Tank-Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center UNCLASSIFIED 11 June 2003 Jeffrey F. Jaster Intelligent Systems Team Email: [email protected].

Tank-Automotive Research, Development & Engineering CenterUNCLASSIFIED

11 June 2003

Jeffrey F. JasterIntelligent Systems Team

Email: [email protected]

(586) 574-5106 / DSN 786-5106

Fax (586) 574-8684

U.S. Army Tank-Automotive RD&E Center (TARDEC)Vetronics Technology Area

(AMSTA-TR-R, Mailstop 264)Warren, MI 48397-5000

Intra-vehicle Video and Audio Recording for Data Collection Purposes

6/11/2003 2

Agenda

• Background

• Current Approach

• Hardware Used During Testing> Crew integration and Automation Testbed (CAT) Description

> Army Video Solid-state Recorder (AVSR) Description

> AVSR/CAT Integration

> Playback System

• Testing Description

• Results

• Lessons Learned

• Future Capabilities

• Conclusion

6/11/2003 3

Background

• Recorded data for workload evaluation purposes.> Video data

> Audio data

> Soldier Machine Interface (SMI) (i.e. button pushes, WCA, etc) data

• Multiple VHS tapes for video and audio.

• Multiple computer configuration files for SMI and WCA data

• No timestamp synchronization between video/audio and other data

• Difficult to correlate and evaluate workload.

Multiple COTS VHS recorders mounted in a shock proof case

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Current Approach

• TARDEC and Smiths Aerospace working solution via CARDA

Smiths provided• Army Video Solid-state Recorder

(AVSR)> Airborne Video Receptacle (AVR)

> Advanced Data Transfer Cartridge (ADTC)

• Operation Debrief System (ODS) software

• Micro Cartridge Interface Device (MicroCID)

• Engineering support

TARDEC provided:

• Crew integration and Automation Testbed (CAT) vehicle

• Test site> McGregor and Shorad Ranges, Fort Bliss,

TX

• Test subjects> Soldiers from Engineering & Analysis

Battle Lab, Ft. Knox, KY

• Integration activities

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• CAT vehicle is an Interim Armored Vehicle (IAV) Infantry Carrier Variant (ICV) or Stryker. > CAT is a multi-mission capable system: Fight, Scout, Carrier, and Unmanned

Asset Coordination

> The CAT has 2 identical advanced-technology crewstations.

> Embedded Simulation System (ESS) that provides crew with embedded training and embedded mission rehearsal

CAT Description

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AVSR Description

• AVSR design based on Smiths product used in the F-22 program

• AVSR consists of:> Airborne Video Receptacle (AVR)

• 2 - audio input channels

• 4 - RS-170 NTSC video input channels

> Removable Advanced Data Transfer Cartridge (ADTC) • Provides up to 30 Gbyte of data storage

> Micro Cartridge Interface Device (MicroCID)• Allows ADTC to appear as a SCSI device to a computer

> Operational Debrief System (ODS) Software• Companion product to the AVSR

• Playback of up to eight video and two audio channels from one to four ADTC’s.

MicroCID ADTC

6/11/2003 7

AVSR/CAT Integration

• AVR is the main interface between CAT and AVSR> AVR connections are hard wired to the CAT (shown on following chart)

> 2 video channels per crewmember• Sony XC555 color camera mounted over the shoulder

• CAT video switcher feed linked to the task that the crewmember is performing.

> Controlled through a discrete control box• Recording state (standby or record)

• 3 status LED's (ready, recording, or full)

• Event flag button

6/11/2003 8

AVSR/CAT Integration (Cont.)2 - Over-the-shoulder Crew Cameras

(Sony XC555) Video Inputs

2 - SMI Display of Interest Video Inputs (via CAT Video Switcher)

2 - Crew Audio Inputs (via CAT Intercom System)

Discrete Control Box

AVR Unit

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Playback System

• System used for workload and EET analysis> ADTC was removed from the vehicle

> ADTC inserted into the MicroCID

> Data copied to playback computer

• Dell PowerEdge 2650 - ODS SW installed> SCSI connection to the MicroCID

> Interface to the display and sound system

• Dell PowerVault 220S - RAID for media storage device> Contained 11-110 GB hard drives (1.2 TB storage capacity)

6/11/2003 10

VTI Testing - CAT

• Testing completed at Ft. Bliss, TX during Feb and March 03

• CAT Maneuver Demonstration> Ft. Knox soldiers were responsible for complete control of the CAT

• Driving, target acquisition and engagement, command and control

> Goal was to evaluate workload of a 2 man crew• Move, shoot, communicate, unmanned asset control

• Engineering and Evaluation Tests (EET's)> Conducted to measure CAT performance criteria

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VTI Support for FCS UCD

• FCS UCD - CAT operated as surrogate C2V> Ft. Knox soldiers served as ARV operators

> CAT safety driver served as the C2V driver

• UCD Maneuver Demonstration> Goal was to prove feasibility of 1:1 ratio of operator to ARV.

• Mission consisted of route reconnaissance using ARV’s

• ESS used to simulate robotic weapons, sensors and semi-automated forces

• UCD Live Fire Demonstration> Goal to demonstrate target acquisition/engagement using unmanned ARV’s

• COUGAR turret weapon system mounted

on the RF platform – Controlled from the CAT system

– Javelin long-range weapon

– 7.62mm machine gun.

6/11/2003 12

Results

• Currently distributing data to the UCD and VTI team for evaluation> No substantial results available at this time

• Initial results show a substantial improvement over previous data collection efforts > Reduced number of items that need to be correlated

> Added ability to time stamp all of the data sets

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Lessons Learned

• Sony XC555 camera great for viewing the SMI screens> SMI screens visible

> Crew appeared dark• Need to compromise between the screen and crew visibility

• Confusion/errors - minimal impact> Not downloading the data from the ADTC

> Loss of ADTC formatting information

6/11/2003 14

Future Capabilities

• Addition of Ethernet interface to AVR> On-vehicle event flag marking

• SMI or event triggered

> Changing the recording/encoding rate

• ADTC for transferring pre-mission and post-mission data > This would allow the ADTC to become the primary vehicle storage device

> Enhance training through post-mission comparison of simulated and actual data

Pre-mission data could include: • Digital mapping/mission data• Embedded training data• Passwords• UTO• etc.

Post-mission data could include: • Vehicle state date• Sensor data• SMI data• ESS data• etc.

6/11/2003 15

Future Capabilities (Cont.)

• Post-mission debrief/recreation capability> Capability to view actual crew video/audio synchronized with simulation of

vehicle locations and battlefield events

• Live video feedback to command center> Currently limited amount of bandwidth exists

> Smiths' is developing a configurable compression scheme that would allow for arbitrating limited bandwidth available in traditional battlefield RF links

• Addition of overlay data> Current/mission time

> Vehicle location

> Information displayed for a specific field of view • Go/no-go terrain overlaid on the driving screen

6/11/2003 16

Conclusion

• Apparent that AVSR is very beneficial> Will significantly reduced the time required to analyze data

> Reduced the number of correlated items

• Use of the AVSR system can only increase > ADTC as the primary data storage device

• CRADA exists TARDEC's Vetronics Business Group and Smiths’ > Covers the AVSR system as well other activities.

> Catalyst for the enhancements to the AVSR

6/11/2003 17

Contact Information

• Jeff Jaster - TARDEC POCRDECOM TARDEC

AMSTA-TR-R (MS 264: Jaster)

Warren, MI 48397-5000

T- (586) 574-5106, F- (586) 574-8684

Email: [email protected]

• Mark Flinchbaugh - Smiths Aerospace POC> Smiths Aerospace provided technical expertise and information for their

products (ADTC, AVR, AVSR, MicroCID, ODS).

> Mark is primary POC for Smiths information:Smiths Aerospace

Electronic Systems - Germantown

20501 Goldenrod Lane

Germantown, MD 20876

T- (301) 428-6659 F- (301) 428-6433

Email: [email protected]