Research on adaptive cockpit flight displays

• Main Author: Yu Jirel Bharwani
• Other Authors: Chen Chun-Hsien
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Accidents and air safety; Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Instruments
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168468
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Research on adaptively-designed cockpit flight displays based on experimental data aimed at promoting improved situational awareness and reduced mental workload. This research paper explores the optimization of primary flight display elements using data collected from behavioural experiments and eye tracking. The goal was to identify design changes that can be made on a reference PFD that could hypothetically minimize a pilot’s mental workload by providing the filtered information at the right time and in a visual that is easily processed. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data to explore pilot performance and subjective perceptions of the display designs. Participants completed a series of tasks while their eye movements were tracked, allowing for a detailed analysis of visual attention and cognitive processing. Results from the study suggest that certain design elements, such as colour contrast, text size, and text spacing, can reduce pilot workload and improve task performance. This was observed in comparing fixation duration, response times and first fixation metrics based on the statistical significance of the P-value. Overall, the findings suggest that optimizing display elements based on behavioural and eye-tracking data can lead to more effective APFD and ultimately improve safety in the aviation industry.