A new wrist-worn vibrating device may improve airplane pilot response time to changes in automated flight deck systems, according to researchers at Ohio State University . During particular parts of a simulated test flight, pilots wearing the device detected as many as 40 percent more signals than pilots using only traditional systems. They also received some vibration signals twice as fast as they received audio or visual signals, according to the study published in the journal Human Factors.
Pilots receive a great deal of visual and audio feedback, but tactile cues are rare.
These tactile cues could be very helpful on today's computerized aircraft, which perform many independent automated tasks. For instance, an onboard computer has the ability to initiate maneuvers a pilot might not anticipate. If the pilot isn't aware of this change immediately, it may be impossible to recover. Onboard computers currently display these changes in the form of visual feedback, including words and numbers. For this study, Sarter adapted a vibrating device called a tactor, manufactured by Audiological Engineering Corp. for people with visual and hearing impairments.