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Browse AllABSTRACT This paper describes the role of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) as a critical tool which must be necessarily used for the development, acquisition and testing of autonomous systems. To be used effectively key aspects of development, acquisition and testing must adapt and change to derive the maximum benefit from M&S. We describe how development, acquisition and testing should leverage and use M&S. We furthermore introduce and explain the idea of testable autonomy and conclude with a discussion of the qualities and requirements that M&S needs to have to effectively function in the role that we envision. Citation: J. Brabbs, S. Lohrer, P. Kwashnak, P. Bounker, M. Brudnak, “M&S as the Key Enabler for Autonomy Development, Acquisition and Testing”, In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 13-15, 2019
ABSTRACT The modeling of a buried charge is a very complex engineering task since many Design Variables need to be considered. The variables in question are directly related to the method chosen to perform the analysis and the process modeled. In order to have a Predictive Tool two main objectives have to be carried out, the first is a verification of the numerical approach with experimental data, the second objective is a sensitivity study of the numerical and process parameters. The emphasis of the present study covers the second objective. To perform this task a comprehensive sensitivity study of fourteen Design Variables was completed which required 1000+ computational hours. The modeling approach that was chosen was the Discrete Particle Method (DPM) to model the Soil and HE and the Finite Element Method for the Structure. The basis for the study was a blast event applied to a model of the TARDEC Generic Vehicle Hull. The Response Parameter was chosen to be the Total Blast Impulse
ABSTRACT Modelling and simulation together with well-defined development processes have become key approaches for creating high quality, reliable consumer products. This is particularly true for passenger cars and trucks. In parallel, the evolving area of mobile ground robotics has found a variety of useful applications over the past twenty years: helping users accomplish tasks in hospitals, warehouses, factories, and on the battlefield. While many of these robotic systems have proven highly valuable, many also lack the mobility, flexibility, reliability and/or robustness desired by the users. In this paper, the authors posit that these non-idealities are in part the result of underutilization of modelling and simulation and an appropriate processes to implement them. This underutilization is partially due to a historical lack of appropriate M&S tools. Recently, however, a new generation of real-time, highly visualized, interactive tools has emerged that has the potential to make a
With the rapid advancement of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, their assigned missions have become significantly more intricate. Individual UAVs are no longer sufficient to meet these diverse and demanding requirements. There is now a shift towards employing multiple UAVs operating collaboratively to address complex tasks, replacing the reliance on singular units. This study focuses on the complexities of coordinated flight within UAV formations. A dynamic consensus optimal control algorithm is proposed for distributed formations, grounded in optimal control theory. Furthermore, the enhanced control method is validated via simulation on a semi-physical visualization platform, effectively closing the gap between real-world formation requirements and simulation outcomes. The results from these simulations underscore that the proposed method effectively preserves UAV formation integrity and demonstrates exceptional applicability in real-world scenarios
ABSTRACT The recent climate change plan for the United States Army states that hybridized combat vehicles will enter the fleet by 2050. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) and its family of vehicles are prime candidates for hybridization. This paper sets out to perform a drive cycle analysis for the BFV using its traditional powertrain along with hybridized powertrains. The analysis considers both series and parallel hybrid architectures, where the size of the batteries are based on modifications to the existing powertrain. Three different drive cycles are considered – stationary, highway, and off-road. The model accounts for accelerative forces, transmission losses, cooling losses, drag, road grade, tractive losses, and ancillary equipment. The results indicate that both parallel and series hybrids provide reduced fuel consumption and increased range. Of the two, the series hybrid architecture provides more overall benefits. The study concludes by discussion of the technical challenges
In non-cooperative environments, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have to land without artificial markers, which is a key step towards achieving full autonomy. However, the existing vision-based schemes have the common problems of poor robustness and generalization, and the LiDAR-based schemes have the disadvantages of low resolution, high power consumption and high weight. In this paper, we propose an UAV landing system equipped with a binocular camera to preform 3D reconstruction and select the safe landing zone. The whole system only consists of a stereo camera, and the innovation of the solution is fusing the stereo matching algorithm and monocular depth estimation(MDE) model to get a robust prediction on the metric depth. The whole landing system consists of a stereo matching module, a monocular depth estimation (MDE) module, a depth fusion module, and a safe landing zone selection module. The stereo matching module uses Semi-Global Matching (SGM) algorithm to calculate the
ABSTRACT Thermal management systems (TMS) of armored ground vehicle designs are often incapable of sustained heat rejection during high tractive effort conditions and ambient conditions. The use of a latent heat energy storage system that utilizes Phase Change Materials (PCMs) is an effective way of storing thermal energy and offers key advantages such as high-energy storage density, high heat of fusion values, and greater stability in temperature control. Military vehicles frequently undergo high-transient thermal loads and often do not provide adequate cooling for powertrain subsystems. This work outlines an approach to temporarily store excess heat generated by the transmission during high tractive effort situations through use of a passive PCM retrofit thereby extending the operating time, reducing temperature transients, and limiting overheating. A numerical heat transfer model has been developed based around a conceptual vehicle transmission TMS. The model predicts the
ABSTRACT Vehicle design today takes longer than it ever has in the past largely due to the abundance of requirements, standards, and new design techniques; this trend is not likely to change any time soon. This paper will explore how advancements in gaming engines can be leveraged to bring realistic visualization and virtual prototypes to the beginning of the design cycle, integrate subsystems earlier in the design, provide advanced simulation capabilities, and ensure that the final design not only meets the requirements but is fully vetted by stakeholders and meets the needs of the platform. The Unreal Engine and Bravo Framework can be used to bring this and more to vehicle designs to reduce design churn and bring better products to market faster. Citation: A. Diepen, O. Vazquez, A. Black, C. Gaff “Leveraging Simulation Tools to Accelerate Design,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 16-18, 2022
ABSTRACT A methodology based on a combination of commercial software tools is developed for rendering complex acoustic scenes in real time. The methodology aims to bridge the gap between real time acoustic rendering algorithms which lack important physics for the exterior urban environment and more rigorous but computationally expensive geometric or wave-based acoustics software by incorporating pre-computed results into a real time framework. The methodology is developed by surveying the best in class commercial software, outlining a general means for accommodating results from each, and identifying areas where supplemental capability is required. This approach yields a real time solution with improved accuracy. Strengths and limitations in current commercial technologies are identified and summarized
ABSTRACT Route planning plays an integral role in mission planning for ground vehicle operations in urban areas. Determining the optimum path through an urban area is a well understood problem for traditional ground vehicles; however, in the case of autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), additional factors must be considered. For a UGV, perception, rather than mobility, will be the limiting factor in determining operational areas. Current ground vehicle route planning techniques do not take perception concerns into account, and these techniques are not suited for route planning for UGVs. For this study, perception was incorporated into the route planning process by including expected sensor accuracy for GPS, LIDAR, and inertial sensors into the path planning algorithm. The path planner also accounts for additional factors related to UGV performance capabilities that affect autonomous navigation
ABSTRACT The complexity of the current and future security environment will impose new and ever-changing challenges to Warfighter capabilities. Given the critical nature of Soldier cognitive performance in meeting these increased demands, systems should be designed to work in ways that are consistent with human cognitive function. Here, we argue that traditional approaches to understanding the human and cognitive dimensions of systems development cannot always provide an adequate understanding of human cognitive performance. We suggest that integrating neuroscience approaches and knowledge provides unique opportunities for understanding human cognitive function. Such an approach has the potential to enable more effective systems design – that is, neuroergonomic design – and that it is necessary to obtain these understandings within complex, dynamic environments. Ongoing research efforts utilizing large-scale ride motion simulations that allow researchers to systematically constrain