LED-based Inertial Reference System for Aviator Helmets

Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) propose to develop a robust, high-speed, high-accuracy helmet-tracking system for use in the Comanche helicopter. Current systems have numerous problems, such as requiring recalibration whenever the cockpit environment changes, time-consuming mapping of the cockpit, and the inability to process data in real-time. Our proposed system uses a number of photosensitive detectors (PSDs) to look at a known pattern of dots on the helmet to determine position and orientation of the helmet in all six degrees of freedom. Using an algorithm we have developed that is capable of calculating absolute position from the image of the dots, we can build a robust system with accuracy and refresh rates that are over two orders of magnitude better than the requirements. We have extended the algorithm so that any given PSD does not have to see all of the LEDs. This redundancy enhances the robustness and accuracy of the system. During Phase I, we will demonstrate the feasibility of using PSDs and LEDs for helmet tracking through high-level design, simulation, and experiments. As a Phase I Option, we propose to conduct initial testing in a cockpit using an actual helmet to verify system performance.