Recent statistics have demonstrated that two of the most important causes of failures of
the UAVs (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle) missions are related to the low level of
decisional autonomy of vehicles and to the man machine interface. Therefore, a relevant
issue is to design a display/controls architecture which allows the efficient interaction
between the operator and the remote vehicle and to develop a level of automation which
allows the vehicle the decision about change in mission. The research presented in this
paper focuses on a modular man-machine interface simulator for the UAV control,
which simulates UAV missions, developed to experiment solution to this problem. The
main components of the simulator are an advanced interface and a block defined
automation, which comprehend an algorithm that implements the level of automation of
the system. The simulator has been designed and developed following a user-centred
design approach in order to take into account the operator’s needs in the communication
with the vehicle. The level of automation has been developed following the supervisory
control theory which says that the human became a supervisor who sends high level
commands, such as part of mission, target, constraints, in then-rule, while the vehicle
receives, comprehends and translates such commands into detailed action such as routes
or action on the control system. In order to allow the vehicle to calculate and recalculate
the safe and efficient route, in term of distance, time and fuel a 3D planning algorithm
has been developed. It is based on considering UASs representative of real world
systems as objects moving in a virtual environment (terrain, obstacles, and no fly zones)
which replicates the airspace. Original obstacle avoidance strategies have been
conceived in order to generate mission planes which are consistent with flight rules and
with the vehicle performance constraints. The interface is based on a touch screen, used
to send high level commands to the vehicle, and a 3D Virtual Display which provides a
stereoscopic and augmented visualization of the complex scenario in which the vehicle
operates. Furthermore, it is provided with an audio feedback message generator.
Simulation tests have been conducted with pilot trainers to evaluate the reliability of the
algorithm and the effectiveness and efficiency of the interface in supporting the operator
in the supervision of an UAV mission. Results have revealed that the planning
algorithm calculate very efficient routes in few seconds, an adequate level of workload
is required to command the vehicle and that the 3D based interface provides the
operator with a good sense of presence and enhances his awareness of the mission
scenario and of the vehicle under his control.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unibo.it/oai:amsdottorato.cib.unibo.it:786 |
| Date | 05 May 2008 |
| Creators | Miranda, Giovanni <1977> |
| Contributors | Persiani, Franco |
| Publisher | Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna |
| Source Sets | Università di Bologna |
| Language | Italian |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Doctoral Thesis, PeerReviewed |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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