Principal Investigator:
Anil Raj
Research Categoryies:
Adaptive Human/Machine Multi-sensory Prostheses

Project Description:
IHMC researchers have created the Tactile Situation Awareness System (TSAS) to allows a user to utilize the sense of touch to perform some orientation and situation awareness tasks. Using multiple sensory inputs reduces the users overall workload and allows tasks that require the sense of vision to be performed more effectively.

In addition to the alternative pathway for input, the system uses a set of intelligent control algorithms to filter various data sources and provide only the most pertinent subset of data to the user in a given situation. Data can be from any electronic signal or sensory, such as avionics, radar, GPS, manual inputs, proximity sensors, terrain maps, or flight plans, or deviations from desired values.

These current TSAS suit has been shown to improve situation awareness in a variety of applications, particularly in aviation. Other applications include undersea operations, space flight, and extravehicular activity. In addition, the suits have decreased spatial disorientation in dynamic motion environments, like car racing. Users have an increased ability to perform multiple tasks in conditions of high workload and monitor automated systems while performing other tasks.

Further testing of the TSAS suits will include scenarios with multiple personnel involved in complex tasks and teleoperations and virtual reality.