DON26BZ05-NV078 TITLE: Tech Data Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals Convertor
COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY AREA(S): Trusted AI and Autonomy
PROJECTED CMMC LEVEL REQUIREMENT: Level 2 (Self)
The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.
OBJECTIVE: Develop a tool capable of transforming existing Navy technical manuals (TMs) into a format viewable within our targeted Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMS) viewer. This transformation must accommodate any existing TM, irrespective of its original specification and format, while also addressing data rights release considerations.
DESCRIPTION: The Navy is currently standardizing the format for technical manuals to facilitate the creation, management, and publication of IETMs. A significant portion of existing technical manuals has yet to be converted to the IETM format, making it challenging for users to easily navigate the information. These manuals also exist in various formats, lacking complete uniformity, which complicates parsing by automated tools and accurate display to the end-user.
The primary goal is to develop a tool or software that can automate the transformation of these diverse technical manuals into eXtensible Markup Language (XML), as XML documents are highly adaptable for various outputs. This XML output must then be formatted for compatibility with a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) or Government Off-The-Shelf (GOTS) tool, which can convert the information into step-by-step instructions.
Specifically, the objective is to create a tool capable of transforming any existing Navy technical manual, regardless of its original specification and format, while adhering to data rights release requirements. The transformed output must contain the appropriate distribution markings that match original inputted technical manual document and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) markings. The output must be viewable in our designated IETMS viewer. The tool should be able to parse manuals from various formats, including PDFs, MIL-STD-3001-1, MIL-DTL-81310, S1000D v3.0, and S1000D v4.0, to extract relevant information.
This extracted information should be formatted for integration into a tool that generates quick, readable step-by-step instructions. These instructions should reference corresponding material and be displayed to the end-user, via an Extended Reality (XR) headset or tablet, during maintenance, troubleshooting, or operational procedures. The aim is to present these instructions within an Augmented Reality (AR) environment to enhance readability and digestibility. The tool should also be designed for integration with existing commercial or government tools.
PHASE I: Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Navy's existing technical manuals to identify their legacy formats and structural variations. Collaborate with Navy stakeholders to define specific format and version compliance requirements, such as S1000D or MIL-STD-30001XML, based on the needs of the targeted platform. Select a specific product for which to create a content library. Evaluate current tools and technologies for document conversion, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and AR integration to pinpoint existing gaps and potential opportunities.
Subsequently, develop algorithms to identify and extract content, including text, tables, images, and diagrams, from this library. The converted outputs must be viewable on the Navy’s chosen IETMs/XML viewer.
Furthermore, formulate plans to integrate NLP and search functionalities, enabling users to query specific tasks or information within the converted IETMs. Develop a method to format this queried task data so it can be fed into a COTS or GOTS tool. This tool will then convert the information into step-by-step instructions, intended for display within an AR/ XR environment.
The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.
PHASE II: Refine, scale, and fully operationalize the automated tool or software developed in Phase I. This includes expanding the content library to encompass more than one platform. The goal is to create a functional prototype that can accept existing Navy technical manuals from the targeted product library as primary input and convert them into the specified standard format. Users must be able to view and navigate these converted technical manuals within the Navy’s IETMs viewer.
Validation of the generated modules against existing IETMs/XML formats is crucial. Automated validation tools should be developed to ensure all converted data modules meet the targeted standards set by stakeholders. Additionally, an error detection and correction mechanism will be implemented to address any inconsistencies. Aiming for a threshold of at least 95% accuracy for conversion and after running the error correction should reduce the error rate to <= 1%.
Further, NLP and search capabilities will be integrated, allowing users to query specific tasks or information within the converted IETMs. Algorithms will be developed to extract relevant content and format it into an output compatible with COTS/GOTS tools, which will then generate simplified, step-by-step instructions tailored to user queries. The output will be verified by certified instructors and technical data engineers to determine viability and serviceability of produced output.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Final testing will involve the rapid conversion of a large set of existing technical manuals, encompassing various complexities and formats. These converted manuals will then be fed into a COTS or GOTS tool.
Subsequently, a live testing event will be conducted where sailors perform maintenance procedures, using the outputted IETMS tool and querying them for proper instructions. This event will be supervised by qualified maintainers. Evaluation metrics will be clarified provided at prior to Phase III award but should meet industry standards for current AI chat bot tools which are ~99% accuracy for information retrieval. Test event will pair off a maintainer with the automated tool vs a maintainer with the typical tools that they use today (i.e., technical manual on their portable electronic maintenance aid laptop).
The IETMS format is widely recognized as a standard for technical documentation. Its adoption can significantly improve interoperability and compliance across various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and energy. Furthermore, the tool's integrated query-based system enhances the ease with which users can search for relevant technical information, thereby boosting productivity and minimizing downtime. Finally, AR integration can further improve maintenance tasks by providing immersive, hands-free, step-by-step instructions for complex procedures.
REFERENCES:
KEYWORDS: Technical Manuals; Artificial Intelligence; Augmented Reality; Natural Language Processing; Automation; XML
TPOC 1 : Benny Reyes
(732) 323-2926
benny.reyes2.civ@us.navy.milTPOC 2 : Joshua Moser
(732) 323-2572
joshua.a.moser6.civ@us.navy.mil
** TOPIC NOTICE ** |
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