Predictive Displays for Survey Vessels
Abstract
Inexperienced helmsmen often oversteer because of the lag that occurs between changing the rudder angle and a change in the vessel's heading. Predictive displays are a common way of mitigating the effect of lag on human control. Accordingly we developed a predictive display to show the position and heading of a vessel a short time in the future. With this display, the helmsman's task becomes that of keeping the predictor on the planned path. In effect, the predictor is steered, not the vessel. Our predictive model was statistical and based on data gathered from a 40 foot survey vessel carrying out a variety of maneuvers while the position, heading, speed through the water and rudder angle were continuously recorded. The advantage of such a predictor is that it can, in principle, be generated automatically, without any need for a model of hull shape or vessel dynamics. We evaluated the predictor by having both experienced and inexperienced helmsmen steer a pre-defined figure-of-eight course. The results showed substantial reduction in cross track error for inexperienced participants to the point that their performance was indistinguishable from those that were more experienced.
Department
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping
Publication Date
10-2006
Volume
50, Number 22
Journal Title
Human Factors and Ergonomic Studies (HFES)
Pages
2424-2428
Conference Date
Oct 16 - Oct 20, 2006
Publisher Place
San Francisco, CA, USA
Publisher
Sage Publications
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1177/154193120605002216
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Recommended Citation
B. Sullivan, C. Ware, and M. Plumlee, "Predictive displays for survey vessels," Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, vol. 50, no. 22, pp. 2424–2428, Oct. 2006.