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US Navy to replace touchscreens with mechanical controls
Naval Technology ^ | August 12, 2019 | Harry Lye

Posted on 08/15/2019 11:24:55 AM PDT by CedarDave

The US Navy is to replace touchscreen controls on destroyers with physical systems in 2020 after a report into the fatal 2017 USS John S McCain collision branded the controls ‘unnecessarily complex’.

The investigation into the accident that resulted in the deaths of 10 sailors said that the complexity of the control system and a lack of training led to the collision.

Bridge design on US naval vessels is largely uncontrolled by the military, with a lack of specific requirements leaving design decisions to shipbuilders.

The step-back in technology will give sailors more tactile feedback and remove the ambiguity and uncertainty that played a role in the collision.

The Navy will retrofit mechanical controls on all DDG-51 (Arleigh Burke) class destroyers that currently use the Northrop Grumman Integrated Bridge and Navigation System (IBNS).

When reached for comment Northrop Grumman told Naval Technology: “We continue to work closely with the Navy on its navigation modernisation program by providing advanced capabilities to support the fleet.”

After incidents with the USS McCain and USS Fitzgerald, the US Navy surveyed the crews of its ships and found a majority of sailors wanted to see a return to more intuitive mechanical controls.

A report from the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that: “Training on the operation of the Integrated Bridge and Navigation System for John S McCain watchstanders was inadequate, because it did not ensure that the crew could perform the basic functions of the watch, such as the transfer of steering and thrust control between bridge stations.”

The report also found that “The design of the John S McCain’s touch-screen steering and thrust control system increased the likelihood of the operator errors that led to the collision.”

The report did not place sole blame on the IBNS, however, adding that the sailors’ lack of training and fatigue also played a key role in the incident.

The incident was caused when sailors attempted to pass control of the throttle from one console to another, resulting in the belief that they had lost control of the ship.

The system on board the ship allows throttle and steering to be controlled from multiple stations on the USS McCain’s bridge. The ship’s crew enabled the “backup manual mode” to get more intuitive control of the ship, however, this meant it could be controlled from multiple stations. As a result crew members on all three stations could steer the ship when they tried to regain control of the vessel steering swapped between the three stations.

As a result, the report recommended that the US Navy “issue permanent guidance directing destroyers equipped with the Integrated Bridge and Navigation System to operate in computer-assisted steering modes, except during an emergency.”

The report added: “Mechanical throttles provide complementary information to an operator: direction, force, and the ability to confirm either visually or by touch whether the throttles are ganged and working in unison.

“Mechanical throttles are used in aviation and on most vessels still operating in the Navy. They are often preferred over touch-screen displays as they provide both immediate and tactile feedback to the operator.”

The report concluded that the US Navy should revise the way it trains sailors to use the IBNS system and provide clearer technical manuals on how to correctly transfer controls between the systems consoles.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: navy; technology; touchscreens; ussfitzgerald; ussmccain
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To: CedarDave
This is the real reason they are switching:


81 posted on 08/15/2019 2:18:39 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: CommerceComet

“Warship” is probably what you are looking for.


82 posted on 08/15/2019 2:19:19 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: ETCM
There is extensive redundancy in McCain's steering system. There is no single point of failure. The problem was lack of training.

I don't doubt that your explanation of the existing redundancies is true but it seems that all are still computerized. The need for a mechanical system as backup seems prudent.

83 posted on 08/15/2019 2:22:48 PM PDT by CommerceComet (Hillary: A unique blend of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.)
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To: Boogieman
“Warship” is probably what you are looking for.

That sounds like the ticket. Thanks.

84 posted on 08/15/2019 2:24:28 PM PDT by CommerceComet (Hillary: A unique blend of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.)
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To: HombreSecreto

I would say all of it. If one can set up, another can get into it. Just takes patience and time.


85 posted on 08/15/2019 2:28:08 PM PDT by sport
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To: CedarDave

Chevy Silverado this morning and the display screen was full of icons

We had a GMC Suburban with heat/cool controls on a touch screen.
I preferred a copilot make the settings, otherwise, I had to take my focus off the road and attempt to see the screen in bright light.

No tactile feedback, just poke the icons.
Loved the car, hated the controls.

Same for car radios, I want knobs!


86 posted on 08/15/2019 2:32:06 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last message.)
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To: CommerceComet

Nothing meant by it; was just trying to make a joke, so sorry. However, your point was valid - redundancy is good where lost of function can mean disaster.


87 posted on 08/15/2019 3:38:35 PM PDT by CedarDave (A better name for US Public Schools: Propaganda Indoctrination Centers)
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To: NorthMountain; Reverend Wright
We have two winning minds here:

NorthMountain: "GUI controls are two dimensional. Real controls are three dimensional. Anyone who doesn’t understand that fact, and its implications, should be permanently banned from ever developing any form of control system."

Reverend Wright: "Characterization of this as a “step-back” is a big part of the reason they got to this mess in the first place."

Kudos to both of you. I see more and more failures with fools selling and fools buying "magic computer" nonsense instead of doing the hard work of developing something that really works.

88 posted on 08/15/2019 3:55:42 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: CedarDave

More durable for EMP situations, too. ;)


89 posted on 08/15/2019 4:13:31 PM PDT by familyop ("Welcome to Costco. I love you." - -Costco greeter in the movie, "Idiocracy")
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To: pbear8

that’s poor software design.

what I said.


90 posted on 08/15/2019 6:44:27 PM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing obamacare is worse than obamacare itself.)
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To: Moonman62

Touch Screens in cars is a really dumb idea. Esp. some that go further and have added script recognition. It’s a serious distraction, thru several levels of menu selections; all I wand to do is turn down the audio volume!


91 posted on 08/15/2019 8:21:22 PM PDT by mikeIII
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To: rlmorel
The thing I couldn't believe was this:

"Bridge design on US naval vessels is largely uncontrolled by the military, with a lack of specific requirements leaving design decisions to shipbuilders."

Everything in the USAF is specified extremely tightly. I would have expected the Navy to have Admiral-level sign-off on the tolerance on threads of the screws that mount dataplates on anything that goes onto a combat ship's bridge!

Surrendering fundamental design decisions to >>civilian shipbuilders<< totally blows my mind!

TXnMA
  

92 posted on 08/15/2019 10:25:26 PM PDT by TXnMA (Occam's Razor says that most conspiracist "brain farts" are simply indefensible...)
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To: CedarDave
Even Commander Data has issues with them from time to time.


93 posted on 08/15/2019 10:41:18 PM PDT by Crolis ("To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it." -GKC)
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To: z3n

There are new cars now that use brake, throttle, gear select and even steering all by wire now.


94 posted on 08/15/2019 10:44:14 PM PDT by Crolis ("To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it." -GKC)
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To: mikeIII

I have a minivan and I love the fact that I have a dedicated pod with all the climate control buttons. A lot of the newer cars move much of the climate functions into a submenu on a touchscreen.

I don’t want to go through 3 levels of menu just to turn on the heated seat. I just want one button to push.

Now our radio/GPS is a touch screen, but it has a knob for volume and several physical buttons to get you to the major functions. You hit “Radio”, it starts playing the radio. And nearly every screen has the top right corner reserved for a “NAV” button.. an electronic button always in the same place, and easily found as your finger touches the corner bezels of the screen.

The Tesla’s are the worst. Hardly any physical controls to be found and everything as part of one huge touchscreen.


95 posted on 08/15/2019 10:57:15 PM PDT by Crolis ("To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it." -GKC)
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To: Moonman62

Same - especially in cars.
One of the reasons I got a Mercedes is because they were “behind the curve for touchscreens” and use the “joystick” and other button method.


96 posted on 08/16/2019 2:40:07 AM PDT by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches, or Trump in general, while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
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To: CedarDave
The US Navy is to replace touchscreen controls on destroyers with physical systems in 2020 after a report into the fatal 2017 USS John S McCain collision branded the controls ‘unnecessarily complex’.

Really?

With this Generation who grew up with Xbox and PlayStation and Iphones and...

97 posted on 08/16/2019 4:17:32 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: z3n
You should never put critical systems in the hands of a software GUI.

HMMMmmm…


98 posted on 08/16/2019 4:21:32 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: mbarker12474
Knobs. Physical switches. Buttons. Large.

onboard-the-bridge-of-the-us-navy-usn-arleigh-burke-class



99 posted on 08/16/2019 4:40:44 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: CedarDave

My OBDII tester lists over 900 separate things it is checking for!

Right now the CheckEngineLight is on. (2012 Jeep Compass)

The tester says I have a teeny leak in the gastank EVP system.

The dealer can’t find it!

I spill more gas putting it in my ZT riding mower than this ‘system’ would EVER protect the environment from!!


100 posted on 08/16/2019 4:45:40 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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