EWxR, An Enhanced Onboard Weather Information System

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• EWxR, An Enhanced On-boardWeather Information
  System

NASA Cooperative Research AgreementNCC 1-290
Presentation to theNASA Weather Accident
Prevention ProjectAnnual ReviewHampton,
VirginiaMay 23-25, 2000 Dr. Wallace Kelly
IIIManager, Autonomous SystemsRockwell Collins
Advanced Technology Center
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The Automation Question
If we had an expert pilot who was the worlds
best at the use of some system and that
pilots sole responsibility was using that
system without any time pressures, what would
that pilot do?

• Monitor A
• Decide B
• Perform C
• Compare D
• etc...

Can a computer perform these functions?
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The Automation Question
Can a computer perform these functions?
Yes
No
To Some Extent
FullAutomation
NoAutomation
DecisionSupport

• The answer changes as technology develops.
• No is rarely the correct answer.
• Decision Support utilizes the combinedstrengths
  of computer and human.

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EWxR and The Automation Question

• Search for storms
• Characterize the weather situation
• Track storm movement
• Identify dangerous patterns
• Utilize the tilt, range, and calibration
  effectively
• Interpret the radar imagery
• Correlate information from other sources

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Signal-level Processing
429 Control Bus
Pilot
Radar HardwareAcquisition
Signal ProcessingDetection
I/QDataStream
453DataStream
DisplayData
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Information-level Processing
429 Control Bus
Pilot
Radar HardwareAcquisition
Signal ProcessingDetection
I/QDataStream
EWxRMonitor / Control
453DataStream
DisplayInformation
AugmentedInformation
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EWxR Development Testbed
WxRSWeather / WxR Sim
Aircraft Data PC, simple controls
Ethernet
ARINC 429
ARINC 453
EWxR PC Development platform
ARINC 453
WxI WxR Indicator
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EWxR Development Testbed
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Major Accomplishment

• Concept Demonstrations
• System Architecture
• COTS Weather/Weather Radar Simulation
• Simulation Control Software
• Storm Image Database
• 3D Data Model
• Storm Finding / Auto Search
• Radar Top Estimation
• Pilot Reviews (UAL, Archie Trammel)

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Concept Demonstrations
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Simulation Control Software
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Storm Image Processing
Image acquisition
Earth-based reference
3D Data Model
Storm-based reference
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Storm Tracking, Radar Top Analysis

• Grouping/Segmenting
• Tracking
• Estimation
• Storm searching
• Radar top analysis

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August 200 Flight Demonstration