Robotic Aircrew Automation with Imaging and Force Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight control systems are complex, lead to overreliance on automation, and are costly to upgrade, with existing robotic pilot assistants being aircraft-specific, invasive, and lacking the ability to acquire knowledge about the aircraft they operate.
Innovation Solution
An aircrew automation system employing a robotic arm with integrated imaging and force sensing modalities, a knowledge acquisition system, and a human-machine interface, allowing for non-invasive installation and operation across various aircraft, providing continuous aircraft state monitoring and information augmentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If additional functionality is added to flight decks, then automation capability is improved, but system complexity increases and pilot workload may increase during critical situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into modular components: a robotic arm with imaging sensor, force sensor, and knowledge acquisition system that can be independently configured and installed. This segmentation allows automation functionality to be added without integrating complex systems throughout the entire flight deck, thereby improving automation capability while limiting complexity growth to specific modular units.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic arm serves as an intermediary device between the pilot and aircraft controls, performing automated tasks such as manipulating switches, knobs, and displays. This intermediary handles routine operations, providing automation benefit while keeping the pilot interface simple and avoiding complexity in the primary flight control system.
2Extent of automation
If legacy aircraft are converted with new automation systems, then automation capability is improved, but certification cost and capital investment increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm system is designed as a temporary, removable installation that does not require permanent modification of the aircraft. It can be installed and removed without affecting the original type certificate, avoiding expensive recertification processes while still providing automation capability during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated actions for routine flight operations, allowing the pilot to focus on supervisory tasks. This preliminary automation of routine tasks provides certification benefit without requiring full system recertification, as the robotic arm operates within existing aircraft systems rather than replacing them.
3Reliability
If robotic pilot assistants are made aircraft-specific, then operational reliability is improved, but adaptability to different aircraft types decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm is designed with universal capabilities to operate on multiple aircraft types through non-invasive installation methods. It can manipulate various control interfaces (switches, knobs, displays) across different aircraft configurations without requiring aircraft-specific customization, thereby maintaining adaptability while achieving operational reliability through standardized design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic adaptation through its knowledge acquisition system that learns aircraft-specific characteristics during operation. This allows the robotic arm to adjust to different aircraft types without physical modification, maintaining universality while achieving reliability through adaptive learning rather than static aircraft-specific design.
4Reliability
If invasive installation methods are used for robotic assistants, then integration with aircraft systems is improved, but ease of installation and removal decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm system extracts itself from the aircraft's permanent structure, using non-invasive mounting methods that do not require cutting into avionics wiring or permanent installation. This allows the system to be easily installed and removed without affecting the aircraft's original certification, achieving installation ease while maintaining sufficient system integration for operational reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircrew automation system relates to the field of flight control systems, methods, and apparatuses; even more particularly, to a system, method, and apparatus for providing aircraft state monitoring and/or an automated aircrew employing a robotic arm with integrated imaging and force sensing modalities.