Supporting Pilot Performance With an Integrated Flight Path Head -Up Display

Because the pathway display shares motion with outside elements, it was hypothesized that a pathway HUD may enhance tracking and detection when compared to its head-down counterpart. In two experiments, performance with a HUD was compared to performance head-down, and pilots performed a series of simulated tasks in low and high visibility. The results indicate that while detection of events is generally enhanced by the HUD, tracking is influenced by the level of available visual detail when the HUD is used. When little visual detail is visible, tracking performance is equivalent between the two display locations, while the presence of elements of interest (such as airport features) was found to degrade tracking with the HUD. However, when conformal elements are present, tracking is facilitated with the HUD over the head-down location. The results are discussed in terms of space- and object-based models of attention, and future work is defined to further examine how pilots allocate their attention when using virtually conformal displays.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Fadden, Steven

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wickens, Christopher D.

• Psychology, Cognitive

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9953010

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82284