Directional Haptic Seat Alerts for Pilot Alert Fatigue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current alert systems in flight decks rely heavily on visual and audio cues, which can lead to pilots tuning out alerts due to overuse, reducing their effectiveness in maintaining situational awareness.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an array of haptic devices perceivable as tactile or vibratory sensations, controlled by a processor to provide directional haptic alerts, which can be combined with multi-modal alerts like 3D audio and graphic alerts, to enhance situational awareness and alert effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual and audio alerts are used in flight decks, then pilots can be informed of objects or occurrences, but pilots may tune out the alerts due to overuse, reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The alert system is segmented into multiple independent haptic actuators distributed across the seat, each capable of being activated independently based on the direction and nature of the alert, allowing for differentiated alert patterns that can capture pilot attention without causing overload
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a tactile/haptic dimension to traditional visual and audio alerts, creating a multi-sensory alerting system that engages a different sensory modality and reduces alert fatigue by varying the type of sensation based on alert priority and direction
2Loss of information
If multiple alert modalities are implemented, then situational awareness is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic seat acts as a universal alerting platform that can convey multiple types of information (direction, priority, type of alert) through a single device, eliminating the need for separate visual and audio alert systems while providing enhanced situational awareness
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the haptic alerts provide directional information back to the pilot about the location of objects or occurrences, allowing the pilot to maintain situational awareness through intuitive tactile cues that indicate spatial relationships
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system increases situational awareness and directionality of alerts, making them non-intrusive and non-invasive, while serving as a secondary alert to primary alerts, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of alerting systems.
Implementation Method 1
an array of haptic devices, wherein a driving of one or more haptic devices of the array of haptic devices is perceivable by a user as at least one of a tactile or a vibratory sensation
Data Source
AI summary
A system may include a vehicle. The vehicle may include an array of haptic devices. The system may further include at least one processor configured to: determine a location of an object or occurrence relative to the user; based at least on the location of the object or occurrence relative to the user, select at least one haptic device of the array of haptic devices to be driven and function as a directional haptic alert to the user, wherein the directional haptic alert is indicative of a direction from the user toward the object or occurrence; and output at least one command to cause a driving of the selected at least one haptic device, wherein the driving of the selected at least one haptic device is perceivable by the user as the directional haptic alert.