VAC Voice Activated Commands

[the mad hatter]

Hi I am wondering if anyone has used or is considering using this in their flightdeck for push back etc etc

seems like it could be a lot of fun to have and certainly add to the immersive side of things

[Hardy Heinlin]

Hi,

I consider making certain trigger options in PSX's PNF (Pilot Non-Flying) simulation that add-ons could use as well. The idea is this: In critical flight phases the sequence of actions usually follows a standard crew coordination concept. I.e. the sequence of actions is fixed. Just the timing isn't fixed. E.g. for take-off, the sequence could be fixed as:

- Tell PNF "Gear up"
- Tell PNF "Flaps 10"
- Tell PNF "Flaps 5"
etc.
For a training pattern one could add:
- Tell PNF "HDG bug +90"
- Tell PNF "HDG bug +90"
- Tell PNF "Gear down"
- Tell PNF "Flaps 20"
- Tell PNF "HDG bug +90"
- Tell PNF "Flaps 25"
etc.

Now, the actual idea is this: The trigger for each next call could be made by a keystroke, or a joystick button -- but also by an add-on that uses external sound inputs.

Now, well, the really actual idea is this: Such an add-on doesn't need to recognise any human words. Since the sequence of calls can be pre-programmed, only the timing of the calls is relevant, and for that the sound input just needs to exceed a certain dB value. A cough or a loud fart would work just as well as actually saying "Flaps 20" or "Gear down". The add-on just needs to sense a noise and then use this as a trigger for the next call in the pre-programmed sequence.

PSX itself doesn't have sound inputs, only sound outputs. For the above trigger system, PSX could only offer key or USB button assignments, or -- for add-ons -- TCP/IP inputs.


Cheers,

|-|ardy


P.S.: Of course, independent of this special idea, add-ons can generally always move anything in PSX's flightdeck anytime. If someone has a true voice recognition program that can assign words with commands, just inject these commands directly into the respective lever or knob in PSX's flightdeck without going into the PNF simulation first.

[Richard McDonald Woods]

FS2Crew already supports voice commands, using MS Speech Recognition, apparently quite successfully for the PMDG B737NGX to provide a pilot not-flying.

[Shiv Mathur]

A cough or a loud fart would work just as well as actually saying "Flaps 20" or "Gear down".

And there's the bonus that, in case of an accident. the Cockpit Voice Recorder would really baffle the investigators.      

[Hessel Oosten]

Interestingly on the Yahoo-767-builders group there was also a thread about this subject.
Some memmbers there indeed use voice input, which generaties keystokes, which click electronically menu's (now only a flash on the screen) which make things happen.
Even a "conversation" with your stewardess is now possibele. It's not investigated at this time what else is possible ...
An implementation is already described by 767 guru Nico Kaan on his beautifull site.:
http://www.lekseecon.nl/flightsimpc.html#VAC
He uses: http://www.dwvac.com/

Hessel

[the mad hatter]

Thank you for your comments chaps, my thoughts looking at the VAC was to implement the proper call outs and requests/instructions/ commands (externally from the flight deck) i.e ground and cabin crew etc etc and thus I am now at this stage which is independent of a computer and all on its own circuit some may think overkill I think hey thats way cool this is all tied into the IP station all headsets are hardwired to the aircraft panel

P1 headset and boom-mike(with ANR) plus PPTx2  and hand held mike plus 02 mask
same for P2, Obs 1, Obs2, and IP ( Instructor Pilot Station)

Inter-phone (flightdeck)located on the aft ped and interphone x 2 cabin crew located on cabin crew seats.

On the IP side of things he/she has a panel that allows independent chat directly to each station again another interphone

am I missing anything??

for those that want it a full design package and parts list will be posted once done

[Richard McDonald Woods]

Today, Bryan York has confirmed his intention to provide FS2Crew First Officer voice and text support for PSX. The topic is at http://forum.avsim.net/topic/413225-fs2crew-for-psx/.

Presumably this will only work under Windows as it normally depends on Win voice activation. But could this enable it to run on the same PC as FSX scenery and communicate over TCP to the PSX PC?

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Absolutely everything can be sent to PSX over the network, so you can run the F/O robot anywhere you want. If the robot "intelligently" monitors the instrument panel (using network variables, not by scanning pixels), it can virtually do whatever any real F/O would do.

In fact, as said before, you can link up two copies of PSX via the network and have a real captain and F/O work together. It would be a nice "Eliza" experiment to have the F/O robot stand in, instead of a real F/O.


Hoppie

[Hardy Heinlin]

Hi,

I just checked this video and I've got a few questions.

http://www.fs2crew.com/cart/products/FS2Crew%3A-PMDG-747-Voice-Commander-Edition.html

Which airline does FS2Crew model? I don't know all airlines, of course, but some calls I heard in the clip are making me curious.

At 80 knots, why "Confirm" instead of "Checked"? (Why is take-off thrust reached only at 60 knots?)

Why is LNAV/VNAV not armed? Why do they engage it manually after lift-off? Is this an FS2Crew specific feature?

Is it normal that the PNF sets the packs only at the PF's command?

Is it standard procedure at this airline that the PNF is commenting his pack control settings aloud during take-off?

Which airline's checklists are modelled by FS2Crew? The variety in the real world is great. Qantas' checklists, for example, are probably one of the shortest (also they have just a few standard calls, not even flaps and gear calls). The checklists of KLM, for instance, are three times longer, with about 180 checklist items. KLM's standard calls, too, are more comprehensive. In PSX, out of the box, you're not bound to a fixed airline; you can select one of five different airline PNFs, and developers can add further custom made airlines/PNFs. PSX provides a simple folder system for this. The PNFs appear in a menu box. How is this managed in FS2Crew?

As usual, I'm open to add-on projects.


Cheers,

|-|ardy

[Hardy Heinlin]

Today, Bryan York has confirmed his intention to provide FS2Crew First Officer voice and text support for PSX. The topic is at http://forum.avsim.net/topic/413225-fs2crew-for-psx/.

Unfortunately, I can't view it as I'm not registered.


|-|

[Hardy Heinlin]

Is there a list of all tasks that the 744 PNF in FS2Crew does?

Are all these tasks voice commanded? In PSX, the PNF tasks are automatic depending on flight phase and system status (or on PF actions).


|-|

[Hardy Heinlin]

I think I've got it now. Is it true if I think that the main purpose of FS2Crew is not to provide an autonomous PNF as per airline SOP, but mainly a voice controlled "assistant" that does all kinds of things on PF's voice command? I.e. the focus lies on voice recognition, not on autonomous, silent tasks as described in Crew Coordination Concepts?

I think this is useful indeed. But students should be aware that not all of these "voice command procedures" are used in airline operations.


|-|

[FS2Crew]

Hi Hardy,


FS2Crew is not voice commands for the sake of voice commands, ie., control every switch on the plane via voice commands like 'Voice Buddy' or something.

That's not our aim.

We model airline SOPs and crew interaction between the PF and PNF, Capt and FO.


The way FS2Crew works:

1. We model a fixed airline's SOPs, or sometimes the generic SOPs from the manufacturer, such as Boeing or Airbus.

2. We hire a consultant pilot with extensive experience on type to ensure that we're modelling the crew interaction properly and to cover all the little things that "aren't in the book".

The user takes the role of the PF/Captain.

3. Naturally, each airline often does things "its own way" as there are a million ways to skin a cat.

4. In the video you saw, the SOPs modeled were from an airline in Oceania.   Other airlines, of course, would have different calls, procedures, etc.

5. Generally we stick to one airlines SOPs because, as you say, SOPs can vary wildly from one airline to another and modeling every possible variation with respect to checklist handling and so on would be very tedious.

However, since PSX supports multiple airlines, we'll have to see what we can do to try to allow users to code in their own procedures, flows, calls, etc.

Check your email!

Cheers,

Bryan York
FS2Crew

www.fs2crew.com