Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “software architectures”

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

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

At least 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Algorithmically Specialized Parallel Architecture For Robotics

Computing system called Robot Mathematics Processor (RMP) contains large number of processor elements (PE's) connected in various parallel and serial combinations reconfigurable via software. Special-purpose architecture designed for solving diverse computational problems in robot control, simulation, trajectory generation, workspace analysis, and like. System an MIMD-SIMD parallel architecture capable of exploiting parallelism in different forms and at several computational levels. Major advantage lies in design of cells, which provides flexibility and reconfigurability superior to previous SIMD processors.

Fijany, Amir↗
NASA NTRS2011

Intelligent Wireless Sensor Networks for System Health Monitoring

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) based on the IEEE 802.15.4 Personal Area Network (PAN) standard are finding increasing use in the home automation and emerging smart energy markets. The network and application layers, based on the ZigBee 2007 Standard, provide a convenient framework for component-based software that supports customer solutions from multiple vendors. WSNs provide the inherent fault tolerance required for aerospace applications. The Discovery and Systems Health Group at NASA Ames Research Center has been developing WSN technology for use aboard aircraft and spacecraft for System Health Monitoring of structures and life support systems using funding from the NASA Engineering and Safety Center and Exploration Technology Development and Demonstration Program. This technology provides key advantages for low-power, low-cost ancillary sensing systems particularly across pressure interfaces and in areas where it is difficult to run wires. Intelligence for sensor networks could be defined as the capability of forming dynamic sensor networks, allowing high-level application software to identify and address any sensor that joined the network without the use of any centralized database defining the sensors characteristics. The IEEE 1451 Standard defines methods for the management of intelligent sensor systems and the IEEE 1451.4 section defines Transducer Electronic Datasheets (TEDS), which contain key information regarding the sensor characteristics such as name, description, serial number, calibration information and user information such as location within a vehicle. By locating the TEDS information on the wireless sensor itself and enabling access to this information base from the application software, the application can identify the sensor unambiguously and interpret and present the sensor data stream without reference to any other information. The application software is able to read the status of each sensor module, responding in real-time to changes of PAN configuration, providing the appropriate response for maintaining overall sensor system function, even when sensor modules fail or the WSN is reconfigured. The session will present the architecture and technical feasibility of creating fault-tolerant WSNs for aerospace applications based on our application of the technology to a Structural Health Monitoring testbed. The interim results of WSN development and testing including our software architecture for intelligent sensor management will be discussed in the context of the specific tradeoffs required for effective use. Initial certification measurement techniques and test results gauging WSN susceptibility to Radio Frequency interference are introduced as key challenges for technology adoption. A candidate Developmental and Flight Instrumentation implementation using intelligent sensor networks for wind tunnel and flight tests is developed as a guide to understanding key aspects of the aerospace vehicle design, test and operations life cycle.

networks↗
NASA NTRS1992

A reference architecture for the component factory

Software reuse can be achieved through an organization that focuses on utilization of life cycle products from previous developments. The component factory is both an example of the more general concepts of experience and domain factory and an organizational unit worth being considered independently. The critical features of such an organization are flexibility and continuous improvement. In order to achieve these features we can represent the architecture of the factory at different levels of abstraction and define a reference architecture from which specific architectures can be derived by instantiation. A reference architecture is an implementation and organization independent representation of the component factory and its environment. The paper outlines this reference architecture, discusses the instantiation process, and presents some examples of specific architectures by comparing them in the framework of the reference model.

Basili, Victor R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Hypercluster Parallel Processor

Hypercluster computer system includes multiple digital processors, operation of which coordinated through specialized software. Configurable according to various parallel-computing architectures of shared-memory or distributed-memory class, including scalar computer, vector computer, reduced-instruction-set computer, and complex-instruction-set computer. Designed as flexible, relatively inexpensive system that provides single programming and operating environment within which one can investigate effects of various parallel-computing architectures and combinations on performance in solution of complicated problems like those of three-dimensional flows in turbomachines. Hypercluster software and architectural concepts are in public domain.

Blech, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A comparison of two recent approaches to machine parameterization for mathematical software

Two proposals for expressing the dependence of numerical software on the environment are examined. The approaches are briefly summarized and the differences and similarities are discussed. One proposal characterizes the dependence of the software on the machine architecture essentially in terms of the representation of floating point entities in the machine. The second characterizes the dependence of the software on the environment in terms of models both of the floating point numbers and of the behavior of the arithmetic unit of the machine.

Smith, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Distributed computing environments for future space control systems

The aim of this paper is to present the results of a CNES research project on distributed computing systems. The purpose of this research was to study the impact of the use of new computer technologies in the design and development of future space applications. The first part of this study was a state-of-the-art review of distributed computing systems. One of the interesting ideas arising from this review is the concept of a 'virtual computer' allowing the distributed hardware architecture to be hidden from a software application. The 'virtual computer' can improve system performance by adapting the best architecture (addition of computers) to the software application without having to modify its source code. This concept can also decrease the cost and obsolescence of the hardware architecture. In order to verify the feasibility of the 'virtual computer' concept, a prototype representative of a distributed space application is being developed independently of the hardware architecture.

Viallefont, Pierre↗
NASA NTRS2003

Wireless Sensor Networks Approach

This viewgraph presentation provides information on hardware and software configurations for a network architecture for sensors. The hardware configuration uses a central station and remote stations. The software configuration uses the 'lost station' software algorithm. The presentation profiles a couple current examples of this network architecture in use.

Perotti, Jose M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Technology drivers for flight telerobotic system software

Viewgraphs on technology drivers for flight telerobotic system software are included. Topics covered include: flight software lines of code; flight computer architecture; system safety; safety critical parameters; system safety - software functions.

Labaugh, Robert↗
NASA NTRS2021

An Innovative Approach to Modeling VIPER Rover Software Life Cycle Cost

NASA’s “Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover” (VIPER) will be the first robotic mission to prospect for water ice near the south pole of the Moon in late 2023 on a 100-Earth-day mission. The information that the VIPER rover provides will help improve understanding of the composition, distribution, and accessibility of Lunar polar volatiles and will help determine how the Moon’s resources can support future human space exploration. VIPER, however, represents a radical departure from the way that NASA has traditionally developed planetary robotic missions. A key consequence of these differences is that estimating the cost of VIPER’s rover software is challenging and complex.For example, VIPER is being developed using management procedures typically applied to NASA research and technology projects, rather than space flight programs. In addition, key portions of the rover’s software are being designed as ground software to run on mission control computers (rather than on-board the rover as flight software as with prior planetary missions) taking advantage of continuous, interactive data communications between the Moon and Earth and higher performance computing available on the ground. Moreover, the rover’s software is being engineered using Agile software development practices and incorporates a significant amount of open-source, rather than following traditional (spiral, waterfall, etc.) development methods and in-house code. In this paper, we present an innovative process to estimate the life cycle cost of VIPER’s rover software. We first describe how we modeled the architecture and code counts for three software elements: Rover Flight Software (RFSW), Rover Ground Software (RGSW), and Rover Simulation Software (RSIM). We then discuss key challenges and unique aspects of our approach, such as the lack of Lunar rover analogies, the need to integrate and test large open source software, and the strategies developed to account for use of non-space flight management practices and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conclude with a summary of our results, including cumulative distribution, nearest neighbors and cluster analysis, as well as heuristics used to confirm the reasonableness of the cost estimate.

Utz, Hans↗
NASA NTRS1990

Concurrent Image Processing Executive (CIPE). Volume 1: Design overview

The design and implementation of a Concurrent Image Processing Executive (CIPE), which is intended to become the support system software for a prototype high performance science analysis workstation are described. The target machine for this software is a JPL/Caltech Mark 3fp Hypercube hosted by either a MASSCOMP 5600 or a Sun-3, Sun-4 workstation; however, the design will accommodate other concurrent machines of similar architecture, i.e., local memory, multiple-instruction-multiple-data (MIMD) machines. The CIPE system provides both a multimode user interface and an applications programmer interface, and has been designed around four loosely coupled modules: user interface, host-resident executive, hypercube-resident executive, and application functions. The loose coupling between modules allows modification of a particular module without significantly affecting the other modules in the system. In order to enhance hypercube memory utilization and to allow expansion of image processing capabilities, a specialized program management method, incremental loading, was devised. To minimize data transfer between host and hypercube, a data management method which distributes, redistributes, and tracks data set information was implemented. The data management also allows data sharing among application programs. The CIPE software architecture provides a flexible environment for scientific analysis of complex remote sensing image data, such as planetary data and imaging spectrometry, utilizing state-of-the-art concurrent computation capabilities.

Lee, Meemong↗
NASA NTRS2019

Astrobee Robot Software: Enabling Mobile Autonomy on the ISS

Astrobee is a new free-flyer robot designed to operate inside the International Space Station (ISS). Astrobee capabilities include markerless navigation, autonomous docking for recharge, perching on handrails to minimize power and modular payloads. Astrobee will operate without crew support, controlled by teleoperation, plan execution, or on-board third parties software. This slides presents the Astrobee Robot Software, a NASA Open-Source project, powering the Astrobee robot.The Astrobee Robot Software relies on a distributed architecture based on the Robot Operating System (ROS). We present the software approach, infrastructure required, and main software components.

Fluckiger, Lorenzo↗
NASA NTRS1990

Advanced software integration: The case for ITV facilities

The array of technologies and methodologies involved in the development and integration of avionics software has moved almost as rapidly as computer technology itself. Future avionics systems involve major advances and risks in the following areas: (1) Complexity; (2) Connectivity; (3) Security; (4) Duration; and (5) Software engineering. From an architectural standpoint, the systems will be much more distributed, involve session-based user interfaces, and have the layered architectures typified in the layers of abstraction concepts popular in networking. Typified in the NASA Space Station Freedom will be the highly distributed nature of software development itself. Systems composed of independent components developed in parallel must be bound by rigid standards and interfaces, the clean requirements and specifications. Avionics software provides a challenge in that it can not be flight tested until the first time it literally flies. It is the binding of requirements for such an integration environment into the advances and risks of future avionics systems that form the basis of the presented concept and the basic Integration, Test, and Verification concept within the development and integration life cycle of Space Station Mission and Avionics systems.

Garman, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Algorithms and software for solving finite element equations on serial and parallel architectures

Over the past 15 years numerous new techniques have been developed for solving systems of equations and eigenvalue problems arising in finite element computations. A package called SPARSPAK has been developed by the author and his co-workers which exploits these new methods. The broad objective of this research project is to incorporate some of this software in the Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) testbed, and to extend the techniques for use on multiprocessor architectures.

George, Alan↗
NASA NTRS2008

MER Surface Phase; Blurring the Line Between Fault Protection and What is Supposed to Happen

An assessment on the limitations of communication with MER rovers and how such constraints drove the system design, flight software and fault protection architecture, blurring the line between traditional fault protection and expected nominal behavior, and requiring the most novel autonomous and semi-autonomous elements of the vehicle software including communication, surface mobility, attitude knowledge acquisition, fault protection, and the activity arbitration service.

surface operations↗
NASA NTRS2009

Case Study: Using The OMG SWRADIO Profile and SDR Forum Input for NASA's Space Telecommunications Radio System

The Space Telecommunication Radio System (STRS) standard is a Software Defined Radio (SDR) architecture standard developed by NASA. The goal of STRS is to reduce NASA s dependence on custom, proprietary architectures with unique and varying interfaces and hardware and support reuse of waveforms across platforms. The STRS project worked with members of the Object Management Group (OMG), Software Defined Radio Forum, and industry partners to leverage existing standards and knowledge. This collaboration included investigating the use of the OMG s Platform-Independent Model (PIM) SWRadio as the basis for an STRS PIM. This paper details the influence of the OMG technologies on the STRS update effort, findings in the STRS/SWRadio mapping, and provides a summary of the SDR Forum recommendations.

Briones, Janette C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Reducing the complexity of software systems - A strategic software perspective

The results of a combined management and technical initiative aimed at reducing the size and complexity associated with developing operations planning, scheduling, and resource management software systems are presented. The initiative has produced operations concepts, functional requirements, system architectures, a comprehensive lexicon, and software tools to revolutionize the traditional software technology and development practices for planning, scheduling, and resource management systems used in space operations control centers. Examples of technology and practices to reduce complexity include a method for projecting design consequences from an operations concept, a universal architecture for heuristic algorithms, an object-oriented framework for describing large classes of problems that parametrically adapt to all domain peculiarities, the identification of general approaches which respond to changes with minimum impact on systems implementations, and a management structure for prototyping to minimize the risks of ill-conceived designs.

Hornstein, Rhoda S.↗