Immersive Simulator Virtual Crew Member Biofeedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current simulators for training vehicle operations are limited to simulating vehicle interactions without considering interactions with passengers, lacking a comprehensive real-world environment.

Innovation Solution

The development of an immersive simulator system that generates visual, auditory, and sensory depictions of a life-sized virtual crew member, simulating operational, behavioral, and physiological responses, and utilizes biofeedback data to create realistic interactions, allowing for the simulation of passenger interactions and data logging for training purposes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If current simulators are used to train vehicle operations, then vehicle operation simulation is achieved, but interactions with passengers and comprehensive real-world environment are missing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimulation environment completenessVSAvoidsimulator system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of a crew member that replicates human operational actions, behavioral responses, and physiological reactions. This virtual crew member copy enables comprehensive interaction simulation without requiring actual human passengers, thus improving environment completeness while avoiding the complexity of managing real human subjects in training scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces a virtual crew member as an intermediary between the operator and the simulation environment. This intermediary enables realistic passenger-crew interactions while maintaining system control and data collectability, resolving the contradiction between environmental completeness and system manageability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If biofeedback sensors are added to capture subconscious reactions, then operator response data accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator response measurementVSAvoidsensor system configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The biofeedback sensors are integrated into the existing simulator control system, serving multiple functions: capturing subconscious physiological reactions, monitoring operator stress levels, and providing data for virtual crew member response generation. This multi-functionality approach improves measurement precision without proportionally increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the biofeedback sensor system with the existing simulator hardware and control architecture. By combining these measurement capabilities into the unified system rather than adding separate standalone components, the increase in device complexity is minimized while achieving comprehensive operator response measurement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If virtual crew member interactions are simulated in real-time, then training realism is enhanced, but processing requirements and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinteraction realismVSAvoidprocessing system architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-loads virtual crew member response patterns, behavioral scripts, and physiological reaction data before simulation sessions begin. This preliminary preparation enables real-time interaction realism by having response data ready for rapid delivery, reducing the processing burden during actual training scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual crew member system dynamically adjusts its response complexity based on simulation requirements. Rather than maintaining maximum processing capacity for all scenarios, the system adapts its computational resources to match the specific interaction demands, reducing overall system complexity while preserving realism when needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3382676B1Systems and methods for an immersive simulator
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 THE BOEING CO
  • EP3382676B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3382676B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3382676B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems, computer readable media, and method concern includes generating visual, auditory and other sensory depictions of a life-sized virtual crew member in an aircraft simulator. The virtual crew member simulates operational actions and behavioral and physiological responses of a crew member of an aircraft. The method includes collecting one or more responses of an operator using the aircraft simulator. The one or more responses comprise biofeedback data associated with the operator. The method includes generating, in response to the one or more responses, one or more simulated operational actions or simulated behavioral and physiological responses for the virtual crew member. The method includes collecting one or more additional responses of the operator. The one or more additional responses comprise additional biofeedback data of the operator that corresponds to an interaction with the one or more simulated operational actions or simulated behavioral and physiological responses for the virtual crew member.