AAWSAP DIRD, Cockpits in the Era of Breakthrough Flight, November 2010

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DEVICES FOR RECEIVING PILOT COMMANDS
In much the same way that displays are configured to match the dominant norms of
human behavior, so too are the command functions. As evidenced by the gaming
industry, the motions of the pilot's hands-whether by a joystick or a Wii controller42 ­
mimic the intended physical motions of the object under control. Some of these control
technologies are described below.
Physical Controls
Devices such as joysticks, toggle switches, thumb wheels, rotary switches, and even
keyboards will still be mandatory in cockpits of the future. This is based on needing
fixed locations for the most critical displays and controls. Additionally, tactile feedback
helps the pilot know that their command has been entered. In moments of crisis, a
human can react quickly to reach for just the right switch and detect the sensation
when that switch is flipped.
Joysticks take advantage of human nature, where hand motions mimic the intended
motions of the object under control.
Joysticks and pedals with force-feedback or
vibration feedback add another element of information that humans can process in
parallel-feedback that would not be possible with virtual controls.43
Despite advances in other data-input technologies (e.g., voice), it is likely that there
will be times when a keyboard is required, but its routine use is not expected.
Keyboards are an efficient way to accurately enter alphanumeric data and especially
narrative text. Conversely, keyboard use is time consuming, physically requires a large
space (can be stowed, however), and is subject to errors during vibration or buffeting.
Such errors are reduced when having some physical support to help anchor the hands.
Gesture-Based Inputs
By the time that propulsion breakthroughs become viable, it is likely that gesture-based
commands will have evolved past the current systems' problems of misinterpreting
wayward motions and will have become an effective way to replace the mouse for
cursor control. In addition, it is expected that more options will be available through
gestures than through existing mouse buttons (right click, left click, and scrolling). 44
When used in combination with a voice-command system, it is expected to be an
effective tool for the more complex and varied instruction sets, such as navigation. For
example, the notion of being able to point to a location on an expansive virtual map
and say, "go there," seems an ideal implementation.
Furthermore, the use of gesture-based inputs in analyzing new data seems appropriate,
provided that the lessons from adaptive displays are heeded.
Although fascinating,
gesture-based commands are dependent on how well the information that they are
manipulating is organized. Therefore, these inputs might be prone to the same keyhole
errors and mode errors of adaptive displays.
Prior lessons regarding quick emergency commands should also be heeded, specifically
where
all
critical commands have dedicated
physical
controls.
Gesture-based
commands can be redundant, but again, the physical control should be the dominant
source of critical inputs.
Consider the event of buffeting, where the position of an
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