Manual Control in Target Tracking Tasks as a Function of Control Type, Task Loading and Vibration.
Abstract
An investigation was conducted on the use of fingertip tracking controls which were integrated into an aircraft throttle grip under different levels of task loading and vibration. The experimental variables included two types of control (force and displacement), two levels of task loading (low and high) and four levels of vibration (static, moderate and heavy turbulence and broadband). The low task loading condition required the pilots only to track the displayed targets or to fly the simulated aircraft, while the high task loading condition required simultaneous target tracking and aircraft attitude and airspeed control. The vibrations were random vertical accelerations of 0.11 or 0.35 g(rms) amplitude across the 0.1-20 Hz frequency range. The moderate turbulence condition was 0.11 g(rms) in magnitude with a vibrational response which peaked at 0.2 Hz. The heavy turbulence condition was similar except it had a 0.35 g(rms) intensity. The broadband spectra also had a 0.35 g(rms) intensity but with equal response across the frequency range. In the evaluation, 16 pilots performed the target tracking and aircraft control tasks in a motion base simulator. The dependent measures were pitch, roll and airspeed error for the aircraft control tasks and acquisition time and error, overshoots before acquisition, percent time on target and x-y tracking error for the target tracking tasks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA043903
Entities
People
- Harold D. Warner
- James G. Curtin
- Thomas G. Drennen