A Low Cost Embedded Instrumentation (EI) Framework for Vehicle Health Management Systems (VHMS)

This paper presents an overview of emerging technology components that in combination form a low cost embedded computing infrastructure and framework for embedded instrumentation (EI) for VHMS. The paper will present how the EI technology adds Real Time - VHMS with very low weight (or even weight savings) in legacy and new air, ground and sea platforms. First the authors will describe the need, customer requirements, and benefits for adding EI for VHMS to old and new platforms. Next the authors will describe the barriers often encountered by developers of current EI VHMS concepts, i.e., safety issues, software development, installation and use certification, data analysis, support centers and life cycle cost. Next the authors will present how these barriers are being overcome with an initial application for ground vehicles using the new EI architecture to provide real-time VHMS. Next the authors will present how a well constructed general purpose EI framework can be defined that reduces development time and minimizes installed weight as well addressing other issues. The authors will explain its open architecture with features such as user defined real-time data collection, data storage, custom analyses, and publish/ subscribe environment that accommodates updates, messages, alerts and off loading. Finally, the paper will end with examples of snap-in connectors and designed in "smart wiring" based approaches that have been developed with MDA Airborne Laser, Army, and Navy funding. This technology is being advanced to field testing on Army ground vehicles to pave the way for application to military and commercial aircraft.