Pilot Seat Tactor Array for Threat Information Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft pilots face information overload during flight, making it challenging to process navigational, threat, and mission status information while performing other tasks, leading to confusion and delayed decision-making.
Innovation Solution
Tactile presentation of threat information using tactors physically coupled to the pilot seat, which are controlled to produce stimuli based on situational awareness data, reducing the need for wearable tactors and minimizing pilot burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pilots are outfitted with wearable tactors (gloves, vests, suits), then tactile information presentation is achieved, but device complexity and pilot burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the pilot seat as a copy or alternative载体 for the tactor system, transferring the tactile feedback function from wearable devices to the fixed seat structure. This eliminates the need for pilots to wear complex tactor-equipped garments while maintaining the core functionality of tactile information delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the tactor components from the wearable article and integrates them directly into the pilot seat structure. This separation removes the burden of wearable devices from the pilot while preserving the tactile feedback capability through the seat's integrated tactor system.
2Loss of information
If tactile stimuli are applied to the pilot's body through wearable devices, then information is communicated, but ease of operation deteriorates due to wearable burden
Solution Approach 1:
The pilot seat automatically provides tactile information feedback without requiring the pilot to don additional wearable equipment. The seat serves itself as the delivery mechanism for tactile information, eliminating the operational burden of managing wearable tactor systems while maintaining effective information communication.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple tactors are distributed across wearable articles, then information presentation coverage is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tactor system with the pilot seat as a single integrated unit. Instead of distributing tactors across multiple wearable articles (gloves, vests, suits), all tactors are consolidated into the seat structure, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining comprehensive tactile feedback coverage through the seat's contact surfaces.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for tactile presentation of information to a pilot of an aircraft. The system comprises a pilot seat (200), a plurality of tactors(212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222), and a controller configured to control the plurality of tactors to tactually present threat information to the pilot by producing one or more tactile stimuli based on situational awareness information. The tactors in the plurality of tactors are physically coupled to the pilot seat and the threat information is indicative of a threat to the aircraft. In some embodiments, at least one pressure sensor (240, 242, 244, 246, 248) may be physically coupled to the pilot seat and the plurality of tactors may be configured to tactually present the threat information to the pilot based at least in part on data obtained by the at least one pressure sensor.