The Influence of Tactual Seat-motion Cues on Training and Performance in a Roll-axis Compensatory Tracking Task Setting

Abstract : A considerable body of knowledge exists regarding the influence of whole-body motion on the control behavior and task performance of a vehicle operator required to compensate for the effects of unexpected external disturbances. The research described was conducted to determine whether similar effects would be observed if the motion information were tactually displayed through the seat pan, rather than in a whole-body motion environment. The experiment was designed such that the transfer of training from a tactual dynamic seat display to a whole-body motion environment could also be evaluated. The experimental task required subjects to regulate for a random-appearing, roll-axis disturbance in a simulated vehicle having aircraft-like dynamics. A centrally located compensatory display, subtending about nine degrees, provided visual roll error information. Control inputs were made via a right side-arm isometric controller. The two-phase experiment included a training phase and a criterion phase. During training, subjects tracked under conditions of either visual information only, visual plus tactual seat cues, or visual in the one-to-one motion environment. Following training, all subjects were transitioned into the criterion whole-body motion environment. The data clearly demonstrate that a dynamic seat pan can effectively impart motion information, but the device (as used in this experiment) did not effectively train subjects to properly interpret and use the motion information available in the whole-body motion environment.

[1]  W H Levison.  Development of a Model for Human Operator Learning in Continuous Estimation and Control Tasks. , 1983 .

[2]  R. Kirk.  Experimental Design: Procedures for the Behavioral Sciences , 1970 .

[3]  George A. Bekey,et al.  Tactile Information Processing by Human Operators in Control Systems , 1978, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[4]  F R Alex,et al.  Experiments and a model for pilot dynamics with visual and motion inputs. NASA CR-1325. , 1969, NASA contractor report. NASA CR. United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

[5]  Greg L Zacharias.  Motion Cue Models for Pilot-Vehicle Analysis , 1978 .

[6]  Joseph A Puig,et al.  Motion in Flight Simulation: An Annotated Bibliography. , 1978 .

[7]  Don R. Gum.  Modeling of the Human Force and Motion-Sensing Mechanics , 1973 .

[8]  G. J. Kron.  Advanced Simulation in Undergraduate Pilot Training: G-Seat Development , 1975 .

[9]  Constantine H. Houpis,et al.  Feedback Control System Analysis and Synthesis , 1966 .

[10]  Ezra S. Krendel,et al.  DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF HUMAN OPERATORS , 1957 .

[11]  L. R. Young,et al.  Motion cues in man-vehicle control. , 1968 .

[12]  R J Hosman,et al.  Effects of vestibular and visual motion perception on task performance. , 1981, Acta psychologica.

[13]  W. H. Levison,et al.  F-14 modeling study , 1984 .

[14]  R. V. Parrish,et al.  Effects of motion base and g-seat cueing of simulator pilot performance , 1984 .

[15]  David L. Kleinman,et al.  A Model for Human Controller Remnant , 1969 .

[16]  R. Stapleford,et al.  Motion cue effects on pilot tracking , 1972 .

[17]  Wade G. Holcomb,et al.  Principles of Applied Biomedical Instrumentation , 1969, The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

[18]  William B. Albery,et al.  Motion and Force Cueing Requirements and Techniques for Advanced Tactical Aircraft Simulation , 1978 .

[19]  L. Kaufman,et al.  Handbook of perception and human performance , 1986 .

[20]  J L Meiry,et al.  The vestibular system and human dynamic space orientation. NASA CR-628. , 1966, NASA contractor report. NASA CR. United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

[21]  Wayne F. Jewell,et al.  Effects on Target Tracking of Motion Simulator Drive-Logic Filters , 1981 .

[22]  Fidelity of Simulation for Pilot Training dwELECTE , .

[23]  L. Young.  Human orientation in space , 1982 .

[24]  David L. Kleinman,et al.  A control theoretic approach to manned-vehicle systems analysis , 1971 .

[25]  Jeffery M Kleinwaks.  Advanced Low Cost G-Cuing System (ALCOGS) , 1980 .

[26]  V. Barnett,et al.  Applied Linear Statistical Models , 1975 .

[27]  Thomas W. Showalter,et al.  The effects of motion and g-seat cues on pilot simulator performance of three piloting tasks , 1980 .

[28]  G L Gottlieb,et al.  Predictor Operator in Pursuit and Compensatory Tracking , 1980, Human factors.

[29]  John W. Hill.  A Describing Function Analysis of Tracking Performance Using Two Tactile Displays , 1970 .

[30]  W. Dixon.  BMD : biomedical computer programs , 1967 .

[31]  W. H. Levison,et al.  Models for the Effects of G-seat Cuing on Roll-axis Tracking Performance , 1984 .

[32]  W. Hays.  Statistics for psychologists , 1963 .

[33]  Joseph S. Rosko,et al.  Digital Simulation of Physical Systems , 1972 .

[34]  Sheldon Baron,et al.  Closed loop models for analyzing engineering requirements for simulators , 1980 .

[35]  Duane T. McRuer,et al.  A Review of Quasi-Linear Pilot Models , 1967 .

[36]  T. W. Showalter.  A pilot evaluation of two G-seat cueing schemes , 1978 .

[37]  Greg L Zacharias,et al.  A Performance Analyzer for Identifying Changes in Human Operator Tracking Strategies. , 1979 .

[38]  William H. Levison,et al.  A Model for the Pilot's Use of Motion Cues in Roll-Axis Tracking Tasks. , 1977 .

[39]  R. V. Parrish,et al.  Evaluation of g seat augmentation of fixed-base/moving base simulation for transport landings under two visually imposed runway width conditions , 1983 .

[40]  John M. Reising,et al.  Some Thoughts on Improving Experiments , 1977 .

[41]  Renwick E. Curry,et al.  A descriptive model of multi-sensor human spatial orientation with applications to visually induced sensations of motion , 1973 .

[42]  K. J. Staples.  Current problems of flight simulators for research , 1978, The Aeronautical Journal (1968).