Article Human Computer Interactions in Next-Generation of Aircraft Smart Navigation Management Systems: Task Analysis and Architecture under an Agent-Oriented Methodological Approach (original) (raw)
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Sensors, 2015
The limited efficiency of current air traffic systems will require a next-generation of Smart Air Traffic System (SATS) that relies on current technological advances. This challenge means a transition toward a new navigation and air-traffic procedures paradigm, where pilots and air traffic controllers perform and coordinate their activities according to new roles and technological supports. The design of new Human-Computer Interactions (HCI) for performing these activities is a key element of SATS. However efforts for developing such tools need to be inspired on a parallel characterization of hypothetical air traffic scenarios compatible with current ones. This paper is focused on airborne HCI into SATS where cockpit inputs came from aircraft navigation systems, surrounding traffic situation, controllers' indications, etc. So the HCI is intended to enhance situation awareness and decision-making through pilot cockpit. This work approach considers SATS as a system distributed on a large-scale with uncertainty in a dynamic environment. Therefore, a multi-agent systems based approach is well suited for modeling
Eats: An Agent-Based Air Traffic Simulator
2007
We present an Experimental Air Traffic Simulator (EATS).It is conceived as a tool for preliminary evaluation of flight procedures, algorithms and human-machine interfaces to be used in future Navigation and Air Traffic surrounding the new Communication, Navigation and Surveillance System to Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM). The proposed EATS simulator version provides realistic data for the aircraft dynamic and includes the exchange of information among the aircraft from the point of view of the Air Traffic Control (ATC). It also takes into account the meteorological conditions and terrain constraints. This system has been designed as a Multi-Agent System and implemented on a JADE framework. Its architecture facilitates its later extension to incorporate and to evaluate new communication protocols and negotiation between agents operating in a specific air space.
Small Aircraft Pilot Assistant: Onboard Decision Support System for SATS Aircraft
AIAA 5th ATIO and16th Lighter-Than-Air Sys Tech. and Balloon Systems Conferences, 2005
Distributed pilot decision-making plays a critical role in high volume operations at noncontrolled/non-radar airports. The High Volume Operation concept, proposed by the NASA Small Aircraft Transportation System program, is based on an environment within which the decisionmaking is distributed mostly to the pilot. Realization of this concept relies on advanced cockpit systems that assist pilots in both information-processing and decision-making. This paper introduces an onboard pilot decision aid system called the Small Aircraft Pilot Assistant, which is dedicated to Small Aircraft Transportation System aircraft conducting High Volume Operations. The goal is to increase cockpit decision-making capacity by automating part of the pilot decision-making process, especially in the early stages of information acquisition and analysis. The Small Aircraft Pilot Assistant uses Artificial Intelligence techniques to aid pilots in following the High Volume Operation procedures, identifying the current flight segment, monitoring performance, advising of possible pilot mis-operation; and warning of potential traffic related hazards. A human factors analysis was conducted to determine the appropriate level of automation, using a real-time, multi-aircraft, multi pilot-in-the-loop simulation system called the Multi-agent Intelligent Distributed Airspace Simulation. Preliminary pilot test results show that the Small Aircraft Pilot Assistant is a promising system to satisfy the cockpit system requirements for the High Volume Operations of the Small Aircraft Transportation System.
An Intelligent Infrastructure for In-Flight Situation Awareness of Aviation Pilots
This paper presents an infrastructure that integrates intelligent agents in order to monitor, in real time, the attention of aviation pilots during training/operative flight missions. The primary goal of this infrastructure is to make the decision process easier and increase Situation Awareness, thus to increase flight safety pro-actively. The proposed hardware/software platform could be able to anticipate the onset of problems which can lead to incidents, and to make easier the decision making process toward a positive solution of the problem. To attain the goal, a multi-agent system is designed using the most recent technology in the field of artificial vision and of the measurement of psychophysical parameters, starting from the most recent knowledge of visual attention to arrive at the development of an original and innovative model of Augmented Reality. Finally it is provided a case study based on an event actually occurred to prove effectiveness of the proposed platform.
PloS one, 2017
We present an agent based model of the Air Traffic Management socio-technical complex system aiming at modeling the interactions between aircraft and air traffic controllers at a tactical level. The core of the model is given by the conflict detection and resolution module and by the directs module. Directs are flight shortcuts that are given by air controllers to speed up the passage of an aircraft within a certain airspace and therefore to facilitate airline operations. Conflicts between flight trajectories can occur for two main reasons: either the planning of the flight trajectory was not sufficiently detailed to rule out all potential conflicts or unforeseen events during the flight require modifications of the flight plan that can conflict with other flight trajectories. Our model performs a local conflict detection and resolution procedure. Once a flight trajectory has been made conflict-free, the model searches for possible improvements of the system efficiency by issuing di...
Designing a Cockpit Functionalities Architecture for Trajectory Based Operations
2009
Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) will require new procedures and systems to achieve a suitable automation of airtraffic operations. Procedures and systems for automated operations are closely related and therefore frequently they need to be modeled in a combined way. Our group is currently employing recent agent-oriented methodological approaches to obtain conceptual models about TBO scenarios. Conceptual models define roles of air traffic entities as well as their interactions together with a detailed description of the entities' architecture and dynamic behaviour. In this paper we present a cockpit functionality architecture built upon a methodological analysis and design of a TBO scenario as a multi-agent system. The proposed design has the advantage of mapping to an executable model for analytical simulation of TBO concepts and its modular architecture allows for a progressive integration of additional underlying models with speciflc functionalities.
Agent-Based Support for Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management Simulation Research
AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference and Exhibit, 2003
NASA researchers are extending a large-scale distributed simulation to assess the feasibility, benefits, and scalability of Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM) concepts. This paper describes applications of software agents to support these efforts. This paper identifies applications ranging from assistants to replacements for human confederate participants and support personnel. The applications span air traffic control positions, flight simulators, pseudoaircraft control stations, and simulation support functions. The paper first provides an overview of the DAG-TM simulation, including the Multi Aircraft Control System (MACS), and describes the responsibilities of various participants. It then discusses agent applications that address problems and leverage capabilities demonstrated in previous research. Of particular interest are agents that can control air traffic and pilot aircraft, implemented within the MACS framework. Agents provide a means for focusing required subject training, reducing variability and problems attributable to human confederates, supporting partially staffed and part-task studies within the full simulation environment, and enabling fast-time simulations to investigate DAG-TM concept scalability. The paper concludes with a discussion that emphasizes the importance of interplay between complementary human-in-the-loop and agent-based simulations.
Human Centered Technologies and Procedures for Future Air Traffic Management
1997
The conclusions incorporated in this series of reports are those of the authors and do not represent the views of NASA or any other government agency. This volume incorporates several technical reports prepared by various members of the research team. The reports submitted here include: 1. Executive Summary and Recommendations 2. Methods for the Development of Future System Requirements: The Envisioned World Problem, the Future Incident Technique and Conceptual Walkthroughs 3. Human Factors Issues in the Design of a More Flexible ATM Environment: Knowledge Elicitation Based on the Expanded National Route Program
Designing for shared cognition in air traffic management
It is to be expected that the task of an air traffic controller will change with the introduction of four-dimensional (space and time) trajectories for aircraft, as can be seen in ongoing developments in ATM systems in Europe (SESAR) and the US (NextGen). It is clear that higher levels of automation will need to be developed to support the management of four-dimensional trajectories, but a definite concept on a distribution of the roles of automation and human users has not yet been well defined. This paper presents one approach to the design of a shared representation for 4D trajectory management. The design is based on the Cognitive Systems Engineering framework and by using a formative approach in the analysis of the work domain, a step-wise refinement in the planning and execution of 4D trajectories is proposed. The design is described in three Abstraction Hierarchies, one for each phase in the refinement. The ultimate goal is to design a shared representation that underlies both the design of the human-machine interface and the rationale that guides the automation. It is foreseen that such a shared representation will greatly benefit the shared cognition in ATM and allows shifting back and forth across various levels of automation. A preliminary version of a joint cognitive system for 4D trajectory management has been developed and will be introduced in this paper. Further work will focus on the refinement of the shared representation by means of human-in-the-loop experiments.