Stabilizing force feedback in bio-actuated control systems

• US 4,632,341 A
• Filed: 02/06/1985
• Issued: 12/30/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Repperger, Daniel W., McCollor, Donald G., Gruesbeck, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen
• Application Number:
  US06/698,963
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 244/234, 244/223, 244/227, 244/221, 244/236, 244/228, 244/230, 244/178, 244/75 R, 244/175, 244/195, 244/196, 244/76 R, 244/197, 414/5, 901/9
• US Class Current: 244/230
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0421 control sticks for primary flight controls

Abstract

A biomechanical feedback arrangement wherein a varying force tending to improve the neuromotor tracking response of a human subject, particularly in the presence of lateral or front-back G force fields, is added to the test subject input member of a feedback control system. Use of the biomechanical feedback in a high-performance aircraft and in a ground-based simulator apparatus is also disclosed, along with comparison results from simulator testing of human subjects.

Claims

1. Aircraft lateral tracking improvement apparatus comprising:

aircraft maneuvering controls located adjacent a pilot supporting seat in an aircraft cockpit apparatus;

means for conveying a prescribed lateral course to be tracked and a tracking error signal to said pilot;

means for generating a signal representing the incurred G force acceleration of said aircraft along an axis lateral of said pilot;

means including predetermined twelve to fifteen Hertz frequency agonistic to antagonistic muscle transfer tremor attenuation means for generating a maneuvering control bias electrical signal in response to said lateral G force acceleration signal; and

bias force transducer means connected with said maneuvering controls and responsive to said bias electrical signal for applying a muscle tremor attenuation lateral bias force supplementary to one of said agonistic and antagonistic muscle forces to said maneuvering controls.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aircraft cockpit apparatus comprises a single control stick operated aircraft.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further including arm restraint means connected with said cockpit apparatus for stabilizing the maneuvering control operating arm of said pilot during occurrence of said G force acceleration.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for conveying a prescribed course and a tracking error signal to said pilot include visual observation by said pilot.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for supplying a biasing force is connected to decrease the pilot exertion required during said agonistic to antagonistic muscle pair transfer movements.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said biasing force urges said maneuvering controls toward a neutral control position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aircraft cockpit apparatus is a portion of a flight simulator trainer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for conveying in said flight simulator trainer includes an electronically controlled flight display.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said signal responsive to incurred G force acceleration is responsive to pilot manipulation of maneuvering controls in said flight simulator and to a simulation of aircraft characteristics in response to said pilot manipulation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said predetermined algorithm includes frequency selective means responsive to a tremor movement signal in the range of 12 to 15 Hertz natural frequency.