The heart of the T4 product suite is the ACE software which runs on the Target platform providing high fidelity radio and communications and environmental cue modeling. ACE software features include:
Intercom
The Intercom component set provides sound modeling features required for accurate Intercom Switching (ICS) and communication bus simulation. Intercoms provide the capability to model complex communications structures such as: communications bus, communications control panel, audio signal routing and logic, and instructor/trainer inter-communications.
In addition, ASTi intercoms communicate over networks using DIS, HLA, or VoIP protocol. This allows a growth path for adding more operators to a system, and it allows operators in remote locations to communicate on an intercom bus.
Intercoms are ideal for shipboard communication system simulations, where many party line, point-to-point communications buses, and priority bus structures exist. Typically, these systems are bus structure oriented and existing host software is configured to drive this type of structure.
Some of the main features of Intercoms include:
- Flexible voice switching for intercom between trainees and instructors
- Point-to-point and party line/communication bus structures
- Networked intercom communications
- Voice warning and warning tone simulation
- Bus and warning tone priority capabilities
- Communication control panel simulation
- Selectable full or half duplex operation
- Sidetone generation and control
- Press-to-Talk, vox, hot/cold mic, and volume control
- Priority bus assignment and control
Radio, Receiver and Transmitter
The Radio component set provides all the sound and modeling features required for accurate simulation of radio communications. High level components such as radios transmitter, receivers, ADF receivers, and jammers allow the user to quickly model the required air, space and ground-based communications. All radio objects accurately model real-world equipment with features such as:
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- Correct reception of tones and voice based on tuned frequency
- Transmission/Reception and station fade based on distance and signal strength
- AM/FM transmission and band interference
- Diffraction effects
- Specific radio type modeling such as SINCGARS, HF, UHF, VHF, Satellite, and others
- Crypto and Hopset system modeling
- Tones or noises heard for encrypted radios (preamble, postamble, mis-match)
- Antennae gain based on frequency
- Standard or user definable background noise characteristics
- Lightning and background noise effects
- Communications jamming
- Voice messages for simulation of ATIS, GCA/CCA, ground stations background radio chatter
- Line-of-sight and over-the-horizon simulation
- Squelch, AGC, tuning tones
- World Positioning of radios (geocentric, geodetic)
- Sidetone Generation and Control
- Press-to-Talk, Hot/Cold Mic, volume control
- Communication control panel simulation
- Proper Half-Duplex operation
- Separate transmit and receive frequencies within the same radio component
- Interface with a terrain server for enhanced propagation modeling
- Passing of data messages between radio objects
Communication Control Panel
The communications panel component provides modeling of vehicle radio, receiver, and communications bus routing, switching, and mixing. Simulator communication panel switch states and volume settings are sent to the Target directly, without any logic manipulation by the host computer. This information is tied directly, without any logic manipulation by the host computer. This information is tied directly to the communications panel component, along with the appropriate radio and intercom components. Depending on user defined local configuration, microphone audio, as well as transmission and receive signals, are mixed and routed to the appropriate headset based on the switch and volume state information.
Navigation Aids
Navigation Aid components such as VOR, TACAN, NDB, VORTAC, and Marker Beacon provide accurate simulation of vehicle and ground-based navigational systems. Navigation Aids features include:
- Morse code keying of navigation tones from ASCII identification strings
- TACAN, VOR, ILS, ADF, BFO, DME, and Marker Beacon simulation
- Correct reception of tones based on tuned frequency
- Station fade with distance or transmitter signal strength
- Lightning and background noise effects
- Jamming
- Line of sight and over-the-horizon simulation
- Squelch and AGC simulation
- UHF/HF and AM/FM transmission
- Transmission/reception based on signal strength
Electronic Warfare
Accurately simulate radar warning receiver and ECM audio using ASTi's electronic warfare components. Electronic warfare components synthesize the audio signals generated by EW equipment derived from received radar signals. The resulting audio is a series of pulses based on the characteristics of the demodulated radar signal.
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- Generation of radar warning receiver pulse stream for RWR and ECM audio simulation
- Radar pulse stream audio frequency and amplitude modulation control and effects
- Jamming effects
- Signal strength and scan effects
- Standard frequency modulation types such as steady, triangular, sinusoidal, ramp/sawtooth, random, step and dwell and stagger
- High-level, parameter-driven interface such as PRI, Frequency Modulation Mode, and Pulse Width
Record and Replay
In many simulation applications, the requirement exists for dynamic recording and replay of the training exercise. For example, recording and replay of multiple, fixed length demonstrations or continuous recording or the last "n" minutes of the training exercise. Typically, voice traffic must be recorded as part of these requirements. The Record Playback of Local Streams or over a network provides the sound components and control features required for real time voice traffic recording and playback. Digitized audio is streamed to and from the system's hard drive in real time. Record times are only limited by the size of the system's hard drive.
Some of the features include:
- Single and multiple voice channel record/playback
- Demonstration voice overlay
- Last "n" minutes continuous record and playback
- Selectable mission recording and playback for debrief
- Flexible selection of recorded sounds/voice traffic
- Multiple independent record and playback channels
- Selectable compression algorithms
Engines, Rotors and Propellers
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- Jet/Turbine engine simulation
- Intake and exhaust sounds
- Helicopter main and tail rotor sound simulation
- Propeller sound simulation
- User configurable parameters such as blade length, blade number, and blade hiss characteristics
- High-level parameter driven interface such as N1, N2, RPM, and blade angle
Learn more about ASTi's Aural Cue Simulation.
ACE 3D Soundfield Reconstruction
The ACE 3D Soundfield Reconstruction technology is a breakthrough in the field of 3D sound for the simulation and training industry. The new 3D sound positioning capability offers a rich and immersive soundfield reproduction experience. Incorporated into ACE software, the 3D sound simulation offers capabilities such as:
- Easy and accurate sound positioning
- Full 360 degree soundfield support
- Virtual speaker location
- Channel equalization for improved accuracy
- Full 3D effects in stereo headset and speakers
ASTi's approach is different in that it doesn't encode the channel audio; the encoding of the signal simply describes the directionality of the source signal. This approach separates the encoding of the signal from the configuration used to replay the signals. The decoder assumes the role of determining how the soundfield descriptor values are used to reconstruct the soundfield. The advantage of this approach is that it makes no assumption regarding the orientation of the listener and it is not restricted to horizontal-only directionality.
The 3D technology may also be applied to a 3D headset sound requirement, via application of virtual channels and the application of Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) filters, resulting in a significant improvement in fidelity, localization accuracy, and overall soundfield "believability."
See more on ASTi's approach to 3D Soundfield Reconstruction.
T4 ACE Software