Remote diagnostics

Remote Diagnostics refers to ability to diagnose a subject (system, craft or person) from a distance. Instead of the subject being colocated with the person or system doing the diagnose, both can be far apart (earth-moon distance for instance), connected by wire or wireless.

When limiting to systems, a general accepted definition is:'To Improve reliability of vital or capital-intensive installations and reduce the maintenance costs by avoiding unplanned maintenance, by monitoring the condition of the system remotely. '

Process elements for remote diagnostics:
* Remotely monitor selected vital system parameters
* Analysis of data to detect trends
* Comparison with known behavior database data
* After detected performance degradation predict the failure moment by extrapolation
* Order parts and plan maintenance, to be executed when really necessary, but in time to prevent a failure or stop

Typical uses:
* medical use (see Remote guidance)
* Formula 1 racecars
* space (Apollo project and others)
* Telephone systems like a PABX
* aeroplanes, like 747, Fokker, Airbus and many others.

The reasons for RD can be one of more of these aspects:
* limit local personnel to a minimum (Gemini, Apollo capsules: too tight to fit all technicians)
* limit workload of local personnel
* limit risks (exposure to dangerous environments)
* central expertise (locally solve small problems, remotely/centralized solve complex problems by experts)
* efficiency: reduce travel time to get expert & system or subject together

Remote Diagnostic & Maintenance

Remote Diagnostic & Maintenance refers to both diagnoses of the fault or faults and taking corrective (maintenance) actions, like changing settings to improve performance or prevent problems like breakdown, wear & tear. RDM can replace manpower at location by experts on a central location, in order to save manpower or prevent hazardous situations (space for instance).

External links

* [http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/plans/index.jsp/ Onstar Diagnostics]
* [http://www.ringsos.co.il/ Ring S.O.S Website]