Seal Beach, CA – (Aug. 2019) – Introducing the new SLICE6 AIR data acquisition system to measure analog signals for in-flight, aerospace and defense testing. Offering flexibility and powerful new functionality, the ultra-small SLICE6 AIR allows test engineers to embed the data recorder in locations that were previously inaccessible. SLICE6 AIR can be used standalone, networked for high channel counts tests or easily integrated into existing Ethernet-based flight test instrumentation.

Measuring just 42 x 42 x 13mm with a mass of 50 grams, the miniature SLICE6 AIR is optimized for size, weight and power (SWaP). The rugged module can be embedded on or in small test articles like unmanned systems, munitions and helicopter rotors without altering test dynamics. Positioning the DAQ near the sensors eliminates complicated cable runs that can get tangled or cause issues with signal or power drops, plus it helps reduce test set-up time.

SLICE6 AIR offers real-time streaming in IRIG (Chapter 10 or TmNS) as well as store-in-place recording. The system also supports Ethernet timing and synchronization using IEEE 1588 PTPV2 protocol. These new features, along with all the functionality of its proven SLICE6 DAQ predecessor, make it ideal for applications requiring high-speed streaming data collection and precision timing.

“Flight test engineers are always looking for ways to reduce lengthy test set-up time,” says Huy Nguyen, DTS Aerospace and Defense Sales Manager. “SLICE6 AIR can be rapidly deployed at the last minute to support test modifications ‒ like additional sensor channels or new points of interest ‒ making it a real game-changer for speeding up the test process.”

The onboard IEEE 1588 compliant Ethernet functionality allows the 6-channel SLICE6 unit to be expanded to hundreds of channels (via PTPv2 daisy-chaining ) per test setup. Programmable sampling rates support a variety of sensors including full and half-bridge, strain gauges, pressure sensors, voltage input and thermocouples. Data writes directly to onboard flash memory.

Seal Beach, CA – (Mar. 2019) – Following the successful launch and return of the Crew Dragon capsule from the International Space Station (ISS), one of the next steps for SpaceX will be a detailed review of every aspect of the mission. That includes extensive analysis of data collected via Ripley, the HYBIII-50M Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) that was one of the first official first “passengers.” According to SpaceX, Ripley was instrumented with 10 (of 30 available) critical sensors to capture head, neck and spine data. DTS sensors and data acquisition systems were onboard to measure loads and forces that future crew members may experience during launch, docking and splashdown. The Demo-1 data will be carefully analyzed to ensure the safety, comfort and reliability of space travel for future astronauts. Once SpaceX determines everything is mission-ready for Demo-2, this will include transporting a live crew of two NASA astronauts to the ISS.

Lexington, KY (June. 2019) – DTS proudly accepted an “Excellence” Award in the Technical Category at the 2019 Toyota Indirect Supplier Annual Business Meeting in Lexington, KY. The award recognized the quality of DTS data acquisition systems that are reliably collecting critical test data after 20 years in service, in addition to DTS’s improved communication practices and exceptional customer service. Each month DTS picks up and drops off Toyota R&D’s DTS data acquisition equipment for calibration from the Saline, MI facility. The door-to-door service exemplifies DTS’s commitment to excellence in customer service and helps Toyota keep testing schedules on track. DTS also revised the Service Contract invoicing schedule to align with the monthly calibrations and help Toyota finance. DTS looks forward continuing our collaborative partnership with Toyota at all of their facilities worldwide.

Pictured: Dawn Sup, Manager of DTS Michigan Technical Center, (2nd to L) accepts the DTS award from Toyota executives (L to R) Greg Laskey, Arata Ito and Jamie Todd.

Seal Beach, CA – (2019) – Mike Beckage, co-founder and CTO of Diversified Technical Systems, has been inducted into the Cal Poly Pomona College of Engineering Hall of Fame. This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding accomplishments of distinguished engineers from the more than 25,000 alumni. Along with Beckage, nine other alumni were inducted in 2019.

Cal Poly Pomona’s ‘learn by doing’ paradigm became an essential component for Beckage as he earned a BS in Engineering Technology and began his career as an electronics technician at Mobility Systems & Equipment Company. “I truly learned how to identify a problem, propose a viable solution and then carry the concept forward to fruition in an effective way,” he says. “Many of my classroom and lab experiences immediately made me a more valuable employee and led to an engineering position even before I graduated.”

Soon after graduating, Beckage was promoted to senior test engineer. At Mobility Systems he was responsible for all aspects of data collection and analysis of automotive safety tests performed for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In 1988 he moved on to Nissan Motor Corporation, where he served as an engineering specialist and was responsible for analyzing and reporting on potential safety or emission issues and corresponding with NHTSA and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Looking for his next career move, Beckage co-founded Diversified Technical Systems (DTS) in 1990, a high-tech company that engineers and manufactures miniature data acquisition systems for crash test, blast protection and product testing. Today Fortune 500 companies rely on DTS data recorders and sensors for critical testing in automotive, aerospace, military, defense, sports and injury biomechanics. Headquartered in Seal Beach, California, DTS has over 100 employees and offices in Michigan, France, Japan, China, Asia-Pacific and the United Kingdom.

With a passion for teaching, inspiring, and making a difference, Beckage says he still enjoys going to work each day. He likes the people and work, and values the fact that DTS products help advance human safety all around the world.

Proud to be recognized as one of the distinguished engineers whose achievements inspire future generations of engineers, Beckage had this to say, “If you study diligently, work hard, persevere and pay supreme attention to detail in everything you do, your education will take you far.”

Seal Beach, CA – (Jan. 2019) – Diversified Technical Systems, Inc. (DTS) has been awarded two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)* Phase I contracts to develop miniature data acquisition systems for flight crew safety testing by both the US Air Force Research Lab and NASA. DTS was selected for each project based on their expertise in test and measurement solutions for crash, blast and injury biomechanics testing.

The DTS ‘blue boxes’ will be engineered to collect physical measurements including triaxial linear and angular acceleration for two very different applications. NASA’s focus is on low-level accelerations over extended time periods, while USAF testing is centered on short duration events. NASA’s Dynamic Kinematic Recorder (DKR), as it’s being called, will be used to measure vibration data that spaceflight crews may experience during launch and re-entry periods. The USAF Dynamic Impact Recorder (DIR) will measure more intense head and neck accelerations that pilots may be subjected to during ejection seat events.

How and where each unit will be mounted and powered are critical to the development process. With the goal of positioning the recorder as close as possible to the point of interest, which could be on or in a helmet, the real challenge for DTS design engineers becomes size, mass and center-of-gravity (CoG). DTS’ ultra-low power designs are significantly smaller and lighter than similar systems on the market. Each unit will feature six degree of freedom (6DOF) sensing and onboard memory, which means all data will be stored in place to non-volatile memory.

Phase 1 deliveries include working prototypes, which will be evaluated against key metrics to assess performance and accuracy of the units. The NASA DKR is scheduled to be complete in January 2019 and the USAF DIR is scheduled for April 2019. One or both may be followed by a Phase II SBIR, in which the concept design is then refined into a finished product.

New ways of testing and analyzing football head injuries caused by helmet-to-helmet hits is approaching a touchdown.  The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) Department of Mechanical Engineering is developing new testing methodologies using crash test dummies to improve helmet testing and ultimately reduce concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

While there are recorders that can be attached to the outside of a helmet to alert coaches and medical staff of possible concussions, these devices track helmet motion and generally do a poor job of tracking actual head motion. The UAB research team wants to improve the helmets themselves, starting with the testing process, so they are putting the sensors and recorders inside crash test dummy heads for even more biofidelic impact data.

UAB’s unique test facility recreates the collisions players experience on the field, based on analyzing hours and hours of game footage. An 80-foot railed track with a motorized sled recreates actual impacts using two crash dummies geared up in protective football equipment. Initially the dummies were wired up to exterior data acquisition systems, but there were issues with tangled cables that restricted free-flight test dynamics. The solution: miniature DTS SLICE NANO data recorders plus triaxial linear accelerators and angular rate sensors that are embedded inside the dummy head – eliminating any trailing cables. The system records each collision, calculates the velocities of the players involved, the locations of impact on each player’s helmet and more. This data is critical to support UAB’s goal to identify helmets that best protect players from concussions, as well as encouraging the design of new, even safer helmets. The institution’s new partnership with VICIS, a helmet technology company, will aid that goal even further.

“Right now, there are no football helmet standards that specifically address concussions,” said Dean Sicking, Ph.D., professor in UAB’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.  “The DTS data recorders and sensors collect the relevant data that we need from replicated real-world hits in order to ascertain what kind of forces the hits cause.  Ultimately, we can gather enough data to see whether helmet A or helmet B performs better in protecting against concussions.”

UAB looked to Diversified Technical Systems (DTS) for their expertise in biomechanics and occupant safety testing. The California-based company is known for miniature, rugged data recorders and sensors used for crash, blast and safety testing worldwide. DTS designed the first in-dummy data acquisition system (DAS) for the WorldSID, a side impact dummy developed and used in automotive regulatory testing.  Most recently, DTS completed building  the first military blast test dummy (WIAMan) for the U.S. Army with next generation data recorders and sensors inside. This breakthrough of moving data recorders inside the test dummies has significantly changed the face of safety testing by improving the fidelity of the data and the efficiency of the test set-up.

“DTS systems are so small that they really are a game-changer in this important work of improving player safety,” says Hans Hellsund, Director of Sales for DTS. “For over 26 years our technology has been focused on helping keep people safer, whether it’s with auto manufacturers, aerospace testing, or soldier protection,” adds Hellsund.