[EXPERIMENTAL TESTING OF THE OPERATOR'S PERCEPTION OF SYMBOLIC INFORMATION ON THE HELMET-MOUNTED DISPLAY DEPENDING ON THE STRUCTURAL COMPLEXITY OF VISUAL ENVIRONMENT].

The experiments showed that pilot's perception of symbolic information on the helmet-mounted display (HMD) depends on type of HMD (mono- or binocular), and structural complexity of the background image. Complex background extends time and increases errors in perception, particularly when monocular HMD is used. In extremely complicated visual situations (symbolic information on a background intricately structured by supposition of a TV image on real visual environment) significantly increases time and lowers precision of symbols perception no matter what the HMD type.

[Scientific and research experimentation center of aviation and space medicine and human engineeing celebrates 80th anniversary].

The article is devoted to the history of the Research Test Center Aviation and Space Medicine and military ergonomics, now included in the Central Research Institute of the Air Force Defense Ministry. The center throughout 80 years history is a leding research organization in the country for the integrated study of the human factor in aviation and problems connected with it. The world-famous scientific schools in aviation physiology, hygiene and radiolorgy, emergency medicine, aviation psychology and ergonomics have been grounded on the basis of this center. With a high qualified scientific staff and laboratory-and-bench-scale base including unique seminatural airplanes and helicopters complexes, posters and installation simulating the impact of flight factors (centrifuge, hyperbaric chambers, shakenr vestibulyar-WIDE stands, etc.) the center has. successfully slved tasks concerning an improvement of flight crews protection from occupational hazards, ergonomic demands to capabilities of aircraft, professional and psycho-physiological training. Automatic systems of medical decision-making on assessment of the health status in the medical-flight expertise and dynamic medical supervision, planning, treatment and preventive and remedial actions aircrew training are currently 'being developed

[AVIATION MEDICINE: THEORETICAL CONCEPTS AND FOCAL FUNDAMENTAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES (for the 80th anniversary of the Research Test Center of Aerospace Medicine and Military Ergonomics)].

The article discloses postulates of theoretical concepts that make the methodological basis for addressing the real-world aviation medicine challenges of humanizing aviator's environment, labor content and means, and health and performance maintenance. Under consideration are focal fundamental and practical issues arising with the technological progress in aviation and dealt with at the AF CRI Research Test Center of Aerospace Medicine and Military Ergonomics.

[Experimental studies of reliability of symbolic information perception from the aviation LCD panel].

Results of tachistiscopic experiments on reliability of symbol recognition on LCD panel as a function of screen definition (640 x 480, 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768 pixels), angular size of a picture element (10, 15, 20 and 30 angular min) and luminance contrast (LC) with the background (0.2 to 1.4 standard units) are presented. The obtained quantitative relations indicate significance of the above parameters for recognition reliability. Symbols with the size of 30 angular min and LC of 0.5 were recognizable irrespective of screen definition in the study. Recognition of symbols 20 and 15 angular min of size was much dependent on screen definition and LC of symbols. For symbols of size 10 angular min and LC ≥ 1.0 the recognition probability did not exceed 0.59-0.7.

[Evaluation of condition and factors affecting activity effectiveness and visual performance of pilots who use night vision goggles during the helicopter flights].

According to analysis of questionnaire authors revealed factors, which affect activity effectiveness, and visual performance of pilots who use night vision goggles during the helicopter flights. These are: difficulty of flight tasks, flying conditions, illusion of attitude. Authors gave possible ways to reduce an impact of these factors.

[Peculiarities of pilot's perception of flight information presented on on-board liquid crystal displays].

The article deals with results of experimental studies conducted on flight testing desk and covering peculiarities of pilot's perception of flight information presented on on-board liquid crystal display in dependence on changes speed and update rate of the screen. The authors determine frequency characteristics of information update rate, that achieve acceptable quality of the flight parameters perception in accordance with the changes speed. Vigorous maneuvering with high angular velocities of changed parameters of roll and pitch causes visual distortions that are connected with poor frequency of information update rate, deteriorate piloting quality and can cause flight unsafety.

[Spatial orientation of pilot using a cockpit exterior surveillance system].

Spatial orientation of pilots using a cockpit exterior surveillance system was tested in real nighttime helicopter flights. Major factors complicating adequate spatial orientation and provoking visual illusions in pilots are lack of information for spatial depth (relation) perception in two-dimensional TV images altering their position along the horizontal and vertical lines of trajectory and simultaneous piloting and target search-identification operations. Reliability of pilot's spatial orientation could be improved by displaying on the exterior imaging screen also relevant flight navigation parameters.

[Optimizing visual work of pilot wearing night vision glasses].

The article deals with results of experimental studies on optimizing visual work conditions of pilot in night vision glasses. Prevention of visual fatigue during work in night vision glasses was proved to be contributed mostly by the image brightness (in range of 0.7-1.8 candle/m2) adjustable by the pilot, precise individual settings of optic system in night vision glasses (by viewer's eye base) and regulation of the work duration.

[Effect of long flying overloads with moderate values on functional capacity of airplane crew members].

The influence of long (up to 5 min) flying overloads with moderate values (2-5 U, at the increase and descent rate of 0,6-1,5 U/s) on the functional state and activities of airplane crewmembers was studied during the real flights. It was established that the influence of such overloads causes the unfavorable changes in the functional state and decrease in the effectiveness of crewmembers' (especially of a navigator-operator) actions. It was shown that the use of measure complex (during the flight the crewmembers use anti-overload dress, the pilot informs the navigator-operator about beginning of maneuvering, trainings on statoergometer to improve the crewmembers' static physical endurance) allows increasing the crews' psychophysiologic capacity during the maneuvers accompanied with the effect of complex flying overloads with moderate values.

[Visual efficiency of pilot using of the night vision glasses].

Questionnaires filled out by 24 helicopter pilots using the night vision glasses (NVG) showed that minimization of the risk of visual discomfort was, first of all achieved through proper adjustment of image brightness and setting NVG time limits. The experiments enabled determination of the most favorable range of brightness (0.67-1.79 cd/m2) and rationalization of the necessity of individual adjustment depending on the light conditions and flight objectives, and NVG usage regulations to preclude visual fatigue.

[Psychophysiologic aspects of occupational flying]. / Aktualnye voprosy psikhofiziologii letnogo truda.

The paper deals with advanced research on psychophysiology of flying activity to solve a triune task: to humanize the character and means of labour, to maintain a high level of working capacity and to develop professionally important psychophysiological features of flying personnel. The solution of the first task is associated with consecutive realization of the principle of actualization, an increase of psychophysiological capabilities of a man with the use of technical means in designing aeronautical engineering. Assurance of high functional reliability of flying personnel requires the development of the methods to evaluate and predict the state of psychophysiologic reserves during flying activities; the refinement of the norms of flight load on the basis of determining the quantitative interactions between a complexity level of flight assignments and a degree of decrease in reserve capabilities; the search for means and methods of correcting functional state directly in flight and accelerated recovery of performance postflight. The solution of psychophysiologic aspects of the professional reliability of pilot should be the development of a flight capabilities theory and theory-based improvement of estimation methods, development of methods and technical means for their improvements.

[Scientific problems of medical support of the Air Forces staff]. / Nauchnye problemy meditsinskogo obespecheniia lichnogo sostava voennoi aviatsii.

The authors consider three leading directions of aeromedical investigations oriented at: creation of scientific fundamentals to provide a human factor in development of new air to complexes for protection of aviation specialists from flight effects and for their labour means humanisation, improvement of psychophysiological selection, development of methods and technical means to form professionally important qualities and psychophysiological training of air force staff, health condition medical control, methods and means of condition correction, serviceability restoration and combat-capability increase. The most urgent scientific problems are characterized within the given trends. The examples of practical effectiveness of the investigations carried out are described.

[The effect of mobility of the information field of the helmet-mounted indicator on pilot's efficiency]. / Vliianie podvizhnosti informatsionnogo polia nashlemnoi sistemy indikatsii na éffektivnost' deistvii letchika.

Results of an experimental investigation of pilot's efficiency with the use of a helmet-mounted indicator (HMI) are reported. Displacement of the HMI information field in consequence of head movements in search for external objects and target acquisition was shown to impact reliability of spatial orientation and cause difficulties during construction and realization of aircraft control movements. These difficulties are ascribed to impairment of functioning of the human "body scheme" (internal systems of coordinates) and modification of the geometric relations of the true and HMI displayed horizon. The conclusion is that to improve efficiency of pilots using HMI designed should be a device which will align the HMI information field with the longitudinal cabin axis after each head movement.

[The importance of the human factor in the medical support for flight safety]. / O znachenii chelovecheskogo faktora v meditsinskom obespechenii bezopasnosti poletov.

The article examines the stages of introduction and practical application of personal and human factors methodology in providing of flight safety, and the necessity of there unification is substantiated. Using the concrete examples, application of human factors methodology in analyzing causes of pilot erroneous actions is shown, and re-orientation directions of flight medical supply with regard for suggested conceptual approach are also defined. Side by side with health preservation and providing of crew efficiency, realization of sanitary, hygienic and psychophysiological requirements to conditions and means of professional work become tasks of medical supply.

[The outlook for improved medical control over the health status of the flight personnel in a military unit]. / Perspektivy sovershenstvovaniia meditsinskogo kontrolia za sostoianiem zdorov'ia letnogo sostava v voiskovom zvene.

The article studies methodological and methodical questions for improving medical control (MC) over the flight personnel. The authors analyse the main components of MC, i.e. basic control which is built on clinicophysiological methods, and dynamic control which is aimed for estimation of performance characteristics in the process of professional activities. The authors substantiate the structure of the perspective computerized automated system for MC consisting of three functional units: terrain complex of medical operational control, on-board equipment for aircrew health monitoring in flight, expert and diagnosis system for estimation and prognostication of professional health status.

[Formation of a unified system of mental regulation of activities and functional state of the flyer during effects of piloting strain]. / Formirovanie edinoi sistemy psikhicheskoi reguliatsii deiatel'nosti i funktsional'nogo sostoianiia letchika pri vozdeistvii pilotazhnykh peregruzok.

The article describes the method of improving professional dependability of pilot impacted by aerobat g-loads through formation of a unified system for psychic regulation of his activity and status of the psychological function in the process of training on flight simulator. To this end, the simulator was retrofitted with an adaptive training circuit to establish functional and correction feedback by changing the intensity of display brightness proportionally to the degree of "g-load" and effectiveness of countermeasures applied to simulate visual disorders due to hypergravity. Data from real flights with high aerobat g-loads proved effectiveness of the proposed training scenarios as judged by increased probability of administration of breathing (0.9 vs. 0.4) and muscular (1.0 vs. 0.8) countermeasures by members of the experimental group against their controls. Besides, the trained pilots had no visual disorders, whereas this was the case in 28% of their controls. Possible mechanisms of how to form a unified system for psychic regulation in which implementation of a task is kept under permanent conscious control and self-control of the psychological function is essentially accomplished on the level of automated habits are the subject of the authors' discussion.

[Impact of the helmet display on head movements against the flying G-loads]. / Vliianie massy élementov nashlemnogo displeia na dvizheniia golovoi v usloviiakh vozdeistviia pilotazhnykh peregruzok +Gz.

Purpose of the study was to evaluate impacts of the mass added by the display mounted onto the helmet on head movements during 30-s flying +Gz from 2 to 6 units growing at the rate of 0.6 u/s. Increase in the total helmet mass and asymmetric placement of the display had a negative effect on g-tolerance and distorted head movements. G-tolerance (attested by the feeling of discomfort) was found to correlate with display asymmetry the extreme magnitude of which can be determined from a pre-set g-load value.

[Effect of inclination angles of supporting surfaces og aircraft seat on pilot's working capacity in long-duration flight]. / Vliianie uglov naklona opornykh poverkhnostei samoletnogo kresla na rabotosposobnost' letchika v dlitel'nykh poletakh.

Results of experimental evaluation of the performance of pilots bound to stay up to 24 hrs in the working pose as a function of inclination of supporting surfaces (backrest and seat) are presented. Small inclination angles (up to 23 degrees) were found to be more provocative of discomfort, painful sensations and work deterioration characterized by higher intensity. It was shown that periodic change of the seatback inclination is an effective way to prevent fatigue in pilots on long-duration flights and to prolong time of comfortable stay in forced posture up to 12-16 hrs. The data on the time of comfortable stay and dynamics of pilot's performance as a function of angles of supporting surfaces of the seat laid the grounds to determination of the best combination to provide comfort to pilot on flight.

[The effect of overloading from intensive maneuvering on the function of the peripheral chromatic field of vision]. / Vliianie peregruzok intensivnogo manevrirovaniia na sostoianie perifericheskogo khromaticheskogo polia zreniia.

Data on the peripheral chromatic field of vision (PCFV) in pilots after centrifugation and missions with intensive maneuvering associated with accelerations (+Gz) higher than 6 g are presented. Depression of the PCFV area due to hypergravity was most expressed in the shortwave section of the visible spectrum and closely linked with the state of cranial hemodynamics. Changes in PCFV persisted for quite long period, i.e. initial values did not regain following 40 min since exposure to accelerations. Correlation between the degree of PCFV changes and pilot's tolerance to accelerations was established. According to the factual data analysis, the PCFV technique can be used to evaluate the dynamics of G-tolerance during intensive maneuvering aircraft.