Peripheral Vision Hover Drift Cueing for Spatial Disorientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face spatial disorientation in degraded visual environments (DVE) during landing and hover operations due to lack of peripheral vision cues and relative speed sensations, leading to potential incidents.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising sensors and peripheral vision hover drift cueing controllers that determine hover drift and control indicators to provide pilots with critical information through visible cues in their peripheral vision, using sensors like radar altimeters, inertial navigation, and cameras to mount indicators strategically within the cockpit for fore/aft and lateral drift indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional instrument flight displays are used to provide hover drift information, then the pilot receives critical flight data, but the pilot's mental processing bandwidth is constrained due to reliance on the limited fovea centralis area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves hover drift information from the central visual field (2D instrument panel) to the peripheral visual field (3D spatial distribution around the cockpit). By placing indicators on multiple surfaces including windshield, side windows, and instrument panels at peripheral locations, the system utilizes the third dimension of spatial arrangement to distribute information outside the fovea centralis, reducing mental processing load while maintaining information delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides hover drift information into multiple segmented indicators distributed across different peripheral locations rather than presenting all information through a single central display. Each indicator provides specific drift information (fore/aft, lateral, heading) at optimized peripheral locations, allowing the pilot to process information through distributed peripheral vision rather than concentrated central vision.
2Loss of information
If the pilot focuses on central vision to read instrument displays, then critical hover drift information can be perceived, but peripheral vision cues and relative speed sensations are lost leading to spatial disorientation
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions hover drift information from central visual field presentation to peripheral visual field presentation. By strategically placing indicators on windshield, side windows, and instrument panels within the pilot's peripheral vision cone, the system maintains spatial orientation cues while delivering critical drift information through the peripheral visual channel rather than requiring central fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visual indicator placements tailored to specific peripheral vision zones. Fore/aft drift indicators are positioned on the windshield or instrument panel, lateral drift indicators on side windows, and heading drift indicators on appropriate peripheral surfaces, optimizing information delivery to specific peripheral regions while preserving overall spatial awareness.
3Ease of operation
If multiple indicators are placed throughout the cockpit for peripheral vision visibility, then hover drift information is provided outside the central visual field, but the device complexity and indicator placement requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal indicator system that can function across multiple cockpit configurations and aircraft types. The same basic indicator technology is adapted to various surfaces (windshield, side windows, instrument panels) without requiring different indicator types, simplifying the overall system architecture while achieving peripheral vision coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes indicator placement at specific peripheral locations based on their functional requirements. Each indicator is positioned where it provides maximum utility for its specific drift information type while maintaining overall system simplicity. The placement strategy balances peripheral visibility with minimal intrusion into the pilot's operational environment.
Data Source
AI summary
Peripheral vision hover drift cueing methods, systems and computer readable media are disclosed. For example, a system can include one or more sensors, and a peripheral vision hover drift cueing controller coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to determine hover drift and to control a plurality of indicators in response to determined hover drift. The system can also include a first hover drift indicator coupled to the controller and mounted on an inside surface of a vehicle cockpit; and a second hover drift indicator coupled to the controller and mounted on an inside surface of the vehicle cockpit.