Investigation of the Effect of Head-Slaved Camera Motion on Image Tracking In Uninhabited Air Vehicles

摘要

This report summarizes a study of the effects of head-slaved camera systems on uninhabited air vehicles (UAVs). Video display was handled through either a fixed or helmet-mounted display (HMD). The effect of these systems on ground-target acquisition was examined. In the experiment, subjects piloted a simulated UAV past a large ground target and then tried to turn around and line up with (he ground target in the shortest time possible. The subjects were cued to initiate turns at varying distances from the target ranging from 100 to 500 m, with turn time being the primary experimental measurement. The outcome of this experiment indicates that performance was significantly better with the HMD than with the fixed display, particularly at shorter ranges (< 200 m) where subjects succeeded in completing their turns twice as often with the HMD. In interviews conducted after the experiment, three of the five test subjects indicated that the HMD was significantly superior with respect to performance, all subjects found the HMD tiring to use for extended periods.