Achieved complementarity and expertise of the partners is excellent to perform the whole work. Inspired by a synergy observed in collaboration of Wilbur and Orville – the two brothers who, by a common passion, have changed the world – Academy and Industry will work side by side in a common “Factory” commemorating the collaborative success of the Wright Brothers.

• Development of system for procedural knowledge acquisition and processing

The acquisition of human expert knowledge and translation it into a machine-executable form will be the first stage of building an expert system. Following the current trends, the experts' empirical knowledge on the structure and operation of flight simulator will be extended in the designed diagnostic tool by other available data about the work of system components under various normal and faulty conditions.

• Development of AR-based maintenance and service system

Augmented Reality (AR) is the integration of digital information with the user's environment in real time. Unlike Virtual Reality (VR), which creates a totally artificial environment, AR uses the existing environment and overlays new information on top of it. The AR application in connection with the AR glasses allows the technician or pilot to see the real environment of the cockpit (instruments, avionics, switches, etc.) combined with a computer generated image (schemas, links, descriptions, pictures). “The Flight Simulators Branch of RISE” plan to develop a new AR-based product applicable for the interactive work of service staff (logistic support), maintenance training, but also basic training of pilots and aircraft technicians (transition training, cockpit and aircraft systems familiarization).

• Development of NewTechnology flight simulator

Experimental validation of the elaborated methodology by collaborative manufacturing a prototype of the NewTechnology flight simulator with smart diagnostic modules and augmented-reality based system for virtual servicing.

The research and innovation programme of WrightBroS project is aimed to develop a prototype of NewTechnology professional flight simulator to demonstrate how deployment of augmented reality (AR) has a potential to significantly broaden the market for these new products. The economical impact on market expansion will be achieved due to innovations at three layers:

1. technological support to “learn as you go” paradigm,
2. development of AR-based virtual maintenance and servicing system, and
3. new AR-based architecture of the flight simulator (as opposed to current architectures based solely on virtual reality).

Research leading to these innovations will be performed by collaborative teams from Silesian University of Technology (PL) and two High Tech companies: LG Nexera (software development company from AT), and VRM (professional flight simulators manufacturer from SK). Such composition not only will mobilise the researchers with complementary skills but also it will provide to the WrightBroS project the equipment of exceptional in Europe Virtual Flight Laboratory at SUT, the resources for complex data management at NXR, and professional industrial environment for manufacturing flight simulators at VRM. Working toward attainment of ambitious scientific goals in this multidisciplinary project will rely on advanced image processing, pattern recognition, procedural knowledge acquisition and processing, smart diagnostics, augmented reality technology, and aerodynamics simulation models. Common goal to achieve the qualitatively new technology will be a basis for a rich programme of mutual staff training not limited only to secondments. Particular attention will be paid to wide and efficient networking, dissemination and communication. Due to these efforts, the WrightBroS project will strengthen career perspectives of participating scientists and will become the foundation for lasting collaborations in exploitation of results. Last but not least, the envisaged deployment by VRM of the NewTechnology products will increase competitiveness of European industry on the world market of professional flight simulators.