Supporting Intelligent and Trustworthy Maritime Path Planning Decisions

The risk of maritime collisions and groundings has dramatically increased in the past five years despite technological advancements such as GPS-based navigation tools and electronic charts which may add to, instead of reduce, workload. We propose that an automated path planning tool for littoral navigation can reduce workload and improve overall system efficiency, particularly under time pressure. To this end, a Maritime Automated Path Planner (MAPP) was developed, incorporating information requirements developed from a cognitive task analysis, with special emphasis on designing for trust. Human-in-the-loop experimental results showed that MAPP was successful in reducing the time required to generate an optimized path, as well as reducing path lengths. The results also showed that while users gave the tool high acceptance ratings, they rated the MAPP as average for trust, which we propose is the appropriate level of trust for such a system.This work was sponsored by Rite Solutions Inc., Assett Inc., Mikel Inc., and the Office of Naval Research. We would also like to thank Northeast Maritime Institute, the MIT NROTC detachment, the crew of the USS New Hampshire, and the anonymous reviewers whose comments significantly improved the paper

Navigation and guidance requirements for commercial VTOL operations

The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has undertaken a research program to develop the navigation, guidance, control, and flight management technology base needed by Government and industry in establishing systems design concepts and operating procedures for VTOL short-haul transportation systems in the 1980s time period. The VALT (VTOL Automatic Landing Technology) Program encompasses the investigation of operating systems and piloting techniques associated with VTOL operations under all-weather conditions from downtown vertiports; the definition of terminal air traffic and airspace requirements; and the development of avionics including navigation, guidance, controls, and displays for automated takeoff, cruise, and landing operations. The program includes requirements analyses, design studies, systems development, ground simulation, and flight validation efforts

A study of terrestrial radio determination applications and technology : final report, contract no. DOT/TSC-1274

Final report"July 31, 1978." -- "September, 1978."--Cover. "Submitted to: Transportation Systems Center, Department of Transportation, Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02142."Bibliography: p. 188-193.DOT-TSC-1274 M.I.T. Project. 84492prepared by John E. Ward, Mark E. Connelly, Avram K. Tetewsky

The development of integrated navigation systems and their impact on navigational safety

There are limitations in accuracy in using operational navigational aids separately. The aim of this study is to construct an integration model of high accuracy that can be used on board merchant ships in order to Improve navigational safety. The study examines the theoretical concepts and benefits of an integrated navigation position fixing scheme. In particular, the study concentrats on the aspect of Integration between two radio navigational positioning fixing systems; GPS which is used as the prime source, and Loran-C which is used as the back-up system. The integration between these two systems will be developed in a manner which produces a hybrid receiver. The study also examines the types of errors and classes of accuracy measures. In addition to the integration between GPS and Loran-C the study deals with the design of a navigational system which Includes most essential marine navigation sensors and systems within the hybrid Loran-C/GPS system in order to provide a high level of performance over the widest possible area on board merchant ships. Special attention is paid in chapter Five to the problems encountered in congested waters, especially in the Gulf of Suez (GOS). This chapter discusses with the problems and difficulties of safe of navigation in the GOS, in addition to traffic separation schemes (TSS) and vessel traffic services CVTS). The chapter examines how the proposed system can ensure the safe movement of vessels passing the GOS. In chapter six, a brief look is taken of present methods of Maritime Education and Training (MET), and the effect of simulators in all fields of MET. Finally, a number of recommendations are made concerning the need for a hybrid Loran-C/GPS system, the need to establish a Loran-C system in Egypt, and the need to upgrade all kinds of marine services in the GOS

INCORPORATING RADIO FREQUENCY MESH NETWORKS TO LINK LIVE, VIRTUAL, CONSTRUCTIVE TRAINING

Given the importance of modeling and simulation (M&S) for creating realistic training environments and employing or developing tactical systems for warfighters, the Department of Defense is turning toward live, virtual, constructive (LVC) simulations as a means to prepare and equip our military for the next war. M&S offers a unique competency for modeling emergent enemy behaviors in constructive simulations on virtual battlefields across the globe. Transferring these dynamic tactical actions to live command and control (C2) systems used during training can create decision-making opportunities for distributed units to react to and act upon. The research conducted in this thesis assessed, developed, and implemented an appropriate LVC environment that can be used in training for tactical convoy operations in the Marine Corps. We developed a robust mesh network connected to a personal computer running a constructive simulation to create dynamic tracks on handheld, Android-based C2 systems. Using low-bandwidth radios to create the network, we were able to create a rich, tactically realistic training environment while minimally increasing the combat load of our Marines. The system we created has the same functionality of the blue force tracker (BFT). Because the BFT is no longer funded, we recommend the LVC solution we created for this thesis as a potential replacement with embedded training capabilities.Captain, United States Marine CorpsApproved for public release. distribution is unlimite

How a ship´s bridge knows its position - ECDIS assisted accidents from a contemporary human factors perspective

The technological artifacts used in ship navigation have undergone substantial changes during the last decades, and real-time digital navigation is a reality with the introduction of the ECDIS. Despite the obvious merits of this new navigation mode, and the imagined improvement in safety that it theoretically should bring, ECDIS has in recent years been associated with several accidents. The term ECDIS assisted accidents has emerged in official accident investigation reports and is widely used among the applied technology community as well as having led to the term reverberating the RADAR assisted accidents that the maritime industry has used following the introduction of the RADAR. Despite the focus on the causal contribution from the interplay between the ECDIS and the navigator, the conclusions in the official accident investigation reports are predominantly directed towards the abilities of the ECDIS operator to use the equipment properly, and to a lesser extent on the features of the ECDIS. The reports do not at all investigate how the equipment could have helped navigators, by offering better support in reaching their contextual goals, i.e., to remain in control of the ship and to maintain safe navigation. Parallel accounts emanating from the applied community of ship navigation seem to suggest that functioning of the ECDIS is far from perfect, and at times is considered suboptimal by navigators. The ambition driving this thesis work was to explore these second stories about navigation with ECDIS, based on operator experiences, in order to gain leverage for new ways to inform future development and design of ECDIS, which to a higher degree would need to take into account the contextual conditions and demands that operators experience in the field of practice, and thereby to minimize the gap between how designers, and other remote stakeholders, imagine ECDIS operations, and how these actually play out. Naturalistic research was carried out by attending three ships ́ bridges while the ships were operating. Insights were gained into what sometimes make work difficult during navigation by ECDIS. The findings were juxtaposed with information found in three official accident accounts of ECDIS assisted accidents, and finally the results were discussed based on a theoretical framework based on contemporary human factors and systems safety research literature, including Cognitive Systems Engineering. Thus, it was concluded how the methods applied in this thesis work, and its findings, could be useful to future ECDIS design and development

A study of potential roles of supersonic transport crews and some implications for the flight deck. Volume II - Feasible automated and manual implementation concepts for SST activities and functions, Final report

Automated and manual implementation concepts for supersonic transport activities and implications for flight and ground crew

Development and implementation of uniform safety standards for inland waterways vessels and non-convention craft in Africa : the case of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

This dissertation focuses on the enhancement of maritime safety and environmental protection in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) through the development and implementation of uniform regional safety standards. The study looks at a multiplicity of issues to be considered to achieve the desired goal. A brief look is taken of the existing legislative framework and institutional arrangements in the region both in the dissertation and annexes. Initiatives being taken both at national level and regional level to address the problems will be analysed with emphasis on those taken at regional level. The study also looks at diverse issues of flag state implementation and Maritime Administration. The roles of the flag states in implementing the Model Regulations are explained. The requirements for establishment of an efficient Maritime Administration to carry out these roles are also determined by analysing the weaknesses in the present institutional arrangements. The best option and process of legislating the Model safety regulations has been determined and solutions to any problems that may arise suggested. A critique of some provisions in the Model Regulations has been done. Several issues pertaining to Safety of navigation have been examined. New projects to enhance safety and environmental protection have been determined. This study goes further to look into how the region can benefit from Technical Cooperation to implement the projects. Recommendations on the need for further investigation on the subject have been mad

iCity. Transformative Research for the Livable, Intelligent, and Sustainable City

This open access book presents the exciting research results of the BMBF funded project iCity carried out at University of Applied Science Stuttgart to help cities to become more liveable, intelligent and sustainable, to become a LIScity. The research has been pursued with industry partners and NGOs from 2017 to 2020. A LIScity is increasingly digitally networked, uses resources efficiently, and implements intelligent mobility concepts. It guarantees the supply of its grid-bound infrastructure with a high proportion of renewable energy. Intelligent cities are increasingly human-centered, integrative, and flexible, thus placing the well-being of the citizens at the center of developments to increase the quality of life. The articles in this book cover research aimed to meet these criteria. The book covers research in the fields of energy (i.e. algorithms for heating and energy storage systems, simulation programs for thermal local heating supply, runtime optimization of combined heat and power (CHP), natural ventilation), mobility (i.e. charging distribution and deep learning, innovative emission-friendly mobility, routing apps, zero-emission urban logistics, augmented reality, artificial intelligence for individual route planning, mobility behavior), information platforms (i.e. 3DCity models in city planning: sunny places visualization, augmented reality for windy cities, internet of things (IoT) monitoring to visualize device performance, storing and visualizing dynamic energy data of smart cities), and buildings and city planning (i.e. sound insulation of sustainable facades and balconies, multi-camera mobile systems for inspection of tunnels, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) as active façade elements, common space, the building envelopes potential in smart sustainable cities)