A method and apparatus for determining failure diagnosis of drive systems of rotorcrafts through measuring the spectral characteristics of rotational oscillations and torsional oscillations and steady windup of a drive shaft. Mechanical anomalies of the drive system will alter the spectral characteristics of rotational oscillations and torsional oscillations and steady windup as detected by a pair of variable reluctance sensors in conjunction with a radial grating mounted on the drive shaft.

A method for servicing a landing gear strut in service supporting an aircraft including: determining a current amount of damping fluid in the landing gear strut; determining a required amount of the damping fluid for correct servicing of the landing gear strut; and adjusting the current amount of damping fluid in the landing gear strut so that the current amount of damping fluid complies with the required amount of damping fluid.

A system for vehicle resource management with a memory, controller, and vehicle. The memory includes instructions. The controller executes the instructions. The vehicle includes a vehicle system, controls device, and can communicate with the controller. The vehicle system generates resource data for a replenishable resource. The controls device commands the vehicle to perform tasks. Moreover, the instructions enable the controller to: receive resource data after a first task; provide a first status for the vehicle when the resource data reflect the resource meets a threshold requirement, or otherwise provide a second status; generate and communicate a first output after the first status is provided, the first output instructing the vehicle to reposition itself to perform a second task; and generate and communicate a second output after the second status is provided, the second output instructing the vehicle to reposition itself to replenish the resource to meet the threshold requirement.

A method of monitoring a cockpit of an aircraft includes receiving, by one or more controllers, an image depicting an operator manipulated input device located within the cockpit. The method can include determining, by the one or more controllers, an observed state of the operator manipulated input device. In particular, the observed state can be based on the image. The method can include determining, by the one or more controllers, a sensed state of the operator manipulated input device. In particular, the sensed state can be based on data from a sensor. The method can include determining, by the one or more controllers, a mismatch between the observed and sensed states of the operator manipulated input device.

A method of managing faults for a vehicle engine control system, includes a plurality of monitoring or observation strategies monitoring a plurality of components and using diagnostics to detect the presence of faults in the plurality of components. For each monitoring or observation strategy, referred to as a diagnosis, if it diagnoses the presence of a fault in a component, the fault detected in the diagnosed component is stored and all the monitoring or observation strategies continue to detect the presence of faults in all of the components that they respectively monitor, but the presence of the fault in the diagnosed component is ignored so as to enable the detection of the presence of other faults, if any, in components other than the diagnosed component.

Non-linear forces are simulated by a dual-rate spring apparatus, which may also be used to impose nonlinear forces. The apparatus includes a carriage and at least two springs arranged sequentially in series with one another. The spring constant is changed by initially allowing both of the springs to compress to a point and, thereafter, after one spring is generally completely compressed, allowing only the other spring to compress further.

A calibration system and a calibration bracket thereof. The calibration bracket includes: a base; a fixed vertical rod, one end of the fixed vertical rod being mounted on the base; a movable vertical rod, mounted on the fixed vertical rod, and being able to move relative to the fixed vertical rod along a length direction of the fixed vertical rod; a brake member, configured to provide a friction force for driving the movable vertical rod to be fixed relative to the fixed vertical rod along the length direction of the fixed vertical rod; and a hanging member, mounted on the movable vertical rod, the hanging member being used for hanging a calibration element, the calibration element being used for calibrating an advanced driver assistance system of a vehicle.

Methods and systems for testing robotic systems in an environment blending both physical and virtual test environments are presented herein. A realistic, three dimensional physical environment for testing and evaluating a robotic system is augmented with simulated, virtual elements. In this manner, robotic systems, humans, and other machines dynamically interact with both real and virtual elements. In one aspect, a model of a physical test environment and a model of a virtual test environment are combined, and signals indicative of a state of the combined model are employed to control a robotic system. In a further aspect, a mobile robot present in a physical test environment is commanded to emulate movements of a virtual robot under control. In another further aspect, images of the virtual robot under control are projected onto the physical test environment to provide a visual representation of the presence and action taken by the virtual robot.

Methods and systems for testing robotic systems in an environment blending both physical and virtual test environments are presented herein. A realistic, three dimensional physical environment for testing and evaluating a robotic system is augmented with simulated, virtual elements. In this manner, robotic systems, humans, and other machines dynamically interact with both real and virtual elements. In one aspect, a model of a physical test environment and a model of a virtual test environment are combined, and signals indicative of a state of the combined model are employed to control a robotic system. In a further aspect, a mobile robot present in a physical test environment is commanded to emulate movements of a virtual robot under control. In another further aspect, images of the virtual robot under control are projected onto the physical test environment to provide a visual representation of the presence and action taken by the virtual robot.

A method for monitoring a hydraulic brake system for a motor vehicle, wherein a diagnostic valve is omitted and, instead, air volume and leakage are identified by a volume balance during generation of a dynamic pressure. An associated brake system is also disclosed.