Advanced Telemetry Linked Acquisition System

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ATLAS

ATLAS is a software package, which is used to capture, distribute, display and analyse data from control systems such as those used within motorsport and automotive applications.

The human brain is keyed to the narrative. Inputs, outputs, historic events, future possibilities, correlation, and causation: we are wired to understand the world around us as a constantly unfolding story.

A Formula 1 race is also a story in progress – and one in which we can proactively shape the outcome in our favour if we take intelligently informed action at the right time. Choosing that action, and the right moment is the key. That’s why Motion Applied developed ATLAS (Advanced Telemetry Linked Acquisition System), an advanced data-visualisation tool that can provide powerful, race-winning insights.

ATLAS is used by the professional data analyst working with data acquired by telemetry or uploaded from a data logger. ATLAS is appropriate for an individual data analyst or for many engineers all monitoring telemetry together.

ATLAS is equally suitable for analysis of either lap or open road-based data.

ATLAS versions

ATLAS Data Platform

Our top tier, for the most demanding of data analysis

ATLAS Premium

If you're racing in NASCAR, INDYCAR, GT, or similar tiers of racing, this is for you.

ATLAS

The entry tier, perfect to start your data analysis journey.

ATLAS platform

ATLAS product suite provides three main components for data capture and distribution, data visualisation, and data processing.

  • Visualise: ATLAS Client
    • Highly customizable, Workbook containing Pages and Displays
    • Graphical Timeline for easy navigation through data
    • View, analyse and compare live telemetry data with uploaded logged data
    • Alarms for automated monitoring of engine and chassis
    • Fast data handling to deal in real-time with the large quantities of data
    • Highly customizable
  • Distribute & Capture: ATLAS Data Server
    • Out-of-box support for Motion Applied Control units and data loggers
    • Support for standard 3rd party telemetry systems
    • Interface to support 3rd party data sources
  • Process: vTAG Server for model execution
    • Enables users to run MATLAB (Simulink) simulations against ATLAS data
  • Store: SQL Race Databases
    • Custom SQL Server implementation for data storage
    • Supports MS SQL Replication for replication data across multiple sites

ATLAS Client

ATLAS is a modular platform, the ATLAS application executable provides a user interface shell whereby the majority of functionality is provided by plugins.

Displays

Several types of display are provided to give you different views of your data:

  • On-screen controls for: parameter layout; lap offset adjustment; navigation and data selection
  • Traces can be hidden or flashed
  • Gradient and reference cursors
  • Automatic and manual scrolling

Many displays can show data in real time as it is received by telemetry. Other displays can be updated automatically as each lap is completed.

Parameters

ATLAS handles each item of incoming data as a parameter. The value of the parameter is displayed and analysed by including it in a Display:

  • Parameters are selected in a browser or dragged from another display.
  • Parameter properties allow you to control how a parameter is displayed: they may be either local to a single display or global to the whole workbook.

Timeline

ATLAS has several features to help you navigate through your data:

  • Shows: Out lap, Timed laps and In lap
  • The data currently on view is highlighted on the Timeline so you can easily see where you are
  • Mouse operations allow quick and easy lap selection
  • Linkable displays, enabling the same period of time to be shown, even when scrolling
  • Distance and Time modes are supported

Live Data Handling

Both ATLAS Client and ATLAS Data Server provide controls to record data from data loggers either directly (by wirelink) or in real time (by telemetry):

  • ATLAS supports both narrow and wide band telemetry
  • Wide band telemetry can be used in Burst mode (all the stored data is transmitted at one point on the circuit) or Retransmission mode (all the stored data is continually retransmitted and ATLAS uses later transmissions to fill-in drop outs and errors)
  • ATLAS supports high speed wirelinks via 100Mbps Ethernet
  • Ethernet telemetry allows you to view data at a test bed without any radio telemetry equipment
  • Telemetry can be replayed
  • ATLAS Data Server accepts incoming data and multicasts it on a network to the PCs running ATLAS Client
  • A special Data Server is available to accept data from a Weather Station and to include it with session data
  • ATLAS Data Server provides an interface for passing custom data into ATLAS Clients for Storage and Display

Software Interfaces (APIs)

ATLAS is a modular platform, the ATLAS application executable provides a user interface shell whereby the majority of functionality is provided by plugins.

There are essentially three types of plugins

  • Display Plugins, such as: Waveform, Scatterplot, Numeric
  • Functionality Plugins, such as: Session Browser, Parameter Browser, Alarms
  • Recorder Plugins, such as: Telemetry recorder, File replay recorder, Stream recorder

A plugin is a standard C# library DLL that exposes an entry point class derived from a suitable base class provided by the ATLAS APIs. At startup, ATLAS will dynamically load compatible plugins that reside within the ATLAS program files folder.

Our APIs are organised by capabilities as below:

Optional Product Extensions

Several optional ATLAS extensions are available:

  • Live Data Replication - Remote Data Server (RDS) provides the ability to daisy chain two or more ATLAS Data Servers remotely. For example, to transmit and transfer live telemetry data between track and factory locations.
  • Model Execution - vTAG Server application sits alongside ATLAS and enables users to run MATLAB (Simulink) simulations against ATLAS data.
  • Extending ATLAS
    • Integrations - ATLAS Remote Telemetry Architecture (RTA) defines web services to let you load telemetry directly from your existing storage
    • Streaming data to other applications: ECU Bridge provides a backbone for streaming data out of ATLAS ecosystem

Licensing

ATLAS is licensed by a hardware device. This can take the following forms:

  • USB dongle
  • Site/Seat Licence by Ethernet

Documentation

Please refer to our documentation site for more details: ATLAS Platform Documentation