Long Distance Remote Maintenance Capability

The development of a portable remote monitoring/diagnostic/assessment capability, or"telemaintenance"system, is required to reduce the frequency of required ship-visits by shipyard SMEs. To support this requirement, Templeman Automation (TA) proposes"Telemachus", a powerful new enabling technology for shipboard telemaintenance. Telemachus provides technologies for optimal SME guidance of ships-force assets available on-site. The system consists of a UDP-TCP/IP-based video and document sharing software module as well as a projective optical diagramming tool. Telemachus addresses issues of variable bandwidth and manpower with a peer-to-peer thick-client architecture that maximizes data throughput as bandwidth becomes available, and a multi-modal communications portal that allows real-time teamwork as well as asynchronous information sharing for round-the-clock productivity. By intelligently combining existing text, voice, video, and projector peripherals, the SME is able to share diagrams, speak to workers, indicate machinery elements in the ships space, and even optically diagram instructions directly on the machinery view shared by the whole team. Telemachus will be a carry-on diagnostics package that makes no permanent shipboard alterations or installations. It will be self contained, requiring only 110VAC and an Ethernet connection, and packaged in a durable one-man-lift case sized for transport through below-deck hatches.