Smart DART: a smart diagnostic and repair tool
Smart DART: a smart diagnostic and repair tool
Keywords Mentoring,Multimedia, Smart systems
Smart DART is a computer-based mentoring system implemented in a voice I/O controlled,interactive multimedia, mobile-wearable device for use by the automobile (and other) industries (see Plate 1).
Plate 1 Smart DART is a computer-based mentoring system
The main features of Smart DART include the following:
Integrated to the computer diagnostic port of the automobile, or off-line,interacting with the technician, can diagnose a variety of problems and can communicate the results at the appropriate level, format and mode, using various multimedia tools and solutions.
Can self tune itself, in terms of adjusting to the actual user needs and levels in an "intelligent way".
Has a highly interactive and user friendly multimedia-interface.
Can update itself (based on either the learned knowledge, and/or by means of networked, or plugged-in technical fact data).
Is a highly parallel, distributed and networked device.
Has command-based voice recognition.
Has a "hands-free" user-interface.
Can work in hazardous environments.
Can automatically generate diagnostic and maintenance reports and can communicate these reports via its networked communications system to any receiving site or compatible computer.
In order to help to improve the next generation of products, the automated mentoring system can feed data as well as learned knowledge in a format and language that is appropriate and understandable to the design, manufacturing,quality control, etc. engineering community and their computer support and design systems (CAD/CAM).
Smart DART can diagnose itself and report its own problems (and possible solutions) as they occur, therefore can help to improve the maintenance process as well as the design and the overall quality of the automobile (or other complex product it is trained for).
About the system architecture
In order to achieve the above listed and other functions, Smart DART is implemented as a small,ruggedized, networked mobile-wearable, or desktop networked computer-based device, that runs on a set of core processes, such as:
the process manager;
the information manager;
the interface manager; and
the team co-ordinator.
Smart DART has a set of core modules linked to a fast knowledge-bus, through which various smart cards,or modules it can execute various processes. These smart cards have embed various domain expertise and are to be integrated following the object-linking methodology.
Smart DART has an open system architecture, meaning, that as the need arises new smart cards can be developed and plugged-in, in a way enhancing its "field expertise". Owing to the well integrated, object-linked design architecture, these new modules, or smart cards will automatically integrate with the rest of the system, as well as follow the standard multimedia user-interface design, cutting the learning curve of using a new smart card to a minimum.
The typical application scope of Smart DART
In order to explain the application scope of our system, let us list some broad application areas, with that of the view of the maintenance technician, or engineer, whose job is to diagnose or fix a problem. In general, Smart DART will answer the following questions and resolve the following problems:
How does the particular system under test work? This is explained using highly interactive, multimedia tools and interfaces to a newcomer, or to anybody who wishes to learn about the particular system. Note, that a "system" in this sense can be an automobile, a tank or some other machine, such as a VCR, or a medical instrument.
What are the sub-systems and how do they work, and how do they interact?
Furthermore, Smart DART can:
diagnose the problem;
offer go/no-go reporting;
provide end-to-end versus fault isolation;
rehearse the repair/fix scenarios and procedures by means of highly interactive, and if required by the user, individualized interactive multimedia tools and techniques;
be used as an "expert" tutor, supporting learners at various levels,following different educational scenarios and techniques, best suited to the variety of different users (i.e. maintenance technicians, design, manufacturing and quality engineers, students, managers, and others).
Contact Professor Paul G. Ranky and Professor S. Tricamo, Co-Principal Investigators of the R&D project at NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology), USA, and project partners in an R&D Consortium that includes General Motors, Raytheon, the US National Guard and Interactive Solutions, Inc.; e-mail: ranky@admin.njit.edu
