System for synthetic vision and augmented reality in future flight decks

Reinhold Behringer; Clement K. Tam; Joshua H. McGee; Venkataraman Sundareswaran; Marius S. Vassiliou

doi:10.1117/12.389332

23 June 2000 System for synthetic vision and augmented reality in future flight decks

Reinhold Behringer, Clement K. Tam, Joshua H. McGee, Venkataraman Sundareswaran, Marius S. Vassiliou

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4023, Enhanced and Synthetic Vision 2000; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.389332
Event: AeroSense 2000, 2000, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

Rockwell Science Center is investigating novel human-computer interface techniques for enhancing the situational awareness in future flight decks. One aspect is to provide intuitive displays which provide the vital information and the spatial awareness by augmenting the real world with an overlay of relevant information registered to the real world. Such Augmented Reality (AR) techniques can be employed during bad weather scenarios to permit flying in Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in conditions which would normally require Instrumental Flight Rules (IFR). These systems could easily be implemented on heads-up displays (HUD). The advantage of AR systems vs. purely synthetic vision (SV) systems is that the pilot can relate the information overlay to real objects in the world, whereas SV systems provide a constant virtual view, where inconsistencies can hardly be detected. The development of components for such a system led to a demonstrator implemented on a PC. A camera grabs video images which are overlaid with registered information, Orientation of the camera is obtained from an inclinometer and a magnetometer, position is acquired from GPS. In a possible implementation in an airplane, the on-board attitude information can be used for obtaining correct registration. If visibility is sufficient, computer vision modules can be used to fine-tune the registration by matching visual clues with database features. Such technology would be especially useful for landing approaches. The current demonstrator provides a frame-rate of 15 fps, using a live video feed as background and an overlay of avionics symbology in the foreground. In addition, terrain rendering from a 1 arc sec. digital elevation model database can be overlaid to provide synthetic vision in case of limited visibility. For true outdoor testing (on ground level), the system has been implemented on a wearable computer.

Citation Download Citation

Reinhold Behringer, Clement K. Tam, Joshua H. McGee, Venkataraman Sundareswaran, and Marius S. Vassiliou "System for synthetic vision and augmented reality in future flight decks", Proc. SPIE 4023, Enhanced and Synthetic Vision 2000, (23 June 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.389332

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

;

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE