Aircraft Crew Wakeup Device Using Contextual Display
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
During long flights, waking up a sleeping pilot can be disrupted by stress and workload, leading to incorrect understanding of aircraft issues and potential piloting errors due to abrupt awakenings and disrupted perceptions.
Innovation Solution
A device with a processing unit that detects aircraft parameters and crew consciousness, activating a gentle or emergency wake-up mode with contextual information display to ensure safe and informed awakening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional manual wakeup methods are used, then the pilot can be awakened quickly, but the pilot may experience abrupt awakening and disrupted perception leading to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by gradually increasing alarm intensity (light → sound → vibration) before full awakening, and by preparing situation information in advance on the display. This gradual preparation allows the pilot's consciousness to transition smoothly while still achieving quick response to emergencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system cushions the abrupt awakening effect by using progressive alarm stages that gradually increase in intensity. The first stage uses gentle light, the second adds sound, and the third uses vibration - this cushioning approach prevents sudden perception disruption while maintaining fast wakeup capability.
2Productivity
If the pilot is awakened during stress and heavy workload, then the pilot can respond to the problem, but the decision to wake up may be disrupted and the situation understanding may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback by displaying situation information (parameter values, temporal evolution, history) directly to the awakened pilot. This feedback loop allows the pilot to quickly grasp the current state without relying on the stressed crew members' descriptions, thereby preventing information loss during the wakeup process.
Solution Approach 2:
The display unit acts as an intermediary between the aircraft's sensor data and the awakened pilot. Instead of relying on stressed crew members to convey situation information, the system uses the display as a neutral mediator to present accurate, objective data directly to the pilot, eliminating distortion from stress-induced disrupted perceptions.
3Reliability
If multiple wakeup apparatuses are activated simultaneously, then the pilot can be awakened effectively in emergencies, but the gentle wakeup mode may not be sufficient for non-critical situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the wakeup approach based on the situation's criticality. For non-critical situations, it uses gentle light-only activation. For critical emergencies, it dynamically progresses through multiple stages (light → sound → vibration) or directly activates all apparatuses simultaneously, making the system both comfortable and effective as needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for waking up a crew member resting on an aircraft includes a processing unit configured to detect current development parameters of the aircraft and/or to detect a state of consciousness of at least one other active crewmember. The processing unit is also configured to activate an apparatus for waking up the resting crew member, when at least one predetermined condition for waking up the resting crew member on one or several current parameters of the aircraft and/or on a parameter representative of the state of consciousness of the at least one other active crew member is satisfied.