The Implications of Image Collimation for Flight Simulator Training

There is some question as to whether non-collimated (i.e., real) imagery viewed at one meter or less provides sufficiently realistic visual cues to support out-the-window flight simulator training. As a first step toward answering this question, we have obtained perceived size and velocity estimates using both simple stimuli in a controlled laboratory setting and full simulator imagery in an apparatus consisting of optically combined collimated and real-image displays. In the size study it was found that real imagery appeared 15-30% smaller than collimated imagery. In the velocity studies, the laboratory data showed that the perceived velocity of real imagery was less than that of collimated imagery. No perceived velocity effects were found with the simulator imagery. Results support the position that for training tasks requiring accurate perception of spatial and temporal aspects of the simulated visual environment, misperceptions of size, but not velocity, need to be considered when real-image displays are used.