Collaborative testing and support using the Internet

The Internet and its current infrastructure provide many opportunities to exploit improved electronics testing by increasing collaboration among individuals worldwide. This paper proposes several ways to take advantage of the ubiquitous Internet infrastructure, its applications, and increasing network bandwidth to better share knowledge between engineering and test technicians, and to build and maintain a network of knowledge sharing among test and maintenance technicians in geographically separated units. Current Internet infrastructure applications that are available and being used in an ad hoc manner are email, instant messaging, video conferencing and remote control of PCs. These applications can be used by the military to integrate and enhance communications methods and improve the sharing of data as well as remote control of automatic test equipment by engineers providing diagnostic assistance. Knowledge management techniques will be exploited to provide capture of and better access to "head knowledge" which typically stays within an individual technician or engineer. Collection of repair and test data in real time from geographically dispersed locations can be implemented via the Internet. Engineering can be more responsive in updating TPS software by having more information and in turn distribute the updates via the Internet by providing access to a secure server.