A Sensor Simulation Framework for the Testing and Evaluation of External Hazard Monitors and Integrated Alerting And Notification Functions

ABSTRACT This paper discusses a sensor simulator/synthesizer framework that can be used to test and evaluate various sensor integration strategies for the implementation of an External Hazard Monitor (EHM) and Integrated Alerting and Notification (IAN) function as part of NA SA’s Integrated Intelligent Flight Deck (IIFD) project. The IIFD project under the NASA’s Aviation Safety program “ pursues technologies related to the flight deck that ensure crew workload and situational awareness are both safely optimized and adapted to the future operational environment as envisioned by NextGen .” Within the simulation framework, various inputs to the IIFD and its subsystems, the EHM and IAN, are simulated, synthesized from actual collected data, or played back from actual flight test sensor data. Sensors and avionics included in this framework are TCAS, ADS-B, Forward-Looking Infrared, Vision cameras, GPS, Inertial navigators, EGPWS, Laser Detection and Ranging sensors, altimeters, communication links with ATC, and weather radar. The framework is implemented in Simulink