COTS Image Generation Immersive Systems: Design, Acceptance and Production: A Tough Experience

ABSTRACT
COTS Image Generation development and production for high end immersive visual systems, is a unique specialty that has continuous roadblocks in all development and program life cycle stages. To complete on-time visual system delivery with the highest quality success, specific program development, system design and integration steps need to be followed after requirements are set. This begins with image generation hardware component design qualifications then continues with effective software design and integration management. Continuous system performance monitoring and documentation is essential throughout the program duration. Appropriate SME involvement throughout the program life cycle is also crucial for high quality systems and customer acceptance. Automated system test procedures generated from capable host test systems are also critical tools from design to delivery to allow regression testing and complex visual issue duplication and corrections. Effective visual run-time software development management, (for in-house and all 3rd party suppliers) is just as critical to success. Also with the shortening life cycle of all COTS components, hardware obsolescence for production contracts must be monitored through the life cycle of the entire program.

This paper discusses development and program management philosophies which are critical to allow successful Image Generator design, visual system integration, customer acceptance and delivery.

VITA
Bill Paone is the Technical Lead Engineer for Fixed Wing Image Generation Product Development and Integration for Boeing Training Systems and Government Services (TS&GS). Bill has lead image generation system development and production for multiple world-wide and domestic programs. Emphasizing in Visual simulation design, his long career also includes lead positions in development and production engineering in several fields. This includes hardware design, software design in image processing, graphics systems, telecom systems and large scale image generation systems.