Presagis, a leading provider of modeling, simulation, and embedded graphics software, today announced the launch of its next-generation software for Human Machine Interface (HMI) development: VAPS XT 4.1

This release introduces a number of advanced features, including a new Multi-touch and Gesture development framework formulated through close collaboration with major airframe manufacturers. It enables Human Factors specialists and HMI designers to rapidly build and test new cockpit interactions and reduces the need for redesign in the later development stages. A library of predefined, commonly-used gestures (swipe, tap, zoom, pinch, and more) enables designers to get started quickly and drastically reduces the amount of hand coding required to implement gesture recognition on both desktop prototypes and on the final embedded platform. The Multi-touch and Gesture recognition capability is completely platform independent; it can be deployed to multiple platforms including tablets, phones, desktop PCs, and embedded platforms.

VAPS XT 4.1 also adds a new performance monitoring feature that enables visual profiling of an application, making it easy to quickly identify and optimize performance problem areas early in development. Also introduced in 4.1: a more modular porting layer that maximizes reuse of code across different embedded hardware platforms and cuts recertification time and costs. A number of runtime performance improvements enable display applications to execute faster with lower CPU usage.

“The proper use of multi-touch and gestures in the cockpit is a subject of great interest for our customers right now, and they need tools that allow them to experiment with different types of interaction quickly” said Paul Jennings, Head of Innovation, Embedded Graphics, Presagis. “We have been working closely with the major airframe manufacturers and avionics systems suppliers for over three years on gesture input and multi-touch functionality. We have been investing in development tools they can use to experiment on a desktop in the lab, and to implement the same specification on an embedded system without change, reducing development timescales and risk.”

For more than 25 years, Presagis has been providing leading graphical modeling tools enabling its customers to produce graphics HMIs with highly optimized code for embedded systems. Through Presagis VAPS and VAPS XT, these HMIs have been deployed to thousands of aircraft worldwide. In addition, VAPS XT has proven itself for over for 15 years as a D0-178 qualifiable software tool for the creation of certifiable software which is used for ARINC 661 and non-ARINC 661 programs. Presagis HMI development tools have been used to reduce certification risks and costs in over 30 programs around the world, and are currently used by major avionics systems integrators, including: Boeing, BAE Systems, Datel, Barco, CMC Electronics, Lockheed Martin, THALES Avionics, and SAAB.