APEX EXPO 2016 Education Day: Tracking Technologies
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APEX Insight: Education Day’s Track C speakers captivated their audience with a look at new and emerging technologies that are, or will soon be, revolutionizing the airline passenger experience.
New Guidelines for Personal Electronic Devices on Board
The European Organization for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) and Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) founded a joint working group to develop new and adapted guidelines for the use of personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board. Stephan Schulte, strategy manager for Lufthansa Group, summarized the content of the 200-page document, slated for release in late 2016 to early 2017, which outlines the qualifications of PED-tolerant and HIRF-qualified aircraft. According to Schulte, current guidelines, developed 10 years ago, are costly for on-aircraft testing, messy and fail to take into account the introduction of new devices, changes in user habits and the fact that PEDs have grown in significance.
Leveraging Quickly Evolving Technologies to Direct PaxEx Solutions
Mark Schwartz, president of Design Consultancy Practice, Telefonix PDT, discussed how to leverage quickly evolving technologies by being a “fast follower,” instructing stakeholders in the aerospace industry to let the consumer giants in other industries take the risk and to wait until a completely vetted, aircraft-ready solution is available. “When it comes to software user interfaces, move quickly, but when it comes to hardware, press pause,” said Schwartz.
Emerging Technologies: Artificial Intelligence
Yves Bergquist, project director, Data and Analytics, Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California, shared findings from one of the industry’s most innovative artificial intelligence (AI) think tanks. During his session, Bergquist discussed how generalized AI, as opposed to narrow AI, could streamline the passenger experience, especially where airlines dedicate sums of human, financial and operational resources to keep the cog turning. “Think about a world where every operational processes can be outsourced to an AI that can do it way better than humans … That’s the biggest promise of AI,” Bergquist said.
How the Internet of Things Will Give Rise to Connected Aviation
The aviation industry’s foray into the Internet of Things (IoT) means that multiple devices can organize themselves, on the ground and in the air, to improve the passenger experience and relieve stress points across the journey. Loren Bolstridge, manager of Cabin Avionics Engineering for Delta Air Lines, Stephen Call, connectivity manager for Boeing, and TJ Horsager, product manager for Gogo, discussed what IoT can do for stakeholders in the aviation industry. “From an airline perspective, what we really need to try and get at with the IoT is to know what is really going on, know what the passenger experience is, know what a healthy aircraft is,” said Bolstridge. But IoT isn’t just about ensuring that electronic devices work seamlessly together: “How do we make sure [OEMS, suppliers and airlines] are on the same page?” Call asked. Panelists agreed that stakeholders should be open to collaboration to maximize benefits from the IoT.