OPEN DESIGN FOR HELICOPTER ACTIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS

With a holistic approach, this open design for helicopter active control systems applies intelligent control techniques to provide the pilot with useful and intuitive tactile cues. The design has five interdependent functional modules that provide: limit prediction and avoidance cues based on neural networks; heuristic cues based in fuzzy inference systems; an intelligent arbitrator to distribute multiple and possibly conflicting cues for multiple control axes; and a tactile interface to define appropriate force characteristics for various kinds of cues. Each module is explained as a process in the context of practical applications that include maneuver envelope limit avoidance cues, emergency procedure prompts, instrument cues, robot assistance for routine tasks, and system customization to the pilot. The design is demonstrated as a limit avoidance cueing system in the Real-Time Interactive Prototype Technology Integration Development Environment (RIPTIDE) at the Army/NASA Rotorcraft Division.