The Effect of G-Seat Tactile Cueing on Linear Motion Perception

Humans obtain information from several sources, including the vestibular system, vision, and tactile and proprioceptive sensation, in order to estimate spatial orientation. A model of this estimation process is particularly useful in flight simulation, where simulator cab motion, visual displays, and other devices are used to create an illusory perception of motion in pilots. Tactile cueing using G-seats has been used in flight simulation for z-axis acceleration and roll and pitch tilt cueing and has been shown to affect pilots ' perceived motion. Although models describing the vestibular and visual roles in motion perception have been developed, the tactile contribution to motion perception, while significant, is less well understood. An experiment was conducted using a G-seat to quantify in the fre-quency domain the contribution of tactile cueing to linear motion perception. Eight blind-folded subjects were presented with uncorrelated sum-of-sines (.06 Hz-.5 Hz) disturbances in horizontal velocity and G-seat pressure and used a hand controller to null the velocity disturbance. Half of the experimental trials used G-seat pressure and sle