Volume 5, Number 6 November/December 1997
Small Business/SBIR
oftware developed under a Small
Business Innovation Research grant has helped Dryden Flight Research Center engineers
validate an automated research-flight control system (RFCS) in the F-18 High Alpha
Research Vehicle (HARV) and found valuable commercial applications.
AbTech Corp. earned a NASA Tech Brief Award for developing the computer program that reduces the time and costs of validation and diagnosis of complex analog systems. It also automates the development of superior system-level diagnostic mathematical models.
The software was originally applied to the complex F-18 HARV system, but also has a wide range of business and technical applications in finance, marketing, banking, manufacturing, information systems, retail, telecommunications, healthcare and more.
It is an important tool because costs can run into the millions for validation of complex systems such as flight-control systems. It offers powerful capabilities for predicting parameters, validating sensor readings, detecting subtle anomalies and isolating equipment failures.
AbTech Corp. developed ModelQuest System Validator (MQ SV)—an advanced system-level diagnostics software-to help solve complex and time-consuming validation processes.
MQ SV is applicable to flight-control systems, engines, manufacturing processes, medical signal processing and mechanical equipment for validation of new and modified systems and simulations; system level diagnostics (anomaly detection, isolation, prediction); and comparative signal analysis (satellite telemetry, financial time-series and medical diagnostics [e.g., EKG analysis] applications).
To achieve the technical objectives, an F-18 HARV simulation developed by NASA was used. An interactive computer-based prototype of the MQ SV tool was then created to provide the support software necessary to develop, test and rapidly reprogram the validation functions. Advanced statistical network modeling technologies also were used to automate key aspects of the integrated RFCS validation process.
ModelQuest SV reduces the time and cost of validation and diagnosis of complex analog systems, increases confidence in the validity of the systems, and automates the development of superior system-level diagnostic mathematical models.
Visit http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR.html to learn more.
For more information, contact Andrea Davis at Abtech Inc.
Space Center.
Call (804) 977-0686, Ext. 129, 
Fax (804) 977-9615, E-mail Adavis@abtech.com
Please mention you read about it in Innovation.
