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The communication of weather data to aircraft is discussed. Problems encountered because of the great quantities of data available and the limited capacity to transfer this via radio link to an aircraft are discussed. Display devices are discussed.
The Demonstration Advanced Avionics Systems (DAAS) integrates a comprehensive set of general aviation avionics functions into an advanced system architecture for demonstration in a Cessna 402 aircraft. A cursory functional description of the DAAS complex is given. Microprocessors, computer architecture, and display devices are discussed.
Research applicable to commercial aircraft is briefly discussed. Display devices, fly by wire control systems, and systems compatibility are among the topics discussed.
For problems involving the determination of the relative positions of optical components in a complex assembly, rather precise measurements can be routinely obtained when the visible portion of the spectrum is involved. Problems arise, however, when the lens elements to be aligned are made of infrared transmitting materials such as germanium, which is opaque to visible radiation. The alignment of a multichannel infrared measurement satellite called Haloe, which is currently being developed by NASA, represents an example of a particularly difficult task. The present paper is concerned with an infrared alignment telescope (IAT) which satisfies the need for a precision alignment tool capable of operating anywhere in the 2.4 to 12 micron wavelength range. When coupled to a commercial infrared scanner and display device, the IAT will provide a real-time picture of the relative positions of components and images over distances in the range from 20 inches to infinity.
Accurate system overcomes problems of capacitance gauges. Feasibility study conducted on use of attenuation of gamma rays to measure quantities of fuel in tanks. Studies with weak Am241 59.5-keV radiation source indicate it is possible to monitor continuously fuel quantity in tanks to accuracy of better than 1 percent. Measurements also indicate easily measurable differences in physical properties and resultant attenuation characteristics of JP-4, JP-5, and Jet A fuels. Am241-based densitometers currently in use aboard some aircraft . Estimated complete system, including microprocessor and associated display devices, assembled at cost of less than $10,000 per fuel tank.
It is suggested that the problems being experienced in complex automatic systems are essentially due to the failure of information management and communication. The failure covers the entire spectrum: display devices and techniques, coding information so as to reduce human error, and information economy, i.e., resisting the temptation to bombard the operator with unlimited information simply because the system possesses the capability to do so. Since there has been great progress in hardware engineering, it is suggested that further attention is needed in the 'soft' side of systems. The approach should focus on (1) preventing human cognitive slips and (2) making the systems less vulnerable to such slips when they do occur. Most of the examples are taken from studies of cockpit automation.
Planning, direction, experimental design, and coordination of data-acquisition and engineering activities in support of all Goldstone planetary radar astronomy were performed. This work demands familiarity with the various components of a planetary radar telescope (transmitter, receiver, antenna, computer hardware and software) as well as knowledge of how the entire system must function as a cohesive unit to meet the particular scientific objectives at hand in a given observation. Support radar data-processing facilities, currently being used for virtually all Goldstone data reduction includes: a VAX 11/780 computer system, an FPS 5210 array processor, terminals, tape drives, and image-display devices, as well as a large body of data-reduction software to accommodate the variety of data-acquisition formats and strategems. Successful 113-cm radar observation of Callisto and the near-Earth asteroid 1981 Midas and Goldstone/VLA radar observations of Saturn's rings were obtained. Quick-look verification programs from data taken with phase-coded cw (i.e., ranging) waveforms, applicable to Venus, the Moon, and small bodies were completed. Definition of scientific and engineering requirements on instrument performance, radar system configuration, and personnel, for all 1988 Goldstone radar investigations was accomplished.
The papers from the symposium are presented. Emphasis is placed on human factors engineering and space environment interactions. The technical areas covered in the human factors section include: satellite monitoring and control, man-computer interfaces, expert systems, AI/robotics interfaces, crew system dynamics, and display devices. The space environment interactions section presents the following topics: space plasma interaction, spacecraft contamination, space debris, and atomic oxygen interaction with materials. Some of the above topics are discussed in relation to the space station and space shuttle.
Metals and metal fluorides deposited in ZnS to form color phosphors. Single-layer, thin-film electroluminescent display device contains ZnS host layer doped to form green, red, and blue phosphors. Luminescence in chosen colors at chosen intersections between rows and columns produced by application of voltages to appropriate row-and-column pairs of conductors.
Viewgraphs on extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) portable life support system (PLSS) technology recommendations are presented. Topics covered include: oxygen supply storage; oxygen supply regulators; carbon dioxide control; prime movers; crew comfort; heat rejection; power sources; controls; display devices; and sensor technology.
In this paper we integrate multiresolution decomposition with image gathering and restoration. This integration leads to a Wiener-matrix filter that accounts for the aliasing, blurring, and noise in image gathering, together with the digital filtering and decimation in signal decomposition. Moreover, as implemented here, the Wiener-matrix filter completely suppresses the blurring and raster effects of the image-display device. We demonstrate that this filter can significantly improve the fidelity and visual quality produced by conventional image reconstruction. The extent of this improvement, in turn, depends on the design of the image-gathering device.
Animation can greatly assist the structural dynamicist and control system analyst with better understanding of how multi-flexible body systems behave. For multi-flexible body systems, the structural characteristics (mode frequencies, mode shapes, and damping) change, sometimes dramatically with large angles of rotation between bodies. With computer animation, the analyst can visualize these changes and how the system responds to active control forces and torques. A characterization of the type of system we wish to animate is presented. The lack of clear understanding of the above effects was a key element leading to the development of a multi-flexible body animation software package. The resulting animation software is described in some detail here, followed by its application to the control system analyst. Other applications of this software can be determined on an individual need basis. A number of software products are currently available that make the high-speed rendering of rigid body mechanical system simulation possible. However, such options are not available for use in rendering flexible body mechanical system simulations. The desire for a high-speed flexible body visualization tool led to the development of the Flexible Or Rigid Mechanical System (FORMS) software. This software was developed at the Center for Simulation and Design Optimization of Mechanical Systems at the University of Iowa. FORMS provides interactive high-speed rendering of flexible and/or rigid body mechanical system simulations, and combines geometry and motion information to produce animated output. FORMS is designed to be both portable and flexible, and supports a number of different user interfaces and graphical display devices. Additional features have been added to FORMS that allow special visualization results related to the nature of the flexible body geometric representations.
The proof of Nature's nonlocality through Bell-type experiments is a topic of longstanding interest. Nevertheless, no experiments performed thus far have avoided the so-called 'detection loophole,' arising from low detector efficiencies and angular-correlation difficulties. In fact, most, if not all, of the systems employed to date can never close this loophole, even with perfect detectors. In addition, another loophole involving the non-rapid, non-random switching of various parameter settings exists in all past experiments. We discuss a proposal for a potentially loophole-free Bell's inequality experiment. The source of the EPR-correlated pairs consists of two simultaneously-pumped type-2 phase-matched nonlinear crystals and a polarizing beam splitter. The feasibility of such a scheme with current detector technology seems high, and will be discussed. We also present a single-crystal version, motivated by other work presented at this conference. In a separate experiment, we have measured the absolute detection efficiency and time response of four single-photon detectors. The highest observed efficiencies were 70.7 plus or minus 1.9 percent (at 633 nm, with a device from Rockwell International) and 76.4 plus or minus 2.3 percent (at 702 nm, with an EG&G counting module). Possible efficiencies as high as 90 percent were implied. The EG&G devices displayed sub-nanosecond time resolution.
The optoelectronic properties of high-resistivity p-type hexagonal silicon carbide (6H-SiC) have been investigated using lateral photoconductive switches. Both photovoltaic and photoconductive effects are reported, measured at 337 nm, which is above the 6H-SiC absorption edge. These photoconductive switches have been fabricated with dark resistances of up to 1 M omega; photoconductive switching efficiencies of more than 80% have been achieved. In addition, these devices displayed a high-speed photovoltaic response to nanosecond laser excitations in the ultraviolet spectral region; in particular, the observed photovoltaic response pulse width can be shorter than the exciting laser pulse width. This subnanosecond photovoltaic response has been modeled and good qualitative agreement with experiment has been obtained.
Helmet-mounted display unit designed for use in testing innovative concepts for display of information to aircraft pilots. Operates in conjunction with computers generating graphical displays. Includes two ocular subunits containing miniature cathoderay tubes and optics providing 40 degrees vertical, 50 degrees horizontal field of view to each eye, with or without stereopsis. In future color application, each ocular subunit includes trichromatic holographic combiner tuned to red, green, and blue wavelengths of phosphors used in development of miniature color display devices.
Apparatus provides illumination from outside, through windows and into interior of simulated airplane cockpit. Simulates sunlight, darkness, or lightning on demand. Ambient-lighting simulator surrounds forward section of simulated airplane. Provides control over intensity, color, and diffuseness of solar illumination and of position of Sun relative to airplane. Used to evaluate aircraft-instrumentation display devices under realistic lighting conditions.
Electronic circuit provides bar-graph display of difference between carrier frequency of pulsed laser transmitter and frequency of another laser serving as local oscillator in receiver. Display device linear array of light-emitting diodes (LED's), each representing 1-MHz portion of beat-frequency range from 20 to 40 MHz. Middle LED and neighbors green; LED's representing edges of passband yellow; LED's of frequencies outside passband red. Operator determines approximate relative frequency of transmitter at a glance by observing color and position of illuminated LED.
Switch box designed for use in simultaneously controlling flows of as many as four out of total of six available gases into semiconductor-processing chamber. Contains switches, relays, logic circuitry, display devices, and other circuitry for connecting each of as many as four gas controllers to any one of as many as six available mass-flow controllers. Front panel of switch box apprises technician of statuses of flows of various gases.