Pilot Visual Scan Paths from Aircraft Simulator Eye Tracking

A portable eye movement system weighing less than 10 Kg was used to record and analyze pilots' visual scan paths in three aircraft simulators. The system, manufactured by El Mar, Inc., recorded a crosshair indicating the point of regard combined with video from a scene camera. The automated analysis determined which objects were viewed, for how long, and in what order to identify efficient scanning strategies and quantify differences between expert and novice pilots.

Use Cases

• Modeling expert pilot visual strategies based on recorded scan path order and duration.
• Quantifying differences in visual behavior between expert and novice pilots based on object viewing metrics.
• Developing training feedback systems based on identified efficient scanning strategies.
• Analyzing pilot workload and attention allocation during specific flight scenarios like instrument approaches or air combat.

Strengths

• Data was collected in three distinct, high-fidelity aircraft simulators (T-37, F-16 ACES, F-16 LANTIRN).
• Analysis system automatically quantified object viewing duration and sequence.
• Hardware system is described as portable and lightweight (< 10 Kg).

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

Paul A. Wetzel, via paperswithcode.

Collection Method

Collected using a head-mounted eye tracker and scene camera during simulator training exercises.

Time Range

Temporal coverage is not specified in the provided description.

Freshness

Last updated date is unknown.

Geography

Spatial coverage is not specified in the provided description.