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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 271 records · Page 15

Evaluation of a trajectory command concept for manual control of carrier approaches and landings

A novel trajectory control system concept was implemented to provide manual control of a conventional jet aircraft. This concept, called Total Aircraft Flight Control System (TAFCOS), utilizes an inverse model of the aerodynamic and propulsion characteristics and employs feedforward control to provide the required acceleration command. The concept requires on-board digital computations which can easily be handled by a modern airborne computer. The system was studied in a piloted simulation of the carrier approach and landing task with primarily visual flight and guidance cues. The principal modes of vertical flight-path control investigated were vertical velocity command and vertical acceleration command. The study included manual carrier approaches with and without moderate ship motion and associated air disturbances, and tests of the effects of discrete gusts. Manual control of flight path through this new concept was shown to be feasible as an addition to an automatic control system and to have potential as an improved mode of control over conventional control for the carrier approach task.

Mcneill, W. E.↗

Visually induced self-motion sensation adapts rapidly to left-right reversal of vision

Three experiments were conducted using 15 adult volunteers with no overt oculomotor or vestibular disorders. In all experiments, left-right vision reversal was achieved using prism goggles, which permitted a binocular field of vision subtending approximately 45 deg horizontally and 28 deg vertically. In all experiments, circularvection (CV) was tested before and immediately after a period of exposure to reversed vision. After one to three hours of active movement while wearing vision-reversing goggles, 10 of 15 (stationary) human subjects viewing a moving stripe display experienced a self-rotation illusion in the same direction as seen stripe motion, rather than in the opposite (normal) direction, demonstrating that the central neural pathways that process visual self-rotation cues can undergo rapid adaptive modification.

Oman, C. M.↗

Simulating Unpowered Helicopter Landings

Report presents results of experiment with visual, aural, and motion cues in simulations of helicopter landings without engine power. Helicopter simulators do not offer realistic environment, particularly in sensory cues for near-ground, low-speed flight. Evaluated importance of various cues in difficult autorotation. Conducted in vertical-motion simulator with experienced pilots as subjects.

Decker, William A.↗

The role of flight planning in aircrew decision performance

The role of flight planning in increasing the safety and decision-making performance of the air transport crews was investigated in a study that involved 48 rated airline crewmembers on a B720 simulator with a model-board-based visual scene and motion cues with three degrees of freedom. The safety performance of the crews was evaluated using videotaped replays of the flight. Based on these evaluations, the crews could be divided into high- and low-safety groups. It was found that, while collecting information before flights, the high-safety crews were more concerned with information about alternative airports, especially the fuel required to get there, and were characterized by making rapid and appropriate decisions during the emergency part of the flight scenario, allowing these crews to make an early diversion to other airports. These results suggest that contingency planning that takes into account alternative courses of action enhances rapid and accurate decision-making under time pressure.

Pepitone, Dave↗

Navy and the HARV: High angle of attack tactical utility issues

This presentation will highlight results from the latest Navy evaluation of the HARV (March 1994) and focus primarily on the impressions from a piloting standpoint of the tactical utility of thrust vectoring. Issue to be addressed will be mission suitability of high AOA flight, visual and motion feedback cues associated with operating at high AOA, and the adaptability of a pilot to effectively use the increased control power provided by the thrust vectoring system.

Sternberg, Charles A.↗

Planning of reach-and-grasp movements: effects of validity and type of object information

Individuals are assumed to plan reach-and-grasp movements by using two separate processes. In 1 of the processes, extrinsic (direction, distance) object information is used in planning the movement of the arm that transports the hand to the target location (transport planning); whereas in the other, intrinsic (shape) object information is used in planning the preshaping of the hand and the grasping of the target object (manipulation planning). In 2 experiments, the authors used primes to provide information to participants (N = 5, Experiment 1; N = 6, Experiment 2) about extrinsic and intrinsic object properties. The validity of the prime information was systematically varied. The primes were succeeded by a cue, which always correctly identified the location and shape of the target object. Reaction times were recorded. Four models of transport and manipulation planning were tested. The only model that was consistent with the data was 1 in which arm transport and object manipulation planning were postulated to be independent processes that operate partially in parallel. The authors suggest that the processes involved in motor planning before execution are primarily concerned with the geometric aspects of the upcoming movement but not with the temporal details of its execution.

Cues↗

Exposure to a Rotating Virtual Environment During Treadmill Locomotion Causes Adaptation in Heading Direction

The goal of the present study was to investigate the adaptive effects of variation in the direction of optic flow, experienced during linear treadmill walking, on modifying locomotor trajectory. Subjects (n = 30) walked on a motorized linear treadmill at 4.0 kilometers per hour for 24 minutes while viewing the interior of a 3D virtual scene projected onto a screen 1.5 in in front of them. The virtual scene depicted constant self-motion equivalent to either 1) walking around the perimeter of a room to one s left (Rotating Room group) 2) walking down the center of a hallway (Infinite Hallway group). The scene was static for the first 4 minutes, and then constant rate self-motion was simulated for the remaining 20 minutes. Before and after the treadmill locomotion adaptation period, subjects performed five stepping trials where in each trial they marched in place to the beat of a metronome at 90 steps/min while blindfolded in a quiet room. The subject's final heading direction (deg), final X (for-aft, cm) and final Y (medio-lateral, cm) positions were measured for each trial. During the treadmill locomotion adaptation period subject's 3D torso position was measured. We found that subjects in the Rotating Room group as compared to the Infinite Hallway group: 1) showed significantly greater deviation during post exposure testing in the heading direction and Y position opposite to the direction of optic flow experienced during treadmill walking 2) showed a significant monotonically increasing torso yaw angular rotation bias in the direction of optic flow during the treadmill adaptation exposure period. Subjects in both groups showed greater forward translation (in the +X direction) during the post treadmill stepping task that differed significantly from their pre exposure performance. Subjects in both groups reported no perceptual deviation in position during the stepping tasks. We infer that viewing simulated rotary self-motion during treadmill locomotion causes adaptive modification of sensory-motor integration in the control of position and trajectory during locomotion which functionally reflects adaptive changes in the integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive cues. Such an adaptation in the control of position and heading direction during locomotion due to the congruence of sensory information demonstrates the potential for adaptive transfer between sensorimotor systems and suggests a common neural site for the processing and self-motion perception and concurrent adaptation in motor output. This will result in lack of subjects perception of deviation of position and trajectory during the post treadmill step test while blind folded.

Ruttley, T↗

A Hypothetical Perspective on the Relative Contributions of Strategic and Adaptive Control Mechanisms in Plastic Recalibration of Locomotor Heading Direction

We have previously shown that viewing simulated rotary self-motion during treadmill locomotion causes adaptive modification of the control of position and trajectory during over-ground locomotion, which functionally reflects adaptive changes in the sensorimotor integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive cues (Mulavara et al., 2005). The objective of this study was to investigate how strategic changes in torso control during exposure to simulated rotary self-motion during treadmill walking influences adaptive modification of locomotor heading direction during over-ground stepping.

Richards, J. T.↗

Exposure to a Rotating Virtual Environment During Treadmill Locomotion Causes Adaptation in Heading Direction

The goal of the present study was to investigate the adaptive effects of variation in the direction of optic flow, experienced during linear treadmill walking, on modifying locomotor trajectory. Subjects (n = 30) walked on a motorized linear treadmill at 4.0 km/h for 24 minutes while viewing the interior of a 3D virtual scene projected onto a screen 1.5 m in front of them. The virtual scene depicted constant self-motion equivalent to either 1) walking around the perimeter of a room to one s left (Rotating Room group) 2) walking down the center of a hallway (Infinite Hallway group). The scene was static for the first 4 minutes, and then constant rate self-motion was simulated for the remaining 20 minutes. Before and after the treadmill locomotion adaptation period, subjects performed five stepping trials where in each trial they marched in place to the beat of a metronome at 90 steps/min while blindfolded in a quiet room. The subject s final heading direction (deg), final X (for-aft, cm) and final Y (medio-lateral, cm) positions were measured for each trial. During the treadmill locomotion adaptation period subject s 3D torso position was measured. We found that subjects in the Rotating Room group as compared to the Infinite Hallway group: 1) showed significantly greater deviation during post exposure testing in the heading direction and Y position opposite to the direction of optic flow experienced during treadmill walking 2) showed a significant monotonically increasing torso yaw angular rotation bias in the direction of optic flow during the treadmill adaptation exposure period. Subjects in both groups showed greater forward translation (in the +X direction) during the post treadmill stepping task that differed significantly from their pre exposure performance. Subjects in both groups reported no perceptual deviation in position during the stepping tasks. We infer that 3 viewing simulated rotary self-motion during treadmill locomotion causes adaptive modification of sensory-motor integration in the control of position and trajectory during locomotion which functionally reflects adaptive changes in the integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive cues. Such an adaptation in the control of position and heading direction during locomotion due to the congruence of sensory information demonstrates the potential for adaptive transfer between sensorimotor systems and suggests a common neural site for the processing and self-motion perception and concurrent adaptation in motor output. This will result in lack of subjects perception of deviation of position and trajectory during the post treadmill step test while blind folded.

Mulavara, A. P.↗

Immersive cyberspace system

An immersive cyberspace system is presented which provides visual, audible, and vibrational inputs to a subject remaining in neutral immersion, and also provides for subject control input. The immersive cyberspace system includes a relaxation chair and a neutral immersion display hood. The relaxation chair supports a subject positioned thereupon, and places the subject in position which merges a neutral body position, the position a body naturally assumes in zero gravity, with a savasana yoga position. The display hood, which covers the subject's head, is configured to produce light images and sounds. An image projection subsystem provides either external or internal image projection. The display hood includes a projection screen moveably attached to an opaque shroud. A motion base supports the relaxation chair and produces vibrational inputs over a range of about 0-30 Hz. The motion base also produces limited translation and rotational movements of the relaxation chair. These limited translational and rotational movements, when properly coordinated with visual stimuli, constitute motion cues which create sensations of pitch, yaw, and roll movements. Vibration transducers produce vibrational inputs from about 20 Hz to about 150 Hz. An external computer, coupled to various components of the immersive cyberspace system, executes a software program and creates the cyberspace environment. One or more neutral hand posture controllers may be coupled to the external computer system and used to control various aspects of the cyberspace environment, or to enter data during the cyberspace experience.

Park, Brian V.↗

DEVELOPING AN EARTH-FIXED VISUAL REFERENCE TO AID STABILITY, READAPTATION, AND EGRESS AFTER A WATER LANDING

Water landings present the worst possible sensory conditions for crews trying to orient and stabilize themselves immediately after long-duration spaceflight. Of the three sensory feedback systems involved in maintaining stability (i.e., proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual), none will provide reliable orientation information under the current water landing scenarios. Although the visual system is likely not affected by the disuse and adaptation to microgravity that affect the proprioceptive and vestibular systems, the visual environment within an enclosed space that is subject to wave-induced rocking will prevent the crewmember from using vision to determine which direction is up. This is true whether enclosed in the capsule or in a room on the recovery ship. The result is an increased risk of fall-related injury. In a prior study, 70% (21 of 30) of nonimpaired subjects reported that the presence of an Earth-fixed horizontal line helped them stabilize when their visually enclosed environment was exposed to wave motion. In addition to aiding stability, an Earth-fixed visual reference also can assist in the readaptation process. Sensory re-adaptation occurs when the three sensory systems are synchronized with one another and aligned with Earth’s gravity. The earlier an Earth-fixed visual reference can be introduced the sooner the readaptation process can begin. The goal of this project is to identify the optimal features of a device that visually presents gravitational reference cues to support egress, stability and readaptation. **Remainder of abstract in document preview or downloadable version

B. T. Peters↗

Evaluation of g seat augmentation of fixed-base/moving base simulation for transport landings under two visually imposed runway width conditions

Vertical-motion cues supplied by a g-seat to augment platform motion cues in the other five degrees of freedom were evaluated in terms of their effect on objective performance measures obtained during simulated transport landings under visual conditions. In addition to evaluating the effects of the vertical cueing, runway width and magnification effects were investigated. The g-seat was evaluated during fixed base and moving-base operations. Although performance with the g-seat only improved slightly over that with fixed-base operation, combined g-seat platform operation showed no improvement over improvement over platform-only operation. When one runway width at one magnification factor was compared with another width at a different factor, the visual results indicated that the runway width probably had no effect on pilot-vehicle performance. The new performance differences that were detected may be more readily attributed to the extant (existing throughout) increase in vertical velocity induced by the magnification factor used to change the runway width, rather than to the width itself.

Parrish, R. V.↗

The Vestibular System and Human Dynamic Space Orientation

The motion sensors of the vestibular system are studied to determine their role in human dynamic space orientation and manual vehicle control. The investigation yielded control models for the sensors, descriptions of the subsystems for eye stabilization, and demonstrations of the effects of motion cues on closed loop manual control. Experiments on the abilities of subjects to perceive a variety of linear motions provided data on the dynamic characteristics of the otoliths, the linear motion sensors. Angular acceleration threshold measurements supplemented knowledge of the semicircular canals, the angular motion sensors. Mathematical models are presented to describe the known control characteristics of the vestibular sensors, relating subjective perception of motion to objective motion of a vehicle. The vestibular system, the neck rotation proprioceptors and the visual system form part of the control system which maintains the eye stationary relative to a target or a reference. The contribution of each of these systems was identified through experiments involving head and body rotations about a vertical axis. Compensatory eye movements in response to neck rotation were demonstrated and their dynamic characteristics described by a lag-lead model. The eye motions attributable to neck rotations and vestibular stimulation obey superposition when both systems are active. Human operator compensatory tracking is investigated in simple vehicle orientation control system with stable and unstable controlled elements. Control of vehicle orientation to a reference is simulated in three modes: visual, motion and combined. Motion cues sensed by the vestibular system through tactile sensation enable the operator to generate more lead compensation than in fixed base simulation with only visual input. The tracking performance of the human in an unstable control system near the limits of controllability is shown to depend heavily upon the rate information provided by the vestibular sensors.

VESTIBULAR APPARATUS↗

Accurate Visual Heading Estimation at High Rotation Rate Without Oculomotor or Static-Depth Cues

It has been claimed that either oculomotor or static depth cues provide the signals about self-rotation necessary approx.-1 deg/s. We tested this hypothesis by simulating self-motion along a curved path with the eyes fixed in the head (plus or minus 16 deg/s of rotation). Curvilinear motion offers two advantages: 1) heading remains constant in retinotopic coordinates, and 2) there is no visual-oculomotor conflict (both actual and simulated eye position remain stationary). We simulated 400 ms of rotation combined with 16 m/s of translation at fixed angles with respect to gaze towards two vertical planes of random dots initially 12 and 24 m away, with a field of view of 45 degrees. Four subjects were asked to fixate a central cross and to respond whether they were translating to the left or right of straight-ahead gaze. From the psychometric curves, heading bias (mean) and precision (semi-interquartile) were derived. The mean bias over 2-5 runs was 3.0, 4.0, -2.0, -0.4 deg for the first author and three naive subjects, respectively (positive indicating towards the rotation direction). The mean precision was 2.0, 1.9, 3.1, 1.6 deg. respectively. The ability of observers to make relatively accurate and precise heading judgments, despite the large rotational flow component, refutes the view that extra-flow-field information is necessary for human visual heading estimation at high rotation rates. Our results support models that process combined translational/rotational flow to estimate heading, but should not be construed to suggest that other cues do not play an important role when they are available to the observer.

Stone, Leland S.↗

Vertical motion requirements for landing simulation

Tests were conducted to determine the significance of vertical acceleration cues in the simulation of the visual approach and landing maneuver. Landing performance measures were obtained for four subject pilots operating a visual landing simulation device which provides up to plus or minus 40 feet of vertical motion. Test results indicate that vertical motion cues are utilized in the landing task, and that they are particularly important in the simulation of aircraft with marginal longitudinal handling qualities. To assure vertical motion cues of the desired fidelity in the landing tasks, it appears that a simulator must have excursion capabilities of at least plus or minus 20 feet.

Bray, R. S.↗

Simulation replay - Implementation and flight simulation applications

Throughout the aircraft development process flight simulators are used to evaluate design concepts, 'handling' qualities, and operational procedures. A modern flight research simulator comprises a cockpit equipped with flight instruments and controls, subsystems to provide visual, motion, and other flight cues, and a digital computer. REPLAY is a computer program which enables a user to reproduce the multidimensional flight cues for an entire simulation 'run'. Attention is given to simulation fidelity improvement, simulation data recovery, simulation quality assurance, and aircraft systems research. It is pointed out that each of the applications discussed supports aircraft systems research by improving the realism, efficiency, or reliability of the simulation facility.

Crane, D. F.↗

Simulation of Aircraft Behaviour on and Close to the Ground

A guide to the current state of the technology of simulating fixed-wing aircraft handling qualities and performance on or close to the ground is presented and pitfalls which may prevent an adequate implementation are indicated. The scope of possible applications in both aircraft design work and pilot training is considered and the requirements for mathematical model definitions and implementations are discussed. The current requirements for visual and motion systems, cockpit cueing, and software modelling are also reviewed, and illustrated with specific examples in areas of aircraft research and development studies and pilot training uses. Needs for further improvements and additional data acquisition are identified.

Barnes, A. G.↗

M.I.T./Canadian vestibular experiments on the Spacelab-1 mission. IV - Space motion sickness: Symptoms, stimuli, and predictability

Three cases of motion sickness that occurred on Spacelab-1 are described. The relation between head movements and symptom intensity is examined. The effects of visual, tactile, and proprioceptive orientation cues on motion sickness are studied. The effectiveness of the drugs used is evaluated and it is observed that the drugs reduce the frequency of vomiting and overall discomfort. Preflight and postflight motion sickness susceptibility data are presented.

Oman, C. M.↗