Adaptive Solutions CNAPS Helps Pilots Cut Through the Fog; Lear Astronics selects CNAPS for real-time image processing on low visibility aircraft landing system.

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 1994--Adaptive Solutions (NASDAQ:ADSO) today announced that Lear Astronics Corp. has selected the CNAPS massively parallel coprocessor for image processing in their Autonomous Landing Guidance (ALG) system that enables commercial and military aircraft pilots to land in foggy conditions.

ALG provides a clear real-time view of the runway and ground, even in the worst visibility conditions, through the use of a heads-up display. To achieve this virtual reality, Lear Astronics has selected the Adaptive Solutions CNAPS massively parallel coprocessor technology. CNAPS will be used in the image processor, where all sensor information is combined, to run several algorithms and process them in real time. The resulting images are then displayed on a heads-up display, providing the pilot with a detailed image of the approach and landing environment. Tackling this very compute-intensive task are four CNAPS chips, which contain a total of 256 processors, to merge and enhance all sensor information in real time.

Any airplane equipped with the ALG system could land in low visibility conditions (CAT III) at unmodified runways around the world. Only 41 U.S. airports are modified for CAT III landings. The ALG system will enable airports to decrease landing delays and diversions due to weather, estimated at over 2,000 per month in the United States, without having to invest further in low-visibility runway equipment at taxpayers' expense. It is estimated by Lear Astronics that by using an ALG system, U.S. airlines could reduce direct operating costs due to weather and volume-related delays by more than $1 billion a year.

The ALG system will also increase the all-weather operating capabilities of military aircraft including low visibility taxi and take-off. Currently, most major military aircraft cannot operate below CAT II conditions.

"No other solution Lear looked at, other than CNAPS, could provide the combination of power, cost and compact form that we required," said Chris Taylor, deputy program manager for Lear Astronics. "Six to 12 algorithms will be run on CNAPS, each step requires millisecond and microsecond response time. And it has to fit into the nose of the aircraft."

"This is the next step in low-visibility landing systems," said Bob Anundson, vice president of new business development for Adaptive Solutions. "Unlike any other solutions, this puts the system on board, independent of available ground support, and in the hands of the pilot."

Lear Astronics Corp. (Santa Monica and Ontario, Calif.) is serving as the lead member of the ALG consortium, with responsibility for system integration and coordination. Other members of the consortium include Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, the U.S. Air Force and the Maryland Advanced Development Laboratory.

Wright Laboratory is leading the government research and development team consisting of Wright Laboratories, NASA Ames, Rome Air Development Center, and associated government laboratories.

The ALG program, which Lear Astronics estimates could total as much as $42 million over the next few years, is an outgrowth of an FAA/U.S. Air Force initiative to improve all-weather landing systems. This program is part of the White House's Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP) aimed at developing new technologies with dual use applications for military and civilian users. The TRP program is managed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). NASA Langley Research Center is the executing agent and will support ARPA in the technical evaluation of the program.

CNAPS for real-time image processing

Adaptive Solutions products are based on CNAPS (Co-Processing Node Architecture for Parallel Systems) which incorporates 64, 16-bit DSPs on a single chip, all working in parallel to deliver up to 5 billion operations per second. CNAPS enables users to process massive amounts of data encountered in image processing applications. Adaptive Solutions designs and manufactures computer systems, boards and chips based on CNAPS, the only commercially available parallel co-processor. Adaptive Solutions was founded in 1988 and completed the initial public offering of its common stock in November 1993. For more information, contact Adaptive Solutions at 800/482-6277.

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Margie Yap or Craig Tenney, 503/642-2646