Identifying audiovisual benefits in discrete head and arm localization tasks within an echoic environment

Although the roles of visual and haptic cues in motor tasks have been well studied, the benefits of audio cues in complex motor tasks have been underexplored. Audiovisual cues reduce reaction times and decrease the variance of endpoint responses in simple head-orienting localization tasks. The aim of this research is to explore the potential of...

Effects of Target Trajectory Bandwidth on Manual Control Behavior in Pursuit and Preview Tracking

The 1960s crossover model is widely applied to quantitatively predict a human controller's (HC's) manual control behavior. Unfortunately, the theory captures only compensatory tracking behavior and, as such, a limited range of real-world manual control tasks. This article finalizes recent advances in manual control theory toward more general...

How humans use preview information in manual control

The introduction of ever-advancing automatic control systems is rapidly changing traditional manual control tasks such as piloting of aircraft and steering of cars. In order to predict how human controllers will interact with new technology, a thorough understanding of the human’s adaptive manual control capabilities and limitations is essential...

Effects of Preview Time in Manual Tracking Tasks

In manual control tasks, preview of the target trajectory ahead is often limited by poor lighting, objects, or display edges. This paper investigates the effects of limited preview, or preview time, in manual tracking tasks with single- and double-integrator controlled element dynamics. A quasi-linear human controller model is used to predict...

Experimental Scheduling Functions for Global LPV Human Controller Modeling

In this paper, the Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) model identification framework is applied to estimating time-varying human controller (HC) dynamics in a single-loop tracking task. Given the inherently unknown time changes in HC behavior, a global LPV approach with experimentally determined Scheduling Functions (SFs) is needed for this...

A Cybernetic Analysis of Maximum Unnoticeable Added Dynamics for Different Baseline Controlled Systems

Maximum unnoticeable added dynamics (MUAD) envelopes have been largely used to assess the adequacy of low-order equivalent systems (LOES) in handling qualities assessment and simulator validation. However, research has shown that more thorough verification of the adequacy of this method is required. This paper studies the influence of the...

Control-Theoretic Models of Feedforward in Manual Control

Understanding how humans control a vehicle (cars, aircraft, bicycles, etc.) enables engineers to design faster, safer, more comfortable, more energy efficient, more versatile, and thus better vehicles. In a typical control task, the Human Controller (HC) gives control inputs to a vehicle such that it follows a particular reference path (e.g.,...

PROCRU simulation results compared with Metro II in-flight ILS approach data

The PROCRU (Procedure Oriented Crew) model has been developed for the analysis and modeling of flight crew procedures during an ILS approach. The model's specific capability concerns the generation of "timelines" of the necessary actions to be carried out by each crew member during the approach. Besides, also the corresponding timelines for...

Low-speed handling qualities of advanced transport aircraft; A comparison of ground-based and in-flight simulator experiments

A model of the human decision maker observing a dynamic system

In this report a model of the human observer and decision maker is described. A submodel of the human observer is formulated in linear estimation theoretical terms including the perception of the displayed information of a linear process and the central information processing stage. The subsequent decision process is described in terms of...

Determination of low-speed longitudinal manoeuvring criteria for transport aircraft with advanced flight control systems

The application of Active Control Technology concepts and in particular the Relaxed Static Stability principle in certain categories of future transport aircraft will lead to the introduction of primary flight control systems incorporating full-time stability augmentation. For this category of transport aircraft adequate handling quality...

Thresholds for the visual perception of position deviations and motion

During a visual approach to landing a pilot uses cues in the visual scene for the control of aircraft attitude and flight path. The accuracy with which some relevant display elements can "be set at a desired, nominal, position was determined in an experiment via the phychophysical "method of adjustment". Furthermore relevant literature with...

Human pilot describing function, remnant and associated information for pitch attitude control: in flight and ground-based tracking experiments

Servo-analysis techniques, using mathematical models of human control behaviour, are effectively used in studies of the system formed by the human pilot and the flight control system/aircraft combination. Measurement and data analysis techniques for the determination of pilot describing function, remnant and associated information needed in...