Oral Session 2: Spatial Disorientation
نویسندگان
چکیده
In the absence of visual orientation cues, the inadequacy of the vestibular sense often contributes to orienting illusions [1] during flight. Spatial disorientation (SD) plays a significant role in helicopter accidents [2, 3], often when outside visual references are lost during landings in dusty environments [4]. The lack of ambient visual cues, the close proximity to the ground, and the urgency of the situation (seconds from impact) often cause the helicopter pilot to act on the erroneous perceptions of motion generated by the vestibular system. Historic video clips of Apollo lunar landings show the potential for SD as the astronauts encountered similar situations during which clearly visible landing sites became totally obscured by blowing dust seconds before touchdown. This lack of time and altitude for reorientation and recovery has required the military to seek the development of displays that convey orienting information in more intuitive ways. The similarity between helicopter dust landings and extraterrestrial landings presents an opportunity for those designing future space vehicles and their instrumentation to gain from the lessons learned from military helicopters. Recent developments in visual/sensor (e.g.,Brownout Symbology System, 3D Conformal Landing Symbology) and tactile (Tactile Situation Awareness System) technologies promise to provide helicopter pilots critical orienting information in more timely, intuitive representations of the flight and landing environments, thereby compensating for the unreliability of the vestibular system and reducing the possibility of SD due to vestibular illusions. This presentation will contrast current flight instruments with these evolving displays. References
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