Smart BIT: a plan for intelligent built-in test

A major factor influencing the readiness of today´s highly electronics-driven weapons systems is the amount of time spent maintaining them. The attainment of a better understanding of the causes for intermittent and other ill-defined failure modes and development of a greater appreciation for the effect of both external and internal environmental factors on the fault behavior of electronic systems will help to improve the BIT (built-in test) performance. Smart BIT is the name applied to a program of research and development sponsored by Rome Air Development Center (RADC) to investigate, develop, and apply artificial-intelligence (AI) techniques to effect BIT improvement. An overview of that program, its contents and purposes is provided. Deficiencies in current BIT implementations and potential benefits of the Smart BIT program are presented. Components of this approach are discussed and supporting technology areas highlighted. The current plan for implementing this approach is given along with a scenario describing its potential form.<>