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Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) has developed the Auto-Scan Inlet and Exhaust Damage Registration Sensor, a system that provides a faster and easier way to characterize inlet and exhaust damage in high-performance aircraft.

Aircraft maintainers will use Auto-Scan to characterize, localize, register, and transfer information about damage and defects, speeding up the inspection process, improving data accuracy, and minimizing operator-induced error and labour hours. This tool will also minimize the time aircraft spend out of service.

High-performance aircraft require frequent inspections and maintenance due to extreme operating conditions and high temperatures. The current inspection process involves visual analysis and manual “trace and transfer” plotting of damage incidences.  The Auto-Scan sensor reduces both labor hours and occurrences of human error. One maintainer operates the sensor, as it captures and characterizes the image of the surface defect. Data including the defect shape, perimeter, area, depth, location, and orientation are transferred to the aircraft’s health assessment system for further analysis.

According to PRNewswire, Auto-Scan was developed through an Air Force Research Lab Critical Small Business Innovation Research contract. It is currently being transitioned for field deployment as part of a $2.5 million Rapid Innovation Fund award from the Department of Defense.

The company specializes in providing advanced technology solutions and R&D services to federal agencies and corporations throughout the United States. Its core R&D areas include: Physical Security and Surveillance, Sensors Systems, Air Traffic Management, Big Data and Social Media Analytics, Control and Signal Processing, Cyber Security, Education and Training Technologies, Health Technologies, Modeling and Simulation, Networks and Communications, and Robotics.