Eye-tracking in aviation: a new method for detecting learned visual scan patterns of cockpit instrument in simulated flight

Piloting an aircraft requires that various tasks be completed concurrently in an efficient manner. Here we present an algorithm that was developed with the intent of examining whether instructed scan patterns (i.e., the order of fixations on cockpit instruments in specific flight maneuvers) were followed by student pilots during a simulated flight. Participants were scored based on matching between actual scan patterns and instructed scan patterns. Both foveal and parafoveal scanning patterns were analyzed. For foveal scanning, patterns were detected based on fixations on instrument locations. For parafoveal scanning, patterns were detected based on gradient masks over the instruments, indicating a probability score about the instrument that was possibly fixated. For future perspectives, the algorithm could serve for development of a real-time feedback cockpit layout to alarm when scan patterns are suboptimal. Integrating a scan-pattern monitoring device in the cockpit is expected to reduce pilot-related accidents and incidents.status: Published onlin

Minimal reporting guideline for research involving eye tracking (2023 edition)

A guideline is proposed that comprises the minimum items to be reported in research studies involving an eye tracker and human or non-human primate participant(s). This guideline was developed over a three-year period using a consensus-based process via an open invitation to the international eye tracking community. This guideline will be reviewed at maximum intervals of four years

Eye tracking: empirical foundations for a minimal reporting guideline

In this paper, we present a review of how the various aspects of any study using an eye tracker (such as the instrument, methodology, environment, participant, etc.) affect the quality of the recorded eye-tracking data and the obtained eye-movement and gaze measures. We take this review to represent the empirical foundation for reporting guidelines of any study involving an eye tracker. We compare this empirical foundation to five existing reporting guidelines and to a database of 207 published eye-tracking studies. We find that 10 reporting guidelines vary substantially and do not match with actual reporting practices. We end by deriving a minimal, flexible reporting guideline based on empirical research (Section 6)