AHFE Open AccessHuman-Centered Aerospace Systems and Sustainability Applications
Editors: Pedro Arezes, Susana Costa
Topics: Systems Engineering
Publication Date: 2023
ISBN: 978-1-958651-74-2
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1003913
Articles
Development process for a remote co-pilot to support single-pilot operation in a next-generation air transportation system
This paper is one of two complementary papers which describes the development process of a remote co-pilot from the engineer’s point of view. The development process from the designer's point of view is described by Findeisen et al. in the work “User centered design process for a high-risk future aerospace system”.The Next Generation Intelligent Cockpit (NICo) project at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is conducting a holistic research regarding the opportunities and risks that arise when only one person is left in the cockpit of an airliner. These so-called Single Pilot Operations (SPO) are subject of controversial discussions among researchers, manufacturers, pilots and other stakeholders. NICo's mission is to evaluate SPO in a scientific neutral way and to identify novel technologies for the next generation of aircraft. As part of the project, the research focuses the development of a remote co-pilot. Among other developments, assisting pilots in the air from the ground is an expected key technology. With more comprehensive information, faster data links to other stakeholders, and modern design flexibility in hardware and software, the neutral research free from any bias considers the technical side and the development of human-centered automation.This paper gives an overview of the development process of the conceptual consideration, about the change of the task division in the cockpit up to the design of the user interface for the future remote co-pilot. Due to an ongoing integration of technologies in everyday life and a subsequent migration in all other areas of life, mankind is experiencing a change towards more and more automation. This trend can also be observed in aviation. Manufacturers equip aircraft with increasing levels of automation designed to make flying safer and more efficient. As part of these changes, the question is being raised as to whether the concept of single pilot operation, i.e. the reduction of two pilots in the cockpit to one person, represent the logical next step. In the NICo project, a holistic approach was taken. First, the current state of technology was systematically surveyed. The scope was on "regulation and laws", "operational context", "avionics and technology", "data link technologies" and "human aspects". With this basis, an intensive analysis of the cockpit workplace with all its main and secondary tasks was conducted. The concept of SPO for one aircraft and SPO for multiple aircraft with support of a remote co-pilot will be introduced in this paper.The research results and the resulting concept SPO clearly show that for a possible shift to a single pilot in the cockpit fundamental changes in the division of tasks, as it is common in today's cockpits, have to be discussed. In the classic two-man cockpit, there is a pilot flying and a pilot monitoring. The task assignment of these two roles is clearly defined and has been adapted over time to the conditions in modern aviation. In the SPO concept, the division of tasks cannot be transferred 1:1. Our investigations show that a remote co-pilot cannot take over all the tasks of pilot monitoring. The spatial separation of the pilot in the air and the pilot on the ground prevents instant-direct, in part nonverbal communication. Since a live bidirectional video image between the aircraft and the ground control station is not to be expected even with future radio technologies, other ways of communication and data representation must be found for a common understanding of the situation. The division of tasks explored in the project, which according to current knowledge also form a major challenge for the technology, are reported in this paper and form a fundamental basis for future SPO research work.All these changes make it vital that the design of a remote co-pilot workstation must also be fundamentally redeveloped. In the future, the RCP is expected to play an important part in single pilot operations in the next generation of air transportation. The concept developed in NICo foresees the RCP supporting multiple aircraft simultaneously. This fact and the research results of the work mentioned at the beginning of this paper clearly show that the implementation of a classical cockpit 1:1 on the ground is a dead end for future developments. The next generation must be radically rethought. Together with the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and the students of the Industrial Design program, the modern display of flight-relevant information in the ground control station was fundamentally developed. A "minimum viable product approach" was chosen for the further iterations. In several workshops, these were optimized together with aviation experts for the application goal and then implemented in software. This process and initial results are described in detail in the paper. Identified challenges both in the product and in the implementation with pilots are discussed.
Christian Niermann, Lars Ebrecht, Jari Küls, Marc Sebastian Findeisen, Thomas Hofmann
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
User-centered design process for a high-risk future aerospace system
This paper is one of two complimentary papers which describes the process from the designer’s point of view. The development process from the engineer’s point of view is described in Christian Niermann’s paper “Development processes of a remote co-pilot to support single pilot operation in the next generation air transportation system.”.In course of the automation of modern aircraft a large number of research projects are working on the topic of single-pilot operations. For their implementation and approval in civil aviation, additional safety measures have to be taken in the actual cockpit and in particular to provide additional support for the pilot flying. This could involve a remote co-pilot (RCP) who is working from a ground control station. Fundamentally, an RCP is a pilot monitoring who works in this new remote work environment. Instead of active flight interventions his primary task is monitoring and providing information for several aircraft at the same time. The single pilot can normally accomplish the flight alone. Consequently, an active collaboration between the RCP and the single pilot takes place only temporarily, for example in problem situations or situations of high workload. The paper highlights the design process for the development of this high-risk remote co-pilot aerospace system and shows the progress of this complex and interdisciplinary research task from the perspective of User Interface designers. The paper explains how the collaboration of engineering and design capabilities was integrated into the design process and positively influenced the quality of the final product.The goal of this project was to conceptualize a user-centered Human Machine Interface (HMI) prototype, for the work of a RCP, on which the Osnabrueck University of Applied Sciences and the German Aerospace Center worked in close coordination. The resulting interface contains aeronautical content that was developed for the implementation of remote aircraft support on the one hand. On the other hand, it includes the structures of information and design aspects for a user-centered high-risk HMI. For a basic requirement analysis, controllers, pilots, engineers and designers were highly involved in the design process from the beginning. For example, in workshops that lead to a creative exchange, wireframes formed the base for discussion. Those are a typical method for defining the fundamental framework of an HMI. Expert interviews were an elementary component in the project for validating HMI concepts, which were discussed and iterated with different functional departments from various points of view. It was finally possible to gain essential findings for the optimization of the interface from a wide variety of very different specialist areas. Those specialists interpreted issues from their unique perspectives and thereby served to optimize the resulting design. The HMI was discussed and validated from an aeronautical perspective as well as from an ergonomic and design perspective, in order to focus on the aspect of user-centered design. In order to benefit from the diversity of expertise, all project participants were involved in the creative process from an early stage of development. Therefore, it was possible to plan the characteristics of the HMI with a lot of content which improved the final product. A final product definitely benefits from the symbiosis of design and specialists’ technical expertise. To achieve this a coherent appearance and intuitive usability, paired with relevant and appropriate functionality is essential for a competitive product.This paper describes the design process of the high-risk interface, the findings on the benefits of designers and engineers working together and it provides an outlook of the developed remote co-pilot workstation design.
Marc Sebastian Findeisen, Christian Niermann, Jari Küls, Thomas Hofmann
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
An ergonomic and design review of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle
Through a literature study, this paper examines the lunar rover ergonomics and design from an industrial design perspective, considering the history of the lunar rover, the astronauts' experience, human factors, sustainability, and rising industry standards.By analyzing the upcoming missions, the terrain, and previous rovers, this paper identifies a set of criteria and proposes a concept for the seating design of the next-generation lunar terrain vehicles, focusing only on unpressurized vehicles.The Lunar Terrain Vehicle requires a human-center design process and an understanding of the astronauts' critical needs during the operation. The seating needs to accommodate the suited astronauts, restrain the astronauts without interfering with their mobility, and provide stability during the traverse. The industry expects the new vehicles to last in extreme environments for many years; the new design must be lightweight, durable, and practical.Despite being subject to change by many influencing factors out of the designer's control, this paper presents a unique process emphasizing the ergonomics and usability of the astronaut that can serve as a guideline for future lunar rovers for exploration and commercial purposes. The proposed design concept provides safety and comfort to the astronauts during the EVAs while accommodating the environmental requirements.The industrial design perspective in this study highlights the benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach in the space industry. Beyond exploration, the human space flight endeavor demands more than functionality. The future of spaceflight is sustainable, safe, and more human-centered than ever.
Jessica Sanchez Russi, Jeff Feng
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
A Model-based Method for Imbalance Identification of Aero-engine Rotor
A model-based method for rotor imbalance identification of aero-engine is proposed, including rotor imbalance fault location method based on harmonic balance method and rotor imbalance fault parameter identification method based on sensitivity method. An aero-engine gas generator rotor system in simulation is employed for validation, and an experimental investigation is carried out to verify the effectiveness of the method. The results show that this method can accurately identify the location, amplitude and phase of the imbalance in the aero-engine rotor system, and the imbalance of the aero-engine rotor system can be eliminated.
Liye Pei, Dahai Zhang, Fujian Xu, Yu Lu, Xing Ai
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Feasibility study on damage detection of composite materials based on millimeter wave
Internal damage detection technology of composite materials is one of the hot topics in the field of materials research. Millimeter wave has the advantages of high resolution, penetration and high safety, and has great potential for nondestructive testing of composite materials. This paper studies the feasibility of millimeter-wave detection of composite material damage. The mechanical scanning method of horn antenna is selected. A motion control module for mechanical scanning and a 35GHz radar imaging technology based on wave-number domain algorithm are introduced. The motion control module uses the data acquisition card to transmit the control signal and realizes the step motion control and direction control of the mechanical scanning guide rail. Based on wave-number domain radar imaging technology, a point target simulation program of two dimensional coronal plane and cross section is written. The target scattering point model is established by simulation, and the target position can be reconstructed clearly after processing by wave-number domain radar imaging algorithm. The imaging resolution is quite high, which verifies the feasibility of damage detection of composite materials based on millimeter wave and lays a foundation for the further development of composite material nondestructive testing equipment.
Wei Cao, Peiwei Zhang, Peifei Xu
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Task-Based Design Method of Civil Aircraft Cockpit Dispatch Message
The dispatch is the key to Civil aircraft flight work.Dispatch message is the equipment failure information that affects aircraft dispatch. It is mainly used to assist the crew or the maintenance personnel to carry out dispatch work more conveniently, and can also be used to remind the crew of aircraft failure status during flight. A good design of dispatch message interface can help the crew or maintenance personnel quickly identify aircraft failure and make dispatch decisions during dispatch, reduce the cognitive burden of people, and greatly improve the efficiency of dispatch.First of all, this paper introduces the dispatch process based on MEL,and then analyzes the functions of the dispatch message interface design according to the cognitive characteristics of the crew, based on the user's use and cognitive needs, analyze the functions of dispatch message interface design,put forward a task-based design method for the dispatch message display interface of civil aircraft cockpit from the aspects of the content, layout and display mode of the dispatch message display interface.
Lingchen Zhou, Zuo Pianpian, Hongyu Zhu
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Effects of Communication Delay on Human Spaceflight Missions
Missions onboard the International Space Station rely on the real-time availability of a large ground team of system experts to command the vehicle, solve safety-critical problems, and guide the crew during complex operations. Also, in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), supplies can be sent and crews evacuated quite quickly if needed. Future missions Beyond Low Earth Orbit (BLEO) will not have this 24/7, real-time safety net as communication latency increases, resupply difficulty increases, and evacuation opportunities diminish. There are few, if any, terrestrial analogs for human spaceflight missions BLEO that reflect the conditions—including extreme environments, long mission durations, and small crew sizes – that make these missions so high risk. Studies on specific conditions, such as communication delays and asynchronous interactions, have been performed in NASA Earth-based analog missions and have found that communication delays can disrupt ground-crew interactions and adversely impact team performance. However, there are gaps and limitations in studies conducted to date, notably on human spacecraft system failure response and recovery, the impacts of shorter lunar-relevant communication delays on complex operations, and the effectiveness of countermeasures. The work presented here breaks down real anomalies that occurred on ISS and Apollo missions and creates example scenarios fort Lunar Surface and Mars missions to explore the impact of communication delays of varying length on onboard operations and mission outcomes. Our analyses indicate that short communication delays (e.g., seconds to a minute) adversely impact the ability for ground to provide real-time oversight and guidance and to catch quickly emerging problems in time. Longer communication delays (e.g., up to 40 minutes on Mars missions) call for a shift of responsibility for tactical operations from ground to crew; crew must make time-critical decisions independently and respond to time-critical vehicle anomalies to prevent consequences.
Megan Parisi, Tina Panontin, Shu-Chieh Wu, Kaitlin Mctigue, Alonso Vera
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Deficits in Cognitive Resilience of Commercial Pilots: The Case For a CRM Tenet on Computer Information and Automation in Digital Flight Operations
Enhanced proficiency for commercial pilots operating in advanced digital technology flight operations is needed to address potential deficits in cognitive resilience. Cognitive resilience is needed when cognitive flow is disrupted or when unanticipated situations occur resulting in cognitive overload or confusion. The researchers propose adding a Digital Flight Deck Management tenet to the current Crew Resource and Threat Error Management model that would focus on successful responses to disruptive effects from computer information and automation operations. The researchers analysed these effects via three approaches. First, a human factors analysis applied an upgraded SHELL model to identify issues that affect cognition, situational awareness, and decision making. Second, evaluating data extracted from NTSB accident reports and ASRS GPS databases, an aviation safety analysis showed the commercial flight industry has become safer, but incidents involving computer information and automation error have increased by as much as 72%. Third, recent trends were examined to assess potential threats in the form of cyber-attacks, digital interference and loss of digital systems that affect digital flight operations. Movement toward efficiency gains are driving forces for increased use of digital information and automation. When considering the evolution and transition of the human-machine collaboration on the digital flight deck, and development of single pilot operations or distributed crewing for commercial flight, the researchers propose augmenting the CRM/TEM model by incorporating a Digital Flight Deck Management tenet to address potential deficits in cognitive resilience, situational awareness, and decision making.
Mark Miller, Sam Holley
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Human-Machine Interaction: is there a strategic direction towards space exploration?
Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on enhancing how humans and computers interact. It covers many different areas of knowledge, such as computer science, behavioural and cognitive sciences, ergonomics, psychology, and education. The growing interest in HMI has led to a wide range of applications across different domains, including industrial, medical, educational, and entertainment sectors. Human factors, which involve improving human performance in challenging environments, have also gained attention in this field. This study aims to identify the trends in the developments in HMI for space exploration by conducting a quantitative bibliometric analysis. Two citation indexes (Web of Science and Scopus) were combined to search for documents on the topic. The search was born on January 10th, 2023, yielding 203 documents after eliminating duplicates and for other reasons. The inclusion criteria considered conference papers, articles and book chapters, and the English language. A descriptive analysis was attained, allowing for a ‘big picture’ of the data distribution regarding the scientific area, countries, chronological evolution of the publications, keywords, citations, and other relevant information. The study results provide a better understanding of the current state of HMI in space exploration, identifying trends and areas for future research.
Celina P Leão, Vinicius Silva, Susana Costa
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
A sustainable system of systems in space
Additive manufacturing (AM) positions as a system in systems (SoS) to which ecosystem is often difficult to assess in cost curve in bulk, peculiarly in challenging mediums. This paper presents an AM-related solution in the aerospace domain of recent sources forming a review of future space manufacturing. The paper presents an example of a sustainable circular economy based on AM through systematic product lifecycle management (PLM) design domain implementation methodology. Developing an agile business sustainable human system integration (HSI) model, human factors, and ergonomics (HFEs) based on the surrounding medium and structure with fine-designed system fidelity require reciprocal signal communication. A turbulent market environment shaped future communication space between domains of human systems stakeholders sets challenges on communication. HSI applies the ecosystem design to comply with various sectors' companies' stakeholders. The HSI design ensures that the design can simplify by the systems engineering method utilizing axiomatic design (AD). The mathematical AD analysis results as a design matrix (DM) that qualitatively represents the internal design parameters as SoS for energy capture, reuse with dynamic motion innovation on thermal power propulsion, and THz-controlled semi-autonomous operations. Future studies in virtualizing models in the metaverse are proposed for the design solution of the system.
Janne Heilala, Saeid Parchegani, Aezeden Mohamed, Adriano Gomes De Freitas
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Speech-Enhanced and Context Dependent Alerts: Future Implications for Spacecraft Design
In the future, NASA missions will involve many different space vehicles, habitats, and surface assets working together to provide safe, productive environments for crew. Because these systems will be provided by multiple commercial companies working with NASA, it will be very different from missions of the past, bringing new challenges. One of the challenges is related to whether NASA should move beyond simple tone annunciation alerting systems, to more advanced systems that include speech. The other is related to determining the level of consistency required of safety-critical alert systems across spacecraft. Two studies were completed to address these important issues. The first study investigated the advantages and disadvantages of a tone+speech alert relative to the traditional tone-only alert. Results indicate that speech-enhanced alerts initially take longer to silence (the default action to which NASA personnel are trained), due to the need to listen to the entire message, but ultimately provided for faster understanding of the alert situation. Speech-enhanced alerts were also preferred by a large majority of astronaut-like study participants. An unexpected finding was that participants took longer to respond to tone-only alerts that were heard in the same session as speech-enhanced alerts. Participants waited to hear a speech message even for alerts they were trained to know did not contain speech components. This performance error is believed to be due to negative transfer of training. A second study focused on task and alert performance using a common set of tones across two contexts (e.g., vehicles, habitats, suits) versus performance with a different set of tones for each context. Participants were able to manage two different alert sets successfully; results indicate that discriminability of the two alert sets played a major role in their success. Implications for the design of spacecraft alerts are discussed, and future areas of research are identified.
Ian Robertson, Kritina Holden, Ryan Lange, Durand Begault, Tyler Duke, Ryan Amick
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings