Visually guided control of movement in the context of multimodal stimulation

Flight simulation has been almost exclusively concerned with simulating the motions of the aircraft. Physically distinct subsystems are often combined to simulate the varieties of aircraft motion. Visual display systems simulate the motion of the aircraft relative to remote objects and surfaces (e.g., other aircraft and the terrain). 'Motion platform' simulators recreate aircraft motion relative to the gravitoinertial vector (i.e., correlated rotation and tilt as opposed to the 'coordinated turn' in flight). 'Control loaders' attempt to simulate the resistance of the aerodynamic medium to aircraft motion. However, there are few operational systems that attempt to simulate the motion of the pilot relative to the aircraft and the gravitoinertial vector. The design and use of all simulators is limited by poor understanding of postural control in the aircraft and its effect on the perception and control of flight. Analysis of the perception and control of flight (real or simulated) must consider that: (1) the pilot is not rigidly attached to the aircraft; and (2) the pilot actively monitors and adjusts body orientation and configuration in the aircraft. It is argued that this more complete approach to flight simulation requires that multimodal perception be considered as the rule rather than the exception. Moreover, the necessity of multimodal perception is revealed by emphasizing the complementarity rather than the redundancy among perceptual systems. Finally, an outline is presented for an experiment to be conducted at NASA ARC. The experiment explicitly considers possible consequences of coordination between postural and vehicular control

Multimodal Perception and Multicriterion Control of Nested Systems

The purpose of this report is to identify the essential characteristics of goal-directed whole-body motion. The report is organized into three major sections (Sections 2, 3, and 4). Section 2 reviews general themes from ecological psychology and control-systems engineering that are relevant to the perception and control of whole-body motion. These themes provide an organizational framework for analyzing the complex and interrelated phenomena that are the defining characteristics of whole-body motion. Section 3 of this report applies the organization framework from the first section to the problem of perception and control of aircraft motion. This is a familiar problem in control-systems engineering and ecological psychology. Section 4 examines an essential but generally neglected aspect of vehicular control: coordination of postural control and vehicular control. To facilitate presentation of this new idea, postural control and its coordination with vehicular control are analyzed in terms of conceptual categories that are familiar in the analysis of vehicular control

Understanding Skill in EVA Mass Handling

Key attributes of skilled mass handling were identified through an examination of lessons learned by the extravehicular activity operational community. These qualities were translated into measurable quantities. The operational validity of the ground-based investigation was improved by building a device that increased the degrees of freedom of extravehicular mobility unit motion on the Precision Air-Bearing Floor. The results revealed subtle patterns of interaction between motions of an orbital replacement unit mockup and mass handler that should be important for effective performance on orbit. The investigation also demonstrated that such patterns can be measured with a variety of common instruments and under imperfect conditions of observation

Multimodal Perception and Multicriterion Control of Nested Systems

This report reviews the operational demands made of a Shuttle pilot or commander within the context of a proven empirical methodology for describing human sensorimotor performance and whole-body coordination in mechanically and perceptually complex environments. The conclusions of this review pertain to a) methods for improving our understanding of the psychophysics and biomechanics of visual/manual control and whole-body coordination in space vehicle cockpits; b) the application of scientific knowledge about human perception and performance in dynamic inertial conditions to the development of technology, procedures, and training for personnel in space vehicle cockpits; c) recommendations for mitigation of safety and reliability concerns about human performance in space vehicle cockpits; and d) in-flight evaluation of flight crew performance during nominal and off-nominal launch and reentry scenarios

Multimodal Preception and Multicriterion Control of Nested Systems

Our theoretical and empirical research on the whole-body coordination during locomotion led to a Phase 1 SBIR grant from NASA JSC. The purpose of the SBIR grant was to design an innovative system for evaluating eye-head-trunk coordination during whole-body perturbations that are characteristic of locomotion. The approach we used to satisfy the Phase 1 objectives was based on a structured methodology for the development of human-systems technology. Accordingly the project was broken down into a number of tasks and subtasks. In sequence, the major tasks were: (1) identify needs for functional assessment of visual acuity under conditions involving whole-body perturbation within the NASA Space Medical Monitoring and Countermeasures (SMMaC) program and in other related markets; (2) analyze the needs into the causes and symptoms of impaired visual acuity under conditions involving whole-body perturbation; (3) translate the analyzed needs into technology requirements for the Functional Visual Assessment Test (FVAT); (4) identify candidate technology solutions and implementations of FVAT; and (5) prioritize and select technology solutions. The work conducted in these tasks is described in this final volume of the series on Multimodal Perception and Multicriterion Control of Nested Systems. While prior volumes (1 and 2) in the series focus on theoretical foundations and novel data-analytic techniques, this volume addresses technology that is necessary for minimally intrusive data collection and near-real-time data analysis and display

Psychophysical Methods for Equating Performance between Alternative Motion Simulators

Psychophysical matching techniques were employed to equate the subjective experience of motion in two roll-axis motion simulation devices: the RATS, a whole-body motion environment, and the dynamic seat sub-system of the ALCOGS, presenting motion cues through a moving seat pan. Two psychophysical techniques, cross-modality matching and magnitude estimation, yielded similar results. These results indicated that motion sensitivity increased with roll angular frequency for both simulators. However, the rate of increase at high frequencies was greater for the RATS than for the dynamic seat. These results were used to design a filter for the dynamic seat which enhanced high-frequency signal components. Tests in a roll-axis tracking task showed that performance in the dynamic seat using this filter was both quantitatively (in terms of r.m.s. error) and qualitatively (in terms of frequency characteristics) similar to performance in the whole-body motion environment

Psychophysical Methods for Equating Performance between Alternative Motion Simulators

Psychophysical matching techniques were employed to equate the subjective experience of motion in two roll-axis motion simulation devices: the RATS, a whole-body motion environment, and the dynamic seat sub-system of the ALCOGS, presenting motion cues through a moving seat pan. Two psychophysical techniques, cross-modality matching and magnitude estimation, yielded similar results. These results indicated that motion sensitivity increased with roll angular frequency for both simulators. However, the rate of increase at high frequencies was greater for the RATS than for the dynamic seat. These results were used to design a filter for the dynamic seat which enhanced high-frequency signal components. Tests in a roll-axis tracking task showed that performance in the dynamic seat using this filter was both quantitatively (in terms of r.m.s. error) and qualitatively (in terms of frequency characteristics) similar to performance in the whole-body motion environment

Quantum Chemical Calculations of1JCCCoupling Constants for the Stereochemical Determination of Organic Compounds

Quantum chemical calculations of one-bond carboncarbon coupling constants are demonstrated as potential probes for the configurational assignment of organic molecules. The stereochemical analysis of strychnine and its possible stereoisomers is presented as proof of concept