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At least 775 records · Page 43

Flight evaluation of highly augmented controls and electronic displays for precision approach and landing of powered-lift aircraft

Experiments were conducted on simulators and on the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft to evaluate the effect of highly augmented control modes and electronic displays on the ability of pilots to execute precision approaches and landings on a short runway. It is found that the primary benefits of highly augmented flightpath and airspeed controls and electronic displays are realized when the pilot is required to execute precisely a complex transition and approach under instrument conditions and in the presence of a wide range of wind and turbulence conditions. A flightpath and airspeed command and stabilization system incorporating nonlinear, inverse system concepts produced fully satisfactory flightpath control throughout the aircraft's terminal operating envelope.

Franklin, J. A.↗

Development of an algorithm to model an aircraft equipped with a generic CDTI display

A model of human pilot performance of a tracking task using a generic Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) display is developed from experimental data. The tracking task is to use CDTI in tracking a leading aircraft at a nominal separation of three nautical miles over a prescribed trajectory in space. The analysis of the data resulting from a factorial design of experiments reveals that the tracking task performance depends on the pilot and his experience at performing the task. Performance was not strongly affected by the type of control system used (velocity vector control wheel steering versus 3D automatic flight path guidance and control). The model that is developed and verified results in state trajectories whose difference from the experimental state trajectories is small compared to the variation due to the pilot and experience factors.

Driscoll, W. C.↗

Display comparison for six-degree-of-freedom force/torque control

The experimental design and the results of a study of a force and torque sensing and display (FTSD) system, developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, are presented. The FTSD system was incorporated into the one-g version of the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS). The tests consisted of evaluating alternative graphics formats for presenting force and torque information at the RMS work station, and of testing the utility of the sensor and the display system as an aid to specific RMS tasks. The participating subjects were all trained RMS operators with experience on the one-g version of the system, three of them with previous experience using the Space Shuttle RMS on orbit. The results support the use of the FTSD system as an aid to RMS operations: the system was found to facilitate the control of forces when the RMS is under partially or wholly constrained conditions. The graphics format employed in the present version of the FTSD system was found to be superior to earlier formats.

Baggen, A.↗

Techniques for increasing the update rate of real-time dynamic computer graphic displays

This paper describes several techniques which may be used to increase the animation update rate of real-time computer raster graphic displays. The techniques were developed on the ADAGE RDS 3000 graphic system in support of the Advanced Concepts Simulator at the NASA Langley Research Center. The first technique involves pre-processing of the next animation frame while the previous one is being erased from the screen memory. The second technique involves the use of a parallel processor, the AGG4, for high speed character generation. The description of the AGG4 includes the Barrel Shifter which is a part of the hardware and is the key to the high speed character rendition. The final result of this total effort was a four fold increase in the update rate of an existing primary flight display from 4 to 16 frames per second.

Kahlbaum, W. M., Jr.↗

Display of celestial surveys conducted from orbit

Two methods are described for graphically displaying and numerically analyzing surveys of the celestial sphere as conducted by astronomical satellites. The methods are applicable to the design phase of a mission, for planning during operations, and for post-mission display of results. Both methods have been tested in use, including application to the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS).

Mclaughlin, W. I.↗

Two-Layer, Full-Color Electroluminescent Display

Full-color, matrix-addressed electroluminescent display uses three different color phosphors located in two separate, superimposed layers to provide higher brightness, better contrast ratio, and higher resolution. Design used for such transparent, flat-panel display media as thin-film electroluminescent phosphors, liquid crystals, or light-emitting diodes.

Robertson, J. B.↗

A design study for a three-dimensional display computer terminal for meteorological information

The software developed on this project in FY-84 was put into final form and documented for McIDAS user access. The various users have been asked to utilize the techniques and to provide feedback to the developers. Researchers have received limited feedback to date, but nearly all has been helpful and generally favorable. The stereo display has been used by most of the operational users of McIDAS or its progenies. Specifically, the National Hurricane Center, the National Severe Storm Forecast Center, the National Meteorological Center, and the Cape Canaveral Forecast Facility have all made use of the 4-D display techniques to help evaluate meteorological situations on various occasions.

Suomi, V. E.↗

DSN microwave antenna holography. Part 2: Data processing and display of high-resolution effective maps

The results of a recently completed computer graphic package for the process and display of holographically recorded data into effective aperture maps are presented. The term effective maps (labelled provisional on the holograms) signifies that the maps include contributions of surface mechanical errors as well as other electromagnetic factors (phase error due to feed/subreflector misalignment, linear phase error contribution due to pointing errors, subreflector flange diffraction effects, and strut diffraction shadows). While these maps do not show the true mechanical surface errors, they nevertheless show the equivalent errors, which are effective in determining overall antenna performance. Final steps to remove electromagnetic pointing and misalignment factors are now in progress. The processing and display of high-resolution effective maps of a 64m antenna (DSS 63) are presented.

Rochblatt, D. J.↗

Design and initial application of the extended aircraft interrogation and display system: Multiprocessing ground support equipment for digital flight systems

A pipelined, multiprocessor, general-purpose ground support equipment for digital flight systems has been developed and placed in service at the NASA Ames Research Center's Dryden Flight Research Facility. The design is an outgrowth of the earlier aircraft interrogation and display system (AIDS) used in support of several research projects to provide engineering-units display of internal control system parameters during development and qualification testing activities. The new system, incorporating multiple 16-bit processors, is called extended AIDS (XAIDS) and is now supporting the X-29A forward-swept-wing aircraft project. This report describes the design and mechanization of XAIDS and shows the steps whereby a typical user may take advantage of its high throughput and flexible features.

Glover, Richard D.↗

Acceleration display system for aircraft zero-gravity research

The features, design, calibration, and testing of Lewis Research Center's acceleration display system for aircraft zero-gravity research are described. Specific circuit schematics and system specifications are included as well as representative data traces from flown trajectories. Other observations learned from developing and using this system are mentioned where appropriate. The system, now a permanent part of the Lewis Learjet zero-gravity program, provides legible, concise, and necessary guidance information enabling pilots to routinely fly accurate zero-gravity trajectories. Regular use of this system resulted in improvements of the Learjet zero-gravity flight techniques, including a technique to minimize later accelerations. Lewis Gates Learjet trajectory data show that accelerations can be reliably sustained within 0.01 g for 5 consecutive seconds, within 0.02 g for 7 consecutive seconds, and within 0.04 g for up to 20 second. Lewis followed the past practices of acceleration measurement, yet focussed on the acceleration displays. Refinements based on flight experience included evolving the ranges, resolutions, and frequency responses to fit the pilot and the Learjet responses.

Millis, Marc G.↗

An interactive editor for definition of touch-sensitive zones for a graphic display

In the continuing effort to develop more efficient man-machine communications methods, touch displays have shown potential as straightforward input systems. The development of software necessary to handle such systems, however, can become tedious. In order to reduce the need for redundant programming, a touch editor has been developed which allows a programmer to interactively define touch-sensitive areas for a graphic display. The information produced during the editing process is written to a data file, which can be accessed easily when needed by an application program. This paper outlines the structure, logic, and use of the editor, as well as the hardware with which it is presently compatible.

Monroe, Burt L., III↗

Display management subsystem, version 1: A user's eye view

The structure and application functions of the Display Management Subsystem (DMS) are described. The DMS, a subsystem of the Transportable Applications Executive (TAE), was designed to provide a device-independent interface for an image processing and display environment. The system is callable by C and FORTRAN applications, portable to accommodate different image analysis terminals, and easily expandable to meet local needs. Generic applications are also available for performing many image processing tasks.

Parker, Dolores↗

Control and display requirements for decelerating approach and landing of fixed- and rotary-wing VSTOL aircraft

This paper reviews the results of several simulation investigations of rotary-wing and fixed-wing VSTOL aircraft performing terminal-area operations that include decelerating approaches under instrument conditions and recovery to either fixed landing pads or a ship. By concentrating on instrument decelerating approaches and the hover and landing, it is possible to compare directly the control and display requirements for similar tasks for aircraft with and without vectored thrust capability. Collectively, the results from these experiments, together with other simulator and flight experiments and operational experience, provide a consistent view of control and display complexity required for similar operational capability in adverse weather for the two types of VSTOL configurations. Some initial data showing influence of the transition corridor on flying qualities during transition are pesented and lead to a general discussion of the problem of operating margin definition.

Lebacqz, J. V.↗

On the selection and evaluation of visual display symbology Factors influencing search and identification times

Three single-target visual search tasks were used to evaluate a set of cathode-ray tube (CRT) symbols for a helicopter situation display. The search tasks were representative of the information extraction required in practice, and reaction time was used to measure the efficiency with which symbols could be located and identified. Familiar numeric symbols were responded to more quickly than graphic symbols. The addition of modifier symbols, such as a nearby flashing dot or surrounding square, had a greater disruptive effect on the graphic symbols than did the numeric characters. The results suggest that a symbol set is, in some respects, like a list that must be learned. Factors that affect the time to identify items in a memory task, such as familiarity and visual discriminability, also affect the time to identify symbols. This analogy has broad implications for the design of symbol sets. An attempt was made to model information access with this class of display.

Remington, Roger↗

Evidence for global processing of complex visual displays

'Polar graphic' displays, in which changes in system status are represented by distortions in the form of a geometric figure, were presented to subjects, and reaction time (RT) to discriminate system status was recorded. Of interest was the extent to which reaction time showed evidence of global processing of these displays as the number of nodes and difficulty of discrimination were varied. When discrimination of system status was easy, RT showed no increase with increasing number of nodes, providing evidence of global processing. When discrimination was difficult, systematic differences in RT as a function of the number of nodes suggested the invocation of other (local) processes, although the data were not consistent with a node-by-node search process.

Munson, Robert C.↗

Integrated Displays For Helicopter Pilots

Report evaluates three similar video displays for guidance of helicopter pilots in low-level flight at night in adverse weather. Computer produces guidance information for pilot by integrating data from terrain-following radar, forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imagery, and data from such autonomous navigation instruments as inertial navigation systems and Doppler radar. FLIR imagery, information on status of helicopter, and command symbols incorporated in one head-down display.

Swenson, Harry N.↗

Traveling-wave maser closed-cycle refrigerator data acquisition and display system

A data acquisition and display system that automatically monitors the performance of the 4.5-K closed-cycle refrigerators used to cryogenically cool traveling-wave masers is described. The system displays and stores operating parameters for the purpose of providing status information, failure prediction, and analysis. A prototype of this system will be installed at Deep Space Network 12 in the near future. The advantages of using commercial data acquisition hardware with installed operating systems and BASIC programs for this application are discussed.

Fowler, L.↗

Development of an interactive real-time graphics system for the display of vehicle space positioning

Outlined is a new approach taken by the NASA Western Aeronautical Test Range to display real-time space positioning data using computer-generated images that produce a graphic representation of an area map integrated with the research flight test aircraft track. This display system supports research flight test requirements of research projects such as the advanced fighter technology integration (AFTI) F-16, F-18 high alpha research vehicle (HARV), AFTI F-111 mission adaptive wing (MAW), F-15, and X-29A forward-swept wing. This paper will discuss the requirements, system configuration and capability, and future system applications.

Comperini, Robert↗