Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2011
2011 Paper No. 11239 Page 1 of 6
Effects of Motion Cueing on Components of Helicopter Pilot Workload
Jolie Bell
Stuart C. Grant
Carleton University
Defence Research and Development Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Jbell8@connect.carleton.ca Stuart.grant@drdc-rddc.gc.ca
ABSTRACT
Research into the effect of motion cueing on workload in flight simulation has resulted in conflicting conclusions.
Some researchers provide evidence that motion cueing technology affects pilot workload (Schroeder 1999),
whereas others found no effect ((Go, Burki-Cohen, and Seja 2000). This study examined data from a recent
helicopter flight simulation experiment to determine how different motion cueing technologies affected the
components of workload. 24 Canadian Forces pilots performed eight Aeronautical Design Standard –33E mission
task elements and 3 emergency manouevres in a simulated medium-weight helicopter configurable with a 6 degree-
of-freedom motion platform, a motion cueing seat, or no motion cueing. Each pilot performed all the manouevres in
two of the three motion cueing conditions. Detailed workload measures (NASA TLX) captured after each
manouevre will be examined to determine how the individual components of workload are differentially affected by
the different cueing technologies. The results are important in that they suggest that pilots may perform and
potentially learn the task differently, depending on the motion cueing technology employed in the simulator.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jolie Bell is a PhD Candidate in cognitive science at Carleton University, currently working on her 3rd year in the
Advanced Cognitive Engineering Lab under the supervision of Dr. Chris Herdman. Her thesis topic is the effects of
cognitive fatigue on working memory. She has a Master of Science in General Experimental Psychology from
Shippensburg University where she investigated a process of encoding degraded stimuli into recognizable memory
cues in working memory. She obtained a BA in psychology from Bloomsburg University.
Stuart Grant is a Defence Scientist with Defence Research & Development Canada’s Centre for Operational
Research and Analysis. Currently located at the Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre, he conducts human
factors research and provides advice in support of the Canadian Forces use of distributed simulation. Current
projects include simulation for training coalition air operations and threat reaction training. Past projects addressed
interfaces to virtual environments and direct fire gunnery training. He received his PhD. in cognitive psychology
from the University of Toronto in 1994.
