy and security issues as well.

Arrow-wing supersonic cruise aircraft structural design concepts evaluation. Volume 3: Sections 12 through 14

Science.gov (United States)

Sakata, I. F.; Davis, G. W.

1975-01-01

The design of an economically viable supersonic cruise aircraft requires the lowest attainable structural-mass fraction commensurate with the selected near-term structural material technology. To achieve this goal of minimum structural-mass fraction, various combinations of promising wing and fuselage primary structure were analyzed for the load-temperature environment applicable to the arrow wing configuration. This analysis was conducted in accordance with the design criteria specified and included extensive use of computer-aided analytical methods to screen the candidate concepts and select the most promising concepts for the in-depth structural analysis.

Hydrogen Storage for Aircraft Applications Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Kohout, Lisa (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Advances in fuel cell technology have brought about their consideration as sources of power for aircraft. This power can be utilized to run aircraft systems or even provide propulsion power. One of the key obstacles to utilizing fuel cells on aircraft is the storage of hydrogen. An overview of the potential methods of hydrogen storage was compiled. This overview identifies various methods of hydrogen storage and points out their advantages and disadvantages relative to aircraft applications. Minimizing weight and volume are the key aspects to storing hydrogen within an aircraft. An analysis was performed to show how changes in certain parameters of a given storage system affect its mass and volume.

GPS Navigation and Tracking Device

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yahya Salameh Khraisat

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Since the introduction of GPS Navigation systems in the marketplace, consumers and businesses have been coming up with innovative ways to use the technology in their everyday life. GPS Navigation and Tracking systems keep us from getting lost when we are in strange locations, they monitor children when they are away from home, keep track of business vehicles and can even let us know where a philandering partner is at all times. Because of this we attend to build a GPS tracking device to solve the mentioned problems. Our work consists of the GPS module that collects data from satellites and calculates the position information before transmitting them to the user’s PC (of Navigation system or observers (of Tracking System using wireless technology (GSM.

A Qualitative Approach to Mobile Robot Navigation Using RFID

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hossain, M; Rashid, M M; Bhuiyan, M M I; Ahmed, S; Akhtaruzzaman, M

2013-01-01

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system allows automatic identification of items with RFID tags using radio-waves. As the RFID tag has its unique identification number, it is also possible to detect a specific region where the RFID tag lies in. Recently it is widely been used in mobile robot navigation, localization, and mapping both in indoor and outdoor environment. This paper represents a navigation strategy for autonomous mobile robot using passive RFID system. Conventional approaches, such as landmark or dead-reckoning with excessive number of sensors, have complexities in establishing the navigation and localization process. The proposed method satisfies less complexity in navigation strategy as well as estimation of not only the position but also the orientation of the autonomous robot. In this research, polar coordinate system is adopted on the navigation surface where RFID tags are places in a grid with constant displacements. This paper also presents the performance comparisons among various grid architectures through simulation to establish a better solution of the navigation system. In addition, some stationary obstacles are introduced in the navigation environment to satisfy the viability of the navigation process of the autonomous mobile robot

Navigation in musculoskeletal oncology: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guy Vernon Morris

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Navigation in surgery has increasingly become more commonplace. The use of this technological advancement has enabled ever more complex and detailed surgery to be performed to the benefit of surgeons and patients alike. This is particularly so when applying the use of navigation within the field of orthopedic oncology. The developments in computer processing power coupled with the improvements in scanning technologies have permitted the incorporation of navigational procedures into day-to-day practice. A comprehensive search of PubMed using the search terms “navigation”, “orthopaedic” and “oncology” yielded 97 results. After filtering for English language papers, excluding spinal surgery and review articles, this resulted in 38 clinical studies and case reports. These were analyzed in detail by the authors (GM and JS and the most relevant papers reviewed. We have sought to provide an overview of the main types of navigation systems currently available within orthopedic oncology and to assess some of the evidence behind its use.

Usability testing of ANSWER: a web-based methotrexate decision aid for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Linda C; Adam, Paul M; Townsend, Anne F; Lacaille, Diane; Yousefi, Charlene; Stacey, Dawn; Gromala, Diane; Shaw, Chris D; Tugwell, Peter; Backman, Catherine L

2013-12-01

Decision aids are evidence-based tools designed to inform people of the potential benefit and harm of treatment options, clarify their preferences and provide a shared decision-making structure for discussion at a clinic visit. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are considering methotrexate, we have developed a web-based patient decision aid called the ANSWER (Animated, Self-serve, Web-based Research Tool). This study aimed to: 1) assess the usability of the ANSWER prototype; 2) identify strengths and limitations of the ANSWER from the patient's perspective. The ANSWER prototype consisted of: 1) six animated patient stories and narrated information on the evidence of methotrexate for RA; 2) interactive questionnaires to clarify patients' treatment preferences. Eligible participants for the usability test were patients with RA who had been prescribed methotrexate. They were asked to verbalize their thoughts (i.e., think aloud) while using the ANSWER, and to complete the System Usability Scale (SUS) to assess overall usability (range = 0-100; higher = more user friendly). Participants were audiotaped and observed, and field notes were taken. The testing continued until no new modifiable issues were found. We used descriptive statistics to summarize participant characteristics and the SUS scores. Content analysis was used to identified usability issues and navigation problems. 15 patients participated in the usability testing. The majority were aged 50 or over and were university/college graduates (n = 8, 53.4%). On average they took 56 minutes (SD = 34.8) to complete the tool. The mean SUS score was 81.2 (SD = 13.5). Content analysis of audiotapes and field notes revealed four categories of modifiable usability issues: 1) information delivery (i.e., clarity of the information and presentation style); 2) navigation control (i.e., difficulties in recognizing and using the navigation control buttons); 3) layout (i.e., position of the

A navigator-based rigid body motion correction for magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ullisch, Marcus Goerge

2012-01-01

A novel three-dimensional navigator k-space trajectory for rigid body motion detection for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - the Lissajous navigator - was developed and quantitatively compared to the existing spherical navigator trajectory [1]. The spherical navigator cannot sample the complete spherical surface due to slew rate limitations of the scanner hardware. By utilizing a two dimensional Lissajous figure which is projected onto the spherical surface, the Lissajous navigator overcomes this limitation. The complete sampling of the sphere consequently leads to rotation estimates with higher and more isotropic accuracy. Simulations and phantom measurements were performed for both navigators. Both simulations and measurements show a significantly higher overall accuracy of the Lissajous navigator and a higher isotropy of the rotation estimates. Measured under identical conditions with identical postprocessing, the measured mean absolute error of the rotation estimates for the Lissajous navigator was 38% lower (0.3 ) than for the spherical navigator (0.5 ). The maximum error of the Lissajous navigator was reduced by 48% relative to the spherical navigator. The Lissajous navigator delivers higher accuracy of rotation estimation and a higher degree of isotropy than the spherical navigator with no evident drawbacks; these are two decisive advantages, especially for high-resolution anatomical imaging.

A navigator-based rigid body motion correction for magnetic resonance imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ullisch, Marcus Goerge

2012-01-24

A novel three-dimensional navigator k-space trajectory for rigid body motion detection for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - the Lissajous navigator - was developed and quantitatively compared to the existing spherical navigator trajectory [1]. The spherical navigator cannot sample the complete spherical surface due to slew rate limitations of the scanner hardware. By utilizing a two dimensional Lissajous figure which is projected onto the spherical surface, the Lissajous navigator overcomes this limitation. The complete sampling of the sphere consequently leads to rotation estimates with higher and more isotropic accuracy. Simulations and phantom measurements were performed for both navigators. Both simulations and measurements show a significantly higher overall accuracy of the Lissajous navigator and a higher isotropy of the rotation estimates. Measured under identical conditions with identical postprocessing, the measured mean absolute error of the rotation estimates for the Lissajous navigator was 38% lower (0.3 ) than for the spherical navigator (0.5 ). The maximum error of the Lissajous navigator was reduced by 48% relative to the spherical navigator. The Lissajous navigator delivers higher accuracy of rotation estimation and a higher degree of isotropy than the spherical navigator with no evident drawbacks; these are two decisive advantages, especially for high-resolution anatomical imaging.

Design of Air Traffic Control Operation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela STROE

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a numerical simulation for a different aircraft, based on the specific aircraft data that can be incorporated in the model and the equations of motions which can be consequently solved. The aircraft flight design involves various technical steps and requires the use of sophisticated software having modeling and simulation capabilities. Within the flight simulation model, the aerodynamic model can be regarded as the most complex and most important. With appropriate aerodynamic modeling the aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the aircraft's center of gravity can be numerically solved with accuracy. These forces and moments are further used to solve the equations of motion. The development of control and computing technology makes it possible for advanced flight control strategy. The advanced control techniques tend to make the control design and their implementation much more complicated with more control loops or channels; in this line, the autopilot of modern aircrafts includes a variety of automatic control systems that aid and support the flight navigation, flight management, and perform the enhancing and/or augmenting of the stability characteristics of the airplane. Therefore in this context it is very important to choose the dynamic that will satisfy the performance and robustness specifications.

Estimation of nuclear power plant aircraft hazards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gottlieb, P.

1978-01-01

The standard procedures for estimating aircraft risk to nuclear power plants provide a conservative estimate, which is adequate for most sites, which are not close to airports or heavily traveled air corridors. For those sites which are close to facilities handling large numbers of aircraft movements (airports or corridors), a more precise estimate of aircraft impact frequency can be obtained as a function of aircraft size. In many instances the very large commercial aircraft can be shown to have an acceptably small impact frequency, while the very small general aviation aircraft will not produce sufficiently serious impact to impair the safety-related functions. This paper examines the in between aircraft: primarily twin-engine, used for business, pleasure, and air taxi operations. For this group of aircraft the total impact frequency was found to be approximately once in one million years, the threshold above which further consideration of specific safety-related consequences would be required

Aircraft/Stores Compatibility, Integration and Separation Testing (Essais de compatibilite, d’integration et de separation des emports sur aeronef)

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

Interface Control Document ID Identification JMPS Joint Mission Planning System LAR Launch Acceptability Region LGB Laser Guided Bombs LOAL...Dump/unguided Cluster Bombs (CBUs); • Laser -Guided Bombs (LGBs); • Inertial-Aided Munitions (IAMs); • Air Intercept Missiles (AIMs); and • Air-to...light stores may be operated by energizing a solenoid to open the hooks. On these systems, the store falls away from the aircraft under the

Aircraft Carrier Exposure Testing of Aircraft Materials

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Lee, Eui

2004-01-01

.... Test and control specimens were affixed on exposure racks and installed on aircraft carriers to compare adhesive bonding primers for aluminum and to determine the static property behavior of various...

Growing Homophilic Networks Are Natural Navigable Small Worlds.

Science.gov (United States)

Malkov, Yury A; Ponomarenko, Alexander

2016-01-01

Navigability, an ability to find a logarithmically short path between elements using only local information, is one of the most fascinating properties of real-life networks. However, the exact mechanism responsible for the formation of navigation properties remained unknown. We show that navigability can be achieved by using only two ingredients present in the majority of networks: network growth and local homophily, giving a persuasive answer how the navigation appears in real-life networks. A very simple algorithm produces hierarchical self-similar optimally wired navigable small world networks with exponential degree distribution by using only local information. Adding preferential attachment produces a scale-free network which has shorter greedy paths, but worse (power law) scaling of the information extraction locality (algorithmic complexity of a search). Introducing saturation of the preferential attachment leads to truncated scale-free degree distribution that offers a good tradeoff between these parameters and can be useful for practical applications. Several features of the model are observed in real-life networks, in particular in the brain neural networks, supporting the earlier suggestions that they are navigable.

Growing Homophilic Networks Are Natural Navigable Small Worlds.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yury A Malkov

Full Text Available Navigability, an ability to find a logarithmically short path between elements using only local information, is one of the most fascinating properties of real-life networks. However, the exact mechanism responsible for the formation of navigation properties remained unknown. We show that navigability can be achieved by using only two ingredients present in the majority of networks: network growth and local homophily, giving a persuasive answer how the navigation appears in real-life networks. A very simple algorithm produces hierarchical self-similar optimally wired navigable small world networks with exponential degree distribution by using only local information. Adding preferential attachment produces a scale-free network which has shorter greedy paths, but worse (power law scaling of the information extraction locality (algorithmic complexity of a search. Introducing saturation of the preferential attachment leads to truncated scale-free degree distribution that offers a good tradeoff between these parameters and can be useful for practical applications. Several features of the model are observed in real-life networks, in particular in the brain neural networks, supporting the earlier suggestions that they are navigable.

SU-F-P-42: “To Navigate, Or Not to Navigate: HDR BT in Recurrent Spine Lesions”

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voros, L; Cohen, G; Zaider, M; Yamada, Y [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: We compare the accuracy of HDR catheter placement for paraspinal lesions using O-arm CBCT imaging combined with StealthStation navigation and traditional fluoroscopically guided catheter placement. Methods: CT and MRI scans were acquired pre-treatment to outline the lesions and design treatment plans (pre-plans) to meet dosimetric constrains. The pre-planned catheter trajectories were transferred into the StealthStation Navigation system prior to the surgery. The StealthStation is an infra red (IR) optical navigation system used for guidance of surgical instruments. An intraoperative CBCT scan (O-arm) was acquired with reference IR optical fiducials anchored onto the patient and registered with the preplan image study to guide surgical instruments in relation to the patients’ anatomy and to place the brachytherapy catheters along the pre-planned trajectories. The final treatment plan was generated based on a 2nd intraoperative CBCT scan reflecting achieved implant geometry. The 2nd CBCT was later registered with the initial CT scan to compare the preplanned dwell positions with actual dwell positions (catheter placements). Similar workflow was used in placement of 8 catheters (1 patient) without navigation, but under fluoroscopy guidance in an interventional radiology suite. Results: A total of 18 catheters (3 patients) were placed using navigation assisted surgery. Average displacement of 0.66 cm (STD=0.37cm) was observed between the pre-plan source positions and actual source positions in the 3 dimensional space. This translates into an average 0.38 cm positioning error in one direction including registration errors, digitization errors, and the surgeons ability to follow the planned trajectory. In comparison, average displacement of non-navigated catheters was 0.50 cm (STD=0.22cm). Conclusion: Spinal lesion HDR brachytherapy planning is a difficult task. Catheter placement has a direct impact on target coverage and dose to critical structures. While

Identification of Aircraft Hazards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

K. Ashley

2006-01-01

Aircraft hazards were determined to be potentially applicable to a repository at Yucca Mountain in ''Monitored Geological Repository External Events Hazards Screening Analysis'' (BSC 2005 [DIRS 174235], Section 6.4.1). That determination was conservatively based upon limited knowledge of flight data in the area of concern and upon crash data for aircraft of the type flying near Yucca Mountain. The purpose of this report is to identify specific aircraft hazards that may be applicable to a monitored geologic repository (MGR) at Yucca Mountain, using NUREG-0800, ''Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants'' (NRC 1987 [DIRS 103124], Section 3.5.1.6), as guidance for the inclusion or exclusion of identified aircraft hazards. The intended use of this report is to provide inputs for further screening and analysis of identified aircraft hazards based upon the criteria that apply to Category 1 and Category 2 event sequence analyses as defined in 10 CFR 63.2 [DIRS 176544] (Section 4). The scope of this report includes the evaluation of military, private, and commercial use of airspace in the 100-mile regional setting of the repository at Yucca Mountain with the potential for reducing the regional setting to a more manageable size after consideration of applicable screening criteria (Section 7)

Progress in Protective Coatings for Aircraft Gas Turbines: A Review of NASA Sponsored Research

Science.gov (United States)

Merutka, J. P.

1981-01-01

Problems associated with protective coatings for advanced aircraft gas turbines are reviewed. Metallic coatings for preventing titanium fires in compressors are identified. Coatings for turbine section are also considered, Ductile aluminide coatings for protecting internal turbine-blade cooling passage surface are also identified. Composite modified external overlay MCrAlY coatings deposited by low-pressure plasma spraying are found to be better in surface protection capability than vapor deposited MCrAlY coatings. Thermal barrier coating (TBC), studies are presented. The design of a turbine airfoil is integrated with a TBC, and computer-aided manufacturing technology is applied.

INTEGRATION OF DISTRIBUTED INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEMS BUILT AROUND FIBER-OPTIC AND MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SENSORS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Chernodarov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The current state of airborne measuring-and-computing complexes (MCCs is characterized by the inclusion of distributed strapdown inertial navigation systems (SINSs as components of these complexes. This is associated with the necessity of the provision of navigational support not only for aircraft (Acft, but also for airborne Earth surface surveillance systems in which the SINSs are included as components. Among such systems are radar systems, video monitors, laser scanners (lidars, and other surveillance devices. At the same time, when the DSINSs are united into a single structure, new functional possibilities for such integrated navigation systems appear, namely: redundancy and mutual support of SINSs, and also an increase in MCC information reliability on this basis; mutual monitoring and mutual diagnosis of SINSs; optimization of DSINS structure for providing the required accuracy of navigation and attitude control under severe conditions of Acft operation. Such conditions are connected with Acft maneuvering, with a loss of the signals of satellite navigation systems (SNSs. The purpose of this paper is to study the capabilities of DSINS which are built around fiberoptic and micromechanical sensors when they are united into a closely connected information-measuring structure. In the solution of the problem formulated above, an object-oriented modular technology for the creation of integrated navigation systems was taken as a basis. The use of such a technology has permitted us to realize the new functional possibilities of the DSINSs, and also to take into account the following features of the construction and functioning of DSINSs as components of MCCs: need for mutual information exchange among DSINS modules via an MCC airborne top-level computing system; synchronization of measuring-and-computing procedures that are realized in the DSINS. In addition, due to restrictions on overall dimensions and weight, SINSs of surveillance systems are

PRINCIPLES OF INDICATION FOR EN-ROUTE FLIGHT PATHS OF THE AIRCRAFT ON THE SCREEN OF ON-BOARD DISPLAY DEVICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Markelov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Subject of Research.We consider the principles and algorithms for construction of en-route flight paths of an aircraft (airplane in a horizontal plane for their subsequent display on the navigation situation indicators in the cockpit. Navigation situation indicatorsaredisplay devices designed on the basis of flat liquid crystal panel. Methods. Flight trajectory display by on-board multifunction indicators is performed by successive drawing of graphic primitives available in the library and defined in accordance with an array of data to display the route. An array of data is generated by on-board software complex based on the information provided in the flight task and the corresponding «Jeppesen» database or analogous one. Formation of the array is carried out by bringing the set of trajectory paths to the format of three typical trajectories described. In addition, each of the types of trajectories has a standard description of the algorithm for calculating the parameters that make up an array of data to display.Main Results.The algorithms of forming and calculating the amounts of data of routing paths required for their construction and display on the multifunction indicators applied in avionics.Practical Relevance.These novel routing algorithms for constructing trajectory paths unify algorithms of generating information for display on the navigation situation indicators and optimize a set of calculated data for flight control at the trajectory in the horizontal plane.

14 CFR 49.11 - FAA Aircraft Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false FAA Aircraft Registry. 49.11 Section 49.11... AIRCRAFT TITLES AND SECURITY DOCUMENTS General § 49.11 FAA Aircraft Registry. To be eligible for recording, a conveyance must be mailed to the FAA Aircraft Registry, Department of Transportation, Post Office...

Ego-motion based on EM for bionic navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Xiaofeng; Wang, L. J.; Liu, J. G.

2015-12-01

Researches have proved that flying insects such as bees can achieve efficient and robust flight control, and biologists have explored some biomimetic principles regarding how they control flight. Based on those basic studies and principles acquired from the flying insects, this paper proposes a different solution of recovering ego-motion for low level navigation. Firstly, a new type of entropy flow is provided to calculate the motion parameters. Secondly, EKF, which has been used for navigation for some years to correct accumulated error, and estimation-Maximization, which is always used to estimate parameters, are put together to determine the ego-motion estimation of aerial vehicles. Numerical simulation on MATLAB has proved that this navigation system provides more accurate position and smaller mean absolute error than pure optical flow navigation. This paper has done pioneering work in bionic mechanism to space navigation.

Annoyance by aircraft noise and fear of overflying aircraft in relation to attitudes toward the environment and community

Science.gov (United States)

Loeb, M.; Moran, S. V.

1977-01-01

It has been suggested that expressions of annoyance attributable to aircraft noise may reflect in part fear of aircraft overflights and possible crashes. If this is true, then residents of areas where crashes have occurred should express more annoyance. To test this hypothesis, 50 residents of an Albany, New York area where an aircraft crash producing fatalities recently occurred and 50 residents of a comparable nearby area without such a history, were asked to respond to a 'Quality of Life Questionnaire.' Among the items were some designed to test annoyance by noise and fear of aircraft overflights. It was predicted that those in the crash area would express more fear and would more often identify aircraft as a noise source. These hypotheses were sustained. A near-replication was carried out in Louisville, Kentucky; results were much the same. Analyses indicated that for the crash-area groups, there was associating of aircraft fear and noise annoyance responses; this was true to an apparently lesser extent for non-crash groups. The greater annoyance of crash groups by aircraft community noise apparently does not carry over to situations in which aircraft noise is assessed in the laboratory.

Cancer Patient Navigator Tasks across the Cancer Care Continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Kathryn L.; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie; Holden, Alan E. C.; Burhansstipanov, Linda; Tran, Jacqueline H.; Seals, Brenda F.; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Tsark, JoAnn U.; Harjo, Lisa; Foo, Mary Anne; Ramirez, Amelie G.

2011-01-01

Cancer patient navigation (PN) programs have been shown to increase access to and utilization of cancer care for poor and underserved individuals. Despite mounting evidence of its value, cancer patient navigation is not universally understood or provided. We describe five PN programs and the range of tasks their navigators provide across the cancer care continuum (education and outreach, screening, diagnosis and staging, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life). Tasks are organized by their potential to make cancer services understandable, available, accessible, affordable, appropriate, and accountable. Although navigators perform similar tasks across the five programs, their specific approaches reflect differences in community culture, context, program setting, and funding. Task lists can inform the development of programs, job descriptions, training, and evaluation. They also may be useful in the move to certify navigators and establish mechanisms for reimbursement for navigation services. PMID:22423178

The Aircraft Morphing Program

Science.gov (United States)

Wlezien, R. W.; Horner, G. C.; McGowan, A. R.; Padula, S. L.; Scott, M. A.; Silcox, R. J.; Simpson, J. O.

1998-01-01

In the last decade smart technologies have become enablers that cut across traditional boundaries in materials science and engineering. Here we define smart to mean embedded actuation, sensing, and control logic in a tightly coupled feedback loop. While multiple successes have been achieved in the laboratory, we have yet to see the general applicability of smart devices to real aircraft systems. The NASA Aircraft Morphing program is an attempt to couple research across a wide range of disciplines to integrate smart technologies into high payoff aircraft applications. The program bridges research in seven individual disciplines and combines the effort into activities in three primary program thrusts. System studies are used to assess the highest- payoff program objectives, and specific research activities are defined to address the technologies required for development of smart aircraft systems. In this paper we address the overall program goals and programmatic structure, and discuss the challenges associated with bringing the technologies to fruition.

Smart aircraft fastener evaluation (SAFE) system: a condition-based corrosion detection system for aging aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Schoess, Jeffrey N.; Seifert, Greg; Paul, Clare A.

1996-05-01

The smart aircraft fastener evaluation (SAFE) system is an advanced structural health monitoring effort to detect and characterize corrosion in hidden and inaccessible locations of aircraft structures. Hidden corrosion is the number one logistics problem for the U.S. Air Force, with an estimated maintenance cost of $700M per year in 1990 dollars. The SAFE system incorporates a solid-state electrochemical microsensor and smart sensor electronics in the body of a Hi-Lok aircraft fastener to process and autonomously report corrosion status to aircraft maintenance personnel. The long-term payoff for using SAFE technology will be in predictive maintenance for aging aircraft and rotorcraft systems, fugitive emissions applications such as control valves, chemical pipeline vessels, and industrial boilers. Predictive maintenance capability, service, and repair will replace the current practice of scheduled maintenance to substantially reduce operational costs. A summary of the SAFE concept, laboratory test results, and future field test plans is presented.

Rosetta Star Tracker and Navigation Camera

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thuesen, Gøsta

1998-01-01

Proposal in response to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) issued by Matra Marconi Space (MSS) for the procurement of the ROSETTA Star Tracker and Navigation Camera.......Proposal in response to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) issued by Matra Marconi Space (MSS) for the procurement of the ROSETTA Star Tracker and Navigation Camera....

75 FR 41986 - Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for the Operation of Light-Sport Aircraft; Modifications to...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-20

...- Sport Aircraft; Modifications to Rules for Sport Pilots and Flight Instructors With a Sport Pilot Rating... rule; OMB approval of information collection. SUMMARY: This document announces the Office of Management... rule, ``Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for the Operation of Light-Sport Aircraft; Modifications...

Visual navigation using edge curve matching for pinpoint planetary landing

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Pingyuan; Gao, Xizhen; Zhu, Shengying; Shao, Wei

2018-05-01

Pinpoint landing is challenging for future Mars and asteroid exploration missions. Vision-based navigation scheme based on feature detection and matching is practical and can achieve the required precision. However, existing algorithms are computationally prohibitive and utilize poor-performance measurements, which pose great challenges for the application of visual navigation. This paper proposes an innovative visual navigation scheme using crater edge curves during descent and landing phase. In the algorithm, the edge curves of the craters tracked from two sequential images are utilized to determine the relative attitude and position of the lander through a normalized method. Then, considering error accumulation of relative navigation, a method is developed. That is to integrate the crater-based relative navigation method with crater-based absolute navigation method that identifies craters using a georeferenced database for continuous estimation of absolute states. In addition, expressions of the relative state estimate bias are derived. Novel necessary and sufficient observability criteria based on error analysis are provided to improve the navigation performance, which hold true for similar navigation systems. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and high accuracy of the proposed navigation method.

Fuzzy Behavior Modulation with Threshold Activation for Autonomous Vehicle Navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Tunstel, Edward

2000-01-01

This paper describes fuzzy logic techniques used in a hierarchical behavior-based architecture for robot navigation. An architectural feature for threshold activation of fuzzy-behaviors is emphasized, which is potentially useful for tuning navigation performance in real world applications. The target application is autonomous local navigation of a small planetary rover. Threshold activation of low-level navigation behaviors is the primary focus. A preliminary assessment of its impact on local navigation performance is provided based on computer simulations.

76 FR 27337 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-11

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [USCG-2010-1116] Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety...: The Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee postponed its originally scheduled February... Houston Ship Channel, and various other navigation safety matters in the Galveston Bay area. The meeting...

Visual Guided Navigation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library