Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
Hum Factors. 2011 Apr;53(2):118-31. doi: 10.1177/0018720811403139.
Alerts in the cockpit must be robust, difficult to ignore, and easily recognized. Tactile alerts can provide means to direct the pilot's attention in the already visual-auditory overloaded cockpit environment.
This research examined the thigh as a placement for vibrotactile display in the cockpit. The authors (a) report initial findings concerning the loci and properties of the display, (b) evaluate the added value of tactile cuing with respect to the existing audiovisual alerting system, and (c) address the issue of tactile orienting--whether the cue should display "flight" or "fight" orienting. The tactor display prototype was developed by a joint venture of Israel Aerospace Industries, Lahav Division, and the Ben Gurion University of the Negev (patent pending 11/968,405). A vibrotactile display mounted on the thigh provided directional cues in the vertical plane. Two vibrotactile display modes (eight and four tactors) and two response modes (compatible, i.e., fight [toward vibrotactile cue], and inverse, i.e., flight [away from vibrotactile cue]) were evaluated.
Vertical directional orienting can be achieved by a vibrotactile display assembled on the thigh. The four-tactor display mode and the compatible response mode produced more accurate results.
Tactile cues can provide directional orienting in the vertical plane. The benefit of adding compatible tactile cues compared with visual and auditory cues alone has yet to be reinforced. Nevertheless, fight mode, that is, directing the way to escape from hazardous situations, was preferred.
Potential applications include providing directional collision alerts within the vertical plane, assisting pilot's elevation control, or navigation.
驾驶舱中的警报必须强大、难以忽视且易于识别。触觉警报可以为飞行员在已经视觉-听觉过载的驾驶舱环境中提供引导注意力的方式。
本研究考察了大腿作为驾驶舱中触觉显示的位置。作者（a）报告了有关显示位置和特性的初步发现，（b）评估了与现有视听警报系统相比，触觉提示的附加价值，以及（c）解决了触觉定向问题——提示应该显示“飞行”还是“战斗”定向。触觉显示原型由以色列航空航天工业公司、拉哈夫分部和内盖夫本古里安大学的合资企业开发（专利申请 11/968,405）。安装在大腿上的振动触觉显示器提供了垂直平面中的定向提示。评估了两种触觉显示模式（八和四个传感器）和两种响应模式（兼容，即“战斗”[朝向触觉提示]和相反，即“飞行”[远离触觉提示]）。
可以通过安装在大腿上的振动触觉显示器实现垂直定向导向。四传感器显示模式和兼容响应模式产生了更准确的结果。
触觉提示可以提供垂直平面中的定向导向。与单独使用视觉和听觉提示相比，添加兼容触觉提示的优势仍有待加强。然而，“战斗”模式，即引导逃离危险情况的方向，是首选。
潜在应用包括在垂直平面内提供定向碰撞警报、协助飞行员的高度控制或导航。
