IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems, Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society

The Vancouver Chapter of the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems, Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society have hosted the following past events:

When: Thursday, September 27, 2001, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Spaceborne remote sensing has evolved greatly since it began in the late 1960's and will continue to do so well into the 21st Century. In this presentation, Dr. MacDonald will discuss the interpretation of data from various sensors and some of the advanced techniques for extracting information from the data. He will also identify some of the near-term technical challenges in the field and how spaceborne remote sensing is expected to develop in the relatively near future. This presentation will emphasize Canada's role in the development of this technology and what its impact on our future is likely to be.

Biography:

Dr. John S. MacDonald graduated with honours in Electrical Engineering from the University of British Columbia in 1959 and earned his Master's degree (1961) and Ph.D (1964) in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. MacDonald is one of the founding members of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates in Richmond, BC and served as President and Chief Executive Officer until September 1982 and as Chairman until his retirement in 1998. Currently, Dr. MacDonald is the Chairman of the Institute for Pacific Ocean Science and Technology (IPOST).

Additionally, Dr. MacDonald is active in an advisory capacity to the government. He has served as Canada's member of the Eminent Persons Group of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), as well as a member of the Science Council of Canada, the National Research Council of Canada, the British Columbia Premier's Advisory Council on Science and Technology, the National Advisory Board on Science and Technology and founding member of the Science Council of British Columbia. Currently, Dr. MacDonald is a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and the Canadian Defence Science Advisory Board.

Dr. MacDonald is a registered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), a Founding Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute. In 1984 he was awarded the IEEE Centennial Medal, the Gold Medal of the Canadian Remote Sensing Society in 1989 and in 2000 was awarded The John H. Chapman Excellence Award of the Canadian Space Agency, the Agency's highest award. He holds honorary degrees from the Technical University of Nova Scotia (D.Eng), the University of Victoria (D.Eng), the University of British Columbia (D.Sc), Royal Roads Military College (D.M.Sc), the University of Manitoba (D.Sc), Simon Fraser University (LLD) and Kwantlen University College (DTech). He was Honorary Colonel of 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron of the Canadian Armed Forces from 1992 to 1998. Dr. MacDonald is an Officer of the Order of Canada.

The Development Challenges of the SIVAM Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar System

When: Monday, October 15, 2001, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

The Brazilian Government is procuring the System for theVigilance of the Amazon (SIVAM) in an effort to gain control over the natural resources contained in the Amazon in order to ensure its sustainable development. MacDonald Dettwiler has developed an airborne, multi-frequency, multi-mode synthetic aperture radar system as one of the primary remote sensing sensors and processing capabilities for SIVAM. This presentation elaborates on some of the development and installation challenges experienced on this project.

Biography:

Joe Steyn was born in Durban, South Africa and obtained his B.Sc in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1977. Mr. Steyn gained experience in the aerospace industry as a systems engineer before forming the Analysis, Management and Systems (AMS) company with six other collegues in 1982, which became the prime designer and manufacturer of high technology industrial and aerospace products. Before leaving South Africa in 1994, Mr. Steyn was the project engineer for the re-engineering, manufacturing and qualification of the avionics of a three-stage satellite rocket launcher. In October 1995, Mr. Steyn joined MacDonald Dettwiler as the project engineer for the SIVAM Airborne SAR System. Mr. Steyn is currently completing the installation and acceptance test of the first system.

When: Monday, November 19, 2001, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Development of the Canadian Automated Air Traffic System (CAATS) by Raytheon (Richmond Facility) included an extensive safety analysis for hazards that could potentially contribute to a loss of separation. This analysis was initiated at a relatively early stage in the implementation of CAATS and continued up to the completion of final factory acceptance testing in November 2000. In this presentation, Dr. Joyce will discuss some key aspects of Raytheon's approach to system safety analysis, focusing especially on the integration of this activity with other activities such as requirements specification and testing. Dr. Joyce will consider some challenges for system safety engineering such as the re-use of previously developed code.

Biography:

Dr. Jeffery Joyce is a senior engineer at Raytheon Systems Canada Ltd. in Richmond, BC. He is the Safety Authority for both the Canadian Automated Air Traffic System (CAATS) program and the Military Automated Air Traffic (MAATS) program. Dr. Joyce received his doctorate from the University of Cambridge in 1990.

When: Tuesday, December 11, 2001, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Modern remote sensing capabilities, aerospace systems, and geo-science systems all produce a wealth of data. The very richness of the data can help or hinder the users, depending on how the data are presented. Mission effectiveness, whether in industry or defense, depends on providing the end-users not just with data but with information. The Human-Machine Interface (HMI) must present information so as to support knowledgeable decision-making. This presentation describes usability principles and processes that support development of operationally-effective HMIs.

Biography:

Gweneth Unger Campbell is CEO of Unger Campbell, a usability consulting firm in Vancouver. She is an internationally recognized expert in Human Factors and has business experience in industry and in the Air Force, Army and Navy. She represents Canada in Human Factors at NATO. Dr. Campbell is an advocate of iterative and human-centered design.

When: Wednesday, January 16, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler,13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Air traffic control authorities first began using computers in the 1960s for improving surveillance, flight data processing and communications. Today, many and various systems are used in most aspects of ATC and flow management. The main focus of the presentation will be on new systems now being built and on concepts of future operations. The best example of the new generation of systems is the Canadian Automated Air Traffic System (CAATS); the talk will touch on its capabilities and unique architecture. These new systems will address needs for improved traffic capacity, more optimal flight routing, automated air/ground communications, improved interoperability of flight data processors and collaborative decision making

Biography:

Mr. Pelletier obtained a BASc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in 1972. He has had a long career in the design and development of ATC automation systems, both in government (at Transport Canada) and in private industry. He was chief designer of the Gander Automated Air Traffic System and was active in the development of the Canadian Automated Air Traffic System (CAATS) and its military version (MAATS) at Hughes, now Raytheon. As Senior Systems Engineer at Raytheon Systems Canada Ltd., he is now responsible for defining new ATM systems for international markets.

When: Wednesday, February 13, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

RADARSAT-2 is Canada's next generation Earth Observation satellite. RADARSAT-2 will use a sophisticated radar system to acquire images in a wide variety of sizes and resolutions, with significantly greater capabilities than its predecessor, RADARSAT-1.

This presentation will provide an overview of the RADARSAT-2 programme, including the satellite configuration and the radar imaging capabilities, enhancements to the ground segment for data processing and distribution to customers, and some of the existing and potential new applications for the image data.

Biography:

Larry Reeves is a Space Mission Analyst and the Launch Segment Systems Engineer for RADARSAT-2. He has a B.Sc. and M.Sc in Computer Science, and a Master of Space Studies degree from the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.

When: Tuesday, March 26, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Peter Fox will present a view of the Synthetic Aperture Payload for Radarsat-2. Dr. Fox will start with the requirements and a block diagram, then dive straight into the so-called Sensor Electronics (the Transmitter/ Receiver) with overall architectural views and with very detailed looks at selected very diverse subsystems such as the radar pulse event sequencer, the coherent sampling receivers and the stable master oscillator. He will then present the Antenna, showing how the RF is distributed, amplified, transmitted and received with the programmable beams. This is a view that ranges from the sub-micron level, up to the 1000 kg slabs of metal that is used to construct the antenna structure.

Biography:

Dr. Peter Fox is the Lead SAR Payload Engineer for the Radarsat-2 program at MacDonald Dettwiler. He has extensive experience in remote sensing instrument and system development. He is responsible for the technical performance and systems of the Radarsat-2 SAR Payload. This is an extremely sophisticated 512 element spaceborn phased array synthetic aperture radar with multiple modes of operation.

Prior to Radarsat-2, Dr. Fox was President and founder of Spectrametrix, a small company that developed 2D and 3D industrial remote sensing instruments for harsh environments. In the late 80s to mid 90s he was Engineering Manager at Simrad Mesotech Systems Limited, where he developed a variety of phased array sector scanning sonars as well as other sonar systems. As Chief Engineer of Klein Associates Inc. in the U.S.A., Dr. Fox developed a new generation of Klein Side Scan Sonar Systems. During that period he extended his Ph.D. work on electronically focused multiple beam side scan sonar to lay the foundation for the development of a commercial high resolution high speed sidescan sonar system. (MDA subsequently built a similar sonar for the MCDV program).

Dr. Fox's real claim to fame is a two week sidescan sonar search in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia, during which the Katsuragisan Maru was located after being lost for 50 years. In spite of the perfect weather, unbelievable diving with 200 ft visibility and the fact that he was paid to do this, Dr. Fox still managed to enjoy himself.

When: Wednesday, April 17, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Hyperspectral sensors collect a full spectrum (typically 200 bands) for every pixel in an image. The resulting datasets are very information-rich, and exploitation techniques are still being developed to take full advantage of them. Typical applications are mineral exploration, resource mapping, military target recognition, and environmental monitoring. This talk will give an overview of the current hyperspectral sensors, and outline some of the opportunities and challenges encountered by those working with the data sets.

Biography:

Dr. Mike Davenport is a senior scientist in MacDonald Dettwiler's research group, where he is currently managing projects in both hyperspectral and SAR exploitation. His work in multi- and hyper-spectral image analysis goes back seven years, and has focused on target detection and recognition for customers in the Canadian and US government. Mike has a PhD in theoretical physics from UBC.

When: Monday, September 23, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

It has long been recognized that ambiguous and inconsistent requirements are the primary cause of design errors in systems. This is not helped by the fact that most specifications are still produced as paper documents and then subject to review. A rigorous review might catch many of these errors, but all too often the review is cursory due to lack of time or experience.

Model-based systems engineering moves away from the written specification approach towards a dynamic representation of the system under design.

Through the model-based approach, design errors are detected much earlier in the development process where the cost to fix them is much less. Customer change requests can be assessed and responded more efficiently.

This presentation gives a state-of-the art overview of model-based systems engineering using classical structured-based and object-oriented (UML) methods. Special focus is put on requirements capture and requirements analysis ("Executable Use Cases") as well as on model verification/ validation through simulation and formal methods.

Biography:

Dr. Peter Hoffmann has 22 years experience in the design and development of complex systems in the aerospace/defense industry (submarines, tanks, missiles and military aircraft) as well as in the automotive industry. As Director of the Simulation Department of the Missile Division at MBB, Germany (later DASA/EADS) he developed a methodology-based approach for modeling and analysis of flight control systems - especially through Hardware-in-the-Loop simulation.

He worked internationally as a consultant for model-based system development in the aerospace, defense, and automotive industry. Since 1997 he is Director and Chief Methodologist for Systems Design at I-Logix, a leading Real-Time Object-Oriented and Structured Systems Design Automation tool vendor.

A respected specialist in real-time systems design, Dr. Hoffmann is responsible for delivering senior-level consulting, mentoring, and training to embedded systems developers. Clients include Alenia, BAe, Boeing, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA), Eurocopter, General Dynamics, GIAT, JPL, Lockheed Martin, NASA and SAAB

When: Tuesday, October 15, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Light can be used to form images in two different ways: photonically and thermally. In photonic imaging the energy of a photon causes a chemical reaction by affecting some molecular bonds. The higher the energy of the photon the more it can do. In thermal imaging the reaction is caused by the heat created in absorbing the photon and not by the direct action of the photon. Thermal imaging has completely different properties which can be used to a great advantage. For example, exposing film in a camera is a photonic process while writing a CD-R is a thermal imaging process (even if they are done by the same color of light). Creo has built a large business by exploiting the unique properties of thermal imaging.

Biography:

Dan Gelbart has a BSc and MSc in electrical engineering and spent the last three decades developing products combining electronics, mechanics and optics. The total value these products shipped to date exceeds two billion dollars. He is currently the president and CTO of Creo Inc.

When: Tuesday, November 19, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Dr. Kayton will present an overview of Navigation Systems. The talk will focus on:
       - Absolute Navigation versus Dead Reckoning
       - Guidance versus Navigation
       - Characteristics of Navigation Systems for aircraft. automobiles, ships, and spacecraft
       - Cost and Accuracy

Biography:

Dr. Kayton has 45 years of experience designing avionic, navigation, communication, and computer-controlled systems where he is presently President of Kayton Engineering Company. Dr. Kayton has worked on several commercial computers, process systems, upper-stage spacecraft, a satellite interceptor, commercial communication systems, several aircraft avionic systems, and a dozen land navigators and automotive electronic systems. He has evaluated high-technology products on behalf of several investment groups and served as an expert witness. He served as Chief Engineer for Spacelab avionics, Head of System Engineering for Space Shuttle avionics, and Project Engineer for the electronics of the Inertial Upper Stage and a nuclear power plant. Dr. Kayton served as Deputy Manager for Lunar Module Guidance and Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Dr. Kayton was Section Head at Litton's Guidance and Control Division having designed some of the earliest multi-sensor navigation systems. Dr. Kayton is a registered electrical and mechanical engineer, a Life-Fellow of the IEEE, was an elected member of the corporate Board of Directors, and served two terms as President of its Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society. He was Vice-Chairman of the Los Angeles Council, technical chairman of several conference sessions, and organized an IEEE Delegation to the Indian Space Agency in 1992. He was an active member of standards committees for navigation sensors and fault-tolerant computers and is an editor of the Aerospace Transactions. He taught simulation methods, multi- sensor navigation systems, and land navigation at UCLA, published more than 60 papers and articles, and chaired a dozen conference sessions. He is the author of the standard reference text, AVIONICS NAVIGATION SYSTEMS and of NAVIGATION: LAND, SEA, AIR AND SPACE. He is the recipient of several honors including the IEEE-AES's Carlton Award for the best technical paper of 1988 and the Third Millennium Medal.

Dr. Kayton received a Ph.D. in Instrumentation from M.I.T., his M.S. from Harvard University, and his B.S. in mechanical engineering from The Cooper Union.

Dr. Kayton is an instrument-rated pilot and holds an FAA Project Raincheck certificate in Air Traffic Control.

When: Tuesday, December 3, 2002, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) provides the capability for an airborne or spaceborne radar platform to detect, locate and track moving vehicles. GMTI is non-trivial due to the energy returned by the ground clutter from the area surrounding the target. Discrimination by Doppler shift alone allows those vehicles with a sufficiently high enough radial velocity to be detected, but doesn't allow slow movers to be detected.

Various methods using more than one antenna phase centre have been suggested in order to achieve an acceptable Minimum Detectable Velocity (MDV) for typical real-world requirements. For example, systems using Space Time Adaptive Processing (STAP), Displaced Phase Centre Antenna (DPCA) or Along Track Inteferometry (ATI) techniques use two or preferably three or more phase centres, with sophisticated signal processing to detect slow movers.

The presentation will discuss the basic problem of GMTI of slow movers, and outline the processing potentials and limitations of DPCA, STAP and ATI. Performance of a real-time airborne DPCA system that MDA recently fielded will be discussed, along with results from a benchmarking study for real-time STAP.

Biography:

Martie Goulding is a senior Radar Systems Engineer at MacDonald Dettwiler, where he has worked for the past ten years. During the past five years, he has led the development of a real-time airborne GMTI system which is currently fielded, as well as a real-time prototype for STAP processing. Prior to his work in GMTI, Dr. Goulding worked as an analyst and software engineer on several airborne and spaceborne SAR processors.

When: Tuesday, January 21, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Modernization of software systems that support Air Traffic Operations is fraught with challenges and pitfalls. These challenges range from expressing the needs of the organization into a contact, to the difficulty in translating complex operations and regulations into software, to the size and complexity of the final system. Despite these challenges, the United States Air Force has undertaken a program to modernize its aircraft instrument procedure design and management.

The United States Air Force Instrument Procedure Design System (Air Force Terminal Instrument Procedures Replacement (AFTERPS-R)) is a software-based product that assists the Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) specialist in the development of instrument procedures and is used to conduct obstacle evaluations for instrument operations.

This state of the art system enables rapid design and increases the accuracy of instrument procedures using United States Air Force (USAF), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Defense (DoD), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) criteria. It also provides a detailed audit trail for each procedure developed.

This system significantly reduces procedure development, validation and review time, increases design accuracy and reliability, and provides an open architecture that can accommodate a distributed or a centralized structure. The system reduces human error and increases accuracy by providing electronic data to the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA).

Biography:

Mr. Michael Lingren has a BSc in Mathematics and has spent the last 15 years building highly specialized software systems. His efforts range from the flight controls test lab for the Boeing 777 to the Naval Combat Operator Trainer for the Canadian Navy. He joined MDA in 1993 and is currently the AFTERPS-R project engineer.

When: Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

How old is the Universe? Are planets around other stars anything like the ones in our Solar System? These are just two of the fundamental questions Canadian astronomers hope to answer with MOST: a telescope only 15 cm in aperture.

MOST is Canada's first space science microsatellite and its first optical space telescope project, aiming for launch in late 2002-2003. MOST is designed to measure (as its acronym implies) Microvariability&Oscillations of Stars: variations in the brightness of stars with a precision of a few parts per million over timescales from minutes to days. To achieve this photometric performance from the ground, one must overcome the noise introduced by the Earth's turbulent atmosphere, which would require a network of 10- to 20-metre telescopes girdling the globe, focused on a single star for weeks, at an estimated cost of Can$1B. MOST will achieve the same results with a 15-cm telescope in polar LEO at a cost around Can$10M. It is due for launch in April 2003 aboard a Russian rocket.

The precision of MOST will allow us to detect rapid vibrations in other stars like those seen in our own Sun. The solar ''five-minute oscillations'' have been a powerful probe of the internal structure of our nearest star, but their amplitude is so low that they would not be seen if the Sun were at the distance of its closest neighbors. With MOST, we plan to extend the techniques of ''stellar seismology'' for the first time to other Sun-like stars, very old stars in the solar neighborhood (whose ages will set a hard lower limit on the age of the Universe), magnetic stars (which are unique laboratories for plasma and chemical diffusion physics), and hot massive stars near the end their lives. Photometry at the ppm level will also detect the light variations associated with extrasolar planets as they orbit their parent star. Modeling these light curves will constrain the sizes and compositions of these mysterious worlds, not possible in any other way at present.

Biography:

Dr. Jaymie Mark Matthews is an Associate Professor of Astronomy in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of British Columbia. He is a leading expert in the field of stellar seismology: literally using the surface vibrations of vibrating stars to probe their hidden interiors and histories. To detect the subtle signatures of these 'ringing' stars, Dr. Matthews has observed with some of the world's largest telescopes on remote mountaintops in Hawaii, Chile, Australia and Russia. However, he realized that even the best telescopes on Earth could not detect the subtlest oscillations, so he decided we needed a dedicated telescope in space for this work. In addition to the MOST Project, Dr. Matthews sits on Canada's scientific steering committees for the international Gemini Twin 8-m Telescopes Project and the Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer satellite. He is a member of the International Astronomical Union's Commission on Variable Stars, and a frequent invited review speaker at meetings around the world. (His 2002 speaking itinerary includes Washington, D.C.; Porto, Portugal; Vienna, Austria; Cancun, Mexico; and Mmabatho, South Africa.)

Astronomy education and public outreach are also very important facets of Dr. Matthews' scientific career. He sits on the Board of the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, and won a 1999 Killam Prize for teaching excellence in the UBC Faculty of Science, as well as the 2002 Teaching Prize of the Canadian Association of Physicists. Some may recognize him as the intrepid pilot for UBC Spaceways' simulated Flights To Mars during the 1995 UBC Open House, when he ferried about 2000 'passengers' to Valles Marineris on the Red Planet.

When: Monday, March 10, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

The Canadian Navy faces a tremendous challenge in successfully and cost effectively training new recruits in its naval combat systems. The Canadian Fleet School uses the MDA's Naval Combat Operator Trainer (NCOT) to train and update fleet personnel using computer emulations of the real combat systems. Emulation provides instructors with greater training flexibility over solutions that use stimulated versions of the actual combat hardware. The Naval Combat Operator Trainer has successfully evolved from a "problem project" to one with a satisfied customer, a skilled project team and an increasingly broad domain.

Biography:

Mr. Stuart Carmichael is a senior software developer on the MDA Naval Combat Operator Trainer project. Prior to his seven years at MDA, he graduated from the University of Waterloo in '94 with a degree in Systems Design Engineering. Before that he attended Shad Valley and worked as a summer student for MDA in '89.

When: Tuesday, April 15, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

As circuit dimensions decrease in advanced commercial ICs, they are becoming more prone to soft errors due to particle radiation. In low earth orbit energetic protons cause most single event effects while for ground based or aircraft systems neutrons are the main problem. The TRIUMF accelerator produces beams of protons and neutrons with energies that simulate this space radiation but with fluxes that can test years of exposure in space in minutes.

The presentation will discuss the radiation environment in space, the effects of this radiation on electronics and how ground-based tests are carried out. Groups from a number of Canadian and foreign laboratories and companies, such as MD Robotics, DREO, CSA, and NASA, are using the TRIUMF facilities for radiation effect testing.

Biography:

Dr. Ewart Blackmore is presently head of the Accelerator Technology Division at TRIUMF. After a Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the UBC he joined TRIUMF in 1969 and has been involved in many aspects of accelerator design and beam applications. Since 1995 he has worked with members of the Canadian space community to develop a facility at TRIUMF for testing electronics for radiation effects.

When: Tuesday, September 16, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

This presentation is about a real-time INS/DGPS integrated navigation system that has been recently designed and developed at the National Research Council of Canada, Institute for Aerospace Research, Flight Research Laboratory in Ottawa. A special feature of this system is the knowledgebase system that has been developed in such a way as to detect aircraft maneuvering and tune the integration algorithm (Kalman filter) of the INS/DGPS system accordingly. The signal processing method developed for the integration of INS and DGPS data provides accurate navigation even during dynamic maneuvering of the aircraft, while taking advantage of low cost modular equipment rather than costly inertial navigation systems. This system is currently operating onboard a Bell 205 research helicopter.

Biography:

Roya Rahbari (E.I.T) is a Research Officer at the National Research Council of Canada, Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation. She completed her PhD in 2001, in the area of Intelligent Control, at the University of British Coulmbia's Department of Mechanical Engineering. She continued her research as an NSERC Visiting Post-doctoral Fellow at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), in the Flight Research Laboratory (FRL) of the Institute for Aerospace Research (IAR). She joined NRC's Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation in March 2002 . She is currently chair of the Vancouver Section of the IEEE Industry Application Society and associate editor of the Journal of Control and Intelligent Systems.

When: Tuesday, October 21, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

The real-time operating system (RTOS, kernel) has been the heart of most successful embedded systems for nearly four decades. Bill Renwick, one of the earliest players in this game, reviews the history of this software tool and describes some of its applications. RTOS features are summarized to help you decipher the jargon used and the claims made by competing vendors. Timing measurements, terminology and pitfalls will be discussed. Bill will also describe how silicon vendors frequently rely on the RTOS as the first software to stress test new microprocessors. This talk concludes with a review of current RTOS offerings with some insight into their market positions.

Biography:

W.L. (Bill) Renwick graduated from University of Waterloo in 1967 with a B.A.Sc. in Electrical Engineering. He went on as an Athlone Fellow to obtain his M.A.Sc. in Automatic Control at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, England. Upon returning to Canada, he joined Digital Equipment to market minicomputers into Ontario universities and government laboratories. In 1970, Bill joined MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates as their first full time employee and helped establish MDA as a leading supplier of real-time data acquisition and control software in the gas and oil industry throughout western Canada. In 1978, Bill left MDA to form KADAK Products Ltd. which he has since developed into one of the most highly respected vendors of RTOS, network and GUI products in today's world-wide embedded system marketplace.

When: Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

The modern world’s demand for information has not fully exploited the capabilities of spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Currently SAR is used primarily for mapping features; however, world environmental concerns, such as changes in land cover, ocean circulation systems, and meteorological systems could be monitored with SAR image data.

In particular, a new generation of spaceborne SARs (e.g. Canada’s RADARSAT 2) have polarimetric modes that provide more information than previous single polarization SARs. Theoretically, polarimetric data, backscattered from a target, contains information about the target’s structure. Future challenges will be to develop robust and reliable analysis methods for recognizing natural and target features from Polarimetric SAR imagery.

The presentation will begin with a brief overview of Polarimetric SAR , followed by a discussion of many of the Polarimetric SAR R&D studies conducted at DRDC-Ottawa.

Biography:

Maureen Yeremy graduated from UA in 1982, with a BSc in Geophysics. She worked in the UA Space Science Lab until 1988 and then at Defence Research Establishment Pacific (DREP) in Victoria. While working at DREP she got her MSc in Oceanography and Ocean Acoustics at Royal Roads. With the DREP closure, she moved to Defence Research Establishment Ottawa (DREO, now renamed DRDC-Ottawa) in 1997 where she researched Polarimetric SAR applications.

When: Thursday, December 4, 2003, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

MacDonald Dettwiler has been a leader in the design and development of minehunting technologies for 20 years. The latest phase of this program employed a semi-submersible vehicle; a variable depth, towed, side scan sonar; and a portable tactical control system to demonstrate the feasibility of the remote minehunting concept. Key areas for research included computer-aided detection and classification of mines, high bandwidth data communications, and multi-mode system positioning. This talk will present the technologies involved, discuss the results obtained at sea trials and summarize potential future applications and projects.

Biography:

John Turner was MacDonald Dettwiler’s Project Manager for the RMS TD. Following graduation from the Royal Military College of Canada with a degree in Engineering Management, John spent 6 years in the Canadian Navy as a Combat Systems Engineer, focusing on Command and Control Information Systems. Since joining MDA, John has contributed to projects in command and control, vehicle tracking, mine warfare and airborne radar in a variety of system engineering and management roles.

When: Wednesday, January 21, 2004, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

This talk outlines the principles of sonar swath bathymetry for bottom estimation and imaging. A new sonar that employs angle estimation techniques and is suitable for swath bathymetry in shallow water is presented. Examples of transducer designs for the sonar system are given along with beam patterns. Also examples of swath bathymetry profiles and images of the bottom of Pavilion Lake are presented. Pavilion Lake’s bottom is populated with large microbialites resembling coral. Video of these microbialites is presented showing variation in structure with depth.

Biography:

John S. Bird received the BASc degree in electrical engineering in 1973 from UBC, and the PhD degree in electrical engineering from Carleton University, in 1980. From 1973 through 1987 he worked for Defence Research in underwater acoustics, sonar, space-based radar, and satellite communications. Prof. Bird is currently with the School of Engineering Science at Simon Fraser University, where his research interests include signal processing, underwater acoustics, sonar, autonomous underwater vehicles, limnology, and lake exploration.

When: Wednesday, February 18, 2004, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Modern signal processing systems continue to see improvements both in performance as well as in utility. Increasing numbers of processors are now able to tackle signal-processing tasks. In addition dedicated signal processors enjoy riding Moore's Law curve to ever-greater performances. Completely new classes of devices are also appearing, capable of high-end signal processing.

This talk will discuss signal processing devices and systems. A variety of devices will be touched on: some selected low-end to high-end conventional DSPs; CPUs with added DSP functionality; and new non-conventional processors such as multiple-MAC devices and Field Programmable Gate Arrays. Comparative strengths, weaknesses and benchmarks will be drawn between the devices.

The use of such devices in real-world systems will also be discussed. Considerations such as data throughputs; newly-developed interconnect strategies; the use of different devices for different stages of the signal-processing chain, and so forth will be outlined. To wrap-up the presentation an illustration of a multi-channel software digital radio system will be given.

Biography:

Frank Van Hooft has worked in the signal processing field for approximately 12 years. Systems he has been involved with include RADAR, sonar, fax, modem, speech compression, medical imaging, and more. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Curtin University in Western Australia, and is currently the Systems Engineering Manager for Spectrum Signal Processing.

When: Wednesday, April 21, 2004, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a high resolution radar sensor used to image the Earth’s surface. Usually in remote sensing, the larger the sensor, the higher the resolution, but not in the case of SAR in which the resolution is approximately half the antenna length. The first part of the talk explains this peculiar resolution property of SAR. Basically, the high resolution is obtained by combining coherently the radar echoes over various platform positions, hence the name “synthetic aperture”.

Without processing, the raw SAR data are completely incomprehensible. The image emerges only after extensive processing of the data. The second part of the talk highlights the processing challenges.

Biography:

Dr. Frank H. Wong graduated from McGill (B.Eng.), Queen’s (M.Eng.), and Ph.D. (UBC). He joined MDA 26 years ago, and has worked in the Landsat and Spot imaging area for the first few years. Then his interest switched to SAR and has been working in this field for 20 years. He was also affiliated with the Radar Remote Sensing Group at UBC, and has been a sessional lecturer at that university for almost 20 years. He also visited the National University of Singapore for a year in 1999. At MDA, he has given numerous SAR lectures for inhouse training and to MDA customers.

When: Wednesday, September 15, 2004, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Energy supply is at the root of economic prosperity in all the world's economies. While there are many debates about the future of fossil fuel as an energy source, there is no doubt that at some point the viability of fossil fuel based energy generation will decrease at some time in the future and ultimately disappear. The only real debate is over when this process will begin to be felt by the human population. What will happen then? There is also much debate about "global warming" and the role that fossil fuel combustion plays in aggravating this problem. The talk examines various future scenarios and discusses a number of renewable energy technologies with emphasis on solar photovoltaics as a major component of civilization's energy supply in the future.

Biography:

Dr. MacDonald has had a distinguished career in the technology community in British Columbia. He was a co-founder of MacDonald Dettwiler and Assoc., serving as President and CEO for 13 years and Chairman for a subsequent 16 years. He is now Chairman and CEO of Day4 Energy Inc., a solar energy company of which he is also a co-founder. Day4 Energy is dedicated to exploiting a new photovoltaic technology to make solar energy cost competitive with fossil fuel as a means of generating of electrical energy. He has served on numerous technology company Boards and continues to do so. He is an advisor to Canadian, US and other governments internationally on science, technology, trade policy and industrial policy, currently serving on the Canadian Department of National Defence Science Advisory Board and the Canadian Space Agency Advisory Council. He served as one of three Canadian members of the APEC Business Advisory Council from 1998 to 2003 and was the Canadian member of the APEC Eminent Persons Group from 1993 to 1995. Dr. MacDonald was a professor at UBC and MIT for 12 years prior to founding MacDonald Dettwiler. He is a registered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), a Founding Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute. In 1984 he was awarded the IEEE Centennial Medal, the Gold Medal of the Canadian Remote Sensing Society in 1989 and in 2000 was awarded The John H. Chapman Excellence Award of the Canadian Space Agency, the Agency's highest award. He has been awarded eight Honorary Degrees, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. He was named one of “50 most influential British Columbia business leaders of the 20th Century” and one of “100 Top British Columbians of the 20th Century” both in 1999 and “Entrepreneur of the Year" in 1995. Dr. MacDonald has a Ph.D. from MIT, a Masters of Science from MIT and a B.A.Sc. with honours from UBC, all in Electrical Engineering.

When: Wednesday, October 20, 2004, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Managing the response to a major emergency requires considerable communications capabilities and the integration of a large amount of time-sensitive information. Emergency response managers must assess the situation and risks, develop a plan of action, and communicate that plan to the first and second line responders. Often this must be done over great distances in areas with no (or destroyed) communications infrastructure.

The REMSAT project explored the use of several space technologies, (including position determination, data/voice/video communications and satellite earth observation data) in support of major “project” forest fire fighting activities in British Columbia. This presentation discusses the engineering approach, the concept of operations used, the technologies employed and the successes and failures experienced during the first REMSAT operational evaluation and subsequent developments.

Mr. Brownsword was educated at UBC (B.Sc. 1966). He worked in the IT industry in Toronto for several years and later returned to Vancouver to work for MacMillan Bloedel and BC Telephone.

Pat joined MDA in 1981 as Manager of Computing Facilities and later transferred to the Engineering division as System Engineer. His primary role has been lead system engineer and system architect for a number of space, defence and public safety projects. He was promoted to Principal Engineer in 1991 and provides advice and guidance to projects throughout the company.

The challenges of Remote System Engineering the Department of National Defence's Remote Operating Vehicle Trainer

When: Wednesday, November 10, 2004, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

This presentation is to discuss the system engineering issues of a remotely managed project and the technology behind the Remote Operating Vehicle Trainer (ROVT) delivered to the Canadian Navy.

The ROVT is a classroom computer-based trainer used for training of new Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) operators, for maintaining the proficiency of experienced operators through training and practice, and for mission rehearsal (practicing the execution of specific tasks in preparation for ROV deployment). The ROVT design provides for an expansion capability for training operators on the actual ROV consoles onboard the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV). The ROVT simulate the motion of any given ROV and related sub-surface objects by entry of appropriate data, such as size, mass, centre of mass and centre of buoyancy, into its configuration data files.

The Presentation will also provide a demonstration of the simulators capabilities and future in the training field.

Biography:

Mr. Ritchie is a Senior System Engineer with MacDonald Dettwiler. He was over 25 years of system engineering and system integration experience in developing computer based training systems, air traffic control systems, flight operation systems, transportation information systems, and global weather prediction and information systems.

Prior to MDA, Mr. Ritchie was a consulting Software Engineer in developing a real-time control system for Magnetic Abnormality Detection (MAD) which are used for Anti-submarine warfare.

Unpacking a suitcase full of astrophysics: Exciting results from the MOST microsat

When: Wednesday, January 19 , 2005, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Viewing the Universe in new ways has always yielded surprising discoveries. Astronomers are accustomed to extending the limits of light-gathering power, wavelength coverage, and angular resolution. Ironically, the instrument aboard the Canadian Space Agency's MOST (Microvariability & Oscillations of STars) microsatellite has an aperture of only 15 cm, collects only optical light, and deliberately blurs its stellar images for measurement stability. MOST - an ultra-precise photometer in low Earth orbit - forges its advances in totally different regions of parameter space.

MOST is the only existing observatory which can monitor stars several times per minute with almost no interruptions for weeks at a time, reaching photometric precisions of better than 1 micromagnitude (1 part per million) - about an order of magnitude better than ever achieved before from Earth or space. The MOST mission has accomplished this on a budget of only $10M with Canada's first science microsat, which team members affectionately nicknamed the "Humble Space Telescope" because of its modest size and budget.

The demonstrated levels of time sampling and high precision photometry enable the MOST Science Team to explore variability in other stars with sensitivity and completeness previously possible only for our Sun. The primary science goals include: seismically probing the hidden interiors and life histories of stars via acoustic surface vibrations, and searching directly for the reflected light from giant planets orbiting other stars to explore their atmospheric properties and even weather patterns.

Astronomy education and public outreach are also very important facets of Dr. Matthews' scientific career. He is Vice-President of the Board of the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre and Chair of its Programming & Education Committee. Dr. Matthews was awarded a 1999 Killam Prize for teaching excellence in the UBC Faculty of Science, as well as the 2002 Teaching Prize of the Canadian Association of Physicists. He has yet to live down being quoted in Discover Magazine as saying "Exploding Star Contains Atoms From Elvis Presley's Brain - Scientists Confirm That The King of Rock & Roll Lived In Another Galaxy 160,000 Years Ago!"

FEBRUARY, 2005

Preventing Computer Rage

Dr. Gwen Campbell

When: Wednesday, February 2 , 2005, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

The most cost-effective and successful development programs include attention to human factors as an integral part of the system engineering process. Computer Rage is one of the problems that can be avoided by integrating Human Factors throughout the process. Dr. Campbell will discuss a variety of related human factors issues such as interoperability, design-induced errors, customer satisfaction, and cost reduction over the life cycle of the software system.

The talk will address the differences in design requirements for different purposes (such as defense, industry applications, and game play). Questions and audience participation are encouraged.

Biography:

Dr. Campbell is the founder of Unger Campbell, a Human Factors and Usability consulting company. She has over 20 years of experience and holds a Ph.D. from Queen’s University. Dr. Campbell has written over 130 papers on usability. She has most recently worked in Ballistic Missile Defense and Navy command and control.

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Comparing Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)

When: Wednesday, March 16 , 2005, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Mr. Guetre will present a brief history of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), the basis of Universal Mobile Telephone Service 3G networks. Mr. Guetre will show the main differences and similarities between CDMA and WCDMA, including some brief notes on the physical layer, signalling layer, and market take-up.

Biography:

Eric Guetre graduated in 1992 from the Royal Military College (Kingston, Ontario) with a degree in electrical engineering, and served for a few years as an aerospace engineer in the Canadian Forces. In 1997, Eric received a Masters degree from Carleton University in RF engineering. He is currently employed with Nokia and works as an R&D manager for a mobile phone product program.

How to survive a spacecraft development project: Coping strategies for the system engineer

When: Wednesday, April 13, 2005, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

This presentation offers advice to the embattled system engineer struggling with the unique challenges of a large spacecraft development project. Although the focus is on building satellites, the discussion will hopefully be useful to anyone involved in large-project system engineering. I’ll convey some important “lessons learned” and insider “tips and tricks” for the system engineer. I’ll hit the highlights of diverse subjects such as how to allocate system margins, how to review deliverable documents, how to approach formal milestone reviews, how to deal with customers, subcontractors and consultants, and most importantly, how to assess technical risk. I’ll also discuss what sets spacecraft development projects apart from other engineering projects, providing a sense along the way of what it takes to get a satellite from paper to orbit.

Biography:

Mr. Leitch is a twelve-year veteran of Canadian space programs including RADARSATs 1 and 2, the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (“CanadArm2”), and the MOPITT instrument (on NASA’s Terra satellite). He has held various technical and team lead positions in the fields of software engineering, system engineering, and satellite mission operations. His most recent role was as Lead Engineer for the RADARSAT-2 Spacecraft Bus development project at MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates. Mr. Leitch received his B.A.Sc. degree in Engineering Science (Aerospace option) from the University of Toronto , and also holds the M.Sc. degree in Software Technology (Dept. of Computing Science) from the University of Alberta . He is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of BC , and is the current Chair of the IEEE AESS/GRSS Vancouver Chapter.

When: Wednesday, September 21 , 2005, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Dr. Kayton will present a talk on the history and evolution of manned space avionics. He will cover the development of the earliest spacecraft such as the X-15 and the ballistic vehicles built by the US and Russia in the 1960s and 70s. He will also discuss the space stations developed by the US and Russia and the design of the space shuttle system. In addition, he will cover the issue of on-board versus ground-based navigation for manned vehicles. Finally, Dr. Kayton will provide a view of the future of manned space avionics by looking at the upcoming space shuttle replacement vehicle, the return of manned lunar missions, and missions to Mars.

Biography:

Dr. Kayton has 50 years of experience designing avionics, navigation, communication, and computer-automation systems. As a Consulting Engineer for Kayton Engineering Company, he serves a hundred clients by creating innovative designs and analyzing their performance, cost, and failures.

From 1968-81 at TRW, Dr. Kayton served as Chief Engineer for Spacelab avionics, Head of System Engineering for Space Shuttle avionics, and Project Engineer for the electronics of the Inertial Upper Stage, among many assignments.

From 1965-68, Dr. Kayton served as Deputy Manager for Lunar Module Guidance and Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center. From 1960-65, he was Section Head at Litton's Guidance and Control Division, where he designed and analyzed some of the earliest multi-sensor navigation systems.

Dr. Kayton is a registered electrical and mechanical engineer. He is a Life Fellow of the IEEE and served two terms as President of the Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society. He taught simulation methods, multi-sensor navigation systems, and land navigation at UCLA and published more than 80 papers and articles in addition to two standard reference texts in the field. He is the recipient of several honors including IEEE's Millennium Medal and IEEE-AESS's Carlton Award for the best technical paper of 1988.

Dr. Kayton received the Ph.D. in Instrumentation from M.I.T. in 1960, the M.S. from Harvard University with a concentration in electrical engineering, and the B.S. in mechanical engineering from The Cooper Union.

When: Wednesday, October 19 , 2005, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

The SAR Constellation Mission (SCM) is a follow-on mission to RADARSAT-1/2, consisting of a constellation of 3 to 6 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites. One of the key applications for this mission is detecting ships off the coasts of Canada. In this talk, I'll provide an overview of how ship detection in SAR imagery works, including how parameters such as ship length, sea state, and image noise level affect ship detection performance. We'll look at how one can invent SAR modes of operation to optimize ship detection performance and I'll provide examples of this from the SAR Constellation Mission. We'll also look at methods of estimating ship velocity using a constellation of satellites.

Biography:

Dr. Thompson has been involved in a variety of synthetic aperture radar projects over the last 12 years. From 1992-1998, at Array Systems Computing in Toronto, he was the Project Engineer for several SAR processors, including Fastscan, a real-time processor for RADARSAT-1 data. In 1998-1999, he was a visiting professor at the University of Toronto doing research in the mathematics of imaging and teaching a graduate course in the same subject. Since 1999, Alan has been a Senior Systems Engineer at MacDonald Dettwiler, working primarily on the RADARSAT-2 program. He is currently the Project Engineer for the SAR Constellation Mission. Despite his current work as a systems engineer, Alan was originally a mathematician. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics from MIT in 1991.

When: Wednesday, November 23 , 2005, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Electronically scanned array radars possess an agile beam that permits adaptive allocation of energy in space and time. In this talk the radar resource management problem is formulated as a stochastic optimization problem. Several state of the art algorithms are proposed. Also related recent work in the development of missile defense strategies and network centric warfare will be described.

Biography:

Vikram Krishnamurthy is currently a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Signal Processing at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia. Prior to 2002, he was a chaired professor at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Melbourne, Australia, where he also served as Deputy head of the department. His current research interests include ion channels and biological nanotubes, networked sensor scheduling and control, network centric warfare and target tracking, statistical signal processing, and wireless telecommunications.

Dr. Krishnamurthy is a Fellow of the IEEE. He served as associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing and is currently an associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, European Journal of Applied Signal Processing, and Systems and Control Letters. He was a guest editor of a special issue of IEEE Transactions on NanoBioScience, March 2005 on bio nanotubes. He currently serves on the Signal Processing Theory and Methods (SPTM) committee of the IEEE Signal processing society and the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) Technical Committee on Modeling, Identification and Signal Processing.

When: Wednesday, January 25, 2006, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Nicholas will discuss the growing use of hyperspectral and hyperspatial datasets in forestry applications worldwide. In particular the prediction of foliar biochemistry from airborne and spacebourne HYPERION satellite imagery, and the application of high spatial resolution QUICKBIRD imagery for individual crown health assessment will be described.

Biography:

Nicholas is a new Canadian Research Chair (CRC) in remote sensing at UBC Faculty of Forestry. He comes to UBC from CSIRO Australia where he worked for ten years as a research scientist. His area of interest is the use of remote sensing imagery and environmental modeling in forestry applications.

The UBC Rocket Project is a primarily undergraduate team with the goal of being the first student group in Canada to launch a sub-orbital vehicle to space. Students from various engineering disciplines are collaborating to design a liquid-fuelled, autonomously-controlled rocket capable of reaching an altitude of 100 kilometres at velocities nearing Mach 4. Several sub-scale launches have been performed to date, and design of the space-flight rocket (dubbed Aurora) is nearing completion. The first launch of Aurora is planned for 2006.

Biography:

James is a 4th-year Integrated Engineering student at the University of British Columbia. As founder and Project Coordinator of the UBC Rocket Project, he works with over 20 team members as well as leading outreach and fundraising activities. His project experience includes work terms at LiftPort and ACROHELIPRO Global Services.

Fatal Software: Lessons Learned from Accidents Involving Software-intensive Systems

When: Wednesday, February 22 , 2006, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Software-intensive systems have been directly involved in a variety of accidents resulting in serious human injuries and deaths. The causes of these accidents are often much more complex than simple coding errors. After a brief overview of several such accidents, we will consider lessons learned that can be applied to the design and verification of safety-critical software-intensive systems.

Biography:

Dr. Jeffrey Joyce is co-founder and president of Critical Systems Labs (www.criticalsystemslabs.com), a division of QA Labs (www.qalabs.com). He earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cambridge University in 1990, with earlier degrees from the universities of Waterloo and Calgary. Dr. Joyce is recognized internationally for his expertise in safety-critical software-intensive systems. He is a Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the BC Advanced Systems Institute, and a member of both the IEEE and the System Safety Society.

When: Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

The Canadian Forces currently operates a fleet of 18 CP-140 Aurora aircraft as Long-Range Patrol Aircraft (LRPA) in surface and undersea surveillance roles. The Canadian Department of National Defense (DND) is currently executing a CP-140 Aurora Incremental Modernization Project (AIMP), with the objective of restoring the Aurora’s operational capability through an incremental replacement of the existing avionics systems with modern avionics systems. MDA is the prime contractor to replace the existing CP-140 radar system with the new CP-140 Imaging Radar System (IRS).

Today’s radar systems are ever increasing in complexity with the introduction of new technologies, the "out-sourcing" to subcontractors world-wide, the use of “Commercial Off-the-Shelf” (COTS) products and the customers' demand for functionality, performance, reliability, maintainability, robustness, usability, supportability, cost-effectiveness and prompt delivery.

This presentation will provide an overview of the current and new operational role of the radar, the architecture, and the lessons learned architecting the CP140 Imaging Radar System. The presenter, Jerry Lim, will identify the challenges and share his experiences and heuristics in dealing with building this complex system.

Biography:

Jerry Lim is a Principal Engineer with MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA). Jerry has over 30 years of architecting and system engineering experience in developing products and a wide variety of airborne and spaceborne systems for government and military applications, including air traffic control systems, imaging and surveillance radar systems, remote sensing satellite systems, and ground stations. Currently, Jerry is the Chief Engineer of the CP-140 Airborne Imaging Radar System Project, which will deliver to the Department of National Defence (DND) a new imaging and surveillance radar system for Canada's fleet of CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft. During his 29-year career with MDA, Jerry has held various supervisory, project engineering and engineering management positions. Jerry was also a sessional lecturer on "Architecting Large, Complex Digital Signal Processing Systems", a graduate course offered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Jerry is Senior Member of the IEEE and the Past Chapter Chair of the Aerospace and Geoscience Remote Sensing Chapter. He is a member of the APEG-BC and an adjudicator for the Computer Engineering and Software Engineering Application Committee. He is also a member of the International Council on System Engineering (INCOSE) and the ACM. Jerry graduated from UBC with B.A.Sc (Hon) in Electrical Engineering and did his post-graduate studies at Carleton University in System Engineering.

When: Wednesday, October 18, 2006, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Our society is strongly dependent on networks of infrastructures (power grid, telecom grid, etc.) to provide the goods and services for its existence. During normal life a problem in a given infrastructure, e.g., the telecom grid, is taken care of following a well defined set of procedures. These procedures assume, by and large, that the other services, e.g., the power grid, are operational. When a large disaster situation occurs, e.g., an earthquake, multiple systems are damaged simultaneously in a large variety of degrees and combinations. In addition, the time frames to restore the supply of goods and services can be very tight, determined in many cases by the urgency to save human lives. Interdependencies among infrastructures can be as complex as the systems themselves.

Our I2C (Infrastructure Interdependencies Coordination) group at UBC is part of the JIIRP program (Joint Infrastructure Interdependencies Research Program) by the Federal Government of Canada to develop innovative ways to deal with the complexity of interdependencies coordination among infrastructures during large disaster situations. Dr. Marti is the Project Leader of the UBC I2C group that includes twelve UBC and SFU researchers in multidisciplinary areas. Our objective is to develop tools that will facilitate the integration and coordination of multiple infrastructures in developing strategies, response plans, and real time emergency responses during large disaster situations. This presentation will give an overview of the progress made by our group to date.

Biography:

José R. Martí is a Fellow Member of the IEEE. He has a Ph.D. degree from the University of British Columbia where he studied under the supervision of Prof. Hermann W. Dommel. Dr. Marti is known internationally for his work on transmission line modelling and on real time simulation. He is a Professor at the University of British Columbia where he leads the real-time power systems simulation group. At present, he is also the lead researcher on a $1.1 million dollar grant by the Government of Canada to develop innovative solutions to mitigate large disaster situations involving multiple infrastructure systems. Dr. Marti is a past Chair of the IEEE Vancouver Section and a registered professional engineer in the Province of British Columbia.

Jorge A. Hollman is pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of Prof. José R. Martí. His professional experience includes Schlumberger oilfield services where he worked from 1995 to 1998 as R&M Engineer and Quality Health Safety & Environment manager. His main research interest is real-time simulation of power system networks. He is recipient of the José A. Estenssoro Award, and of the Kenneth George Wansacker Memorial Prize. He is the main coordinator of the UBC test case study on behalf of the UBC-JIIRP project.

When: Wednesday, January 17, 2007, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: OceanWorks International, #3-1225 E. Keith Road, North Vancouver

Abstract:

OceanWorks is an internationally recognized sub-sea technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of underwater work systems and specialized sub-sea equipment for military and commercial markets, offering a full range of sub-sea system engineering, design, analysis, testing and prototype development services.

Located in North Vancouver, OceanWorks has been at the cutting edge of deep submergence and diving technology, operations, and support for over 20 years. It is the designer and manufacturer of many unique and innovative products including the HARDSUIT™ 1200 and HARDSUIT™ 2000 atmospheric diving systems, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) REMORA submarine rescue system, and the US Navy’s next generation submarine rescue vehicle, the “Pressurized Rescue Module System” (PRMS).

The facility tour will include a technical presentation about the PRMS submarine rescue vehicle and a chance to see the submarine in the final stages of assembly and factory acceptance testing.

Please contact: Rob Leitch (email: rleitch@ieee.org, phone: 604-231-2184)
Registration deadline: January 10, 2007

When: Wednesday, February 28, 2007, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MacDonald Dettwiler, 13800 Commerce Parkway, Richmond, BC

Abstract:

Formal methods from control theory can provide guarantees of safety in complex systems such as aircraft. These guarantees are especially critical when the system's behavior is non-intuitive or when effective and reliable operation is paramount. We address the problem of multi-objective control in safety-critical systems, in which multiple goals (e.g. envelope protection and stabilization) must be achieved simultaneously in a single controller. Blindly implementing control schemes for multiple goals can result in chattering, instability, ''automation surprises'', and other phenomenon. We use reachability methods, which provide a mathematical guarantee of the modeled system’s behavior in the presence of state and input constraints, to design multi-objective control laws that by construction, will guarantee safety, stability, and prevent input saturation. This method is demonstrated on the longitudinal dynamics of a single aircraft, and to a two-aircraft collision avoidance scenario.

Biography:

Meeko Oishi is an Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. She received the Ph.D. (2004) and M.S. (2000) in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University (Ph.D. minor, Electrical Engineering), and a B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University (1998). She has held postdoctoral positions at Sandia National Laboratories (2005) and at the NSF National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) (2004). She is the recipient of the Truman Postdoctoral Fellowship in National Security Science and Engineering (2005), the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (1998-1999, 2000-2002) and the John Bienkowski Memorial Prize, Princeton University (1998). Her research interests include nonlinear dynamical systems, hybrid control theory, user-interface analysis, and reachability analysis. She has been a Science and Technology Policy Fellow at The National Academies (2004), a visiting researcher at NASA Ames Research Center (2001-2003) and Honeywell Technology Center (2000), and a summer intern at Boeing, Intel, and Sandia National Laboratories.