Simulating extreme environments: Ergonomic evaluation of Chinese pilot performance and heat stress tolerance

Subtitle:

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Li, Jing^{a; b} | Tian, Yinsheng^a | Ding, Li^{a; *} | Zou, Huijuan^c | Ren, Zhaosheng^d | Shi, Liyong^d | Feathers, David^e | Wang, Ning^{f; g}

Affiliations: [a] School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China | [b] Department of Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA | [c] Aviation Medicine Training Center of Air Force, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China | [d] Institute of Aviation Medicine of Air Force, Beijing, China | [e] Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA | [f] School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China | [g] Beijing Institute of Astronautical Systems Engineering, Beijing, China

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Dr. Li Ding, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China. Tel.: +86 10 82339614; Fax: +86 10 82339614; E-mail:[email protected]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: High-temperatures in the cockpit environment can adversely influence pilot behavior and performance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of high thermal environments on Chinese pilot performance in a simulated cockpit environment. METHODS: Ten subjects volunteered to participate in the tests under 40°C and 45°C high-temperature simulations in an environmentally controlled chamber. Measures such as grip strength, perception, dexterity, somatic sense reaction, and analytical reasoning were taken. The results were compared to the Combined Index of Heat Stress (CIHS). RESULTS: CIHS exceeded the heat stress safety limit after 45 min under 40°C, grip strength decreased by 12% and somatic perception became 2.89 times larger than the initial value. In the case of 45°C, CIHS exceeded the safety limit after only 20 min, while the grip strength decreased just by 3.2% and somatic perception increased to 4.36 times larger than the initial value. Reaction and finger dexterity were not statistically different from baseline measurements, but the error rate of analytical reasoning test rose remarkably. CONCLUSION: Somatic perception was the most sensitive index to high-temperature, followed by grip strength. Results of this paper may help to improve environmental control design of new fighter cockpit and for pilot physiology and cockpit environment ergonomics research for Chinese pilots.

Keywords: Thermal environments, cockpit, Combined Index of Heat Stress (CIHS), perception

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-141842

Journal: Work, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 215-222, 2015