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 McCains 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 McCains bridge. The ships 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.
“Warship” is probably what you are looking for.
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.
That sounds like the ticket. Thanks.
I would say all of it. If one can set up, another can get into it. Just takes patience and time.
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!
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.
NorthMountain: "GUI controls are two dimensional. Real controls are three dimensional. Anyone who doesnt 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.
More durable for EMP situations, too. ;)
that’s poor software design.
what I said.
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!
"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
There are new cars now that use brake, throttle, gear select and even steering all by wire now.
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.
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.
Really?
With this Generation who grew up with Xbox and PlayStation and Iphones and...
HMMMmmm
onboard-the-bridge-of-the-us-navy-usn-arleigh-burke-class
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!!
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