An improved acceptance test procedure for imaging infrared (IIR) equipment has been developed to remove subjectivity, improve repeatability, and decrease the time and expense over existing methods. Traditional procedures for acceptance testing of hR equipment require manual minimum resolvable temperature difference (MRTD) measurements at multiple spatial frequencies with both positive and negative contrast targets. Although the manual measurement of MRTD is the standard evaluation technique used in developmental testing, it is deficient for use as an acceptance test. The main limitations are subjectivity, length of time required, and manpower (i.e., cost). The Missile Guidance Directorate (MGD) of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center has developed the automated infrared sensor test facility (AISTF) to perform automated acceptance tests and remove the subjectivity of the test procedure. The AISTF measures the modulation transfer function, noise equivalent temperature difference, 3-dimensional noise analysis, field-of-view, and non-subjective MRTD of the unit under test (UUT). The software interface for the AISTF provides an efficient means for a single test conductor to set up and conduct the test. The software controls the experiments by selecting the appropriate target, setting thermal contrast, acquiring digital imagery, and performing image analysis. Test results are provided in a detailed report and stored in a database. In addition to production line acceptance testing, the AISTF should be applicable to flight-line testing, R&D analysis, and sensor characterization.
As modern unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) are developed for military field use, the importance ofhighly reliable and adaptable control processes is becoming evident. A new addition to the research and development UGV community is the Technology Test Bed (TTB), which differs from its predecessors in its unique approach to vehicle control. The TTB vehicle control has three distinct nested control processes. At the outer level is the real-time loop in which the operator sends desired commands over a radio frequency (RF) or fiber-optic link to the remote vehicle. The TTh performs the commanded function without operator observable delay making the teleoperated driving and reconnaissance activities intuitive and easy to learn. The middle control loop is the system processor command filtering and distribution loop. In this loop, the incoming operator commands are processed through "smart driving' algorithms to prevent obvious operator error from endangering the vehicle. Once filtered, the modified commands are distributed along a dual redundant MIL-1553B bus to any of the 10 remote terminals (RTs) on the Mobile Base Unit (MBU). Each RT is a self-contained microcontroller capable ofperforming closed loop control using both fuzzy logic and classical algorithms. The inner control layer is comprised of the closed loops between the respective actuators or sensors and the appropriate RTs. By separating the vehicle's functions into small control processes, each with a local dedicated controller, the vehicle offers a truly distributed control approach. The clear advantages of using the nested distributed control approach include a high level of reliability, significant reduction of unique spare parts, allowance for future expansion, and simplicity in the integration of new devices.
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