Detection of unrecognized spatial disorientation: A theoretical perspective

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Spatial disorientation (SD) is a problem that pilots often encounter during a flight. One reason for this problem is that among the three types of SD, there is no validated method to detect the Type I (unrecognized) SD. OBJECTIVE: In this pursuit, initially we reviewed the problems and the evaluation methods of associated with SD. Subsequently, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the subjective questionnaire evaluation method and the behavior evaluation method. METHODS: On the basis of these analyses, we proposed a method to detect the unrecognized SD that improved the assessment of SD to a significant extent. We developed a new direction to study the unrecognized SD based on the subjective report and the center of pressure (CoP). RESULTS: The proposed evaluation method can assist the pilots to understand the feelings and physical changes, when exposed to unrecognized SD. CONCLUSION: We hope that this evaluation method can provide a strong support in developing a countermeasure against the unrecognized SD and fundamentally solve the severe flight accidents arising due to them.

Waylosing and wayfinding in the outdoors: a typology of wayfinding approaches to problem-solving when temporarily lost

“…In our work with this paper, we have not been able to find extensive literature on this subject, and more specific literature concerned with people experiencing disorientation in the outdoors appears to be lacking. We have found literature concerning spatial disorientation, but it is linked to other research areas like the study of neurodegenerative disorders (for example Monacelli et al, 2003;Tu et al, 2015;Cammisuli and Crowe, 2018;Puthusseryppady et al, 2022), other transport contexts like aviation and pilot training (for example Benson, 1973;Pike, 1992;van Erp et al, 2006;Lewkowicz and Biernacki, 2020;Hao et al, 2022), experiments in simulation or controlled laboratory settings (for example Dariusz, 2018;Lewkowicz and Kowaleczko, 2019;Landman et al, 2022) or within specific activities or even animal navigation (for example Walsh and Martland, 1993;Matthews, 1997).…”

The effects of a 12-week yoga program on the CoP of military pilots before and after a flight emergency simulation using Biosignals Plux force platform

“…It is accompanied by the pilot's misperception of the gravity vertical line, and misjudgment of the flight attitude relative to other aircraft. 1 Fighter pilots have a greater sense of SD -these differences are related to the requirements of the different aircrafts used by each pilot, as well as the specific functions and adaptative responses required to fly on different aircrafts. 2 It is well known that visual factors and vestibular factors cause SD events.…”

“…When the human body is in a small-angle-tilt state for a long time, it easily leads to the tilt illusion or somato-gravic illusion. 1 Fifty-four percent of the aviation accidents in the past ten years were due to SD. Comparing aviation accident data in Europe from 1983 to 1992 and from 1993 to 2002, it is noticeable that while the total accident rate has decreased from 4.17 times per million flight hours to 2.70 times per million flight hours, the percentage of total accidents caused by SD has increased from 24.7% to 33.0%.…”

“…These numbers indicate that aviation accidents caused by SD are increasing. 1 Individuals maintain balance through the interaction of visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems. Training one or more of the three sensory systems through vestibular habituation and adaptation can alter sensory weighting and postural behavior.…”

“…Although the research has achieved outstanding success, there are still some problems that need to be solved. 1 Center of pressure (CoP) excursions have been used to assess postural stability in adults. The CoP reflects a response of the neuromuscular system to the correction of center of mass (COM) deviations, which can be measured with a single force platform, commonly used to study postural control.…”