Evaluating Flight Performance and Eye Movement Patterns Using Virtual Reality Flight Simulator

The current study developed a new VR flight simulator to evaluate pilot performers based on eye movement and flight performers indicators in a 3D immersive scenario. The flight simulator platform is highly flexible, in addition to low cost. It can meet the diverse needs of researchers.

The method can also be applied to select astronauts, in addition to pilots. Begin by installing the flight simulator. Join the throttling control panel together, treating them as one unit.

Connect the throttle, joystick, and pedal to the flight simulator PC module via USB. Followed by connecting the head-mounted display or HMD to the flight simulator PC module via a link box. Connect the base stations and virtual reality or VR controllers to the HMD via VR software on the PC.To set up the standing only play area for VR, ensure that the HMD is turned on and connected to the computer.

Place the base station diagonally so that the HMD can always be within the base station monitoring range while keeping it fixed, to maintain a stable VR environment. Then set up a standing-only play area according to prompts provided by VR software on the computer. Connect the tuned flight control module and large screen display to the same computer as the VR HMD.

Introduce the task and simulator operation to the participants by explaining the traffic pattern and map and instructing participants on how to use the VR flight simulator. Fit each participant with a VR HMD, calibrate their eye movements and adjust the device height, inter pupillary distance and gaze point. Next, open the screen recording software and launch fly simulator for flight training.

Instruct participants on how to use their flight pedal, joystick, and throttle to steer as closely as possible to the reference line of flight. Once complete, reset the flight throttle, and engine switch buttons. Then stop recording.

To conduct formal flight experiments, put on the VR HMD for the participants and launch OBS studio to begin recording the screen. The eye movement data of the instrument AOIs, airspeed, vertical speed, altitude, and engine speed indicators showed that the experts had a more even distribution of eye movement data around the mean value in the airspeed indicator, altitude indicator, vertical speed indicator and attitude indicator as compared to the novices. The experts flight performance data was mostly centered around the average value in terms of total flight time, mean distance from the reference line, pitch angle one second before landing, and the standard deviation of the distance from the reference line as compared to the novices.

Calibrate every participants eye moments and adjust the device height, inter pupilary distance, and gaze point accordingly.