Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 1

Extending Model Based System Engineering to Utilize 3D Virtual Environments

Peter Korfiatis

Stevens Institute of Technology

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 2

Research Problem

• There is often a disconnect between what the warfighter or analyst needs a system to do, and what developers think the system needs to do

• Artifacts created during the Early Systems Engineering phase are often not referenced throughout the rest of the development lifecycle

• Model Based System Engineering is advancing in certain phases of development but there is little connection between MBSE artifacts across the entire development lifecycle

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 3

Research Need

There is a need to:

• quickly and graphically articulate a CONOPS for new missions and systems that will allow a diverse group of stakeholders to reach a shared mental model of the mission and potential solutions.

• make the CONOPS available as a model so that the true needs of stakeholders can be conveyed to future system developers.

• use model based artifacts to drive model based system architecting

• allow future system developers to easily alter a CONOPS to mirror current state of the system.

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 4

Research Questions

• Can the use of a virtual environment enhance stakeholders' ability to collaborate to reach a shared mental model and to develop a model based CONOPS?

• Does real-time collaboration between distributed stakeholders improve the CONOPS development?

• Can a model based artifact of a CONOPS be used to drive Analysis of Alternatives and other Pre-Milestone A analysis activities?

• Can the results of model based CONOPS be used by system architects to develop a system that better reflects the needs of the stakeholders.

• Can an integrated model based approach to Concept Engineering and Architecture and Design be enhanced by the use of virtual environments and will this new process improve system quality?

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 5

Sources for CONOPS Guidance

• ANSI/AIAA G-043-1992 – guide from American National Standards Institute

• IEEE 1362-1998 – IEEE guide for CONOPS document

• DI-IPSC-81430 – DoD data item description for CONOPS document

Title page Revision chart

Preface

Table of contents

List of figures

List of tables 1. Scope

1.1 Identification

1.2 Document overview 1.3 System overview

2. Referenced documents

3. Current system or situation

3.1 Background, objectives, and scope

3.2 Operational policies and constraints

3.3 Description of the current system or situation

3.4 Modes of operation for the current system or situation

3.5 User classes and other involved personnel

3.6 Support environment

4. Justification for and nature of changes

4.1 Justication of changes

4.2 Description of desired changes

4.3 Priorities among changes

4.4 Changes considered but not included

5. Concepts for the proposed system 5.1 Background, objectives, and scope

5.2 Operational policies and constraints

5.3 Description of the proposed system

5.4 Modes of operation

5.5 User classes and other involved personnel

5.6 Support environment

6. Operational scenarios

7. Summary of impacts

7.1 Operational impacts

7.2 Organizational impacts

7.3 Impacts during development

8. Analysis of the proposed system 8.1 Summary of improvements

8.2 Disadvantages and limitations

8.3 Alternatives and trade-offs considered

9. Notes

Appendices Glossary

ANSI

IEEE

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 6

Model Based Systems Engineering

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 7

Model Based System Architecting

• Major advances have been made by INCOSE, OMG and other organizations to strengthen the model based approach during System Architecture and Design

• The primary input to the architecting phase are the system requirements.

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Challenges with MBSA Today

CONOPS

Requirements Architect

bdd [Package] Interactions Between RTs [Interactions Between RTs]

«block»RT30

«block»RT23

«block»RT31

«block»CONOPS Nav igator

«block»Concept Engineering

System «block»CONOPS Lobby

«block»Data Transfer

«block»Data Transformation

«block»Application Execution

«block»Universal Data

Schema

«block»Communication Effects Server

«block»CES - OneSAF Interface

«blo...External

Tool Interfaces

«block»External Tools

«block»OneSAF

«block»Excel

«block»@Risk

«block»AnyLogic

«block»SparxEA

«block»3d Modeling Tool

«block»VBS2

«block»External Tool File

Repository

«block»Primitive and

Scenario Repository

«block»GIS Data Prov ider

System Architecture

• Model is an abstract representation of the real world, subject to biases of the model constructor and model viewer

• Requirements are passed to architects on paper or through a tool• Architects need to discern what the stakeholder needs the system

to do from the requirements• Incorrect understanding of the requirements can lead to architects

designing a system that does not meet the stakeholders’ needs

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 9

Proposed Approach

• An approach and toolset to allow system developers to create models at the onset of systems engineering activities that can ―Be developed directly by the end user―Accurately reflect the needs of future users―Be used to analyze proposed systems early in the SE lifecycle―Easily be adapted to reflect changing requirements and design―Automate the transfer of requirements and specifications to

system architects―Be useful throughout the SE lifecycleAssessment of current model based and visualization tools has pointed to the use of Gaming and Virtual Environments as high potential development environments

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 10

Virtual and Gaming Environments

• Virtual Immersive Environments have long been used by engineers to:―Solve difficult problems that require 3D visualization―Train and Educate personnel―Analyze the impact of systems on environment and users―Present concepts to customers

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 11

Development Using Unity 3D

• Unity is a popular IDE for creating 3D games.

• Extensive support community• Cross platform deployment• Rapid deployment and testing • Interoperability of programming

languages• Database and networking support• Currently being used by:

―Building Construction Architects to model buildings

―Defense contractors to develop training simulations

―Process Engineers to model complex processes

―Biologists to model complex biological behavior

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 12

Integrated Concept Engineering System Vision

CONOPS NavigatorProcess Manager

Data Exchange Tool

Tool Execution Manager

Concept Engineers and Stakeholders will enter the tool through a virtual lobby. They will select their Avatar of choice.

As the team comes together in the ICES Lobby, each participant will select their individual role - developer or author.

The tool then provides guidance and navigation help through the process of integrating tools and developing the CONOPS.

Once the team agrees on the concepts, the scenario(s) can be put into motion for observation and analysis.

The scenario(s) can be modified, or stored for later sharing with others for approval

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 13

Developing a CONOPS Using ICES act [Package] Activities [Activity Diagrams]

:User :CONOPS Lobby :CONOPS EngineeringSystem

:Data Transformation :Data Transfer

Start CONOPS Navigator

:CONOPS Navigator

Choose Avatar/User Classification

Load CONOPS Lobby Screen

Set access control

Spawn Avatar into Navigator

Bring up Navigator

"Bookcases" UI

Create/Modify CONOPS Model

Choose Activity to becarried out

Choose External Tool from

"Bookshelf"

Bring up capability

selection GUI

Select Tool to Import Data

from

Select Data Source File

Specify Data Output File

:Data File Repository

Query File Repository

Load SourceData File

Create blank Data Output

FIle

Transform Data to fit Universal

Schema

Parse out useless data fields from output file

Write results to blank Output

File

Save oputput File with Universal Schema

FlowFinal

Save output file in desired file

format

Choose External Tool from Bookshelf

Bring up capability

selection GUI

Choose File for Execution

Query File Repository

Select Tool to Execute

Show File List

Show File List

:External Tools

Choose to Open External Tool

Open External Tool

ActivityInitial

ActivityFinal

FlowFinal

FlowFinal

transfer data betweentools

applicationexecution

create/modiify CONOPSmodel

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 14

ICES High Level Architecture bdd [Package] ICES Architecture [ICES Conceptual Architecture]

CONOPS Engineering

System

CONOPS Lobby

Universal Data Schema

Communication Effects Server

CES - OneSAF Interface

OneSAF

Excel

@Risk

AnyLogic

SparxEA

3D modeling tool

VBS2

Primitive and Scenario

Repository

Integrated Concept Engineering System

@Risk Interface

Data File Repository

3D model importer

OneSAF Interface

CONOPS Navigator

SparxEA Interface

Excel Interface

AnyLogic Interface

MatlabMatlab Interface

SimuLink

Other External Tool Interfaces

RT30

RT31

RT23

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 15

Current Development Efforts

• Using Unity 3D, a leading game development engine, as development environment

• Building interfaces between popular Early Systems Engineering analysis tools

• Building an interface for CONOPS personnel• Creating MBSA artifacts to give architects an accurate

representation of user needs

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 16

Proof of Concept Prototype

Slide 16

CONOPS Author

Partial Textual CONOPS

Graphical Scenario Descriptor

PrimitiveDeveloper

Concept Engineering System

MBSA Artifacts

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 17

Prototype Workshop

New Agency scenarios for initial testing and feedback on CES Tool

1. Simple limited primitive scenario– run as demo Author viewpoint

2. Extended scenario– run as demo Developer viewpoint – create new primitives, change attributes on existing

primitives Author viewpoint – import new primitives, modify existing scenario to include

new primitives3. Multi-player (user and observer) – run as exercise4. User Scenario – Flexible to allow users to stretch CES – run as exercise

Author Viewpoint Developer Viewpoint

Gathering Metrics– run as exercise Split into teams and try to collect metrics related to OCNOPS creation with and

without CES

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 18

Future Work

• Move from a limited functionality, proof of concept prototype to highly functional prototype

• Build out application infrastructure

• Implement Executable Scenarios

• Develop CONOPS and ICES development workflow to assist users in tool use

• Build primitive libraries for multiple domains relevant to sponsor’s operating environments

• Automate translation of graphical CONOPS output to MBSA input

Annual SERC Research Review - Student Presentation, October 5-6, 2011 19

For more information

• Peter Korfiatis―pkorfiat@stevens.edu

• Dr Robert Cloutier, PI―Robert.cloutier@stevens.edu

• Stevens Visualization, Modeling and Computation Lab―www.stevens.edu/vmc