Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ROSSI (Robotic Test System for Active Inceptors)
Reporting period: 2021-08-01 to 2023-01-31
Rossi project address the technological gap of testing the capabilities of active inceptors, focusing on the haptic performance of these devices. The new active inceptors provide new functionalities and especially haptic behaviour to improve the flight experience and the crew coordination. This project is focused on the design of a test bench fully automated, able to receive and control a shipset of generic active inceptors. The test bench simulates the haptic behaviour of the pilots’ hands and is adaptative to the various configurations and combinations compatible with generic inceptor. This bench has a high level of versatility, both on mechanical side and electronical side, evaluating the haptic behaviour of each inceptor independently or combined in a coupling mode. This project has been developed under the Clean Sky 2 program.
The new generation of active inceptors provide new functionalities and especially haptic behaviour to improve the flight experience and the crew coordination. It is therefore important to have means of test able to support these new and high-level functionalities.
Test whose execution relies on humans are subject to unnecessary and unforeseen delays due to fatigue or distractions. Automatic test, on the other hand, follow a strict schedule, resulting in an execution as fast as possible.
On the other hand, results obtained from manual test are not completely reliable, due to the inherent risk of error carried out by human intervention. However, automatic test guarantees the execution of the test sequence exactly as programmed, excluding the possibility of short cuts, misunderstandings, or forgetfulness. Besides, the fact of registering test results automatically removes all possibilities of intentional distortion. All of this address to a more reliable product.
The main objectives of the project are:
• Simulating the pilot hands. The system will allow to program an infinity of movements simulating the behaviour of the hand to the nearest reality, generating different profiles (flying/auto-pilot mode, coupled/decoupled mode) regardless of the platform type (A/C and H/C).
• Measuring and validating the haptic performance of the inceptor(s). The system will also be provided with the ability of characterizing the feedback resulting from the application of the mentioned pilot actions. This feedback information will be compared with the one expected according to the applied actions and the flight data, therefore producing an evaluation on the haptic performance.
• Test execution speed maximization.
• Human resources optimization.
• Reliability of the measurement and repeatability of the results.
The new generation of active inceptors provide new functionalities and especially haptic behaviour to improve the flight experience and the crew coordination. It is therefore important to have means of test able to support these new and high-level functionalities.
Test whose execution relies on humans are subject to unnecessary and unforeseen delays due to fatigue or distractions. Automatic test, on the other hand, follow a strict schedule, resulting in an execution as fast as possible.
On the other hand, results obtained from manual test are not completely reliable, due to the inherent risk of error carried out by human intervention. However, automatic test guarantees the execution of the test sequence exactly as programmed, excluding the possibility of short cuts, misunderstandings, or forgetfulness. Besides, the fact of registering test results automatically removes all possibilities of intentional distortion. All of this address to a more reliable product.
The main objectives of the project are:
• Simulating the pilot hands. The system will allow to program an infinity of movements simulating the behaviour of the hand to the nearest reality, generating different profiles (flying/auto-pilot mode, coupled/decoupled mode) regardless of the platform type (A/C and H/C).
• Measuring and validating the haptic performance of the inceptor(s). The system will also be provided with the ability of characterizing the feedback resulting from the application of the mentioned pilot actions. This feedback information will be compared with the one expected according to the applied actions and the flight data, therefore producing an evaluation on the haptic performance.
• Test execution speed maximization.
• Human resources optimization.
• Reliability of the measurement and repeatability of the results.
During this period, the following works have been developed:
WP1. Preliminary Analysis: identification of the requirements to be fulfilled by the system under development in order to accomplish the complete test bench functionality.
WP2. Preliminary Design: design of the general system architecture for the test bench.
WP3. Design: detailed definition of the way that each HW and SW component of the solution will accomplish their corresponding functionality.
WP4. Manufacturing/codification: manufacture of the hardware parts and the coding of the software modules according to the design resulting from the previous point.
WP 5. Integration/Validation: integration of all the components of the system and checking that their collective functioning is as expected by means of unit, integration and functional tests in factory and in final location (Safran, Paris).
WP 6. Management
The project has successfully achieved its main objectives, showcasing great accomplishments in various areas. With the utilization of a robotic system and a high-precision force sensor, Rossi test bench allows the emulation of human hand behavior. Moreover, the measurement and validation of the inceptor's haptic performance have been a success, with an objective completion rate of 95%. Rossi test bench has effectively characterized the inceptor's haptic and force performance.
The robotic system in the test bench facilitated the quick and effective reproduction of a multitude of tests. Human resources optimization objective was completed at 100%, as the test bench could be operated and adjusted by a single operator, reducing the need for additional personnel by 50-70%. The focus on value-added tasks reached a completion of 90%. The operator's time could be dedicated to analyzing the results and determining the validity of the tested object, rather than spending time on performing the test itself.
Moreover, the implementation of comprehensive traceability measures has been a success, reaching a completion rate of 100%. The system is able to record the entire testing process in system logs, providing complete tracking and traceability of the test object.
Lastly, the project has showcased a great level of flexibility, with a completion rate of 80%. By designing the system to accommodate two different types of inceptors, the team has ensured future adaptability to potential model changes. The software system's flexibility also allows for the design and modification of new tests, further enhancing the versatility of the test bench.
WP1. Preliminary Analysis: identification of the requirements to be fulfilled by the system under development in order to accomplish the complete test bench functionality.
WP2. Preliminary Design: design of the general system architecture for the test bench.
WP3. Design: detailed definition of the way that each HW and SW component of the solution will accomplish their corresponding functionality.
WP4. Manufacturing/codification: manufacture of the hardware parts and the coding of the software modules according to the design resulting from the previous point.
WP 5. Integration/Validation: integration of all the components of the system and checking that their collective functioning is as expected by means of unit, integration and functional tests in factory and in final location (Safran, Paris).
WP 6. Management
The project has successfully achieved its main objectives, showcasing great accomplishments in various areas. With the utilization of a robotic system and a high-precision force sensor, Rossi test bench allows the emulation of human hand behavior. Moreover, the measurement and validation of the inceptor's haptic performance have been a success, with an objective completion rate of 95%. Rossi test bench has effectively characterized the inceptor's haptic and force performance.
The robotic system in the test bench facilitated the quick and effective reproduction of a multitude of tests. Human resources optimization objective was completed at 100%, as the test bench could be operated and adjusted by a single operator, reducing the need for additional personnel by 50-70%. The focus on value-added tasks reached a completion of 90%. The operator's time could be dedicated to analyzing the results and determining the validity of the tested object, rather than spending time on performing the test itself.
Moreover, the implementation of comprehensive traceability measures has been a success, reaching a completion rate of 100%. The system is able to record the entire testing process in system logs, providing complete tracking and traceability of the test object.
Lastly, the project has showcased a great level of flexibility, with a completion rate of 80%. By designing the system to accommodate two different types of inceptors, the team has ensured future adaptability to potential model changes. The software system's flexibility also allows for the design and modification of new tests, further enhancing the versatility of the test bench.
The ROSSI test bench is innovative due to the very nature of the system under test: the new generation of active inceptors feedback haptics not implemented in aviation vehicles so far. This involves the study of the theoretical curves and the provision of the means to test them.
The aim of replacing the pilot hand with a robotic arm is also a considerable challenge. Although the robot capacity to sense their environment and coordinate their actions is improving day by day, they are still far from fully cover a human hand functionality. In this sense, a major demand is the avoidance of damages to the unit under test. One of our main focuses will therefore consist on obtaining an accurate inceptor manipulation and a high-resolution force sensing.
The project successfully achieved its main objectives, showcasing great accomplishments in various areas. The use of a robotic system and high-precision force sensor allowed the emulation of human hand behavior, enhancing the flight experience and crew coordination. The measurement and validation of the inceptor's haptic performance were remarkable successes, ensuring quality and reliability in the flight control system. Additionally, the project optimized test execution speed, human resources, and focused on value-added tasks. It also ensured reliability, repeatability, traceability, and flexibility, showcasing the system's comprehensive capabilities.
The proposed future improvements for the system include studying the location of the force sensor within the climatic chamber to improve accuracy, conducting a double calibration of the sensor, and exploring the possibility of limiting movement to a single axis. Additionally, a discrepancy in the robot's speed was identified, which requires evaluating the choice of a faster robot and considering the acceleration needed to reach certain speeds. Manufacturing deviations in the inceptor's pivot point were also found, which may require manual adjustments, and it was discovered that the vision system only provides accurate measurements at the reference position. Lastly, the need to adapt the system to different inceptor models and conduct preliminary studies to determine possible mechanical or software modifications is emphasized.
The aim of replacing the pilot hand with a robotic arm is also a considerable challenge. Although the robot capacity to sense their environment and coordinate their actions is improving day by day, they are still far from fully cover a human hand functionality. In this sense, a major demand is the avoidance of damages to the unit under test. One of our main focuses will therefore consist on obtaining an accurate inceptor manipulation and a high-resolution force sensing.
The project successfully achieved its main objectives, showcasing great accomplishments in various areas. The use of a robotic system and high-precision force sensor allowed the emulation of human hand behavior, enhancing the flight experience and crew coordination. The measurement and validation of the inceptor's haptic performance were remarkable successes, ensuring quality and reliability in the flight control system. Additionally, the project optimized test execution speed, human resources, and focused on value-added tasks. It also ensured reliability, repeatability, traceability, and flexibility, showcasing the system's comprehensive capabilities.
The proposed future improvements for the system include studying the location of the force sensor within the climatic chamber to improve accuracy, conducting a double calibration of the sensor, and exploring the possibility of limiting movement to a single axis. Additionally, a discrepancy in the robot's speed was identified, which requires evaluating the choice of a faster robot and considering the acceleration needed to reach certain speeds. Manufacturing deviations in the inceptor's pivot point were also found, which may require manual adjustments, and it was discovered that the vision system only provides accurate measurements at the reference position. Lastly, the need to adapt the system to different inceptor models and conduct preliminary studies to determine possible mechanical or software modifications is emphasized.