WHAT IS HARDWARE-IN-THE-LOOP SIMULATION?

Abstract

While interfacing with a variety of potential simulation customers, a simulation lab often encounters confusion regarding the definition of hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulation. Hardware-in-the-loop sometimes refers to any simulation which includes or is capable of including any item of hardware from the system being simulated. Other definitions insist that only a simulation which includes all hardware possible in the loop is hardware-in-the-loop. These differing conceptions are discussed in the content of aerospace applications. The particular example of an inertial guidance system is considered.