Adacel to Develop Voice Activated Avionics for Rockwell Collins

Rockwell Collins has selected Adacel to develop a VAC (voice activated cockpit) interface for its next generation Pro Line avionics suite.

Adacel will provide Rockwell with a modified version of the system being developed for the F35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter that will provide pilots with the capability to interact with avionics functions using voice commands.  Flight tests are expected to begin in 2008 leading to RTCA DO -178B certification.

Denny Helgeson, Rockwell Collins' vice president and general manager for business and regional systems, said his company is interested in VAC technology as a way to reduce pilot workload and enhance operational efficiency.

Adacel says its system is speaker independent, thus eliminating the necessity for individual voice training, and has basic features that include radio frequency selection and display interaction.

Future versions of VAC include voice input to an aircraft's autopilot, FMS (flight management system), EFB (electronic flight bag) with interfaces, and command macros that can execute a series of inputs with a single instruction.  09-30-2007.

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