Air Traffic Controller Eye-Tracking and Workload Data from FAA Simulation

Eye-tracking data including fixations, saccades, blinks, and pupil information was collected from volunteer air traffic controllers during a real-time simulation. The research, conducted at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, analyzed how visual scanning patterns changed under different traffic loads and visual noise. Results indicated controllers' attention shifted from the radarscope during high workload, impacting the detection of airspace intrusions.

Use Cases

• Modeling visual attention patterns based on eye-tracking metrics like fixations and saccades
• Analyzing the relationship between simulated task load and perceived workload
• Studying the impact of visual noise (like overflights) on operator performance
• Developing interface alert systems based on findings that intrusions were missed due to established scanning patterns

Strengths

• Data includes multiple eye-tracking metrics: fixations, saccades, blinks, and pupil information
• Collected from volunteer controllers in a real-time simulation modeled after a real TRACON facility
• Scenarios included controlled variables like traffic load levels and airspace incursions

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified

Provenance

Source

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center, Research Development and Human Factors Laboratory

Collection Method

Data gathered from a real-time air traffic control simulation with volunteer controllers and eye-tracking equipment.

Time Range

unknown

Freshness

unknown

Geography

Simulation modeled after a U.S. Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, likely representing Class C airspace.