The AS-DISCO project’s main objective is to define and implement the IMA concept for Audio Communications Manager. This project will significantly contribute to validate innovative and disruptive new aircraft cockpit concepts on LPA-Platform 3, by building an application for the integrated demonstrator, where several innovative avionics functions, as well as modern interface technologies, are being developed. Therefore, AS-DISCO aligns with Clean Sky’s goal to allow to simplify the DisCo audio architecture that is an enabler for reducing flight crew workload, improving pilot situational awareness, and supporting disruptive and innovative cockpit operations.
To achieve the specific goal of reaching TRL6 for the enabling software; AS-DISCO will consider Clean Sky targets such as integration within innovative multimodal Human Machine Interface (HMI), based upon visual, tactile, voice and innovative digital functions. This new concept and its integration in the DisCo demonstrator aim to deliver robustness, flexibility and versatility, and accommodate them for a new generation of systems.
Under the specification stablished by the Topic Manager, AERTEC has developed a series of models to verify the correct behaviour and the system response to different scenarios using MBSE tools, initially in TRL5 level. AERTEC has applied Test-Based-Model (TBM) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) methodology to the entire system. The modelling also has facilitated the development of “degraded mode identification”, “reconfiguration patterns” criteria and messages according the AFDX protocol. After a decision gate the model was updated to meet TRL6 at software level.
AS-DISCO components have been successfully combined with the LPA-IADP IMA virtual platform, working well within that system. Integration with VHF, Software Defined Radio (SDR), Speech to Text (STT) and the HMI, was a crucial step in system development as it ensures that different subsystems or components worked together as intended. Achieving TRL5 at system level, means that the technology has been validated in controlled environment (realistically simulating the eventual operating environment), while the achievement of TRL6 for the SW development indicates that the development has been done according to the expected process.
