Application of a three-dimensional auditory display in a flight task

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Aviation Psychology
• Auditory Displays

Background:

• Effective directional information display is crucial in aviation for situational awareness.
• Traditional visual displays can have limitations in conveying target location, especially in dynamic scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a three-dimensional (3D) auditory display in providing directional information for target acquisition in a flight simulation.
• To compare the performance with different display configurations, including visual tactical, radar, and 3D auditory displays.

Main Methods:

• A flight simulation experiment was conducted where participants tracked a disappearing and reappearing target aircraft.
• Participants used a visual outside view, a 3D tactical display, a bird's-eye-view radar display, and a 3D auditory display (using head-related transfer functions and head-tracking).

Main Results:

• Both radar and 3D auditory displays significantly reduced target search time compared to the tactical display alone.
• Presenting the radar and 3D auditory displays simultaneously resulted in an additional reduction in search time.

Conclusions:

• 3D auditory displays are effective in conveying directional information and aiding target acquisition in aviation contexts.
• Integrating multiple sensory displays, such as auditory and radar, can enhance pilot performance and reduce cognitive load.