This paper presents a cognitive analysis of a pilot's navigation task and describes an experiment comparing a new map display that employs the principle of visual momentum with the two traditional approaches, track-up and north-up. The data show that the advantage of a track-up alignment is its congruence with the egocentered forward view; however, the inconsistency of the rotating display hinders development of a cognitive map. The stability of a north-up alignment aids the acquisition of a cognitive map, but there is a cost associated with the mental rotation of the display to a track-up alignment for tasks involving the ego-centered forward view. The data also show that the visual momentum design captures the benefits and reduces the costs associated with the two traditional approaches.

This paper describes an experiment that provides data for the development of a cognitive model of pilot flight navigation. The model views navigation as a process involving the alignment of mental images with the perceptual view out of the cockpit. The data support a three stage model: 1) the perceptual encoding of the map display, 2) mental rotation of the mental image, and 3) comparison of the image to the environment. The variables that significantly influence the processes embodied in the model in decreasing importance are: speed of processing, display sequencing, map complexity, and rotation angle of the map. The model can be used as a preliminary computational tool in predicting the navigational component of pilot situational awareness.

No abstract

The ideal structure for an introductory human factors engineering course has received widespread interest. A common issue involves the need to supply students with hands-on experience in design and applications. Such experience was provided by a recently revised course at the United States Air Force Academy. Course objectives stressed critical thinking through collaborative and interactive learning. Material was taught at a general conceptual level, and in-class exercises were extensively incorporated. To facilitate hands-on learning and critical thinking, the course was structured around a series of design projects, performed both individually and in groups. To measure success, standardized student critique data were collected and compared with the previous year. Results showed strong student agreement in the belief that the course stimulated both human factors knowledge and thinking skills. In addition, there was a significant increase in overall student evaluations from the previous year. These findings appear to validate the use of hands-on collaborative learning to augment the teaching of human factors concepts and theory.

This paper describes an experiment that provides data for the development of a cognitive model of pilot flight navigation. The experiment characterizes navigational awareness as the mental alignment of two frames of reference: 1) the ego centered reference frame that is established by the forward view out of the cockpit, and 2) the world centered reference frame that is established by the aircraft's location on a map. The data support a model involving at least two components: 1) the perceptual encoding of the navigational landmarks, and 2) the mental rotation of the map's world reference frame into alignment with the ego centered reference frame. The quantitative relationships of these two factors are provided as possible inputs for a computational model of spatial cognition during flight navigation.