An interactive modeling, simulation, animation and real-time control (MoSART) helicopter environment: a tool for enhancing education and research

This paper describes a Microsoft Windows '95/NT, Visual C++, Direct-3D based software environment for simulating and visualizing high-performance helicopter systems. Different simulation and animation models may be selected by the user. Users are also able to alter model and controller parameters on the "fly"-thus allowing them to quickly examine different scenarios. Both two dimensional bitmaps and three-dimensional polygon representations are used for animation. Real-time plotting and graphical indicators are also employed to help users abstract-out key phenomena. The environment also accommodates data exchange with MATLAB. Simulation data generated from within MATLAB may be visualized and animated with the helicopter environment. Conversely, users may readily export simulation data to MATLAB and use the associated toolboxes for post-processing and further analysis. The MoSART helicopter environment is a valuable tool for enhancing both education and research. Examples are presented to illustrate its utility.