Control Tower Research Articles

Systematic Review of Supply Chain Control Tower Critical Success Factors and Resilience Effects

Systematic Review of Supply Chain Control Tower Critical Success Factors and Resilience Effects

A Survey of Medical Visualization Through the Lens of Metaphors.

We provide an overview of metaphors that were used in medical visualization and related user interfaces. Metaphors are employed to translate concepts from a source domain to a target domain. The survey is grounded in a discussion of metaphor-based design involving the identification and reflection of candidate metaphors. We consider metaphors that have a source domain in one branch of medicine, e.g., the virtual mirror that solves problems in orthopedics and laparoscopy with a mirror that resembles the dentist's mirror. Other metaphors employ the physical world as the source domain, such as crepuscular rays that inspire a solution for access planning in tumor therapy. Aviation is another source of inspiration, leading to metaphors, such as surgical cockpits, surgical control towers, and surgery navigation according to an instrument flight. This paper should raise awareness for metaphors and their potential to focus the design of computer-assisted systems on useful features and a positive user experience. Limitations and potential drawbacks of a metaphor-based user interface design for medical applications are also considered.

Identifying sources of interference in civil aviation radio communication

Civil aviation is an important part of public transportation. However, the wireless communication systems used in the approach and tower control phases of traffic control are susceptible to external interference, posing a threat to flight safety. Traditional communication interference solutions are time-consuming and require specialized technicians to troubleshoot. To solve this problem, we propose a real-time method for monitoring abnormal signals and detecting interference sources during aviation radio communications. The method consists of three steps: real-time blind source signal separation using cubic polynomial fitting, abnormal signal monitoring based on discriminative signal residence time, and using Pearson correlation coefficients to identify abnormal interference sources. This comprehensive approach effectively ensures the frequency safety of aviation radio communications. Experiments conducted at different locations in real airport environments demonstrate that this method can efficiently identify the signal bands and their interference sources.

Creation of a novel microburst alarm for Air Traffic Control using a signal design framework

In this study, we used a previously validated alarm design framework to design and test a new microburst alarm for air traffic controllers. MethodsTwo air traffic controllers participated in a detailed structured interview, describing aspects of the current alarm that worked well and identifying features that should be changed. They then chose the properties most important to the design of this specific alarm. This information was used to develop a prototype microburst alarm while making iterative changes. A short interview asking about those properties was then conducted with sixty-two controllers at a national conference. ResultsWe developed an effective microburst alarm using the Signal Design Framework. Informativeness, Distinguishability, Saliency, Disruptiveness, Exclusivity, and Recognizability were improved by adding an electronically accelerated verbal component (‘Microburst!’) to the beginning and midway through the alert. The tonal component, volume, and timing of the prototype alarm were similar to that of the original alarm. During the alarm testing phase, most controllers agreed that the prototype would work well in both Air Traffic Control Tower and TRACON environments. Controllers agreed that incorporating an audible ‘Microburst!’ helped to direct their attention to the source of the alarm, especially in facilities where this alarm is uncommon. Controllers also spoke favorably of the length, pitch, oscillation, and timbre of the auditory component. ConclusionsWe used a validated framework to develop a new alarm that would work well for controllers in their environment. The framework facilitated design, iterative testing, and large-scale evaluation.

Peak Velocity Pressure of Air Traffic Control Towers: A Comparative Study

The aim of the study was to compare the structural resistance of air traffic control towers (ATCTs) in Europe over 100 feet (30.48 meters) in height by determining their peak velocity pressure. A comprehensive examination was conducted on the ATCTs of 64 airports across Europe, with a reference to the EN-1991-1-4 criteria. The findings revealed notable differences in wind speeds and peak velocity pressure values experienced by ATCTs located in diverse geographical regions of Europe. The Athens Airport ATCT recorded the highest peak velocity pressure at 2.52 kN/m², while the lowest value was recorded at Zagreb Airport ATCT at 0.89 kN/m². These differences play a crucial role in determining the structural resistance of ATCTs. ATCTs exposed to high peak velocity pressures should use stronger materials and incorporate aerodynamic designs. Considering the significant influence of geographical location on wind loads, these results provide important insights into the safety of existing and future ATCTs. It is recommended that these findings be extended by investigating ATCTs in different geographical regions and that structural design strategies against wind loads be more thoroughly investigated in future studies.

Apolipoprotein E is a novel marker for chondrocytes in the growth plate resting zone.

The resting zone (RZ) in mammalian growth plates is critical for maintaining and regulating chondrocyte turnover during longitudinal bone growth as a control tower and stem cell reservoir. Although recent lineage tracing studies have identified several markers for stem cells in the RZ, these markers only partially label chondrocytes in the RZ, suggesting that the resting chondrocytes (RCs) are a heterogeneous population with different types of stem cells. Since a comprehensive marker for RCs is still lacking, the RZ is generally determined based on ambiguous histological criteria, such as small and round chondrocytes without columnar formation, which may lead to inconsistencies among researchers. Therefore, in this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) of growth plate chondrocytes followed by validation by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to precisely annotate cell clusters in scRNAseq and search for a marker of RCs. The scRNAseq analysis revealed that apolipoprotein E (Apoe) was the top-hit gene, which was ubiquitously expressed in the RC cluster. FISH confirmed that Apoe was exclusively localized to the histologically defined RZ. In newly generated Apoe-mCherry knock-in mice, we further confirmed that mCherry expression mirrored the distribution of Apoe-expressing chondrocytes in the RZ particularly after the formation of the secondary ossification center. These mCherry+ RCs were slow cycling in vivo and exhibited stem cell properties both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, APOE was detected in human growth plate RCs. These findings suggest that Apoe is a novel pan-RC marker in both mouse and human growth plates.

Smart Operating Room in Digestive Surgery: A Narrative Review.

The introduction of new technologies in current digestive surgical practice is progressively reshaping the operating room, defining the fourth surgical revolution. The implementation of black boxes and control towers aims at streamlining workflow and reducing surgical error by early identification and analysis, while augmented reality and artificial intelligence augment surgeons' perceptual and technical skills by superimposing three-dimensional models to real-time surgical images. Moreover, the operating room architecture is transitioning toward an integrated digital environment to improve efficiency and, ultimately, patients' outcomes. This narrative review describes the most recent evidence regarding the role of these technologies in transforming the current digestive surgical practice, underlining their potential benefits and drawbacks in terms of efficiency and patients' outcomes, as an attempt to foresee the digestive surgical practice of tomorrow.

Demand and supply shocks derived from COVID-19 on the freight transportation system in Mexico

PurposeThis paper's purpose is twofold. First, based on a case study, it aims to comprehend the consequences of COVID-19 on the demand and supply shocks of the freight transportation system in Mexico. Second, it seeks to provide an integrated perspective of four transportation modes, which would help prepare public policies for future global pandemics.Design/methodology/approachAnalyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the freight transportation system, which affects national and global economies, is essential to drawing valuable insights for the future. To facilitate international comparative analysis, conducting case studies at a country level was deemed necessary. As a result, a case study was conducted in Mexico using an integrated approach involving four transportation modes.FindingsTo manage disruptions in freight flow during uncertain conditions, a comprehensive perspective on the four modes of transportation and data-driven decision-making is crucial. Under this context, three initiatives can be identified: 1) establishing a National Center for Intelligence in Logistics to improve data-driven governance; 2) appointing the “Integrated Transportation Corridor Management Manager” (ITCMM) function to coordinate multiple authorities with different acting in critical freight transport corridors, and 3) creation of a digital tool based on millions of GPS data to monitor freight flows, allowing for collective intelligence among logistics actors.Research limitations/implicationsThis research's limitations are related to using non-standardized databases to gather information on four transportation modes. However, this limitation is also an interesting discovery. Mexico is becoming a strategic logistics hub between North America and Latin America, especially under the “Nearshoring” trend. Unfortunately, the lack of an integrated public policy in logistics and transportation reduces Mexico's capacity to deal with disruptions and its economic competitiveness.Practical implicationsThis research has identified practices that could be crucial in improving public policies to optimize shipping routes and reduce wait times while minimizing disruptions caused by unforeseen events. A concrete example is the digital platform called “eraclitux,” a computer tool similar to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system companies use. This tool can enable a “Control Tower” that monitors freight flow in transportation corridors under the supervision of “Integrated Transportation Corridor Management Managers.” The tool can make reactive and predictive decisions that help to enhance the logistics value provided by transportation infrastructure.Social implicationsThe importance of a well-coordinated and integrated public policy for freight transportation was identified to ensure better performance during disruptions. Delays in the flow of goods can significantly impact the supply of essential items such as food and medicine, ultimately affecting the population's quality of life.Originality/valueNumerous studies have been conducted to determine the extent of vulnerability and the impact of COVID-19 on freight transportation. However, most of these studies assume a developed market context or a single-mode transportation approach, which only applies to some situations. To gain a comprehensive understanding of how pandemics-induced demand and supply shocks affected freight transportation in developing countries such as Mexico, this paper offers insights from a four-transportation mode perspective. Mexico is facing a challenging Nearshoring trend in manufacturing, making it a significant logistics node between North and South America.

Sistem Informasi Manajemen Pengawasan Dan Pengendalian (WASDAL) Menara Telekomunikasi (Studi Kasus: Dinas Komunikasi Dan Informatika Kota Cimahi)

Telecommunication tower management information system is a crucial data processing system for telecommunication tower fee collection, given the importance of having an efficient and integrated system. However, the Department of Communication and Informatics of Cimahi City still lacks an integrated system, resulting in a slower telecommunication tower fee collection process. To address this issue, a Website named Telecommunication Tower Supervision and Control Management Information System (Wasdal) was developed as an integrated system to facilitate the fee collection process and generate fee collection reports. The methodology employed in this research is the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), and the Website is constructed using Laravel framework, Bootstrap, and MySQL database. The implementation results reveal that the overall built management information system Website meets user requirements. The User Acceptance Test (UAT) outcomes indicate average parameter scores of design (78%), features (79.20%), user satisfaction (80.60%), with an overall testing score of 81.3%.

Airside Surveillance by Computer Vision in Low-Visibility and Low-Fidelity Environment

Low visibility at airports can significantly impact airside capacity, leading to ground delays and runway/taxiway incursions. Digital tower technology, enabled by live camera feeds, leverages computer vision to enhance airside surveillance and operational efficiency. However, technical challenges in digital camera systems can introduce low-fidelity transmission effects such as blurring, pixelation, or JPEG compression. Additionally, adverse weather conditions like rain and fog can further reduce visibility for tower controllers, whether from digital video or out-of-tower views. This paper proposes a computer vision framework and deep learning algorithms to detect and track aircraft in low-visibility (due to bad weather) and low-fidelity (due to technical issues) environments to enhance visibility using digital video input. The framework employs a convolutional neural network for aircraft detection and Kalman filters for tracking, especially in low-visibility conditions. Performance enhancements come from pre- and postprocessing algorithms like object filtering, corrupted image detection, and image enhancement. It proves effective on an airport video dataset from Houston Airport, enhancing visibility under adverse weather conditions.

Optical and Structural Developments in Air Traffic Control Tower Glazing

With about 4,500 medium and large airports around the world, Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCT) are essential elements of our transport infrastructure. Safely orchestrating air traffic requires a perfect visibility of aircraft in all weather and lighting conditions. Aviation being a conservative field, towers are built or renovated using decades-old technologies, with disappointing results. Design parameters can be grouped in five categories: structural, blemishes, insulation, photometric and optical. Transcending country borders and traditions, we will detail each of these groups and explain the newest technical solutions available. This paper can be used as a checklist or design guide if you need to conceive an ATCT or other structures, such as an indoor observation deck or high-end retail storefront, where vision is paramount. Special attention will be given to visual distortion in transmission, haze, anisotropy, double image, reflection management, electrochromic, and glass-to-glass connections.

Virtual/augmented reality-based human–machine interface and interaction modes in airport control towers

The concept of an innovative human–machine interface and interaction modes based on virtual and augmented reality technologies for airport control towers has been developed with the aim of increasing the human performances and situational awareness of air traffic control operators. By presenting digital information through see-through head-mounted displays superimposed over the out-of-the-tower view, the proposed interface should stimulate controllers to operate in a head-up position and, therefore, reduce the number of switches between a head-up and a head-down position even in low visibility conditions. This paper introduces the developed interface and describes the exercises conducted to validate the technical solutions developed, focusing on the simulation platform and exploited technologies, to demonstrate how virtual and augmented reality, along with additional features such as adaptive human–machine interface, multimodal interaction and attention guidance, enable a more natural and effective interaction in the control tower. The results of the human-in-the-loop real-time validation exercises show that the prototype concept is feasible from both an operational and technical perspective, the solution proves to support the air traffic controllers in working in a head-up position more than head-down even with low-visibility operational scenarios, and to lower the time to react in critical or alerting situations with a positive impact on the human performances of the user. While showcasing promising results, this study also identifies certain limitations and opportunities for refinement, aimed at further optimising the efficacy and usability of the proposed interface.

기술패권 시대 대통령실의 기술안보 컨트롤타워 강화 방안

기술패권 시대 대통령실의 기술안보 컨트롤타워 강화 방안

Remote air traffic control towers: An application in Portugal

Purpose: Remote control towers are the latest evolution in air traffic control at the airport level. These towers replace traditional air traffic control towers, moving the airport's air traffic controllers to a remote location called a remote control center. This concept was introduced with the main aim of combating the shortage of air traffic controllers, as well as making it possible to provide several airports with control that, until then, they did not have or were at risk of losing, because of the costs associated with this service. This makes it important to study this solution in Portugal, as there are many airdromes where having runway control may not be economically viable. The study will focus on a project by NAV Portugal, which is about to implement this solution on some islands in the Azores archipelago.Design/methodology/approach: Having identified the number of movements per month at a few chosen airports, the operational viability was studied according to the number of movements per hour to ensure that several restrictions were met.Findings: Even including the region's main airport, from the point of view of analyzing the number of movements, the installation of a remote control tower is feasible. There is also a substantial economic gain from this new solution, both in terms of implementation and operations.Originality/value: Remote control towers are a new air traffic control solution, making it possible to extend this service to countless airdromes that may be in the process of losing this service for economic reasons, or no longer are controlled by an air traffic controller.

강원특별자치도 무장애 관광 활성화 방안 연구

Purpose - Focusing on the FGI research method, the current status and issues of barrier-free tourism in Gangwon State were identified, and specific activation plans were derived Design/methodology/approach - This study conducted in-depth interviews with 20 experts related to the tourism industry. The issues, current status, and activation plan of barrier-free tourism in Gangwon State recognized by experts in tourism policy, tourism administration, tourism management, and tourism service industry were derived. Findings - First, the tendency of businesses to be promoted based on the non-disabled by not recognizing the weak as the main tourism demand group, second, confusion caused by the unification of terms related to barrier-free tourism, third, lack of finding tourism constraints subdivided according to the type and degree of disability, fourth, tourism information and evaluation indicators provided by prioritizing the convenience of suppliers rather than consumers, and fifth, the nature of the project focused on improving access to physical infrastructure. Subsequently, the results of the analysis of the plan to revitalize the barrier-free tourism industry in Gangwon State were as follows. First, education and programs to improve disability awareness appropriate to local conditions were activated, second, related information was unified and project sustainability was improved by creating a control tower for the barrier-free tourism industry at the provincial level, third, to overcome the employment crisis based on finding locally tailored jobs related to tourism care professionals, and fourth, to continuously secure quantitative and qualitative data and establish utilization plans. Research implications or Originality - First, it presents theoretical implications for related fields by providing issues and activation measures related to barrier-free tourism from the perspective of experts who are still lacking in research in academia. The practical implications are that based on the opinions of experts working in the tourism field, more specific issues of the barrier-free tourism industry in the province were presented, and policy and practical solutions were presented accordingly, suggesting realistic alternatives that can be carried out in the actual field.

Enhancing Customer–Supplier Coordination Through Customer-Managed Inventory

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend in supply chains to employ a “control tower” approach to improve supply chain performance. One such strategy is customer-managed inventory (CMI) in which the customer (the downstream party) controls the inventory of the supplier (the upstream party). However, the optimal design of the inventory control policy and the required incentive structure for CMI has not been fully explored in the related literature. In this paper, we develop a two-echelon model consisting of a supplier and a customer that captures the interaction between both decision makers. Analysis of this model indicates that achieving the potential benefits of CMI requires suitable incentive mechanisms to be put in place. The two-echelon inventory system model, however, does not give closed-form solutions, which are required to generate an optimal solution to the inventory control and incentive problem. To address this challenge, we propose an approximate model, which decouples the two-echelon model into two newsvendor-type models with each party operating a single-echelon system. This approximate model requires the introduction of additional cost parameters so that the decoupled model captures the cost implications of supplier shortages in the original two-echelon model. By developing appropriate values for these cost parameters, the approximate model yields near optimal results. Analysis of the solution reveals important operational factors that determine which environments are conducive for CMI and conditions for Pareto improvement of all stakeholders. This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.03658 .

The Role of ATC’s Situational Awareness in Wildlife Hazard Handling at the Aerodrome Control Unit Tower

The handling of wildlife hazard is an important aspect in ensuring flight safety at the Aerodrome Control Tower Unit of AirNav Indonesia, Denpasar’s Branch. In this context, situational awareness becomes a key factor that influences decision-making and actions of ATCs regarding wildlife hazard. This research aims to analyze the role of ATC's situational awareness in handling wildlife hazard at the mentioned unit. Data collection methods include field observations, interviews, and document analysis. The research findings indicate that wildlife hazard incidents at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport are quite high, but the lack of detection by ATCs poses a problem that can disrupt the smooth flow of air traffic services. This is primarily due to high workload and insufficient situational awareness of the dangers posed by wildlife hazard. Recommended solutions include conducting regular briefings, launching campaigns on wildlife hazard awareness, and enhancing situational awareness among ATCs. The research results are expected to provide insights and recommendations for improving flight safety concerning wildlife hazard at the Aerodrome Control Tower Unit of AirNav Indonesia, Denpasar’s Branch.

Aircraft engine danger areas incursion detection using keypoint detection and IoT

Operational safety at airports has long been a subject of active research, with a growing focus on the safety of aircraft stands in recent years. The phase during which an aircraft taxi into its designated stand with engines still running poses safety risks to surrounding vehicles. However, there is currently a lack of effective methods for detecting potential conflicts and hazards during this taxiing phase. To address this issue, this study utilizes apron activity videos as a monitoring data source and introduces an integrated Internet of Things (IoT) conflict detection model. This system combines object detection, engine keypoint detection, coordinate conversion, and conflict warning system to provide timely alerts when vehicles incursion into the engine danger areas. Firstly, the paper streamlines the fourth-level branch and network of HRNet, resulting in the HRNet-3stage network. This network is then compared with Lite-HRNet to determine the optimal choice. Secondly, Recognizing the limitations of traditional video conflict detection based on pixel distance, a fixed monitoring camera coordinate conversion algorithm is designed to convert pixel coordinates into actual coordinates on the aircraft stand, thereby improving the accuracy of conflict detection based on distance measurement. Thirdly, considering the risks associated with engine inlet and exhaust, engine design parameters, static spacing standards, and the dynamic anti-collision process within the aircraft stand, the study proposes a method for classifying four types of aircraft engine danger areas. Corresponding conflict detection models are designed for potential scraping incidents when vehicles incursion into these danger areas. Upon detecting a vehicle entering the aircraft engine danger areas, the IoT system sends warning messages through the airport control tower monitoring system. Finally, we construct an apron sandbox to validate the conflict detection model. This validation results in an impressive F1-score exceeding 90% and a detection delay of less than 100 ms. Our innovative approach, supported by keypoint detection networks and IoT, effectively addresses the detection of critical aircraft components within stands. It comprehensively analyzes incursion issues into engine danger areas, offering a novel perspective for understanding and mitigating potential conflicts arising from aircraft taxiing into stands.

A probabilistic model based on the peak-over-threshold approach for risk assessment of airport controllers' performance

Airport tower control plays an instrumental role in ensuring airport safety. However, obtaining objective, quantitative safety evaluations is challenging due to the unavailability of pertinent human operation data. This study introduces a probabilistic model that combines aircraft dynamics and the peak-over-threshold (POT) approach to assess the safety performance of airport controllers. We applied the POT approach to model reaction times extracted from a radiotelephony dataset via a voice event detection algorithm. The model couples the risks of tower control and aircraft operation to analyze the influence of human factors. Using data from radiotelephony communications and the Base of Aircraft Data (BADA) database, we compared risk levels across scenarios. Our findings revealed heightened airport control risks under low demand (0.374) compared to typical conditions (0.197). Furthermore, the risks associated with coupling under low demand exceeded those under typical demand, with the final approach stage presenting the highest risk (4.929×10−7). Our model underscores the significance of human factors and the implications of mental disconnects between pilots and controllers for safety risks. Collectively, these consistent findings affirm the reliability of our probabilistic model as an evaluative tool for evaluating the safety performance of airport tower controllers. The results also illuminate the path toward quantitative real-time safety evaluations for airport controllers within the industry. We recommend that airport regulators focus on the performance of airport controllers, particularly during the final approach stage.

Beyond Control Towers, Vending Machines, Networks and Platforms towards more dynamic, living metaphors for governance

Metaphors affect how humans perceive and interact with reality, not least in governments, so our metaphors for government and governance matter. In this article, early metaphors such as government as Leviathan, machine, control tower and vending machine are shown to be limited, as are their replacements, like government as network and government as platform. Instead, the article suggests conceptualising government and governance as a ‘moral ecology’, to do justice to the complex and evolving roles of public sectors and public officials amid global turbulence and increasingly challenging domestic circumstances.