When it comes to simulator training, there are two main target groups, the student and the teacher/instructor. This thesis will cover usability aspects for both of these groups when it comes to tasks related to simulator training. For the student it will mainly be about how they can interact with the interface from the simulator and how results and feedback from exercises are presented to them. For the teacher/instructor on the other hand, usability aspects for managing the students and the exercises will be addressed, along with how results and progress shall be presented in a way that is easy to grasp and understand. A redesign of the current system used to manage these issues will be preformed. Some of the aspects that the redesign will cover are usability aspects, graphical design and workflow. One of the main outcomes from this thesis is a system that supports many different levels of engagement from the user, allowing users with different background and interest to interact with the system as effortless as possible/wanted.

The main principle behind the working of delay tolerant networks (DTN) is the mobility of the nodes along with their contact sequences for exchanging data. Nodes which are a part of the DTN network can behave selfishly due to network reservation policy, especially when constrained to energy or storage space. Several forwarding protocols exist for spreading data but our focus is on the performance of popular data relaying protocols namely epidemic routing and two hop routing protocol in a situation where nodes exhibit various degrees of selfishness. Results of an analytical model show the performance advantage of epidemic routing over two hop routing decreases as the number of selfish nodes and intensity of the selfishness increases either deterministically or probabilistically. We practically asses the vulnerability of the above mentioned protocols using ONE simulator. We find that our result coincides with analytical results with some variations in the graph.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of using an existing 25-ft radius centrifuge as a dynamic flight simulator for “full mission” F/A-18 strike fighter mission training with respect to the representativeness of pilot-perceived motion and acceleration cues.The methodology employed in this study consisted of analyzing F/A-18 mission tasks, collecting pilot opinion surveys of important sensory cues needed in simulator training, and conducting an analysis of human pilot perceptual problems caused by centrifuge motion constraints.This study identified a number of issues indicating that a centrifuge-based flight simulator shows limited potential for use in “full mission” F/A-18 training scenarios. Specifically, there is a fundamental mismatch between the 6 degree-of-freedom mission-representative acceleration environment experienced in the aircraft and the 3 degree-of-freedom acceleration environment the centrifuge is able to provide. The centrifuge is not optimized for the typical acceleration environment experienced during F/A-18 missions and has significant limitations in “near one g” and “near zero g” flight conditions. Additionally, the centrifuge causes a variety of undesired, unrealistic, and debilitating vestibular artifacts that are not consistent with what a pilot experiences in the aircraft when performing the same mission task, degrading the effectiveness of training.Despite its limited suitability as a “full mission” F/A-18 simulator, the centrifuge is an essential physiological training device, shows good potential as a part-task trainer for departure/spin training, and should continue to play a role in the F/A-18 training continuum.

ITC/USA 2013 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Ninth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 21-24, 2013 / Bally's Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV / Telemetry ground antenna tracking performance evaluation and measurement was previously performed by evaluating only the antenna drive system. The integrated nature of software controlled antenna systems has prompted a need to evaluate the entire tracking antenna system, as a whole. Particularly, the ability of an antenna to remain "locked" on a dynamic target must be able to be evaluated and quantified. This paper presents one method for evaluating the tracking ability of a telemetry antenna system and discusses a likely set of metrics to be used as figures of merit for antenna system tracking performance.

The Optical System Simulator (OSS) provides a comprehensive platform for the analysis and design of isolated optical devices and entire optical systems, with special focus on semiconductor lasers and system exhibiting fast dynamics. The OSS is able to simulate "1-D" (or fundamental mode) optical devices, such as ideal optical sources, narrow stripe semiconductor lasers, wave-guides, passive cavities, mirrors, beam splitters, etc. These individual elements can be combined to form into complex optical systems. Once the optical system is defined, the user can interact with the simulation interactively using a set of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). These provide a visual representation of user-defined sensor outputs, and allow on-the-fly modification of system parameters, in a manner similar to that of an experimental setup. Additionally, the user can use the simulator in a background mode, with no user interfaces required, allowing very long simulations that can run unattended for hours or days. The users may reattach the GUIs at any time to monitor the simulation progress or to modify system parameters. The OSS provides a unique software simulation environment for teaching, research and design of broadband integrated optical and opto-electronic systems, where several Terahertz of optical bandwidth needs to be resolved, from femtoseconds to milliseconds time scales.

Drilling operations management will face hurdles to reduce costs and increase performance, and to do this with less experience and organizational drilling capacity. A technology called Drilling Simulators Software has shown an extraordinary potential to improve the drilling performance and reduce risk and cost. Different approaches have been made to develop drilling-simulator software. The Virtual Experience Simulator, geological drilling logs, and reconstructed lithology are some of the most successful. The drilling simulations can run multiple scenarios quickly and then update plans with new data to improve the results. Its storage capacity for retaining field drilling experience and knowledge add value to the program. This research shows the results of using drilling simulator software called Drilling Optimization Simulator (DROPS®) in the evaluation of the Aloctono block, in the Pirital field, eastern Venezuela. This formation is characterized by very complex geology, containing faulted restructures, large dips, and hard and abrasive rocks. The drilling performance in this section has a strong impact in the profitability of the field. A number of simulations using geological drilling logs and the concept of the learning curve defined the optimum drilling parameters for the block. The result shows that DROPS® has the capability to simulate the drilling performance of the area with reasonable accuracy. Thus, it is possible to predict the drilling performance using different bits and the learning-curve concept to obtain optimum drilling parameters. All of these allow a comprehensive and effective cost and drilling optimization.

Functional MRI (fMRI) is a primary tool in the study of brain function. The primary cause of data corruption in fMRI is head motion while scanning. This problem is compounded by the fact that subjects are asked to perform behavioural tasks, which can promote head motion. Random and/or large head motions are often not handled well in post-processing correction algorithms. This thesis investigates the use of an alternate method: an MRI simulator to help reduce head motion in subjects through training. A simulator environment was developed where subjects could be trained to reduce their head motion through closed loop visual feedback. The effect of simulator training was investigated in young, old and stroke subjects. Performance of subjects with respect to head motion was investigated prior, during and after feedback training, including subsequent fMRI scans. This research helps improve fMRI image quality by reducing head motion prior to scanning.

Wheelchair users are exposed to whole-body vibrations, particularly when traversing rugged terrain such as in less resourced areas. Suspension systems have been added to wheelchair systems to protect occupants from secondary injuries associated with whole-body vibration. Current suspension systems need to be further developed in order to optimize the protection against these secondary injuries. Until further research finds conclusive evidence for comfort level, and the onset of injury due to vibrations, it has been recommended to reduce whole-body vibration exposure to the lowest possible level. A versatile testing apparatus and method were designed and built to detect the acceleration and frequencies a wheelchair occupant would be exposed to while riding on simulated rough terrain. A novel dummy was instrumented with accelerometers to measure the accelerations and frequencies experienced by the wheelchair user. The apparatus and method was able to detect peak acceleration magnitudes, and was able to detect resonant frequencies and their intensities with either a PSD or FFT analysis. The minimum observable effect of change between two test conditions ranged from 6.0% for peak acceleration analysis when using six tests and a light dummy; to 41.0% for PSD analysis when using three tests and a heavy dummy. This adjustable testing apparatus and method can be used to tune a wheelchair system suspension design because it can elucidate whether or not a design is able to reduce accelerations and attenuate resonant frequencies experienced by a wheelchair occupant. / Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-01-30 12:17:57.181

Functional MRI (fMRI) is a primary tool in the study of brain function. The primary cause of data corruption in fMRI is head motion while scanning. This problem is compounded by the fact that subjects are asked to perform behavioural tasks, which can promote head motion. Random and/or large head motions are often not handled well in post-processing correction algorithms. This thesis investigates the use of an alternate method: an MRI simulator to help reduce head motion in subjects through training. A simulator environment was developed where subjects could be trained to reduce their head motion through closed loop visual feedback. The effect of simulator training was investigated in young, old and stroke subjects. Performance of subjects with respect to head motion was investigated prior, during and after feedback training, including subsequent fMRI scans. This research helps improve fMRI image quality by reducing head motion prior to scanning.