Virtual Cockpit Instruments—How Head-Worn Displays Can Enhance the Obstacle Awareness of Helicopter Pilots

The rise of augmented reality glasses and related technologies offers new possibilities for the human-machine interface design future aircraft. Today, head-worn displays (HWDs) are mainly used by military pilots, instance helicopter crews low-visibility operations close to ground obstacles. Nevertheless, recent technological advances in this area allow prediction that these systems could become available more pilots future. This article presents a concept how state-of-the-art HWD symbology can be expanded get even out advantages technology. With so-called “virtual cockpit instruments” (VCIs), an show information, which is conventionally rendered on panel-mounted displays. These VCIs imagined as virtual display screens, positioned freely around pilot. Their major benefit they create many options flexible, situation-adaptive environment. introduces general several such approach put into practice. Here, applied offshore windparks. We implemented VCI-adapted obstacle awareness assessed set positioning variants VCI. Two simulator studies-with 11 7 participants-provide interesting insights realization concept. In addition high subjective ratings, VCI significantly increased pilot's head-up, eyes-out time-an important measure challenging maneuvers Overall, illustrates promising cockpits discusses its potentials limitations.