A Procedure for Inducing the Leans Illusion in a Hexapod Motion Simulator

Abstract

Ground-based demonstration of spatial disorientation (SD) has been recommended for military as well as commercial pilot training. Although the leans illusion is the most common form of SD, no data exist yet of an effective ground-based leans procedure for a hexapod simulator. In this paper we describe the development of such a procedure and its tuning with nine subjects. The procedure was then used in an experiment with 18 airline pilots, which is described elsewhere. The final procedure started with a prepositioning phase, during which the simulator platform was slowly tilted to a 3.5°prepositioning roll angle, while the pilot performed a distraction task and the instruments and outside visuals indicated level flight. Next followed an adaptation phase, during which the pilot's vestibular system adapted to the new angle, the outside visibility degraded to zero and the instruments were covered. Then the platform was moved back to level, above the perceptual threshold, after which the instruments were shown again. The pilot was then tasked to roll back to level. The addition of the motion cues caused an increase in roll reversal errors by a factor of 3 in airline pilots. The procedure can be implemented in a scenario for demonstrating the leans in a cost-effective simulator.

Leans Illusion in Hexapod Simulator Facilitates Erroneous Responses to Artificial Horizon in Airline Pilots

“…A leans-inducing motion profile was developed and tuned with nine nonpilots (see Landman et al, 2021, for a full description of this pilot study). Advantages of this motion profile in comparison to existing leans motion profiles (see Bles, 2008) are as follows: (1) Cues that would not occur in an in-flight leans illusion (i.e., pitch or yaw cues, or a pronounced roll angle) are minimized.…”

“…oped and tuned with nine nonpilots (see Landman et al, 2021, for a full description of this pilot study). Advantages of this motion pro--Bles, 2008) are as follows: (1) Cues sion (i.e., pitch or yaw cues, or a pronounced be implemented in a hexapod simulator.…”

Numerical Method of Designing an Automotive Driving Simulator for Training Drivers of Motor Vehicles

“…The article [9] discusses the design of a 6-RUS configuration for a flight simulator and optimization of geometric parameters taking into account the physical limitations of the mechanism. Studies on simulators based on the Gough-Stewart platform are known and reviewed in a number of papers that investigate the effect of pitch and roll on the effectiveness of training using a sample of test subjects [10,11]. Other studies are aimed at investigation of vibration effects that occur when driving vehicles in all environments [12].…”