Skill Training Using Adaptive Technology: A Better Way to Hover

摘要

The goal of this Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was to determine the feasibility of developing and implementing an automated, adaptive hover training controller based on human performance models and novel feedback techniques for Student Pilots (SPs) in Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) training. The target system for the controller is the Intelligent Flight Trainer (IFT), a hover training research device, operated by the U.S. Army Research Institute, Ft. Rucker Field Office, Ft. Rucker, Alabama (ARI). This work was conducted between April and August 2000 by Monterey Technologies, Inc. (MTI) with significant consulting from Dr. Anthony P. Ciavarelli of the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California and Mr. Charles Asbury of ThoughtWave, LLC, Torrance, California. Aviation training programs are some of the longest, most costly, and demanding in Army. ARI is continually conducting research to find ways to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of training SPs to become Army Aviators. The ability to hover a helicopter is one of the fundamental skills required early in the IERW program. At present, IERW is conducted on a training time basis. That is, within a small range of variation, all students receive the same number of hours of training in lock-step fashion. A more efficient training program would be performance based. SPs would advance through the program based on demonstrated individual proficiency. While Instructor Pilots (IPs) have the responsibility to assess performance, it would highly desirable to have automated systems that would adapt the training challenge within a lesson to the current level of the SP's performance and also assess when the SP is capable of advancement to a new lesson or, in some cases, be regressed to a previous lesson.