Digital Voice Signal Distribution for Crew Communication

This effort will continue the development of an optical analog microphone initiated on a previous SBIR program and will also include a feasibility study of various methods of providing total digital voice signal distribution of interphone communications between positions and with radios. the performance benefits of including the digital conversions in the headset vs. converting in the "box" that the headset plugs into will be evaluated in a simulated noise environment. The final report will quantify the performance of the digital headset and will recommend a design and a testing methodology to be demonstrated in Phase II. The second part of the Phase I effort will involve a study of the whole intercom/radio system, including the control functions necessary for call initiation and termination. A key part of the study will develop a Performance Index to be sued to compare and rate the effects of using various communications protocols. Factors to be included in the Index will be voice quality, operational use of the system, reliability and maintainability, equipment form factors, and costs; protocols to be considered will include various isosynchronous and time sensitive "standard" protocols such as FDDI II, ATM, 100Base-VG, Isosynchronous Ethernet, and FFOL as well as a synthesized unique protocol that is customized for digital shipboard or aircraft intercom/radio systems. To arrive at the rating factors that are incorporated in the Performance Index, the Navy Program office and field operators will be consulted. A final report will summarize relative benefits and will recommend a Demonstration model to be implemented in Phase II. This Digital Voice Signal Distribution of Crew Communication study and demonstration will be performed by a joint venture partnership of Micro Optics Inc., the developer of the digital headset, and TechnoSys, Inc., the developer of the Distribution System. The synergism of this partnership will take advantage of the expertise in physics and optics offered by Micro Optics and the Voice communication Systems experience provided by the engineers at TechnoSys. The joint venture partnership will remain in existence through the commercialization and production of the system in Phase III.