Guidelines for Alleviation of Simulator Sickness Symptomatology

摘要

Ground-based flight simulators train effectively and at a relatively low cost, but simulator sickness may compromise their utility. Within the U.S. Navy, simulator sickness is reported with increasing frequency. Instructors complain that such distress may interfere with simulator use and reduce the effectiveness of training. Operational effectiveness is compromised by flight restrictions subsequent to training in some simulators. Field studies conducted over the last two years at 10 flight simulator sites showed incidence rates ranged from 12%-60% for these simulators. A data base is being assembled to discover whether the incidence of symptoms is related to specific equipment features of syllabus demands that require a variety of motion characteristics (i.e., hover, air combat, jinking). Wide field of view, distortion, cue asynchrony, and very low frequency vibration also appear to be contributing factors. A cross-disciplinary biomedical engineering panel was convened to discuss the problem. The present paper describes the recommendations of this panel. Research literature related both to the findings the data base survey and to the recommendations has been integrated in this report.