CONCEPTS FOR AN INTEGRATED VEHICLE HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM D. Abbott, B. Doyle, J. B. Dunlop, A. J. Farmer, M. Hedley, J. Herrmann, G. C. James, M. E. Johnson, B. Joshi, G. T. Poulton, D. C. Price*, M. Prokopenko, T. Reda, D. E. Rees, D. A. Scott, P. Valencia, D. Ward and J. G. Winter CSIRO Telecommunications & Industrial Physics, P.O. Box 218, Lindfield, NSW 2070, Australia 'Author to whom enquiries should be addressed: Don.Price@csiro.au ABSTRACT. This paper describes some of the considerations involved in the development of an intelligent integrated vehicle health monitoring system from a "top-down", systems perspective. INTRODUCTION Recent interest in smart sensor networks, and developments in technologies such as MEMS, microelectronics, nanotechnology, communication networks and distributed computing, have encouraged interest in the development of integrated vehicle health monitoring (IVHM) systems. In the longer term, such systems will provide a basis for the development of self-repairing, and perhaps even ageless, structures. In the shorter term, IVHM could reduce or eliminate a number of present design constraints (e.g. relating to redundancy and inspectability), allowing more efficient designs, and should reduce maintenance and inspection requirements. A multi-disciplinary team at CSIRO has begun developing concepts for IVHM systems for aerospace vehicles as part of the NASA Robust Aerospace Vehicle Program (RAV). RAV is a long-term program with an ultimate goal of the development of vehicles capable of structural self-assessment and repair, and structural reconfiguration (morphing). Generally these goals are well beyond the capabilities of current materials and technologies, so it is neither necessary nor desirable to restrict consideration to present materials, sensors, communications systems, etc. An IVHM system is an example of an intelligent sensing system. The purpose of such a system is to detect and measure certain quantities, and to use the information and knowledge obtained from the measured data and any prior knowledge to make intelligent, forward-looking decisions and initiate actions. The design of such a system must begin from knowledge of the environment in which the system is to operate and the quantities it is required to measure, and the actions that can be taken in response to the measurements. One of the important characteristics of practical IVHM systems is that they will generally consist of thousands, and perhaps millions, of sensors of different types measuring different quantities. It is therefore essential that strategies for efficient handling and usage of the vast amount of data generated are an integral component of the system CP657, Review of Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation Vol. 22, ed. by D. O. Thompson and D. E. Chimenti © 2003 American Institute of Physics 0-7354-0117-9/03/S20.00 1606