An Investigation of the Effects of the Time Lag due to Long Transmission Distances Upon Remote Control. Phase 1; Tracking Experiments

Abstract : A series of pursuit tracking tasks were performed incorporating a transport lag in the control loop. The target was a mixture of four sine waves, the fastest having a frequency of 16 cycles per minute at full speed. An attempt was made to design the experiments so they would provide data applicable to remote control of a ground vehicle over long transmission distances. Three programs were run. In each, the time lag was placed between the control and the display. In the first program a velocity control was used and the operator was told that his knob controlled a vehicle, the problem represented a road, and he was to drive his vehicle along the road, using the delayed vehicle position as feedback for whatever means he desired. The objective was not to match the display traces. In the second program a velocity control was used, and the operator was told that the problem trace represented a road and the delayed trace represented a vehicle and he was to keep them together. The objective was to match display traces. The third program was identical with the first, except that an acceleration control was used rather than a velocity control.