Eye Tracking-Based Target Designation in Simulated Close Range Air Combat

Abstract

The ability to lock on targets as quickly and easily as possible while maintaining speed and a tactically advantageous position is crucial to success in air combat. The capability of remote eye tracking systems has recently improved significantly and has opened up new possible applications. A modern eye-tracker was integrated in an advanced flight simulator environment and an experiment was conducted. The independent variable was target designation mode that was varied between: Heads-Up Display (HUD), Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) and a solution based on eye tracking. Eleven participants flew in the experiment and mean times to designate targets indicate significant advantages for the eye tracking based solution.