The introduction of fifth generation platforms has led to a more information-driven air operation. It is characterised by the communication between different platform types within a mission and an increased operator autonomy due to improved information availability. This places new demands on pilots in terms of their cognitive capacity and could lead to specific stressful situations. Current research lacks understanding of the subtle differences between fourth and fifth generation stressors. Consequently, this requires additional knowledge on the interaction between stressors induced by fifth generation operations and human performance.
The fundamental challenge is to create an experimental set-up in which (1) multiple fifth generation platforms operate together and (2) the equipment to measure impact of stressors on the operator is integrated. A second challenge is to create scenarios that can be used in the set-up in which stressors can be generated and manipulated. This paper describes the design of an experimental set-up, which is suitable to measure the subtle differences between fourth and fifth generation stress.
A simulation set-up is developed, consisting of an F-35 and an MQ-9 simulator, both with human operators. To simulate multiple levels of stress, as well as fourth and fifth generation stress, mission scenarios are created. Functional Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and Electrocardiography (ECG) devices, in combination with the NASA Task Load Index (Hart, 2006), are used to measure the level of stress.
An experimental evaluation was carried out by former F-16 pilots using the developed missions and set-up. The evaluation results showed that the simulation set-up can be used operationally and the equipment is able to measure the specific stress. Concluding, the set-up can be used for training purposes by an instructor to determine in real-time whether the scenario-specific task load should be altered. The developed set-up opens up possibilities for further generation specific stress-mitigation and training methodology development research.
Keywords
HUMAN FACTORS, HUMAN PERFORMANCE, INTEROPERABILITY
Additional Keywords
Fifth Generation Air Operations, Stressors