Browse Topic: Collaboration and partnering

Items (1,886)
The transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) industry to electric vehicle (EV) industry has significant financial implications for both the automotive industry, government, and associated partners. The shift to EVs could lead to savings in foreign exchange reserves, the creation of new jobs, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. However, the transition could also result in job losses in the automobile and its associated manufacturing industry. This study aims to analyze the impact of this transition on different stakeholders in India. The study takes into account the different financial aspects that includes production, technology, government policy, skilling, employability, job creation, and other associated aspects on Indian economy. For the projected study different cases were considered with 2030 as the projected year with 30% EVs. A modest attempt is made to analyze the impact on associated partners. The findings of the study suggest that the transition to EVs could
Vashist, DevendraMalik, VarunPandey, Sachchidanand
In response to the escalating demand for high-performance, miniaturized, and integrated radio frequency (RF) systems, this research explores the application of the Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC XCZU47DR chip in the realm of integrated RF transceiver technology. An 8-channel, 4.8Gsps multi-channel distributed collaborative spectrum sensing architecture has been designed, incorporating lightweight IQ neural network, which comprises a convolutional layer, three Bottleneck Units (BNU), a Global Average Pooling (GAP) layer, and a Fully Connected (FC) layer. Notably, each BNU encapsulates one or two inverted bottleneck residual blocks that integrate the concepts of inverted residual blocks and linear bottlenecks. The parameter counts and computational complexity associated with the convolution operation are significantly reduced to merely 11.89% of those required by traditional networks. The performance metrics of the hardware circuit were validated through a constructed test system. Within a 2GHz
Chen, WangjieYang, JianZhu, WeiqiangShi, SonghuaZhou, MingyuFan, Zhenhong
The fusion of virtualized base software with simulation technologies has transformed the methods used for development and system testing. This paper examines the architecture, implementation, and advantages of employing virtualization to improve simulation environments. Virtualized base software enables the creation of isolated, scalable, and replicable settings, essential for executing complex simulations that replicate real-world situations. Utilizing virtualization enhances simulations by making them more efficient, flexible, and cost-effective. The study covers the essential elements of virtualized simulation platforms, such as containerization, network abstraction and virtual drivers. It also analyzes how these components collaborate to create a strong framework for simulating diverse applications, ranging from software testing to hardware emulation. This approach offers several benefits, including better resource utilization, quicker deployment times, and the flexibility to
Shenoy, GaneshMalchow, Florian
Liebherr and Fortescue unveiled their first autonomous battery-electric T 264 haul truck at MINExpo 2024, garnering a steady stream of attendees eyeing and climbing on the giant machine. The truck is the culmination of nearly three years of development work and collaboration among the autonomy and zero-emission units of Liebherr and Fortescue. The T 264 electric hauler features a 3.2-MWh battery system, comprising eight sub-packs, developed by Fortescue Zero. Fortescue also developed a stationary fast-charging solution to support the new T 264. The charger will be available in both manual and robotic versions. An automated quick charger of up to 6 MW with two megawatt charging system (MCS) plugs can reportedly charge the current battery-electric T 264 in 30 minutes
Gehm, Ryan
For all the engineering that takes place at the Treadwell Research Park (TRP), Discount Tire's chief product and technical officer John Baldwin told SAE Media that there's actually something akin to magic in the way giga-reams of test data are converted into information non-engineers can usefully understand. TRP is where Discount Tire generates data used by the algorithms behind its Treadwell tire shopping guide. The consumer-facing Treadwell tool, available in an app, a website and in stores, provides tire shoppers with personalized, simple-to-understand recommendations that are mostly based on a five-star scale. Discount Tire and its partners have tested over 20,000 SKUs, representing 500 to 1000 different types of tires over the years, Baldwin said, including variants and updates. Testing a tire to discover it has an 8.2 rolling resistance coefficient is one thing. The trick is finding a way to explain it to someone standing in a tire shop
Blanco, Sebastian
Researchers at Caltech took an important step toward using reinforcement learning to adaptively learn how turbulent wind can change over time, and then uses that knowledge to control a UAV based on what it is experiencing in real time. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA In nature, flying animals sense coming changes in their surroundings, including the onset of sudden turbulence, and quickly adjust to stay safe. Engineers who design aircraft would like to give their vehicles the same ability to predict incoming disturbances and respond appropriately. Indeed, disasters such as the fatal Singapore Airlines flight this past May in which more than 100 passengers were injured after the plane encountered severe turbulence, could be avoided if aircraft had such automatic sensing and prediction capabilities combined with mechanisms to stabilize the vehicle. Now a team of researchers from Caltech's Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) and NVIDIA has taken an
The future of wireless technology - from charging devices to boosting communication signals - relies on the antennas that transmit electromagnetic waves becoming increasingly versatile, durable and easy to manufacture. Researchers at Drexel University and the University of British Columbia believe kirigami, the ancient Japanese art of cutting and folding paper to create intricate three-dimensional designs, could provide a model for manufacturing the next generation of antennas. Recently published in the journal Nature Communications, research from the Drexel-UBC team showed how kirigami - a variation of origami - can transform a single sheet of acetate coated with conductive MXene ink into a flexible 3D microwave antenna whose transmission frequency can be adjusted simply by pulling or squeezing to slightly shift its shape
A Coventry University design and materials engineer is leading an international team of researchers in the creation of a new material for liquid hydrogen storage tanks that are used to propel rockets into space. Coventry University, Coventry, UK The future of space travel is seemingly changing by the day and a Coventry University academic is doing his bit to stay at the front of the space race. Dr. Ashwath Pazhani along with an international team of researchers have created a new material for storing the liquid hydrogen used to propel rockets into space by the likes of NASA
A research team led by Rice University’s Edward Knightly has uncovered an eavesdropping security vulnerability in high-frequency and high-speed wireless backhaul links, widely employed in critical applications such as 5G wireless cell phone signals and low-latency financial trading on Wall Street
Komatsu introduced its first battery-electric load-haul-dump (LHD) machine, the WX04B, at the MINExpo tradeshow in September. The WX04B is designed specifically for narrow vein mines in underground hard rock mining operations. Komatsu is pairing the electric LHD with its new OEM-agnostic 150-kW battery charger that was also revealed in Las Vegas. The 4-tonne WX04B LHD features what Komatsu claims is best-in-class energy density, offering up to four hours of runtime on a single charge. The Li-ion NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) battery from Proterra has a capacity of 165 kWh and nominal voltage of 660 V. Fewer charge cycles are needed compared to competitors, the company claims, which helps to maximize operational efficiency and minimize downtime. Proterra and Komatsu began their collaboration on the LHD's H Series battery system in 2021, long before Komatsu's acquisition of American Battery Solutions (ABS) in December 2023
Gehm, Ryan
“This might be our most forward-looking team occupying the building that was the impetus for our future-looking focus in the very beginning,” Jennifer Kolstad, Ford Motor Company's Global Design and Brand Director, told SAE Media inside the 100-year-old Ford Engineering Lab's library. The two-story Dearborn, Michigan building, which spans two city blocks, is now the renovated and modernized workspace for Electrified Propulsion Engineering Team innovators. “They're in-space before the research and development hub opens across the street,” Kolstad said
Buchholz, Kami
ABSTRACT As technology continues to improve at a rapid pace, many organizations are attempting to define their place within this modern age and the Department of Defense (DoD) is no exception. The DoD’s primary focus on modernization ensures that its design, development, and sustainment of systems demonstrate unparalleled strength that outpaces our adversaries and continue to solidify our position quickly and efficiently as the world’s mightiest through fundamental change. Digital Engineering (DE) is the foundation of that fundamental change. Speed-to-Warfighter, reliability, maintainability, resiliency, and performance are all improved through DE techniques. Accelerating technical integration by connecting once isolated data to a digital thread encompassing all domains, and further facilitating the evolution of the traditional approach/processes into an effective DE strategy. DE’s goal supports a reduction of inefficient process/procedures/communications that traditionally can yield
Granville, Alanzo D.
ABSTRACT Systems Engineering (SE) would always benefit from the inclusion of the Six-Sigma perspective in both the planning and execution of project systems. This applies to not only System Engineers but also to Systems Extended Team Members, all who must provide cumulated knowledge along with competency to the project. It is difficult to obtain a high level of competency among single members of the team to be highly successful. Strength in one area is very often an underlying factor of weakness in another area. Determining and integrating sigma characteristics from the development cycle into all remaining phases of the product project, especially at critical component interfaces, with a resultant sigma value given to those connections that develop a sigma-risk factor for each function and process pathway within the operational configuration. This sigma-risk factor concept is the key in uniting knowledge with experience
Maholick, WilliamGodell, Carl J
Abstract The Integrated Systems Engineering Framework (ISEF) is an RDECOM solution to capture, leverage, and preserve/reuse Systems Engineering (SE) knowledge generated throughout a system’s lifecycle. The framework is a system of tools designed to support decision making with confidence through embedded SE process management, high quality data visualizations, and system lifecycle information traceability. A web based tool architecture supports near zero IT footprint and allows real time collaboration between team members. The Combat Vehicle Prototype program is a large S&T effort within the Army community to create a virtual demonstrator to influence the next Future Fighting Vehicle program of record. The program is made up of “leap-ahead” technology development efforts pursuing TRL 6 demonstrations. These technologies are being coordinated with the CVP central program office to ensure an effective system level concept is transitioned at the end of the program. This paper will begin
Umpfenbach, EdwardBlasky, John
ABSTRACT The Advanced Systems Engineering Capability (ASEC) developed by TARDEC Systems Engineering & Integration (SE&I) group is an integrated Systems Engineering (SE) knowledge creation and capture framework built on a decision centric method, high quality data visualizations, intuitive navigation and systems information management that enable continuous data traceability, real time collaboration and knowledge pattern leverage to support the entire system lifecycle. The ASEC framework has evolved significantly over the past year. New tools have been added for capturing lessons learned from warfighter experiences in theater and for analyzing and validating the needs of ground domains platforms/systems. These stakeholder needs analysis tools may be used to refine the ground domain capability model (functional decomposition) and to help identify opportunities for common solutions across platforms. On-going development of ASEC will migrate all tools to a single virtual desktop to promote
Mendonza, PradeepFitch, John
ABSTRACT The U.S. military has made substantial progress in developing and fielding C4ISR systems that can collect and gather overwhelming amounts of valuable raw sensor data. A new challenge that has emerged with the deployment of numerous state-of-the-art ISR collection systems is the effective and timely use of the collected surveillance and reconnaissance information, or simply stated an architecture that pushes the timeliness and accessibility of this situational awareness data to the tactical edge – “the right data at the right time to the soldier.” Delivery of real time key information to include situational awareness to a decision maker is what makes the difference between loss and victory on the battlefront. This paper is an extension of a GVSETS paper that was presented in the 2010 symposium. This paper discusses in more detail the integration of command and control (C2), video management, and collaboration capabilities, such as chat and telestration, with the sensor
Woody, AlanLindsey, Ken
ABSTRACT The M109A7/M992A3 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) is a sustainment program designed to bring the M109 Family of Vehicles (FOV) up-to-date and extend the service life of the fleet. PIM consists of the sustainment and upgrade of two military tracked vehicles; the Paladin M109A6 Self Propelled Howitzer (SPH) and the M992A2 Carrier Ammunition, Tracked (CAT). The M109A7/M992A3 program is engineered to improve readiness, avoid component obsolescence, and increase sustainability. These changes will increase the performance of the M109A7/M992A3, eliminate obsolescence issues associated with supplying new parts to the M109A6 and M992A2, and ease the logistics burden within the Artillery Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) through commonality of spares parts. The PIM project has been a multi-phase project with development expected to continue into 2015
Bailey, BruceMiller, Mark R.Brinton, GordonSwartz, EricHamilton, GeorgeUetz, PaulJochum, EricRegmont, Dennis
ABSTRACT An efficient and collaborative process for the realization and implementation of an electrical power management strategy for a modern military vehicle is demonstrated. Power, software and hardware engineers working together and using simulation and emulation tools are able to develop, simulate and validate a power strategy before prototype vehicle integration, reducing integration cost and time. For demonstration, an intelligent electrical power management strategy is developed for a generic military vehicle with conventional engine/transmission propulsion and an inline generator. The challenge of this architecture is maintaining electrical bus stability/regulation at low engine speed given that electrical power demands may exceed power supplied. The intelligent electrical power management strategy presented limits the total power demand to power available by overriding the demands of the individual loads. Based on load prioritization and vehicle system dynamics, power limits
Kelly, John W.Sadler, RyanHaynes, AricRose, Gary
ABSTRACT Sharing platform health information in a disconnected environment requires the use of design strategies that consider the various systems that must participate in the creation, processing, and consuming of component health information. Using a common representation of a vehicle structure, platform health can be calculated, predicted, and communicated to end users at all levels of the enterprise. Implementing a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) using a Grid Services approach enables a central application to manage and share data as needed; performing data integration, data cleansing, and data normalization. This design pattern facilitates holistic collaboration for platform health management on-platform, at-platform, within the tactical domain, at the national level, and at the OEM location
Dorny, JonathanO’Leary, Ryan
ABSTRACT Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) has been a dominant methodology for defining and developing complex systems; however, it has not yet been paired with cutting-edge digital engineering transformation. MBSE is constrained to represent a whole system, but lacks other capabilities, such as dynamic simulation and optimization, as well as integration of hardware and software functions. This paper provides the key elements for developing a Smart MBSE (SMBSE) modeling approach that integrates Systems Engineering (SE) functionality with the full suite of other development tools utilized to create today’s complex products. SMBSE connects hardware and software with a set of customer needs, design requirements, program targets, simulations and optimization functionalities. The SMBSE modeling approach is still under development, with significant challenges for building bridges between conventional Systems Engineering methodology, with additional capabilities to reuse, automate
Ayala, AlejandroWeaver, JonathanFuentes, JeniferOchoa, Ruben
ABSTRACT The Robotic Technology Kernel (RTK) is a government-owned library of reusable software modules based on the first generation Robotic Operating System (“ROS 1”) that can be formed into “autonomy stacks” for integration onto defense robotic platforms. RTK has been used to demonstrate autonomous ground vehicle capabilities spanning many programs and mission scenarios over the past five years. Future use of RTK is dependent, however, on migrating it to be compatible with the 2nd generation of ROS middleware (“ROS 2”) scheduled to replace ROS 1 in May, 2025. This paper summarizes the methodologies, systems, results, and lessons learned thus far from a project to migrate RTK to ROS 2 for the purpose of informing similar ongoing or future large software-centric activities within the ROS and defense robotics communities. A key conclusion is that a well-defined set of organizational practices and technical guidance can enable a large, heterogeneous team of developers from multiple
Boulet, MichaelDelGizzi, RyanLathrop, ScottLeahy, BrendanMontez, JakeRucinski, GarySpinola, MatthewThomasmeyer, WilliamTowler, Jerry
ABSTRACT Integration risk differentiates from other program risk in that it always involves interfaces between various systems or subsystems. The level of integration required is different depending on the phase of the Acquisition Life Cycle (i.e. Materiel Solution Analysis Phase, Technology Development Phase, Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase, Production and Deployment Phase and Operation and Support Phase). This paper focuses on the process used to assess the integration risks of integrating various technologies or subsystems into a vehicle platform. The process presented provides a step by step instruction on how to perform an integration risk assessment. A new Integration Readiness Level (IRL) rating system has been developed by the TARDEC System Engineering and Integration Group to help acquisition vehicle programs as well as science and technology teams to evaluate the health of their technology or subsystem integration into their vehicles. The rating system is
Tzau, Jerome
ABSTRACT Flash® Bainite Processing employs rapid thermal cycling (<10s) to strengthen commercial off the shelf (COTS) steel sheet, plate, and tubing into Ultra Hard 600 Armor, High Hard 500 Armor, and advanced high strength steel (AHSS). In a continuous process, induction technology heats a narrow segment of the steel cross section in just seconds to atypically high temperature (1000-1300°C). Quenching substantially immediately follows. A report by Benet Labs and Picatinny Arsenal, investigating a less mature flash technology in 2011, surmised that the novel flash bainite process for steels has the potential to reduce cost and weight while also enhancing mechanical performance [1]. Receiving five financial grants, the US Dept of Energy has greatly matured flash technology in the last few years and its metallurgical understanding in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Lab and others. DOE has named Flash Bainite as the “SBIR Small Business of the Year” in May 2018 and awarded a Phase 3
Cola, Gary M
ABSTRACT This paper presents the conceptual design, development, and implementation of the Robotic Technology Kernel (RTK) in a Polaris GEM e2 by the United States Military Academy's autonomy research team. RTK is the autonomous software suite of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicles Systems Center and to this point has primarily been used within off-road environments. The research team's primary objectives were to verify RTK's platform-agnostic characteristic by implementing the control software on a small, low-speed electric vehicle and augmenting the software to provide the additional capability of operating within an established infrastructure rule set. Citation: J. Cymerman, S. Yim, D. Larkin, K. Pegues, W. Gengler, S. Norman, Z. Maxwell, N. Gasparri, M. Pollin, C. Calderon, J. Angle, J. Collier, “Evolving the Robotic Technology Kernal to Expand Future Force Autonomous Ground Vehicle Capabilities,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems
Cymerman, JosephYim, SangLarkin, DominicPegues, KathrynGengler, WyattNorman, SamuelMaxwell, ZacharyGasparri, NicholasPollin, MaryCalderon, ClementAngle, JeremyCollier, Jaylen
ABSTRACT As today’s Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) become more and more complex they provide both incredible opportunity and risk. In fact, rapidly growing complexity is a significant impediment to the successful development, integration, and innovation of systems. Over the years, methods to manage system complexity have taken many forms. Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) provides organizations a timely opportunity to address the complexities of Cyber Physical Systems. MBSE tools, languages and methods are having a very positive impact but are still in a formative stage and continue to evolve. Moreover, the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) has proven to be a significant enabler to advance MBSE methods given its flexibility and expressiveness. While the strengths of SysML provide clarity and consistency, unfortunately the number of people who know SysML well is relatively small. To bring the full power of MBSE to the larger community, system models represented in SysML can be
Peterson, Troy
ABSTRACT Within any science or study, some aspects recur so reliably that they take on the character of a principle or natural law and their constant observance and inclusion in the application of the science helps to further develop and advance that practice. So it is with study and application of systems engineering and project management, and within that system and application we could itemize those principles and consider them the foundation of project management and systems thinking. This effort results in cumulative knowledge having the properties of a physical system capable of enabling future teams enough specific data to improve risk awareness and reaction
Maholick, WilliamGodell, Carl J
ABSTRACT Ground vehicles are complex systems with many interrelated subsystems - finding the sweet-spot among competing objectives such as performance, unit cost, O&S costs, development risk, and growth potential is a non-trivial task. Whole Systems Trade Analysis (WSTA) is a systems analysis and decision support methodology and tool that integrates otherwise separate subsystem models into a holistic system view mapping critical design choices to consequences relevant to stakeholders. As a highly integrated and collaborative effort WSTA generates a holistic systems and Multiple Objective Decision Analysis (MODA) model. The decision support model and tool captures and synthesizes outputs from individual analyses into trade-space visualizations designed to facilitate rapid and complete understanding of the trade-space to stakeholders and provide drill down capability to supporting rationale. The approach has opened up trade space exploration significantly evaluating up to 1020+ potential
Edwards, ShatielCilli, MatthewPeterson, TroyZabat, MikeLawton, CraigShelton, Liliana
ABSTRACT This paper will discuss the recent efforts of the Squad Centric Mounted Maneuver (SCMM) project to transition from document based to Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in an effort to synchronize disparate sources of information into a unified model. This effort began with the transition of the system One-Wire diagram into a Systems Modeling Language (SysML) Internal Block Diagram (IBD) to generate the interfaces for the entire system. With the help of various stakeholders to format the Magic Draw diagram to look similar to the previous Visio diagram we were able to get buy-in from project leadership and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who have relied on Visio to generate these One-Wires. After the success of demonstrating the power of a modeling tool to rapidly update content and query data into usable reports we began using Magic Draw to document behavioral analysis through use case diagrams, sequence diagrams, state machine diagrams and activity diagrams. The project has
Alexander, Eric
ABSTRACT U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) has been managing and developing a variety of autonomous systems throughout its existence. Two of the most important from the past decade include the Autonomous Mobility Appliqué System (AMAS) developed by Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC) and the Robotic Technology Kernel (RTK) developed by GVSC in collaboration with DCS Corp and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). Rather than continuing to develop and maintain two separate autonomous software systems, GVSC has decided to integrate any capabilities that were unique to AMAS into RTK and devote efforts to developing RTK going forward. The goal of integrating AMAS into RTK is to leverage the best features of each system. The process of this integration involves multiple steps. This paper describes the historical and current efforts involved in the integration of AMAS into RTK. Citation: D. Pirozzo, J.P. Hecker, A. Dickinson, T
Pirozzo, DavidHecker, Joshua P.Dickinson, AlanSchulteis, TimRatowski, JeffTheisen, Bernard
ABSTRACT The U.S. Department of Energy established the SuperTruck program in 2009 with the goal of developing and demonstrating technologies that can vastly improve the efficiency of Class 8 over-the-road trucks. Several teams participated in the program and developed prototypes that demonstrated more than double the fuel economy of conventional trucks. As part of the High-Efficiency Truck Users Forum program CALSTART investigated the approaches taken by the different teams and analyzed the military applicability of the technologies that were employed
Sokolsky, StevenMcNett, BradGallo, Jean-Baptiste
ABSTRACT Program Executive Office (PEO) Ground Combat Systems (GCS) initiated a Green Belt project in 2007 to develop a risk management process. The Integrated Product Team (IPT) built on Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and Department of Defense (DoD) risk management guidance to create a process for risk analysis, mitigation, and rules for Risk Review Board approval. To automate this process, the IPT eventually created an Army owned, customizable tool (Risk Recon) that matched the PEO GCS process. Risk Recon is used to track risks throughout the acquisition life-cycle. Changing the culture of the PEO has been the most significant challenge. Training and follow-up of risk progress is required to keep the process from becoming stagnant. Partnership with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs)s is an integral part of all programs and a balance is needed between how the PEO and its OEMs perform risk management and communicate those risks. The software requirements continue to
Rassette, CherylGraf, LisaOlsem, MikeDmoch, Barb
ABSTRACT Manned Unmanned Teaming (MUMT) is fast becoming a critical capability for maintaining operational superiority and overmatch against near peer competitors. However, there is presently no concept of MUMT behaviors in Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) analyses. Such a concept is needed in order to capture and understand the increasingly complex interactions between humans and machines that will govern system behavior on the battlefield. This manuscript describes an effort that sought to identify and roadmap the development of the MUMT requirements necessary to build into the next generation of functional MBSE models that lead to sustainable autonomous (semi or full with MUMT) military operations. Three scenarios spanning the unmanned systems domain incorporating current state of practice and envisioning increased autonomy were used as the basis for developing a generalizable MBSE expression of MUMT behavior
Michelson, StuartDomercant, Charles
ABSTRACT This presentation will review the ongoing lessons learned from a joint Industry/DoD collaborative program to explore this area over the past 5 years. The discussion will review the effectiveness of integrating multiple new technologies (combined with select COTS elements) to provide a complete solution designed to reduce spares stockpiles, maximize available manpower, reduce maintenance downtime and reduce vehicle lifecycle costs. A number of new and emerging technology case studies involving diagnostic sensors (such as battery health monitors), knowledge management data accessibility, remote support-based Telematics, secure communication, condition-based software algorithms, browser-based user interfaces and web portal data delivery will be presented
Fortson, RickJohnson, Ken
ABSTRACT This paper discusses various soft security considerations that should be accounted for in the next generation of advanced military unmanned systems. By modeling unmanned system teams as mobile ad hoc networks, we underscore the different types of information-based security vulnerabilities that motivated adversaries may be able to exploit in unmanned systems. Then we provide an overview of computational trust and show that it can be used to defend against these vulnerabilities by finding the most reliable agents to interact with from a pool of potential agents. Finally, we discuss ongoing work at U.S. Army TARDEC that is applying computational trust within a vehicle controller for autonomous convoy operations
Mikulski, Dariusz
Abstract: The Team Cybernet vehicle for the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge1 incorporated a route planning approach that uses sensed obstacles in the environment as the basis for potential turn placement prior to performing path search. The path search is confined to finding a set of straight-line tangents that connect circles of maximum curvature that are constructed adjacent to sensed obstacles. This approach is substantially different from traditional approaches in that the complexity of the search space is not based on the length of the path, but rather on the number of obstacles in the field. For sparse obstacle fields, this approach allows for very fast plan generation and results in paths that are guaranteed by construction to not violate steering constraints
Rowe, SteveJacobus, CharlesHaanpaa, Douglas
ABSTRACT Military personnel involved in convoy operations are often required to complete multiple tasks within tightly constrained timeframes, based on limited or time-sensitive information. Current simulations are often lacking in fidelity with regard to team interaction and automated agent behavior; particularly problematic areas include responses to obstacles, threats, and other changes in conditions. More flexible simulations are needed to support decision making and train military personnel to adapt to the dynamic environments in which convoys regularly operate. A hierarchical task analysis approach is currently being used to identify and describe the many tasks required for effective convoy operations. The task decomposition resulting from the task analysis provides greater opportunity for determining decision points and potential errors. The results of the task analysis will provide guidance for the development of more targeted simulations for training and model evaluation from
Garrison, Teena M.Thomas, Mark D.Carruth, Daniel W.
ABSTRACT Individual complex systems routinely operate with other complex systems (in a complex environment no less!) to achieve desired military capabilities; generally speaking, Lethality, Mobility and Survivability. While challenging in itself, this scenario is complicated by the fact that new systems are being deployed and retired which imposes training requirements and adaptation on the part of users and maintainers. The author will characterize the challenge and describe an approach to coping with the challenge and mitigating its impact. Specifically, ground combat vehicle capabilities are undergoing a transformation which can be accelerated by employing some of the techniques described and improve our soldiers’ ability to meet and defeat rapidly changing threats. The technique is generically referred to as Capability Planning and it is supported by set of software tools and analytic techniques, commonly called a Decision Support Framework. This paper characterizes the techniques
Gill, John J.Biltgen, Patrick T.
ABSTRACT The Integrated Systems Engineering Framework (ISEF) is an Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) solution to address stovepiped systems engineering(SE) information and processes, disparate tools united by custom, one-off integrations, and a lack of accepted, common standards that exists in today’s Department of Defense (DoD) operating environment. Ever increasing technical complexity of fielded solutions combined with budgetary constraints push DoD engineers to “do more with less,” requiring a technical management solution that allows them collaborate virtually yet effectively with distributed engineers and other stakeholders. Easy access to systems engineering tools and information through a single “cloud” based application allows connections between federated databases, and facilitates knowledge preservation over time to avoid “reinventing the wheel” when new programs replace retired ones. ISEF is an ever-expanding collection of systems engineering
Umpfenbach, EdwardMendonza, PradeepGraf, Lisa
ABSTRACT Unmanned Systems are rapidly increasing in numbers and capabilities. From 2002 to 2008 the number of robots in the Pentagon arsenal has grown from 200 to 6,000, many of these supporting the soldier in the close battle. Contrasting this growth in unmanned assets, the Army’s future force tactical organization reduces soldier numbers and, by extension, the number of robotics officers. Other soldiers in the force structure take on the robotics officer role, increasing their workload and effectively hindering their primary warfighting role. SAIC has been working with CERDEC C2D over the last three years (and AMRDEC prior to this) to introduce Battle Command decision aids supporting (semi) autonomous execution and collaboration of unmanned assets. This paper takes a qualitative/conceptual style to describe a behavior management approach to command and control of multiple unmanned assets
Ordower, RickDixon, Lee
ABSTRACT This paper will discuss the systematic operations of utilizing the BOXARR platform as the ‘Digital Thread’ to overcome the inherent and hidden complexities in massive-scale interdependent systems; with particular emphasis on future applications in Military Ground Vehicles (MGVs). It will discuss how BOXARR can enable significantly improved capabilities in requirements-capture, optimized risk management, enhanced collaborative relationships between engineering and project/program management teams, operational analysis, trade studies, capability analysis, adaptability, resilience, and overall architecture design; all within a unified framework of BOXARR’s customizable modeling, visualization and analysis applications
Smith, Robert E.Hamilton, Fraser
ABSTRACT The Army Acquisition community has a significant deficiency in the amount of operational expertise to influence a particular S&T technology or acquisition program. As a result, emerging materiel solutions often fall short of their desired utility in the eyes of the warfighter. In a fiscally constrained environment, the product development team must use all available resources in the most efficient manner to produce the highest quality product in the shortest time possible for the end user. By repurposing the information contained in the Combined Arms Training Strategies (CATS) task database, an engineering team can gain the operational knowledge and environment from the training tools the Army uses, requiring less burden on the few operational experts that exist within the Acquisition Corps. A process to accomplish this is being developed at TARDEC and has had early success in characterizing vehicle operator behaviors beyond what occurs within structure of a vehicle
Horning, Matthew A.
ABSTRACT Systems Architecture (SA) is a key discipline in Systems Engineering; robust architectures enable success and flawed architectures limit performance. However, SA is challenging to teach students because it is less of a “hard” science. At the University of Detroit Mercy, students in the MS Product Development (MPD) and Advanced Electric Vehicle (AEV) Certificate programs are exposed to a full term of SA. This class stresses the development of heuristics through exposure to mini case studies, class discussions, and several projects (including a field trip to the Henry Ford Museum to study multiple examples of competing historical architectures). The capstone project in this class requires teams of students to create a new architecture for a given set of criteria. One recent final project involved the creation of a space probe architecture that could meet mission objectives given a challenging set of constraints and the creation of DODAF Viewpoints to communicate the architecture
Vinarcik, Michael J.
ABSTRACT The objective is to develop a human-multiple robot system that is optimized for teams of heterogeneous robots control. A new human-robot system permits to ease the execution of remote tasks. An operator can efficiently control the physical multi-robots using the high level command, Drag-to-Move method, on the virtual interface. The innovative virtual interface has been integrated with Augmented Reality that is able to track the location and sensory information from the video feed of ground and aerial robots in the virtual and real environment. The advanced feature of the virtual interface is guarded teleoperation that can be used to prevent operators from accidently driving multiple robots into walls and other objects
Lee, SamHunt, ShawnCao, AlexPandya, Abhilash
ABSTRACT Raytheon is in the final stages of production of three high performance thermal imaging / fire control systems being integrated on existing USMC and US Army armored vehicles. A goal in the design of these systems was to provide integration into the host vehicle that when viewed by the customer and user provided the enhanced capabilities of today’s latest thermal imaging and image processing technology as well as operating in concert with the vehicle as originally designed. This paper will summarize the technical solutions for each of these programs emphasizing the thermal imaging, fire control, image processing and vehicle integration technologies. It will also outline guiding philosophies and lessons learned used to focus the design team in achieving the successful integration. The programs to be reviewed are; USMC 2nd Gen Thermal Imaging System, the USMC LAV-25 Improved Thermal Sight System (ITSS) and the USMC / US Army M1A1 50 Cal Thermal Sight / DayTV System
LaSala, Paul V.Raaum, Bryan J.
ABSTRACT The Modular Open RF Architecture’s (MORA) core objective is to logically decompose radio frequency (RF) systems for efficiency, flexibility, reusability, and scalability while enabling management, health monitoring, and sharing of raw and/or processed data. MORA extends the Army’s Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY) architecture. MORA was introduced to the GVSETS community in 2015 at version 1.0 of the specification, and has matured with the help of community, industry, and academia partners to its current version 2.3. This paper discusses the current state of the MORA specification and how it has evolved beyond its initial topology to encompass the entirety of the RF chain in an open and modular fashion. In addition, this paper will describe the purpose of MORA, the objectives of its development, its foundation, and the basic concepts and core features. Citation: J. Broczkowski, D. Bailey, T. Ryder, J. Dirner, “Modular Open RF Architecture (MORA
Broczkowski, JasonBailey, DerekRyder, TroyDirner, Jason
ABSTRACT In 2014, a NATO Applied Vehicle Technology (AVT) Exploratory Team 148 (ET-148) was formed to explore the development of an improved Next-Generation NATO Reference Mobility Model (NG-NRMM)[1]. A development path forward was identified and initiated in a subsequent NATO research task group (AVT-248) to implement ET-148 recommendations. One key area for improvement was the vehicle-terrain interaction (Terramechanics) models defining important performance metrics for off-road performance in differing soils, and environmental conditions. The near term implementation focuses on existing “Simple” Terramechanics models as a practical improvement to the incumbent NRMM Cone Index (CI) empirically based method, without requiring the computational power of the large scale complex discrete element model (DEM) methods that are the targeted long term solution. Practical approaches and limitations to the implementation of these existing Simple Terramechanics models in 3D vehicle models are
McCullough, MichaelPreston-Thomas, JonShoop, SallyJayakumar, ParamsothyHodges, Henry
ABSTRACT Some believe that the weakest link in systems engineering is often between what the stakeholder desires and what the development team believes is needed. The CONOPS can be a means to bridge this understanding gap. The systems engineering community has identified a need to improve the CONOPS development process and increase the level of understanding between stakeholders and engineers. The research presented here has led to the development of the Integrated Concept Engineering Framework to explore and demonstrate the effectiveness of virtual environments, gaming technologies and visualization in improving the CONOPS development process. This work has shown that 3D visualization has the potential to improve how stakeholders reason about operational concepts. This paper will review the need for an improved CONOPS and report on the research results and findings. Finally, the authors will discuss future directions in which the research can further mature
Korfiatis, PeterCloutier, Robert
ABSTRACT The M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) developed by BAE Systems is groundbreaking for its utilization of 610 Vdc high-voltage (HV) electrical power generation and distribution. When the vehicle entered development ten years ago, silicon based power conversion devices were a proven and effective technology to provide the demanding power needs of the new military platform. Since then, technological advances in Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductors have shown great promise in providing significant improvements to power density, efficiency, and operating temperature. When GE Aviation developed a prototype Silicon Carbide power converter which debuted at the 2014 GVSET Symposium, both TARDEC and BAE Systems, P&S recognized the benefit to evaluating and demonstrating the technology on the M109A7. In August 2016, the plan came to fruition when the joint TARDEC, BAE Systems P&S, and GE Aviation team successfully completed a series of demonstration tests showing that the technology
Miller, Mark R.Brinton, GordonRoden, GareyHamilton, GeorgeJochum, EricEddins, RichardMilford, ChristineShiver, Richard
ABSTRACT The recent U.S. Army TARDEC’s 30-Year Strategy calls for enhancing their skill set in the “ilities,” especially reliability, since this factor directly impacts more than 58% of life cycle costs, according to a DoD study. To support this initiative, this paper presents technology transfer of Iowa developed Reliability-Based Design Optimization (I-RBDO) software by integrating theories and numerical methods that have been developed over a number of years in collaboration with the Automotive Research Center (ARC), which is funded by the U.S. Army TARDEC. Both the sensitivity-based and sampling-based methods for reliability analysis and design optimization methods are integrated in I-RBDO for broader multidisciplinary applications. I-RBDO has very comprehensive capabilities that include modeling of input distributions for both independent and correlated variables; a variable screening method for high dimensional RBDO problems; statistical analysis; reliability analysis; RBDO; and
Choi, K.K.Gaul, Nicholas J.Song, HyeongjinCho, HyunkyooLamb, DavidGorsich, David
ABSTRACT The IGVC offers a design experience that is at the very cutting edge of engineering education. It is multidisciplinary, theory-based, hands-on, team implemented, outcome assessed, and based on product realization. It encompasses the very latest technologies impacting industrial development and taps subjects of high interest to students. Design and construction of an Intelligent Vehicle fits well in a two semester senior year design capstone course, or an extracurricular activity earning design credit. The deadline of an end-of-term competition is a real-world constraint that includes the excitement of potential winning recognition and financial gain. Students at all levels of undergraduate and graduate education can contribute to the team effort, and those at the lower levels benefit greatly from the experience and mentoring of those at higher levels. Team organization and leadership are practiced, and there are even roles for team members from business and engineering
Kosinski, AndrewTarakhovsky, JaneIyengar, KiranLane, JerryCheok, KaCTheisen, Bernie
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