I was wondering if anyone has used or knows of software that allows us to keep a digital status board. It would be very useful if you had the entire mission base on the same network to see real time updates on a computer or TV screen.
We use the IMU Status Board screen. If you wanted, you could always use a projector to project it on screen. You can watch the status of the mission from anywhere in the state.
Most modern tv screens have an input where you could directly link a computer to them to show whatever you want.
You should definitely look into IMU. Here in CA, we use it all the time, and it is particularly useful when we have bases hundreds of miles apart. It integrates the aircraft status (e.g., released - in the air) with last contact reports so you can look up at the image on the wall (from the LCD projector) and see which aircraft are pink, yellow, or red (depending on how long it has been since the last contact). The MROs enter the radio messages into IMU and these show up for air ops - no running around.
Quotedigital status board
I've been working on a mission management app that does that. It knows the type of comm message being logged (Takeoff, In Grid, etc.) and automatically updates sortie status, flagging any sortie status issues. From that, various status boards are available for viewing. Air Ops, Finance, Overall/Master, etc. It also automates check-in, looking up ops quals from a CAPID number, airplane/vehicle info from a registration number, etc. About 50 screens in total. Runs the whole mission from a flash drive that contains the program and the shared database. Various specialties just connect via wifi.
I wrote it without realizing that IMU was out there. From what I can see, IMU is more oriented towards filling out all the forms, etc. and maybe not so visual. I've just started talking to Rob Borsari who has posted elsewhere about his IMU work. Maybe we'll get together.
Quote from: tinker on June 25, 2009, 09:00:03 PM
Quotedigital status board
I've been working on a mission management app that does that. It knows the type of comm message being logged (Takeoff, In Grid, etc.) and automatically updates sortie status, flagging any sortie status issues. From that, various status boards are available for viewing. Air Ops, Finance, Overall/Master, etc. It also automates check-in, looking up ops quals from a CAPID number, airplane/vehicle info from a registration number, etc. About 50 screens in total. Runs the whole mission from a flash drive that contains the program and the shared database. Various specialties just connect via wifi.
I wrote it without realizing that IMU was out there. From what I can see, IMU is more oriented towards filling out all the forms, etc. and maybe not so visual. I've just started talking to Rob Borsari who has posted elsewhere about his IMU work. Maybe we'll get together.
Can you link yours into either Google Earth, or something else with maps and the CAP Grids?
QuoteCan you link yours into either Google Earth, or something else with maps and the CAP Grids?
Nope. Not now.
Quote from: tinker on July 06, 2009, 04:23:33 PM
QuoteCan you link yours into either Google Earth, or something else with maps and the CAP Grids?
Nope. Not now.
What did you write it in? Interfacing to Google Earth isn't too hard, and there's a somewhat standard interface to FalconView that doesn't need the FalconView SDK either.
QuoteWhat did you write it in?
VBA
Quote
Interfacing to Google Earth isn't too hard, and there's a somewhat standard interface to FalconView that doesn't need the FalconView SDK either.
I assume you're thinking about the conflict map. That really hasn't been the goal. First, the goal was more to automate sortie status and other BD tasks that detract from the headwork: assignments, briefings, debriefings, keeping sorties apart, etc.
But not having really worked yet on the conlict map aspect, the issue that I see is how to conveniently describe the locations of airplanes to the system. In other words, how does the system know what KML to generate? Grids can be done fairly easily but the to/from routes and all the various other search patterns are not so easy. The user certainly can't be expected to enter a whole string of lat/longs. Even using a touch screen and a map demands some kind of graphical input "language" I think. Then there are the time and altitude dimensions to deal with. Maybe I'm wrong but I think it will be difficult to achieve a user interface that is not too complicated but yet avoids the garbage in, gospel out, problem.
Post-it notes and grease pencil lines on wall charts is a crude approach but it does work and the map can be kept up to date by someone who has only recent and minimal training.
If you just want to see where everyone's been, send them out with something like this: http://photofinder.atpinc.com/how.html Let it generate the KML, upload it to Google Earth, color code it to your heart's content and you are pretty much there. I have an evaluation sample of this device right now and it looks promising. I'm sure there are other similar options out there too.
But ... maybe Borsari already has a solution. Talking more to him is my next step.
Quote from: tinker on July 19, 2009, 10:37:28 PM
QuoteWhat did you write it in?
VBA
Quote
Interfacing to Google Earth isn't too hard, and there's a somewhat standard interface to FalconView that doesn't need the FalconView SDK either.
I assume you're thinking about the conflict map. That really hasn't been the goal. First, the goal was more to automate sortie status and other BD tasks that detract from the headwork: assignments, briefings, debriefings, keeping sorties apart, etc.
But not having really worked yet on the conlict map aspect, the issue that I see is how to conveniently describe the locations of airplanes to the system. In other words, how does the system know what KML to generate? Grids can be done fairly easily but the to/from routes and all the various other search patterns are not so easy. The user certainly can't be expected to enter a whole string of lat/longs. Even using a touch screen and a map demands some kind of graphical input "language" I think. Then there are the time and altitude dimensions to deal with. Maybe I'm wrong but I think it will be difficult to achieve a user interface that is not too complicated but yet avoids the garbage in, gospel out, problem.
Post-it notes and grease pencil lines on wall charts is a crude approach but it does work and the map can be kept up to date by someone who has only recent and minimal training.
If you just want to see where everyone's been, send them out with something like this: http://photofinder.atpinc.com/how.html Let it generate the KML, upload it to Google Earth, color code it to your heart's content and you are pretty much there. I have an evaluation sample of this device right now and it looks promising. I'm sure there are other similar options out there too.
But ... maybe Borsari already has a solution. Talking more to him is my next step.
I'm not sure what the conflict map is. A bare-bones initial idea of mine is a way to mark a grid as hot (occupied), CAPFlight En route, or open, updated based on radio calls.
I've been thinking and to some degree talking about a true real-time Blue Force Tracker-like system to update aircraft status in real-time, or near-real time. It seems hard to justify right now, but there are some things out there that could sorta work.
QuoteA bare-bones initial idea of mine is a way to mark a grid as hot (occupied), CAPFlight En route, or open, updated based on radio calls.
Yes, that's a start but you've got the enroute legs, creeping lines, route searches, photo missions, etc. that really can't be forced into a grid format. That's what IMHO makes the problem difficult. As an AOBD, just having coloring for grid searches is not of great interest. It just doesn't solve enough of my problem. I still need my paper map with the yellow stickies. (Not that I wouldn't love to get rid of it!)
Paper maps work as great input devices for that powerful self-programing computer we have on most of our missions - our brains.
Quote from: tinker on July 25, 2009, 11:39:30 PM
QuoteA bare-bones initial idea of mine is a way to mark a grid as hot (occupied), CAPFlight En route, or open, updated based on radio calls.
Yes, that's a start but you've got the enroute legs, creeping lines, route searches, photo missions, etc. that really can't be forced into a grid format. That's what IMHO makes the problem difficult. As an AOBD, just having coloring for grid searches is not of great interest. It just doesn't solve enough of my problem. I still need my paper map with the yellow stickies. (Not that I wouldn't love to get rid of it!)
In IMU you can associate a map object with a sortie. If it is a grid it shows the grid as active or the reported POD. You can also create rectangles and lines and circles based on coordinates. It is handy for keeping track of where everyone is sent. When Aircraft and GTs report their coordinates they are marked on the map.