CONTINUOUS HAPTIC INFORMATION IN TARGET TRACKING FROM A MOVING PLATFORM

The present study was conducted to gain insight into the effects of di fferent forms of continuous haptic information (CHI) on operator perfo rmance with a moving unmanned platform. In a simulator experiment, par ticipants tracked a moving target with a disturbed viewfinder (moving platform). While the participants performed this combined pursuit and compensatory tracking task, haptic information was provided to them co ncerning translatory disturbances of the platform. Two steering variab les were manipulated between participants: presence or absence of CHI provided at the control device and automated or manual stabilization o f the platform. The other factors were image degradation, motor task l oad, and visual task load. Haptic information was generated by movemen ts of an active joystick that was used for steeping the platform. It w as shown that both CHI and platform stabilization substantially reduce d tracking error These effects were not additive; CHI improved trackin g performance only when the platform was not stabilized, and it did no t significantly degrade pursuit tracking performed with a stabilized v iewfinder. The magnitude of the CHI effect was independent of image de gradation, motor load, and visual load. CHI at the joystick improves t racking performance when it involves relevant control information; whe n it provides other information, tracking performance is only marginal ly degraded. Actual or potential applications of this research include performance of missions in environments that are difficult to access, potentially harmful to humans, or both, such as reconnaissance behind enemy lines, tracing of environmental pollution at sea, and assessmen t of damage in nuclear disaster areas.