Piloted simulator evaluation of a relaxed static stability fighter at high angle-of-attack

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lapins, M.; Klein, R. W.; Martorella, R. P.; Cangelosi, J.; Neely, W. R., Jr.

1982-01-01

A piloted simulator evaluation of the stability and control characteristics of a relaxed static stability fighter aircraft was conducted using a differential maneuvering simulator. The primary purpose of the simulation was to evaluate the effectiveness of the limiters in preventing departure from controlled flight. The simulation was conducted in two phases, the first consisting of open-loop point stability evaluations over a range of subsonic flight conditions, the second concentrating on closed-loop tracking of a preprogrammed target in low speed, high angle-of-attack air combat maneuvering. The command limiters were effective in preventing departure from controlled flight while permitting competent levels of sustained maneuvering. Parametric variations during the study included the effects of pitch control power and wing-body static margin. Stability and control issues were clearly shown to impact the configuration design.

ATC/pilot voice communications: A survey of the literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prinzo, O. Veronika; Britton, Thomas W.

1993-11-01

The first radio-equipped control tower in the United States opened at the Cleveland Municipal Airport in 1930. From that time to the present, voice radio communications have played a primary role in air safety. Verbal communications in air traffic control (ATC) operations have been frequently cited as causal factors in operational errors and pilot deviations in the FAA Operational Error and Deviation System, the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), and reports derived from government sponsored research projects. Collectively, the data provided by these programs indicate that communications constitute a significant problem for pilots and controllers. Although the communications problem was well known the research literature was fragmented, making it difficult to appreciate the various types of verbal communications problems that existed and their unique influence on the quality of ATC/pilot communications. This is a survey of the voice radio communications literature. The 43 reports in the review represent survey data, field studies, laboratory studies, narrative reports, and reviews. The survey topics pertain to communications taxonomies, acoustical correlates and cognitive/psycholinguistic perspectives. Communications taxonomies were used to identify the frequency and types of information that constitute routine communications, as well as those communications involved in operational errors, pilot deviations, and other safety-related events. Acoustical correlate methodologies identified some qualities of a speaker's voice, such as loudness, pitch, and speech rate, which might be used potentially to monitor stress, mental workload, and other forms of psychological or physiological factors that affect performance. Cognitive/psycho-linguistic research offered an information processing perspective for understanding how pilots' and controllers' memory and language comprehension processes affect their ability to communicate effectively with one another. This analysis of the ATC/pilot voice radio communications literature was performed to provide an organized summary for the systematic study of interactive communications between controllers and pilots. Recommendations are given for new research initiatives, communications-based instructional materials, and human factors applications for new communications systems.

Effects of Different Heave Motion Components on Pilot Pitch Control Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaal, Petrus M. T.; Zavala, Melinda A.

2016-01-01

The study described in this paper had two objectives. The first objective was to investigate if a different weighting of heave motion components decomposed at the center of gravity, allowing for a higher fidelity of individual components, would result in pilot manual pitch control behavior and performance closer to that observed with full aircraft motion. The second objective was to investigate if decomposing the heave components at the aircraft's instantaneous center of rotation rather than at the center of gravity could result in additional improvements in heave motion fidelity. Twenty-one general aviation pilots performed a pitch attitude control task in an experiment conducted on the Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames under different hexapod motion conditions. The large motion capability of the Vertical Motion Simulator also allowed for a full aircraft motion condition, which served as a baseline. The controlled dynamics were of a transport category aircraft trimmed close to the stall point. When the ratio of center of gravity pitch heave to center of gravity heave increased in the hexapod motion conditions, pilot manual control behavior and performance became increasingly more similar to what is observed with full aircraft motion. Pilot visual and motion gains significantly increased, while the visual lead time constant decreased. The pilot visual and motion time delays remained approximately constant and decreased, respectively. The neuromuscular damping and frequency both decreased, with their values more similar to what is observed with real aircraft motion when there was an equal weighting of the heave of the center of gravity and heave due to rotations about the center of gravity. In terms of open- loop performance, the disturbance and target crossover frequency increased and decreased, respectively, and their corresponding phase margins remained constant and increased, respectively. The decomposition point of the heave components only had limited effects on pilot manual control behavior and performance.

Cephalometric risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea: A pilot case-control study.

PubMed

Davoudmanesh, Zeinab; Bayat, Mohamad; Abbasi, Mohsen; Rakhshan, Vahid; Shariati, Mahsa

2017-01-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its craniofacial anatomic risk factors might play a role in several cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction (MI). However, there are no data about cephalometric findings among OSA patients with MI. In this pilot case-control study, about 2000 individuals referred to the sleep center were evaluated according to apnea - hypopnea index (AHI) and other inclusion criteria. Included were 62 OSA male patients (AHI > 10), of whom 6 had an MI history. In both control (n = 56) and MI groups (n = 6), 18 cephalometric parameters were traced. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-test. Compared with control OSA patients, OSA patients with MI showed a significantly larger tongue length (p = 0.015). The other cephalometric variables were not significantly different between the two groups. An elongated tongue might be considered a risk factor for MI in OSA patients. The role of other variables remains inconclusive and open to investigation with larger samples (determined based on pilot studies such as this report) collected in longitudinal fashion.

STS-88 Mission Highlights Resources Tape. Tape B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The STS-88 flight crew, Commander Robert D. Cabana, Pilot Frederick W. Sturckow, and Mission Specialists Nancy J. Currie, James H. Newman, Jerry L. Ross, and Sergei Krikalev present a video overview of their space flight. Tape two of three includes the installation of an S-Band to help monitor the UNITY Connecting Module, the opening of UNITY's hatch, the opening of the main compartment hatch to ZARYA Control Module, and the repair of the inflight maintenance system.

Pilot Study Report, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida. Permeable Reactive Treatment (PeRT) Wall Pilot Study. Revision 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-11-01

slurry was made from mixing iron, guar gum , an enzyme and borax. The guar gum was Hercules Supercol™ food grade fine (200-mesh size) powder . It was...Florida The guar gum was mixed with water in batches in a stirred open top tank to form 2 to 3% solutions. The guar gum solution was pumped first to a...holding tank, then into a truck-mounted batch mixing plant. A positive displacement pump controlled the feed rate of guar gum to the batch mixing plant

Active pulmonary tuberculosis case detection and treatment among floating population in China: an effective pilot.

PubMed

Li, Xinxu; Zhang, Hui; Jiang, Shiwen; Wang, Jia; Liu, Xiaoqiu; Li, Weibin; Yao, Hongyan; Wang, Lixia

2010-12-01

China has more and more floating population because of reform and opening-up. As one of the high burden countries in tuberculosis (TB) control in the world, China has to face more challenges about the TB case detection and treatment among floating population in China. Aim to evaluate the effect of case detection and treatment of the Floating Population TB Control Pilot Project from Global Fund Round Five (GFR5) TB Control Program in China. During October 2006 to September 2008, the pilot project was implemented gradually in 60 counties in Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong and Guangdong. All quarterly reports of the pilot project were collected, and these materials were summarized and analyzed. In seven coastal provinces, 19,584 active pulmonary TB (PTB) cases were registered among floating population in 2 years. Among the active PTB cases, 87.2% were 15-45 years old, and 62.8% were male. In second year, 15,629 active PTB cases were registered, and the overall registration rate was 68 per 100,000 people. DOT treatments were provided for 18,125 active PTB cases in 2 years, and overall DOT treatment rate was 92.6%. There were 3,955 active PTB cases registered in first year, and the overall cure rate was 86.0%. Through the implementation of the pilot project, the TB case detection and treatment among floating population have been enhanced in pilot areas of China. The useful experience and results from the pilot project have been being gradually generalized nationally.

The GenTechnique Project: Developing an Open Environment for Learning Molecular Genetics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calza, R. E.; Meade, J. T.

1998-01-01

The GenTechnique project at Washington State University uses a networked learning environment for molecular genetics learning. The project is developing courseware featuring animation, hyper-link controls, and interactive self-assessment exercises focusing on fundamental concepts. The first pilot course featured a Web-based module on DNA…

Intravitreal ranibizumab as an adjunct for Ahmed valve surgery in open-angle glaucoma: a pilot study.

PubMed

Desai, Rajen U; Singh, Kuldev; Lin, Shan C

2013-03-01

To determine the safety and efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab therapy before and after Ahmed tube insertion for open-angle glaucoma as a means of optimizing postoperative intraocular pressure control. Randomized, controlled trial. Open-angle glaucoma patients scheduled for Ahmed tube insertion, randomized to ranibizumab or control groups. Ranibizumab (0.5 mg in 0.05 mL) was administered intravitreally at three time points: 9 days prior to surgery, 1 month post-surgery and 2 months post-surgery. Control patients underwent the same procedure without ranibizumab. Success at 6 months postoperatively was defined as intraocular pressure <18 mmHg with no adjunctive medications or intraocular pressure <15 mmHg with one adjunctive medication. The study and control arms included six and five subjects, respectively, with four in each arm undergoing combined cataract surgery. In the ranibizumab arm, the preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure/medication usage was 21.0 ± 6.7 mmHg on 3.2 ± 1.5 medications and 14.7 ± 1.9 mmHg on 0.5 ± 0.8 medications, respectively. In the control arm, preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure/medication usage was 18.8 ± 3.8 mmHg on 2.8 ± 1.3 medications and 16.2 ± 3.6 mmHg with 1.8 ± 1.6 medications, respectively. Success was achieved in 83% of subjects in the ranibizumab group compared with 40% in the control group (two-tailed Fisher's exact test, P = 0.24). The findings from this small pilot comparative study suggest that intravitreal ranibizumab use may be a safe and potentially effective adjunctive treatment modality in improving success after Ahmed tube placement. © 2012 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2012 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

SolarPILOT Feature Requests and Collaboration | Concentrating Solar Power |

Science.gov Websites

DOE of the CSP community's needs. As of March 2018, SolarPILOT is also available as an open source project. While not every project benefits from an open source approach, several factors influenced this , but lack of availability has, in some cases, prevented widespread adoption of a common platform. Open

Adjunct High Frequency Transcutaneous Electric Stimulation (TENS) for Postoperative Pain Management during Weaning from Epidural Analgesia Following Colon Surgery: Results from a Controlled Pilot Study.

PubMed

Bjerså, Kristofer; Jildenstaal, Pether; Jakobsson, Jan; Egardt, Madelene; Fagevik Olsén, Monika

2015-12-01

The potential benefit of nonpharmacological adjunctive therapy is not well-studied following major abdominal surgery. The aim of the present study was to investigate transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as a complementary nonpharmacological analgesia intervention during weaning from epidural analgesia (EDA) after open lower abdominal surgery. Patients were randomized to TENS and sham TENS during weaning from EDA. The effects on pain at rest, following short walk, and after deep breath were assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) grading. Number of patients assessed was lower than calculated because of change in clinical routine. Pain scores overall were low. A trend of lower pain scores was observed in the active TENS group of patients; a statistical significance between the groups was found for the pain lying prone in bed (p < .05). This controlled pilot study indicates benefits of TENS use in postoperative pain management during weaning from EDA after open colon surgery. Further studies are warranted in order to verify the potential beneficial effects from TENS during weaning from EDA after open, lower abdominal surgery. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

User Acceptability of Physiological and Other Measures of Hazardous States of Awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickinson, Terry L.; Milkulka, Peter J.; Kwan, Doris; Fitzgibbons, Amy A.; Jinadu, Florence R.; Freeman, Frederick G.; Scerbo, Mark W.; Pope, A. T. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Two studies explored user acceptance of devices that measure hazardous states of awareness. In the first study, critical incident data were collected in two workshops from 11 operators working as air traffic controllers or commercial pilots. These critical incident data were used to develop a survey of the acceptability of awareness measures. In the second study, the survey was administered to 100 people also working as air traffic controllers or commercial pilots. Results show that operators are open to the inclusion of technology to measure HSAs even if that technology is somewhat invasive as long as feedback about the HSAs is considered to be useful and helpful. Nonetheless, a major concern is the legal complications associated with being recorded, particularly for older and more experienced operators. Air traffic controllers emphasized the importance of sharing technology information with supervisors in order to receive backup or assistance under conditions of task overload, whereas pilots emphasized the influence of work schedules on problems with awareness. Recommendations are offered concerning the implementation of devices to measure hazardous states of awareness.

A Compact Energy Harvesting System for Outdoor Wireless Sensor Nodes Based on a Low-Cost In Situ Photovoltaic Panel Characterization-Modelling Unit

PubMed Central

Antolín, Diego; Calvo, Belén; Martínez, Pedro A.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a low-cost high-efficiency solar energy harvesting system to power outdoor wireless sensor nodes. It is based on a Voltage Open Circuit (VOC) algorithm that estimates the open-circuit voltage by means of a multilayer perceptron neural network model trained using local experimental characterization data, which are acquired through a novel low cost characterization system incorporated into the deployed node. Both units—characterization and modelling—are controlled by the same low-cost microcontroller, providing a complete solution which can be understood as a virtual pilot cell, with identical characteristics to those of the specific small solar cell installed on the sensor node, that besides allows an easy adaptation to changes in the actual environmental conditions, panel aging, etc. Experimental comparison to a classical pilot panel based VOC algorithm show better efficiency under the same tested conditions. PMID:28777330

A Compact Energy Harvesting System for Outdoor Wireless Sensor Nodes Based on a Low-Cost In Situ Photovoltaic Panel Characterization-Modelling Unit.

PubMed

Antolín, Diego; Medrano, Nicolás; Calvo, Belén; Martínez, Pedro A

2017-08-04

This paper presents a low-cost high-efficiency solar energy harvesting system to power outdoor wireless sensor nodes. It is based on a Voltage Open Circuit (VOC) algorithm that estimates the open-circuit voltage by means of a multilayer perceptron neural network model trained using local experimental characterization data, which are acquired through a novel low cost characterization system incorporated into the deployed node. Both units-characterization and modelling-are controlled by the same low-cost microcontroller, providing a complete solution which can be understood as a virtual pilot cell, with identical characteristics to those of the specific small solar cell installed on the sensor node, that besides allows an easy adaptation to changes in the actual environmental conditions, panel aging, etc. Experimental comparison to a classical pilot panel based VOC algorithm show better efficiency under the same tested conditions.

Comparing open and minimally invasive surgical procedures for oesophagectomy in the treatment of cancer: the ROMIO (Randomised Oesophagectomy: Minimally Invasive or Open) feasibility study and pilot trial.

PubMed

Metcalfe, Chris; Avery, Kerry; Berrisford, Richard; Barham, Paul; Noble, Sian M; Fernandez, Aida Moure; Hanna, George; Goldin, Robert; Elliott, Jackie; Wheatley, Timothy; Sanders, Grant; Hollowood, Andrew; Falk, Stephen; Titcomb, Dan; Streets, Christopher; Donovan, Jenny L; Blazeby, Jane M

2016-06-01

Localised oesophageal cancer can be curatively treated with surgery (oesophagectomy) but the procedure is complex with a risk of complications, negative effects on quality of life and a recovery period of 6-9 months. Minimal-access surgery may accelerate recovery. The ROMIO (Randomised Oesophagectomy: Minimally Invasive or Open) study aimed to establish the feasibility of, and methodology for, a definitive trial comparing minimally invasive and open surgery for oesophagectomy. Objectives were to quantify the number of eligible patients in a pilot trial; develop surgical manuals as the basis for quality assurance; standardise pathological processing; establish a method to blind patients to their allocation in the first week post surgery; identify measures of postsurgical outcome of importance to patients and clinicians; and establish the main cost differences between the surgical approaches. Pilot parallel three-arm randomised controlled trial nested within feasibility work. Two UK NHS departments of upper gastrointestinal surgery. Patients aged ≥ 18 years with histopathological evidence of oesophageal or oesophagogastric junctional adenocarcinoma, squamous cell cancer or high-grade dysplasia, referred for oesophagectomy or oesophagectomy following neoadjuvant chemo(radio)therapy. Oesophagectomy, with patients randomised to open surgery, a hybrid open chest and minimally invasive abdomen or totally minimally invasive access. The primary outcome measure for the pilot trial was the number of patients recruited per month, with the main trial considered feasible if at least 2.5 patients per month were recruited. During 21 months of recruitment, 263 patients were assessed for eligibility; of these, 135 (51%) were found to be eligible and 104 (77%) agreed to participate, an average of five patients per month. In total, 41 patients were allocated to open surgery, 43 to the hybrid procedure and 20 to totally minimally invasive surgery. Recruitment is continuing, allowing a seamless transition into the definitive trial. Consequently, the database is unlocked at the time of writing and data presented here are for patients recruited by 31 August 2014. Random allocation achieved a good balance between the arms of the study, which, as a high proportion of patients underwent their allocated surgery (69/79, 87%), ensured a fair comparison between the interventions. Dressing patients with large bandages, covering all possible incisions, was successful in keeping patients blind while pain was assessed during the first week post surgery. Postsurgical length of stay and risk of adverse events were within the typical range for this group of patients, with one death occurring within 30 days among 76 patients. There were good completion rates for the assessment of pain at 6 days post surgery (88%) and of the patient-reported outcomes at 6 weeks post randomisation (74%). Rapid recruitment to the pilot trial and the successful refinement of methodology indicated the feasibility of a definitive trial comparing different approaches to oesophagectomy. Although we have shown a full trial of open compared with minimally invasive oesophagectomy to be feasible, this is necessarily based on our findings from the two clinical centres that we could include in this small preliminary study. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN59036820. This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 48. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

The development of the DAST I remotely piloted research vehicle for flight testing an active flutter suppression control system. Ph.D. Thesis. Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grose, D. L.

1979-01-01

The development of the DAST I (drones for aerodynamic and structural testing) remotely piloted research vehicle is described. The DAST I is a highly modified BQM-34E/F Firebee II Supersonic Aerial Target incorporating a swept supercritical wing designed to flutter within the vehicle's flight envelope. The predicted flutter and rigid body characteristics are presented. A description of the analysis and design of an active flutter suppression control system (FSS) designed to increase the flutter boundary of the DAST wing (ARW-1) by a factor of 20% is given. The design and development of the digital remotely augmented primary flight control system and on-board analog backup control system is presented. An evaluation of the near real-time flight flutter testing methods is made by comparing results of five flutter testing techniques on simulated DAST I flutter data. The development of the DAST ARW-1 state variable model used to generate time histories of simulated accelerometer responses is presented. This model uses control surface commands and a Dryden model gust as inputs. The feasibility of the concept of extracting open loop flutter characteristics from closed loop FSS responses was examined. It was shown that open loop characteristics can be determined very well from closed loop subcritical responses.

Free-Spinning-Tunnel Tests of a 0.057-Scale Model of the Chance Vought XF7U-1 Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daughtridge, Lee T., Jr.

1948-01-01

An investigation of the spin and recovery characteristics of a 0.057-scale model of the Chance Vought XF7U-1 airplane has been conducted in the Langley 20-foot free-spinning tunnel. The effects of control settings and movements on the erect and inverted spin and recovery characteristics were determined, as were also the effects of extending the wing slats, of center-of-gravity movement, and-of variation in the mass distribution. The investigation also included wing-tip spin-recovery-parachute tests, pilot-escape tests, and rudder-control-force tests. The investigation indicated that the spin and recovery characteristics of the airplane will be satisfactory for all conditions. It was found that a single 4.24-foot (full-scale) parachute when opened alone from the outboard wing tip or two 8.77-foot (full-scale) parachutes when opened simultaneously, one from each wing tip, would effect satisfactory emergency recoveries (the drag coefficients of the parachutes, based on the surface area of the parachute, were 0.83 and 0.70 for the 4.24- and 8.77-foot parachutes, respectively). The towline length in both cases was 25 feet (full scale). Tests results showed that, if the pilot should have to leave the airplane during a spin, he should jump from the outboard side (left side in a right spin) of the cockpit. The rudder-control force necessary for recovery from a spin was found to be rather high but appeared to be within the upper limits of a pilot's capabilities.

Monovalve with integrated fuel injector and port control valve, and engine using same

DOEpatents

Milam, David M.

2001-11-06

An engine includes an engine casing that defines a hollow piston cavity separated from an exhaust passage and an intake passage by a valve seat. A gas exchange valve member is positioned adjacent the valve seat and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The gas exchange valve member also defines an opening that opens into the hollow piston cavity. A needle valve member is positioned in the gas exchange valve member adjacent a nozzle outlet and is moveable between an inject position and a blocked position. A port control valve member, which has a hydraulic surface, is mounted around the gas exchange valve member and moveable between an intake position and an exhaust position. A pilot valve is moveable between a first position at which the port control hydraulic surface is exposed to a source of high pressure fluid, and a second position at which the port control hydraulic surface is exposed to a source of low pressure fluid.

A pilot hole does not reduce the strains or risk of fracture to the lateral cortex during and following a medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy in cadaveric specimens.

PubMed

Bujnowski, K; Getgood, A; Leitch, K; Farr, J; Dunning, C; Burkhart, T A

2018-02-01

It has been suggested that the use of a pilot-hole may reduce the risk of fracture to the lateral cortex. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a pilot hole on the strains and occurrence of fractures at the lateral cortex during the opening of a high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and post-surgery loading. A total of 14 cadaveric tibias were randomized to either a pilot hole (n = 7) or a no-hole (n = 7) condition. Lateral cortex strains were measured while the osteotomy was opened 9 mm and secured in place with a locking plate. The tibias were then subjected to an initial 800 N load that increased by 200 N every 5000 cycles, until failure or a maximum load of 2500 N. There was no significant difference in the strains on the lateral cortex during HTO opening between the pilot hole and no-hole conditions. Similarly, the lateral cortex and fixation plate strains were not significantly different during cyclic loading between the two conditions. Using a pilot hole did not significantly decrease the strains experienced at the lateral cortex, nor did it reduce the risk of fracture. The nonsignificant differences found here most likely occurred because the pilot hole merely translated the stress concentration laterally to a parallel point on the surface of the hole. Cite this article : K. Bujnowski, A. Getgood, K. Leitch, J. Farr, C. Dunning, T. A. Burkhart. A pilot hole does not reduce the strains or risk of fracture to the lateral cortex during and following a medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy in cadaveric specimens. Bone Joint Res 2018;7:166-172. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.72.BJR-2017-0337.R1.

Skylab (SL)-4 Astronauts - "Open House" Press Day - SL Mockup - MSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-01-20

S72-17512 (19 Jan. 1972) --- These three men are the crewmen for the first manned Skylab mission. They are astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., commander, standing left; scientist-astronaut Joseph P. Kerwin, seated; and astronaut Paul J. Weitz, pilot. They were photographed and interviewed during an "open house" press day in the realistic atmosphere of the Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) trainer in the Mission Simulation and Training Facility at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). The control and display panel for the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) is at right. Photo credit: NASA

An Open Learner Model for Trainee Pilots

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gakhal, Inderdip; Bull, Susan

2008-01-01

This paper investigates the potential for simple open learner models for highly motivated, independent learners, using the example of trainee pilots. In particular we consider whether such users access their learner model to help them identify their current knowledge level, areas of difficulty and specific misconceptions, to help them plan their…

76 FR 20799 - Intermediary Lending Pilot Program Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-13

... Pilot (ILP) program established by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. The meetings will be open to the... holding open meetings to discuss the ILP program established in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub... program public meeting, please contact: 1. San Francisco--Steve Bangs, (415) 744-6792, fax (415) 744-6812...

A dual-task home-based rehabilitation programme for improving balance control in patients with acquired brain injury: a single-blind, randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Peirone, Eliana; Goria, Paolo Filiberto; Anselmino, Arianna

2014-04-01

To evaluate the safety, feasibility and effectiveness of a dual-task home-based rehabilitation programme on balance impairments among adult patients with acquired brain injury. Single-blind, randomized controlled pilot study. Single rehabilitation centre. Sixteen participants between 12 and 18 months post-acquired brain injury with balance impairments and a score <10 seconds on the One-Leg Stance Test (eyes open). All participants received 50-minutes individualised traditional physiotherapy sessions three times a week for seven weeks. In addition, the intervention group (N = 8) performed an individualised dual-task home-based programme six days a week for seven weeks. The primary outcome measure was the Balance Evaluation System Test; secondary measures were the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale and Goal Attainment Scaling. At the end of the pilot study, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in Balance Evaluation System Test scores (17.87, SD 6.05) vs. the control group (5.5, SD 3.53; P = 0.008, r = 0.63). There was no significant difference in improvement in Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale scores between the intervention group (25.25, SD 25.51) and the control group (7.00, SD 14.73; P = 0.11, r = 0.63). There was no significant improvement in Goal Attainment Scaling scores in the intervention (19.37, SD 9.03) vs. the control group (16.28, SD 6.58; P = 0.093, r = 0.63). This pilot study shows the safety, feasibility and short-term benefit of a dual-task home-based rehabilitation programme to improve balance control in patients with acquired brain injury. A sample size of 26 participants is required for a definitive study.

Usefulness of thermographic analysis to control temperature homogeneity in the development and implementation of a closed recirculating CO2 chemohyperthermia model.

PubMed

Padilla-Valverde, David; Sanchez-Garcia, Susana; García-Santos, Esther; Marcote-Ibañez, Carlos; Molina-Robles, Mercedes; Martín-Fernández, Jesús; Villarejo-Campos, Pedro

2016-09-30

To determine the effectiveness of thermography to control the distribution of abdominal temperature in the development of a closed chemohyperthermia model. For thermographic analysis, we divided the abdominopelvic cavity into nine regions according to a modification of carcinomatosis peritoneal index. A difference of 2.5 °C between and within the quadrants, and thermographic colours, were used as asymmetric criteria. Preclinical study:· Rats Model: Six athymic nude rats, male, rnu/rnu. They were treated with closed technique and open technique. Porcine Model: 12 female large white pigs. Four were treated with open technique and eight with closed recirculation CO 2 technique. Clinical Pilot Study, EUDRACT 2011-006319-69: 18 patients with ovarian cancer were treated with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermia intraperitoneal chemotherapy, HIPEC, with a closed recirculating CO 2 system. Thermographic control and intra-abdominal temperature assessment was performed at the baseline, when outflow temperature reached 41 °C, and at 30´. The thermographic images showed a higher homogeneity of the intra-abdominal temperature in the closed model respect to the open technique. The thermogram showed a temperature distribution homogeneity when starting the circulation of chemotherapy. There was correlation between the temperature thermographic map in the closed porcine model and pilot study, and reached inflow and outflow temperatures, at half time of HIPEC, of 42/41.4 °C and 42 ± 0.2/41 ± 0.8 °C, respectively. There was no significant impact to the core temperature of patients after reaching the homogeneous temperature distribution. To control homogeneity of temperature distribution is feasible using infra-red digital images in a closed HIPEC with CO 2 recirculation.

Air-Powered Projectile Launcher

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, T.; Bjorklund, R. A.; Elliott, D. G.; Jones, L. K.

1987-01-01

Air-powered launcher fires plastic projectiles without using explosive propellants. Does not generate high temperatures. Launcher developed for combat training for U.S. Army. With reservoir pressurized, air launcher ready to fire. When pilot valve opened, sleeve (main valve) moves to rear. Projectile rapidly propelled through barrel, pushed by air from reservoir. Potential applications in seismic measurements, avalanche control, and testing impact resistance of windshields on vehicles.

Treatment of clozapine-associated obesity and diabetes with exenatide (CODEX) in adults with schizophrenia: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Mayfield, Karla; Siskind, Dan; Winckel, Karl; Hollingworth, Samantha; Kisely, Steve; Russell, Anthony W

2015-06-01

Clozapine causes significant metabolic disturbances including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent evidence that reduced glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) may contribute to aetiology of clozapine-associated metabolic dysregulation suggests a potential therapeutic role for GLP-1 agonists. This open-label, pilot randomised controlled trial evaluates the effect of exenatide in clozapine-treated obese adults who have schizophrenia, with or without poorly controlled diabetes. Sixty out-patients will be randomised to once weekly extended release exenatide or treatment as usual for 24 weeks. To evaluate the feasibility of larger studies regarding methodology, acceptability, tolerability and estimate efficacy for glycaemic control or weight loss. Secondary outcomes are psychosis severity and metabolic parameters. This is the first trial investigating GLP-1 agonists for glycaemic control and weight loss in clozapine-treated patients with either diabetes or obesity. Clozapine-associated obesity and diabetes with exenatide (CODEX) will provide proof-of-concept empirical evidence addressing whether this novel treatment is practical and worthy of further investigation. A.W.R. has received speaker honoraria and travel grants from AstraZeneca, BoehringerIngelheim, Eli Lilly, MSD, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi and has participated on advisory panels for MSD and Novo Nordisk. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) licence.

Antiviral therapy in hepatitis B virus-infected children with immune-tolerant characteristics: A pilot open-label randomized study.

PubMed

Zhu, Shishu; Zhang, Hongfei; Dong, Yi; Wang, Limin; Xu, Zhiqiang; Liu, Weiwei; Gan, Yu; Tang, Hongmei; Chen, Dawei; Wang, Fuchuan; Zhao, Pan

2018-06-01

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in children is a serious health problem worldwide. How to treat children with immune-tolerant chronic hepatitis B infection, commonly characterized by hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positivity, high viral load, normal or mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase and no or minimal inflammation in liver histology, remains unresolved. This trial aims to study the benefits of antiviral therapy in children with these characteristics. This is a pilot open-label randomized controlled study. From May 2014 to April 2015, 69 treatment-naive chronically HBV-infected children, aged 1 to 16 years, who had immune-tolerant characteristics were recruited to this trial and randomly assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, to treatment group and control group. Patients in the treatment group received either interferon-α (IFN) monotherapy or consecutively received IFN monotherapy, combination therapy of IFN and lamivudine (LAM), and LAM therapy alone. All patients were observed until week 96. At baseline, epidemiological, biochemical, serological, virological and histological indices were consistent across the treatment and control groups. Of the 46 patients in the treatment group, 73.91% had undetectable serum HBV DNA, 32.61% achieved HBeAg seroconversion and 21.74% lost hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) at the endpoint. No LAM resistance emerged at week 96. In the control group, only one (4.35%) patient underwent spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion and had undetectable serum HBV DNA during observation, and moreover, none developed HBsAg clearance. For all patients, no serious adverse events were observed. Antiviral treatment with a sequential combination of IFN and LAM resulted in a significant improvement in the rates of undetectable serum HBV DNA, HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg loss in children with chronic HBV infection and immune-tolerant characteristics. There is a lack of data regarding treatment of immune-tolerant chronic hepatitis B (CHB). It remains unresolved how children with immune-tolerant CHB should be treated. This paper reports the outcomes from a pilot open-label randomized controlled trial on antiviral therapy in children with immune-tolerant characteristics. It shows that a sequential combination of interferon-α and lamivudine was beneficial. Copyright © 2018 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Delay-based signal shapers and acfa 2020 blended wing body flight control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucera, V.; Hromčík, M.

2013-12-01

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First: results related to application of signal shapers, imposed on pilot's commands, in cooperation with feedback flight control system (FCS) are reported for the case of ACFA2020 (Active Control for Flexible 2020 Aircraft) blended-wingbody (BWB) design. The results suggest that signal shapers can cooperate nicely both with FCS focused on the rigid-body dynamics only, as well as with an implemented and properly working active damping system. In both cases, the amount of vibrations due to pilot's inputs (manoeuvres) can be substantially reduced. Second: combination of signal shapers and rate-limiters is discussed in detail. Rate-limiters, representing finite achievable rates of servos for control surfaces, deteriorate considerably performance of the delay-based shapers. Configuration proposes only open-loop response of the free aircraft (without controller) for shaped reference respect to nonlinearities at action surface. Standard versions of the shapers cannot be therefore directly applied, especially for higher control surfaces deflections. Instead, two efficient alternatives can be used, suggested in the paper, that take the rate limitations into account at the design stage already.

Intermittent theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation for autism spectrum disorder: an open-label pilot study.

PubMed

Abujadi, Caio; Croarkin, Paul E; Bellini, Bianca B; Brentani, Helena; Marcolin, Marco A

2017-12-11

Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) modulates synaptic plasticity more efficiently than standard repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation delivery and may be a promising modality for neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At present there are few effective interventions for prefrontal cortex dysfunction in ASD. We report on an open-label, pilot study of intermittent TBS (iTBS) to target executive function deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors in male children and adolescents with ASD. Ten right-handed, male participants, aged 9-17 years with ASD were enrolled in an open-label trial of iTBS treatment. Fifteen sessions of neuronavigated iTBS at 100% motor threshold targeting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were delivered over 3 weeks. Parent report scores on the Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale demonstrated improvements with iTBS treatment. Participants demonstrated improvements in perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and total time for the Stroop test. The iTBS treatments were well tolerated with no serious adverse effects. These preliminary results suggest that further controlled interventional studies of iTBS for ASD are warranted.

Performance of a pilot-scale biotrickling filter in controlling the volatile organic compound emissions in a furniture manufacturing facility.

PubMed

Martínez-Soria, Vicente; Gabaldón, Carmen; Penya-Roja, Josep M; Palau, Jordi; Alvarez-Hornos, F Javier; Sempere, Feliu; Soriano, Carlos

2009-08-01

A 0.75-m3 pilot-scale biotrickling filter was run for over 1 yr in a Spanish furniture company to evaluate its performance in the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in the emission of two different paint spray booths. The first one was an open front booth used to manually paint furniture, and the second focus was an automatically operated closed booth operated to paint pieces of furniture. In both cases, the VOC emissions were very irregular, with rapid and extreme fluctuations. The pilot plant was operated at an empty bed residence time (EBRT) ranging from 10 to 40 sec, and good removal efficiencies of VOCs were usually obtained. When a buffering activated carbon prefilter was installed, the system performance was improved considerably, so a much better compliance with legal constraints was reached. After different shutdowns in the factory, the period to recover the previous performance of the biotrickling reactor was minimal. A weekend dehydration strategy was developed and implemented to control the pressure drop associated with excessive biomass accumulation.

Skylab 2 crew during "open house" press day at Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC)

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-01-19

S72-17509 (19 Jan. 1972) --- These three men are the crewmen for the first manned Skylab mission. They are astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., commander, standing left; scientist-astronaut Joseph P. Kerwin, seated; and astronaut Paul J. Weitz, pilot. They were photographed and interviewed during an "open house" press day in the realistic atmosphere of the Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) trainer in the Mission Simulation and Training Facility at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). The control and display panel for the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) is at right. Photo credit: NASA

Effects of sculpture based art therapy in dementia patients-A pilot study.

PubMed

Seifert, Kathrin; Spottke, Annika; Fliessbach, Klaus

2017-11-01

Art and art therapy open up interesting possibilities for dementia patients. However, it has not been evaluated scientifically so far, whether the art of sculpting has any benefits. In this non-randomized pilot study with twelve participants, we investigated the feasibility and acceptance of sculptural activity in patients with dementia and the effects on their well-being. A questionnaire was custom-designed to investigate five key aspects of well-being: mental state and concentration, corporeal memory, self-reliance, self-esteem and physicality. Remarkable improvements were seen in several subscales in the sculptural activity group, but not the control group: Mental state and concentration (nine of thirteen key aspects), self-reliance (four of five), self-esteem (one of one) and physicality (two of two). The results of this pilot study indicate the multidimensional effects of sculptural activity on patients living with dementia. The field would benefit greatly from further research.

ECN-22193

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-12-22

A close-up photo of the spin chute mounted on the rear fuselage of the AFTI F-16, a safety device designed to prevent the loss of aircraft in spin conditions. Under some circumstances, pilots cannot recover from spins using normal controls. It these instances, the spin chute is deployed, thus "breaking" the spin and enabling the pilot to recover. The spin chute is held in a metal cylinder attached to the AFTI F-16 by four tubes, a structure strong enough to withstand the shock of the spin chute opening. Unlike the air probe in the last photo, spin chutes are not standard equipment on research or prototype aircraft but are commonly attached expressly for actual spin tests.

Effects of chronic kombucha ingestion on open-field behaviors, longevity, appetitive behaviors, and organs in c57-bl/6 mice: a pilot study.

PubMed

Hartmann, A M; Burleson, L E; Holmes, A K; Geist, C R

2000-09-01

Kombucha is a lightly fermented tea beverage popularly consumed as a self-prescribed folk-remedy for numerous ailments. Kombucha is claimed to enhance cognition, aid weight loss, and prolong life. This pilot study reports longevity, general health, and open-field exploratory behavioral outcomes from a 3-y longitudinal study of 64 C57-BL/6 mice (males and females), half of which chronically drank kombucha, and all of which experienced natural mortality. Compared by MANOVA to controls, mice that drank kombucha showed greater vertical exploration (P = 0.001) and a sex-interactive effect in novel object manipulation (P = 0.049). MANOVA of kombucha-drinking mice compared to controls detected differences in appetitive behaviors (food consumption, P < 0.001; beverage consumption, P = 0. 008), and gross body weight (P < 0.001). Appetitive behaviors changed with the addition of voluntary exercise on a running wheel, with differing patterns of change noted for males and females. Both male and female mice who drank kombucha lived longer than controls (P < 0.001), with the greatest variability among the male mice (sex interactive effect, P < 0.001). Comparable effects and mechanisms in humans remain uncertain, as do health safety issues, because serious health problems and fatalities have been reported and attributed to drinking kombucha.

A Collection of Nonlinear Aircraft Simulations in MATLAB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garza, Frederico R.; Morelli, Eugene A.

2003-01-01

Nonlinear six degree-of-freedom simulations for a variety of aircraft were created using MATLAB. Data for aircraft geometry, aerodynamic characteristics, mass / inertia properties, and engine characteristics were obtained from open literature publications documenting wind tunnel experiments and flight tests. Each nonlinear simulation was implemented within a common framework in MATLAB, and includes an interface with another commercially-available program to read pilot inputs and produce a three-dimensional (3-D) display of the simulated airplane motion. Aircraft simulations include the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Convair F-106B Delta Dart, Grumman F-14 Tomcat, McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, NASA Langley Free-Flying Aircraft for Sub-scale Experimental Research (FASER), NASA HL-20 Lifting Body, NASA / DARPA X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability Demonstrator, and the Vought A-7 Corsair II. All nonlinear simulations and 3-D displays run in real time in response to pilot inputs, using contemporary desktop personal computer hardware. The simulations can also be run in batch mode. Each nonlinear simulation includes the full nonlinear dynamics of the bare airframe, with a scaled direct connection from pilot inputs to control surface deflections to provide adequate pilot control. Since all the nonlinear simulations are implemented entirely in MATLAB, user-defined control laws can be added in a straightforward fashion, and the simulations are portable across various computing platforms. Routines for trim, linearization, and numerical integration are included. The general nonlinear simulation framework and the specifics for each particular aircraft are documented.

Fluid lavage of open wounds (FLOW): a multicenter, blinded, factorial pilot trial comparing alternative irrigating solutions and pressures in patients with open fractures.

PubMed

Petrisor, Bradley; Sun, Xin; Bhandari, Mohit; Guyatt, Gordon; Jeray, Kyle J; Sprague, Sheila; Tanner, Stephanie; Schemitsch, Emil; Sancheti, Parag; Anglen, Jeff; Tornetta, Paul; Bosse, Michael; Liew, Susan; Walter, Stephen

2011-09-01

Open fractures are an important source of morbidity and are associated with delayed union, nonunion, and infection. Preventing infection through meticulous irrigation and debridement is an important goal in management, and different lavage fluids and irrigation techniques (e.g., high- or low-pressure lavage) have been described for this purpose. However, there are a limited number of randomized trials comparing irrigating solutions or irrigating technique. We compared the use of castile soap versus normal saline and high- versus low-pressure pulsatile lavage on the rates of reoperations and complications in patients with open fracture wounds. We conducted a multicenter, blinded, randomized 2 × 2 factorial pilot trial of 111 patients in whom an open fracture wound was treated with either castile soap solution or normal saline and either high- or low-pressure pulsatile lavage. The primary composite outcome of reoperation, measured at 12 months after initial operative procedure, included infection, wound healing problems, and nonunion. Planned reoperations were not included. Secondary outcomes included all infection, all wound healing problems, and nonunion as well as functional outcomes scores (EuroQol-5 dimensions and short form-12). Eighty-nine patients completed the 1-year follow-up. Among all patients, 13 (23%) in the castile soap group and 13 (24%) in the saline group had a primary outcome event (hazard ratio, 0.91, 95% confidence interval: 0.42-2.00, p = 0.52). Sixteen patients (28%) in the high-pressure group and 10 patients (19%) in the low-pressure group had a primary outcome event (hazard ratio 0.55, 95% confidence interval: 0.24-1.27, p = 0.17). Functional outcome scores showed no significant differences at any time point between groups. The fluid lavage of open wounds pilot randomized controlled trial demonstrated the possibility that the use of low pressure may decrease the reoperation rate for infection, wound healing problems, or nonunion. We have demonstrated the desirability and feasibility of a definitive trial examining the effects of alternative irrigation approaches.

Open Platform for Limit Protection with Carefree Maneuver Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jeram, Geoffrey J.

2004-01-01

This Open Platform for Limit Protection guides the open design of maneuver limit protection systems in general, and manned, rotorcraft, aerospace applications in particular. The platform uses three stages of limit protection modules: limit cue creation, limit cue arbitration, and control system interface. A common set of limit cue modules provides commands that can include constraints, alerts, transfer functions, and friction. An arbitration module selects the "best" limit protection cues and distributes them to the most appropriate control path interface. This platform adopts a holistic approach to limit protection whereby it considers all potential interface points, including the pilot's visual, aural, and tactile displays; and automatic command restraint shaping for autonomous limit protection. For each functional module, this thesis guides the control system designer through the design choices and information interfaces among the modules. Limit cue module design choices include type of prediction, prediction mechanism, method of critical control calculation, and type of limit cue. Special consideration is given to the nature of the limit, particularly the level of knowledge about it, and the ramifications for limit protection design, especially with respect to intelligent control methods such as fuzzy inference systems and neural networks.

An Open, Multisite Pilot Study of Cognitive Therapy for Depressed Adolescents

PubMed Central

BELSHER, GAYLE; WILKES, T. C. R.; RUSH, A. J.

1995-01-01

In a 12-session open trial of cognitive therapy, depressed adolescent outpatients showed significant decreases in depressive symptomatology, although there was less improvement in a subgroup with comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity or schizoid personality disorder. Decreases on measures of depressive symptoms and depressotypic cognition were maintained up to 5 months after acute-phase treatment. Outcome was not associated with age, gender, other comorbid diagnoses, concurrent use of antidepressants, duration of acute-phase therapy, or participation in subsequent booster sessions. Data suggest that cognitive therapy is a promising intervention for depressed adolescents and provide a rationale for pursuit of controlled cognitive therapy trials with this population. PMID:22700213

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Inpatients with Psychosis (the REACH Study): Protocol for Treatment Development and Pilot Testing

PubMed Central

Gaudiano, Brandon A.; Davis, Carter H.; Epstein-Lubow, Gary; Johnson, Jennifer E.; Mueser, Kim T.; Miller, Ivan W.

2017-01-01

Patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders frequently require treatment at inpatient hospitals during periods of acute illness for crisis management and stabilization. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a “third wave” cognitive-behavioral intervention that employs innovative mindfulness-based strategies, has shown initial efficacy in randomized controlled trials for improving acute and post-discharge outcomes in patients with psychosis when studied in acute-care psychiatric hospitals in the U.S. However, the intervention has not been widely adopted in its current form because of its use of an individual-only format and delivery by doctoral-level research therapists with extensive prior experience using ACT. The aim of the Researching the Effectiveness of Acceptance-based Coping during Hospitalization (REACH) Study is to adapt a promising acute-care psychosocial treatment for inpatients with psychosis, and to pilot test its effectiveness in a routine inpatient setting. More specifically, we describe our plans to: (a) further develop and refine the treatment and training protocols, (b) conduct an open trial and make further modifications based on the experience gained, and (c) conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial in preparation for a future fully-powered clinical trial testing the effectiveness of ACT. PMID:28475123

Pilot trial of an expressive writing intervention with HIV-positive methamphetamine-using men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Carrico, Adam W; Nation, Austin; Gómez, Walter; Sundberg, Jeffrey; Dilworth, Samantha E; Johnson, Mallory O; Moskowitz, Judith T; Rose, Carol Dawson

2015-06-01

Among men who have sex with men (MSM), the co-occurrence of trauma and stimulant use has negative implications for HIV/AIDS prevention. HIV-positive, methamphetamine-using MSM were recruited to pilot test a 7-session, multicomponent resilient affective processing (RAP) intervention that included expressive writing exercises targeting HIV-related traumatic stress. An open-phase pilot with 10 participants provided support for feasibility of intervention delivery such that 99% of the RAP sessions were completed in a 1-month period. Subsequently, 23 additional participants were enrolled in a pilot randomized controlled trial of the RAP intervention (n = 12) versus an attention-control condition that included writing exercises about neutral topics (n = 11). Acceptability was evidenced by participants randomized to RAP expressing significantly more negative emotions in their writing and reporting greater likelihood of recommending expressive writing exercises to a friend living with HIV. Over the 3-month follow-up period, attention-control participants reported significant decreases in HIV-related traumatic stress while RAP intervention participants reported no significant changes. Compared to attention-control participants, those in the RAP intervention reported significant reductions in the frequency of methamphetamine use immediately following the 1-month RAP intervention period. Thematic analyses of RAP expressive writing exercises revealed that multiple negative life events characterized by social stigma or loss contribute to the complex nature of HIV-related traumatic stress. Findings support the feasibility and acceptability of an exposure-based intervention targeting HIV-related traumatic stress. However, more intensive intervention approaches that simultaneously target trauma and stimulant use will likely be needed to optimize HIV/AIDS prevention efforts with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Influence of vision and dental occlusion on body posture in pilots.

PubMed

Baldini, Alberto; Nota, Alessandro; Cravino, Gaia; Cioffi, Clementina; Rinaldi, Antonio; Cozza, Paola

2013-08-01

Air force pilots have great postural control, movement coordination, motor learning, and motor transformation. They undergo abnormal stresses during flight that affect their organs and systems, with consequences such as barodontalgia, bruxism, TMJ dysfunctions, and cervical pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of dental occlusion and vision on their body posture. In collaboration with the "A. Mosso" Legal Medical Institute (Aeronautica Militare), two groups, consisting of 20 air force and 20 civilian pilots, were selected for the study using a protocol approved by the Italian Air Force. An oral examination and a force platform test were performed in order to evaluate the subjects' postural system efficiency. A MANOVA (Multivariate analysis of variance) analysis was performed by using the Wilkes' criterion, in order to statistically evaluate the influence of each factor. Both the sway area and velocity parameters are very strongly influenced by vision: the sway area increases by approximately 32% and the sway velocity increases by approximately 50% when the pilot closes his eyes. Only the sway area parameter was significantly influenced by the mandibular position: the mandibular position with eyes open changed the sway area by about 51% and with eyes closed by about 40%. No statistically significant differences were found between air force and civilian pilots. The results of this analysis show that occlusion and visual function could influence posture in air force and civilian pilots.

Hydraulic actuator for an electric circuit breaker

DOEpatents

Imam, I.

1983-05-17

This actuator comprises a fluid motor having a piston, a breaker-opening space at one side of the piston, and a breaker-closing space at its opposite side. An accumulator freely communicates with the breaker-opening space for supplying pressurized fluid thereto during a circuit breaker opening operation. The breaker-opening space and the breaker-closing space are connected by an impeded flow passage. A pilot valve opens to allow the pressurized liquid in the breaker-closing space to flow to a back chamber of a normally closed main valve to cause the main valve to be opened during a circuit breaker opening operation to release the pressurized liquid from the breaker-closing space. An impeded passage affords communication between the back chamber and a sump located on the opposite side of the main valve from the back chamber. The pilot valve and impeded passage allow rapid opening of the main valve with pressurized liquid from the breaker closing side of the piston. 3 figs.

Hydraulic actuator for an electric circuit breaker

DOEpatents

Imam, Imdad [Colonie, NY

1983-01-01

This actuator comprises a fluid motor having a piston, a breaker-opening space at one side of the piston, and a breaker-closing space at its opposite side. An accumulator freely communicates with the breaker-opening space for supplying pressurized fluid thereto during a circuit breaker opening operation. The breaker-opening space and the breaker-closing space are connected by an impeded flow passage. A pilot valve opens to allow the pressurized liquid in the breaker-closing space to flow to a back chamber of a normally closed main valve to cause the main valve to be opened during a circuit breaker opening operation to release the pressurized liquid from the breaker-closing space. An impeded passage affords communication between the back chamber and a sump located on the opposite side of the main valve from the back chamber. The pilot valve and impeded passage allow rapid opening of the main valve with pressurized liquid from the breaker closing side of the piston.

Six Apollo astronauts in front of Saturn V at ASVC prior to grand opening

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Some of the former Apollo program astronauts pose in front of an Apollo Command and Service Module during a tour the new Apollo/Saturn V Center (ASVC) at KSC prior to the gala grand opening ceremony for the facility that was held Jan. 8, 1997. The astronauts were invited to participate in the event, which also featured NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and KSC Director Jay Honeycutt. The astronauts are (from left): Apollo 14 Lunar Module Pilot Edgar D. Mitchell; Apollo 10 Command Module Pilot and Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young; Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr.; Apollo 10 Commander Thomas P. Stafford; Apollo 10 Lunar Module Pilot and Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan; and Apollo 9 Lunar Module Pilot Russell L. Schweikart. The ASVC also features several other Apollo program spacecraft components, multimedia presentations and a simulated Apollo/Saturn V liftoff. The facility will be a part of the KSC bus tour that embarks from the KSC Visitor Center.

Pilot Study to Explore the Use of an Audio-Visual Tutorial Laboratory in the Secretarial Skills Area as a Means of Updating and Improving Curriculum Offerings at the Community College Level in Michigan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Ronald K., And Others

This study dealt with two skill courses, business machines, and beginning typewriting. The control groups received instruction in the traditional method. The experimental groups attended open laboratory at any time convenient to them to receive their instruction. The groups were compared on the basis of identical performance tests. Materials to…

Aquatic therapy versus conventional land-based therapy for Parkinson's disease: an open-label pilot study.

PubMed

Vivas, Jamile; Arias, Pablo; Cudeiro, Javier

2011-08-01

To assess and compare 2 different protocols of physiotherapy (land or water therapy) for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) focused on postural stability and self-movement, and to provide methodological information regarding progression within the program for a future larger trial. Randomized, controlled, open-label pilot trial. Outpatients, Parkinson's disease Center of Ferrol-Galicia (Spain). Individuals (N=11) with idiopathic PD in stages 2 or 3 according to the Hoehn and Yahr Scale completed the investigation (intervention period plus follow-up). After baseline evaluations, participants were randomly assigned to a land-based therapy (active control group) or a water-based therapy (experimental group). Participants underwent individual sessions for 4 weeks, twice a week, for 45 minutes per session. Both interventions were matched in terms of exercise features, which were structured in stages with clear objectives and progression criteria to pass to the next phase. Participants underwent a first baseline assessment, a posttest immediately after 4 weeks of intervention, and a follow-up assessment after 17 days. Evaluations were performed OFF-dose after withholding medication for 12 hours. Functional assessments included the Functional Reach Test (FRT), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the UPDRS, the 5-m walk test, and the Timed Up and Go test. A main effect of both therapies was seen for the FRT. Only the aquatic therapy group improved in the BBS and the UPDRS. In this pilot study, physiotherapy protocols produced improvement in postural stability in PD that was significantly larger after aquatic therapy. The intervention protocols are shown to be feasible and seem to be of value in amelioration of postural stability-related impairments in PD. Some of the methodological aspects detailed here can be used to design larger controlled trials. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of laterally vectored thrust to counter thrust asymmetry in a tactical jet aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

A nonlinear, six degree-of-freedom flight simulator for a twin engine tactical jet was built on a hybrid computer to investigate lateral vectoring of the remaining thrust component for the case of a single engine failure at low dynamic pressures. Aircraft control was provided by an automatic controller rather than a pilot, and thrust vector control was provided by an open-loop controller that deflected a vane (located on the periphery of each exhaust jet and normally streamlined for noninterference with the flow). Lateral thrust vectoring decreased peak values of lateral control deflections, eliminated the requirement for steady-state lateral aerodynamic control deflections, and decreased the amount of altitude lost for a single engine failure.

Towards Citizen Co-Created Public Service Apps.

PubMed

Emaldi, Mikel; Aguilera, Unai; López-de-Ipiña, Diego; Pérez-Velasco, Jorge

2017-06-02

WeLive project's main objective is about transforming the current e-government approach by providing a new paradigm based on a new open model oriented towards the design, production and deployment of public services and mobile apps based on the collaboration of different stakeholders. These stakeholders form the quadruple helix, i.e., citizens, private companies, research institutes and public administrations. Through the application of open innovation, open data and open services paradigms, the framework developed within the WeLive project enables the co-creation of urban apps. In this paper, we extend the description of the WeLive platform presented at , plus the preliminary results of the first pilot phase. The two-phase evaluation methodology designed and the evaluation results of first pilot sub-phase are also presented.

Characterization of postural control deficit in whiplash patients by means of linear and nonlinear analyses - A pilot study.

PubMed

Madeleine, Pascal; Nielsen, Mogens; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars

2011-04-01

The ability to maintain balance is diminished in patients suffering from a whiplash injury. The aim of this study was to characterize the variability of postural control in patients with chronic whiplash injury. For this purpose, we analyzed static postural recordings from 11 whiplash patients and sex- and age-matched asymptomatic healthy volunteers. Static postural recordings were performed randomly with eyes open, eyes closed, and eyes open and speaking (dual task). Spatial-temporal changes of the center of pressure displacement were analyzed to assess the amplitude and structure of postural variability by computing, respectively, the standard deviation/coefficient of variation and sample entropy/fractal dimension of the time series. The amplitude of variability of the center of pressure was larger among whiplash patients compared with controls (P<0.001) while fractal dimension was lower (P<0.001). The sample entropy increased during both eyes closed and a simple dual task compared with eyes open (P<0.05). The analysis of postural control dynamics revealed increased amplitude of postural variability and decreased signal dimensionality related to the deficit in postural stability found in whiplash patients. Linear and nonlinear analyses can thus be helpful for the quantification of postural control in normal and pathological conditions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composting municipal biosolids in polyethylene sleeves with forced aeration: Process control, air emissions, sanitary and agronomic aspects.

PubMed

Avidov, R; Saadi, I; Krassnovsky, A; Hanan, A; Medina, Sh; Raviv, M; Chen, Y; Laor, Y

2017-09-01

Composting in polyethylene sleeves with forced aeration may minimize odor emissions, vectors attraction and leachates associated with open windrows. A disadvantage of this technology is the lack of mixing during composting, potentially leading to non-uniform products. In two pilot experiments using biosolids and green waste (1:1; v:v), thermophilic conditions (>45°C) were maintained for two months, with successful control of oxygen levels and sufficient moisture. Emitted odors declined from 1.5-3.8×10 5 to 5.9×10 3 -2.3×10 4 odor units m -3 -air in the first 3weeks of the process, emphasizing the need of odor control primarily during this period. Therefore, composting might be managed in two phases: (i) a closed sleeve for 6-8weeks during which the odor is treated; (ii) an open pile (odor control is not necessary). Reduction of salmonella, E. coli and coliforms was effective initially, meeting the standards of "Class A" biosolids; however, total and fecal coliforms density increased after opening the second sleeve and exceeded the standard of 1000 most probable number (MPN) per g dry matter. Compost maturity was achieved in the open piles following the two sleeves and the final compost was non-phytotoxic and beneficial as a soil additive. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pain as an indication for rib fixation: a bi-institutional pilot study.

PubMed

de Moya, Marc; Bramos, Thanos; Agarwal, Suresh; Fikry, Karim; Janjua, Sumbal; King, David R; Alam, Hasan B; Velmahos, George C; Burke, Peter; Tobler, William

2011-12-01

In trauma patients, open reduction and internal fixation of rib fractures remain controversial. We hypothesized that patients who have open reduction and internal fixation of rib fractures would experience less pain compared with controls and thus require fewer opiates. Further, we hypothesized that improved pain control would result in fewer pulmonary complications and decreased length of stay. This is a retrospective bi-institutional matched case-control study. Cases were matched 1:2 by age, injury severity Score, chest abbreviated injury severity score, head abbreviated injury severity score, pulmonary contusion score, and number of fractured ribs. The daily total doses of analgesic drugs were converted to equianalgesic intravenous morphine doses, and the primary outcome was inpatient narcotic administration. Sixteen patients between July 2005 and June 2009 underwent rib fixation in 5 ± 3 days after injury using an average of 3 (1-5) metallic plates. Morphine requirements decreased from 110 mg ± 98 mg preoperatively to 63 ± 57 mg postoperatively (p = 0.01). There were no significant differences between cases and controls in the mean morphine dose (79 ± 63 vs. 76 ± 55 mg, p = 0.65), hospital stay (18 ± 12 vs. 16 ± 11 days, p = 0.67), intensive care unit stay (9 ± 8 vs. 7 ± 10 days, p = 0.75), ventilation days (7 ± 8 vs. 6 ± 10, p = 0.44), and pneumonia rates (31% vs. 38%, p = 0.76). The need for analgesia was significantly reduced after rib fixation in patients with multiple rib fractures. However, no difference in outcomes was observed when these patients were compared with matched controls in this pilot study. Further study is required to investigate these preliminary findings.

Pilot-model analysis and simulation study of effect of control task desired control response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J. J.; Gera, J.; Jaudon, J. B.

1978-01-01

A pilot model analysis was performed that relates pilot control compensation, pilot aircraft system response, and aircraft response characteristics for longitudinal control. The results show that a higher aircraft short period frequency is required to achieve superior pilot aircraft system response in an altitude control task than is required in an attitude control task. These results were confirmed by a simulation study of target tracking. It was concluded that the pilot model analysis provides a theoretical basis for determining the effect of control task on pilot opinions.

The Family Navigator: A Pilot Intervention to Support Intensive Care Unit Family Surrogates.

PubMed

Torke, Alexia M; Wocial, Lucia D; Johns, Shelley A; Sachs, Greg A; Callahan, Christopher M; Bosslet, Gabriel T; Slaven, James E; Perkins, Susan M; Hickman, Susan E; Montz, Kianna; Burke, Emily S

2016-11-01

Communication problems between family surrogates and intensive care unit (ICU) clinicians have been documented, but few interventions are effective. Nurses have the potential to play an expanded role in ICU communication and decision making. To conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial of the family navigator (FN), a distinct nursing role to address family members' unmet communication needs early in an ICU stay. An interprofessional team developed the FN protocol. A randomized controlled pilot intervention trial of the FN was performed in a tertiary referral hospital's ICU to test the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. The intervention addressed informational and emotional communication needs through daily contact by using structured clinical updates, emotional and informational support modules, family meeting support, and follow-up phone calls. Twenty-six surrogate/patient pairs (13 per study arm) were enrolled. Surrogates randomized to the intervention had contact with the FN on 90% or more of eligible patient days. All surrogates agreed that they would recom mend the FN to other families. Open-ended comments from both surrogates and clinicians were uniformly positive. Having a fully integrated nurse empowered to facilitate decision making is a feasible intervention in an ICU and is well-received by ICU families and staff. A larger randomized controlled trial is needed to demonstrate impact on important outcomes, such as surrogates' well-being and decision quality. ©2016 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Effects of cockpit lateral stick characteristics on handling qualities and pilot dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, David G.; Aponso, Bimal L.; Klyde, David H.

1992-01-01

This report presents the results of analysis of cockpit lateral control feel-system studies. Variations in feel-system natural frequency, damping, and command sensing reference (force and position) were investigated, in combination with variations in the aircraft response characteristics. The primary data for the report were obtained from a flight investigation conducted with a variable-stability airplane, with additional information taken from other flight experiments and ground-based simulations for both airplanes and helicopters . The study consisted of analysis of handling qualities ratings and extraction of open-loop, pilot-vehicle describing functions from sum-of-sines tracking data, including, for a limited subset of these data, the development of pilot models. The study confirms the findings of other investigators that the effects on pilot opinion of cockpit feel-system dynamics are not equivalent to a comparable level of added time delay, and until a more comprehensive set of criteria are developed, it is recommended that feel-system dynamics be considered a delay-inducing element in the aircraft response. The best correlation with time-delay requirements was found when the feel-system dynamics were included in the delay measurements, regardless of the command reference. This is a radical departure from past approaches.

Community-based Early Warning and Adaptive Response System (EWARS) for mosquito borne diseases: An open source/open community approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, A. N.; Soman, B.; Niehaus, E.; Shah, J.; Sarda, N. L.; Ramkumar, P. S.; Unnithan, C.

2014-11-01

A variety of studies around the world have evaluated the use of remote sensing with and without GIS in communicable diseases. The ongoing Ebola epidemic has highlighted the risks that can arise for the global community from rapidly spreading diseases which may outpace attempts at control and eradication. This paper presents an approach to the development, deployment, validation and wide-spread adoption of a GIS-based temporo-spatial decision support system which is being collaboratively developed in open source/open community mode by an international group that came together under UN auspices. The group believes in an open source/open community approach to make the fruits of knowledge as widely accessible as possible. A core initiative of the groups is the EWARS project. It proposes to strengthen existing public health systems by the development and validation a model for a community based surveillance and response system which will initially address mosquito borne diseases in the developing world. At present mathematical modeling to support EWARS is at an advanced state, and it planned to embark on a pilot project

Pre-Service Teacher Training in Malawi: Findings of a Pilot Study on the Viability of Media Players for Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrier, Carol; Finholt-Daniel, Matt; Sales, Gregory C.

2012-01-01

As part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Malawi Teacher Professional Development Support project, a sub-task was the piloting of an alternative technology that could be used for improving the quality and consistency of teacher continued professional development (CPD). The pilot, which included 26 open and…

Aircraft Material Fire Test Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

becomes extinguished for any period that exceeds 3 sec. A circuit for a satisfactory device is sketched in Figure 5-4. 5.3.8.2 Upper Pilot Burner An...34A model 470 Series Power controller manufactured by Eurotherm, a Model 3AEV 1B IOC I Triac manufactured by General Electric Co, or equivalent have...Compartment (galley or lavatory module ) An enclosure or shell structure with access provisions, such as a waste chute opening or doors, designed for

Towards Citizen Co-Created Public Service Apps †

PubMed Central

Emaldi, Mikel; Aguilera, Unai; López-de-Ipiña, Diego; Pérez-Velasco, Jorge

2017-01-01

WeLive project’s main objective is about transforming the current e-government approach by providing a new paradigm based on a new open model oriented towards the design, production and deployment of public services and mobile apps based on the collaboration of different stakeholders. These stakeholders form the quadruple helix, i.e., citizens, private companies, research institutes and public administrations. Through the application of open innovation, open data and open services paradigms, the framework developed within the WeLive project enables the co-creation of urban apps. In this paper, we extend the description of the WeLive platform presented at , plus the preliminary results of the first pilot phase. The two-phase evaluation methodology designed and the evaluation results of first pilot sub-phase are also presented. PMID:28574460

Can an aircraft be piloted via sonification with an acceptable attentional cost? A comparison of blind and sighted pilots.

PubMed

Valéry, Benoît; Scannella, Sébastien; Peysakhovich, Vsevolod; Barone, Pascal; Causse, Mickaël

2017-07-01

In the aeronautics field, some authors have suggested that an aircraft's attitude sonification could be used by pilots to cope with spatial disorientation situations. Such a system is currently used by blind pilots to control the attitude of their aircraft. However, given the suspected higher auditory attentional capacities of blind people, the possibility for sighted individuals to use this system remains an open question. For example, its introduction may overload the auditory channel, which may in turn alter the responsiveness of pilots to infrequent but critical auditory warnings. In this study, two groups of pilots (blind versus sighted) performed a simulated flight experiment consisting of successive aircraft maneuvers, on the sole basis of an aircraft sonification. Maneuver difficulty was varied while we assessed flight performance along with subjective and electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of workload. The results showed that both groups of participants reached target-attitudes with a good accuracy. However, more complex maneuvers increased subjective workload and impaired brain responsiveness toward unexpected auditory stimuli as demonstrated by lower N1 and P3 amplitudes. Despite that the EEG signal showed a clear reorganization of the brain in the blind participants (higher alpha power), the brain responsiveness to unexpected auditory stimuli was not significantly different between the two groups. The results suggest that an auditory display might provide useful additional information to spatially disoriented pilots with normal vision. However, its use should be restricted to critical situations and simple recovery or guidance maneuvers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maintaining hope at the 11th hour: authenticity buffers the effect of limited time perspective on hope.

PubMed

Davis, William E; Hicks, Joshua A

2013-12-01

Four studies tested the hypothesis that limited time perceptions are associated with lower levels of hope, and that this effect is buffered by high levels of authenticity. Study 1 (n = 256) utilized a cross-sectional design in which participants completed dispositional measures of time perspective, hope, and authenticity. Three subsequent studies tested our hypothesis experimentally. In a pilot study (n = 124), participants reported their perceived authenticity, future time perspective (FTP) was manipulated (limited vs. open-ended), and state hope was assessed. Study 2 (n = 156) introduced a new manipulation of FTP, and Study 3 (n = 242) replicated Study 2 with the addition of a neutral control condition. Across all studies, individuals who perceived time as limited reported lower levels of hope relative to those who perceived time as open-ended (or those in a neutral control condition), but, importantly, this effect was attenuated for highly authentic individuals.

When Two Worlds Don't Collide: Can Social Curation Address the Marginalisation of Open Educational Practices and Resources from Outside Academia?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perryman, Leigh-Anne; Coughlan, Tony

2014-01-01

A canyonesque gulf has long existed between open academia and many external subject communities. Since 2011, we have been developing and piloting the public open scholar role (Coughlan and Perryman 2012)--involving open academics discovering, sharing and discussing open educational resources (OER) with online communities outside formal education…

Thomas C. McMurtry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Thomas C. McMurtry in November 1982. He graduated in June 1957 from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. McMurtry had been part of the university's Navy ROTC program, and after graduation he joined the Navy as a pilot. Before retiring from the Navy in 1964 as a Lieutenant, he graduated from the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School, and had flown such aircraft as the F9F, A3D, A4D, F3D, F-8, A-6, and S-2. McMurtry was then a consultant for the Lockheed Corporation until joining NASA as a research pilot in 1967. While at the Dryden Flight Research Center, he was co-project pilot on the F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire program, and the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, as well as project pilot on the F-15 Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC) project, the KC-135 Winglets, the F-8 Supercritical Wing project, and the AD-1 Oblique Wing Project. He also made research flights in NASA's YF-12C aircraft (actually a modified SR-71). McMurtry made the last glide flight of the X-24B lifting body on November 26, 1975, and was co-pilot of the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on the first free flight of the space shuttle Enterprise on August 12, 1977. He was involved in several remotely piloted research vehicle programs, including the FAA/NASA 720 Controlled Impact Demonstration and the 3/8 F-15 Spin Research Vehicle. During McMurtry's 32 years as a pilot and manager at Dryden, he received numerous awards. These include the NASA Exceptional Service Award for his work on the F-8 Supercritical Wing, and the Iven C. Kincheloe Award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots for his role as chief pilot on the AD-1 project, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the 1999 Milton O. Thomson Lifetime Achievement Award. McMurtry also held a number of management positions at Dryden, including Chief Pilot, Director of Flight Operations, Associate Director of Flight Operations, and was the acting Chief Engineer at the time of his retirement on June 3, 1999. Since becoming a pilot in 1958, he logged more than 11,000 hours of flight time, in aircraft ranging from a WACO open cockpit biplane to a Mach 3 YF-12C, as well as navy trainers, fighters and attack airplanes, the U-2, F-104 and FA-18 chase planes, and diverse research aircraft. McMurtry's fondest memories are of early morning take-offs from Edwards AFB.

Mission Specialist (MS) Lenoir cuts Pilot Overmyer's hair on middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Mission Specialist (MS) Lenoir, using hairbrush and scissors, cuts Pilot Overmyer's hair and trims his sideburns in front of forward middeck lockers. Personal hygiene kit (open), towels, and field sequential (FS) crew cabin camera are attached to lockers.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorder: a pilot study.

PubMed

Reese, Hannah E; Vallejo, Zayda; Rasmussen, Jessica; Crowe, Katherine; Rosenfield, Elizabeth; Wilhelm, Sabine

2015-03-01

In this pilot study we sought to develop and test a modified form of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR-tics) for the treatment of Tourette Syndrome (TS) and Chronic Tic Disorder (CTD). Our specific aims were: 1) To determine the feasibility and acceptability of an 8-week trial of MBSR-tics in individuals 16 and older with TS or CTD and 2) To determine the efficacy of an 8-week trial of MBSR-tics in individuals 16 and older with TS or CTD. Eighteen individuals age 16-67 completed an uncontrolled open trial of MBSR-tics. The intervention consisted of 8 weekly 2-hour classes and one 4hour retreat in the fifth or sixth week of the program. Symptomatic assessments were performed at baseline, post-treatment, and one-month follow-up. MBSR-tics proved to be a feasible and acceptable intervention. It resulted in significant improvement in tic severity and tic-related impairment. 58.8% of subjects were deemed treatment responders. Therapeutic gains were maintained at 1-month follow-up. Improvements in tic severity were correlated with increases in self-reported levels of mindfulness. This small open pilot study provides preliminary support for the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of MBSR-tics for individuals 16 or older with TS or CTD. A larger randomized controlled trial with blind assessment is necessary to confirm these initial, promising findings. Trial Registration Partners Clinical Trials Registry Number 2011P000606 (clinicaltrials.partners.org). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes: protocol for an open pilot study and external pilot clustered randomised controlled trial to assess acceptability, feasibility and fidelity of a multifaceted behavioural intervention targeting physical activity in primary care.

PubMed

Avery, Leah; Sniehotta, Falko F; Denton, Sarah J; Steen, Nick; McColl, Elaine; Taylor, Roy; Trenell, Michael I

2014-02-03

Physical activity (PA) and nutrition are the cornerstones of diabetes management. Several reviews and meta-analyses report that PA independently produces clinically important improvements in glucose control in people with Type 2 diabetes. However, it remains unclear what the optimal strategies are to increase PA behaviour in people with Type 2 diabetes in routine primary care. This study will determine whether an evidence-informed multifaceted behaviour change intervention (Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes) targeting both consultation behaviour of primary healthcare professionals and PA behaviour in adults with Type 2 diabetes is both acceptable and feasible in the primary care setting. An open pilot study conducted in two primary care practices (phase one) will assess acceptability, feasibility and fidelity. Ongoing feedback from participating primary healthcare professionals and patients will provide opportunities for systematic adaptation and refinement of the intervention and study procedures. A two-arm parallel group clustered pilot randomised controlled trial with patients from participating primary care practices in North East England will assess acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of the intervention (versus usual clinical care) and trial processes over a 12-month period. Consultation behaviour involving fidelity of intervention delivery, diabetes and PA related knowledge, attitudes/beliefs, intentions and self-efficacy for delivering a behaviour change intervention targeting PA behaviour will be assessed in primary healthcare professionals. We will rehearse the collection of outcome data (with the focus on data yield and quality) for a future definitive trial, through outcome assessment at baseline, one, six and twelve months. An embedded qualitative process evaluation and treatment fidelity assessment will explore issues around intervention implementation and assess whether intervention components can be reliably and faithfully delivered in routine primary care. Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes will address an important gap in the evidence-base, that is, the need for interventions to increase free-living PA behaviour in adults with Type 2 diabetes. The multifaceted intervention incorporates an online accredited training programme for primary healthcare professionals and represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. This study will establish whether the multifaceted behavioural intervention is acceptable and feasible in routine primary care. Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes (MaMT2D) was registered with Current Controlled Trials on the 14th January 2012: ISRCTN67997502. The first primary care practice was randomised on the 5th October 2012.

A pilot study on the effect of a symbiotic mixture in irritable bowel syndrome: an open-label, partially controlled, 6-month extension of a previously published trial.

PubMed

Bucci, C; Tremolaterra, F; Gallotta, S; Fortunato, A; Cappello, C; Ciacci, C; Iovino, P

2014-04-01

In recent years, the efficacy of probiotics has received considerable attention in the treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In this regard, a symbiotic mixture (Probinul(®)) has shown beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to extend the previously published 4-week randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of this symbiotic mixture. This is an open-label prospective, partially controlled, 6-month extension period pilot study in which patients continued to receive the symbiotic mixture (Group 1) or were switched from placebo to symbiotic mixture (Group 2) using cyclic administration (last 2 weeks/month). The primary endpoints were the overall satisfactory relief of bloating and flatulence (assessed as proportions of responders). The secondary endpoints were evaluation of the symptom severity scores (bloating, flatulence, pain and urgency) and bowel function scores (frequency, consistency and incomplete evacuation). Twenty-six IBS patients completed the 6-month extension period (13 patients in Group 1 and 13 patients in Group 2). In the per-protocol analysis, the proportions of responders across time were not significantly different in the groups but in Group 2, there was an increased percentage of responders for flatulence (p = 0.07). In addition, the score of flatulence was reduced significantly during the 6-month treatment period in Group 2 (p < 0.05), while no other significant differences were detected. Treatment with this symbiotic mixture was associated with persistence of relief from flatulence or new reduction in flatulence in the present 6-month long extension study. These results need to be more comprehensively assessed in large, long-term, randomized, placebo-controlled studies.

A Randomized Controlled Open-Label Pilot Study of Simvastatin Addition to Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy in Patients With Brain Metastases.

PubMed

El-Hamamsy, Manal; Elwakil, Hesham; Saad, Amr S; Shawki, May A

2016-10-27

Statins have been reported to have a potential radiosensitizing effect that has not been evaluated in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of simvastatin in addition to whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) in patients with brain metastases (BM). A prospective randomized, controlled, open-label pilot study was conducted on 50 Egyptian patients with BM who were randomly assigned to receive 30-Gy WBRT (control group: 25 patients) or 30 Gy WBRT + simvastatin 80 mg/day for the WBRT period (simvastatin group: 25 patients). The primary outcome was radiological response at 4 weeks after WBRT. Secondary outcomes were 1-year progression-free survival (PFS), 1-year overall survival (OS), and health-related quality of life (HRQL) that was assessed using the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its brain module (BN-20), at baseline, after WBRT, and 4 weeks after WBRT. The addition of simvastatin was tolerated. Twenty-one patients were not evaluated for radiological response because of death (n = 16), noncompliance to follow-up (n = 4), and clinical deterioration (n = 1). Response rates were 60% and 78.6% (p = 0.427), 1-year PFS rates were 5.2% and 17.7% (p = 0.392), and 1-year OS rates were 12% and 8% (p = 0.880) for the control group and simvastatin group, respectively. Nonsignificant differences were found between the two arms regarding HRQL scales. The addition of simvastatin 80 mg/day did not improve the clinical outcomes of patients with BM receiving WBRT.

Computer simulation of a pilot in V/STOL aircraft control loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogt, William G.; Mickle, Marlin H.; Zipf, Mark E.; Kucuk, Senol

1989-01-01

The objective was to develop a computerized adaptive pilot model for the computer model of the research aircraft, the Harrier II AV-8B V/STOL with special emphasis on propulsion control. In fact, two versions of the adaptive pilot are given. The first, simply called the Adaptive Control Model (ACM) of a pilot includes a parameter estimation algorithm for the parameters of the aircraft and an adaption scheme based on the root locus of the poles of the pilot controlled aircraft. The second, called the Optimal Control Model of the pilot (OCM), includes an adaption algorithm and an optimal control algorithm. These computer simulations were developed as a part of the ongoing research program in pilot model simulation supported by NASA Lewis from April 1, 1985 to August 30, 1986 under NASA Grant NAG 3-606 and from September 1, 1986 through November 30, 1988 under NASA Grant NAG 3-729. Once installed, these pilot models permitted the computer simulation of the pilot model to close all of the control loops normally closed by a pilot actually manipulating the control variables. The current version of this has permitted a baseline comparison of various qualitative and quantitative performance indices for propulsion control, the control loops and the work load on the pilot. Actual data for an aircraft flown by a human pilot furnished by NASA was compared to the outputs furnished by the computerized pilot and found to be favorable.

Levetiracetam versus lorazepam in status epilepticus: a randomized, open labeled pilot study.

PubMed

Misra, U K; Kalita, J; Maurya, P K

2012-04-01

For the management of status epilepticus (SE), lorazepam (LOR) is recommended as the first and phenytoin or fosphenytoin as the second choice. Both these drugs have significant toxicity. Intravenous levetiracetam (LEV) has become available, but its efficacy and safety has not been reported in comparison to LOR. We report a randomized, open labeled pilot study comparing the efficacy and safety of LEV and LOR in SE. Consecutive patients with convulsive or subtle convulsive SE were randomized to LEV 20 mg/kg IV over 15 min or LOR 0.1 mg/kg over 2-4 min. Failure to control SE within 10 min of administration of one study drug was treated by the other study drug. The primary endpoint was clinical seizure cessation and secondary endpoints were 24 h freedom from seizure, hospital mortality, and adverse events. Our results are based on 79 patients. Both LEV and LOR were equally effective. In the first instance, the SE was controlled by LEV in 76.3% (29/38) and by LOR in 75.6% (31/41) of patients. In those resistant to the above regimen, LEV controlled SE in 70.0% (7/10) and LOR in 88.9% (8/9) patients. The 24-h freedom from seizure was also comparable: by LEV in 79.3% (23/29) and LOR in 67.7% (21/31). LOR was associated with significantly higher need of artificial ventilation and insignificantly higher frequency of hypotension. For the treatment of SE, LEV is an alternative to LOR and may be preferred in patients with respiratory compromise and hypotension.

Mission Specialist (MS) Lenoir cuts Pilot Overmyer's hair on middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Mission Specialist (MS) Lenoir, using hairbrush and scissors, cuts Pilot Overmyer's hair and trims his sideburns in front of forward middeck lockers. Personal hygiene kit (open), towels, meal tray assemblies, and field sequential (FS) crew cabincamera are attached to lockers.

STS-7 crewmembers during meal preparation on middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

On middeck, Mission Specialist (MS) Thagard and MS Ride select food containers from forward modular locker single tray assembly (ASSY) and prepare containers for heating while Pilot Hauck (with mustache) adjusts SONY Walkman and MS Fabian opens containers. Carry-on food warmer appears overhead and control panel ML86B and Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) fluid systems module appear on port side wall. Hauck wears a TFNG t-shirt as a tribute to the 1978 class of NASA astronauts.

Capacity-Building in Open Education: An Australian Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bossu, Carina; Fountain, Wendy

2015-01-01

Addressing the gap between global open educational resource (OER) proliferation and the slow adoption of OER and open educational practices (OEP) in Australian higher education, this paper focuses on a capacity-building project targeting academics, academic support staff and educational developers. The conception, design, development, piloting and…

Unmanned Aerial Systems: Further Actions Needed to Fully Address Air Force and Army Pilot Workforce Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-16

UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS Further Actions Needed to Fully Address Air Force and Army Pilot Workforce Challenges...Armed Services, U.S. Senate March 16, 2016 UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS Further Actions Needed to Fully Address Air Force and Army Pilot Workforce ...High-performing organizations use complete and current data to inform their strategic human capital planning and remain open to reevaluating workforce

Secondary Students' Perceptions of Open Science Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales, Rebecca; Baker, Alesha

2018-01-01

In an attempt to align instructional resources with new state standards and to increase teacher awareness of these standards, one large suburban public school district piloted the development and adoption of open secondary science textbooks. Open textbooks created by teachers in grades six through nine replaced conventional science textbooks…

75 FR 70966 - Transit Asset Management (TAM) Pilot Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-19

... interoperability between diverse types of information technology systems through use of open data formats and... to develop asset management plans, technical assistance, data collection and a pilot program as... condition assessment methodologies, as well as new data collection and analysis activities. $3 million has...

Five Apollo astronauts with Lunar Module at ASVC prior to grand opening

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Some of the former Apollo program astronauts observe a Lunar Module and Moon mockup during a tour the new Apollo/Saturn V Center (ASVC) at KSC prior to the gala grand opening ceremony for the facility that was held Jan. 8, 1997. The astronauts were invited to participate in the event, which also featured NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and KSC Director Jay Honeycutt. Some of the visiting astonauts were (from left): Apollo 10 Lunar Module Pilot and Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan; Apollo 9 Lunar Module Pilot Russell L. Schweikart; Apollo 10 Command Module Pilot and Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young; Apollo 10 Commander Thomas P. Stafford; and Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr. The ASVC also features several other Apollo program spacecraft components, multimedia presentations and a simulated Apollo/Saturn V liftoff. The facility will be a part of the KSC bus tour that embarks from the KSC Visitor Center.

Combined Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Vision Restoration Training in Subacute Stroke Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Alber, Raimund; Moser, Hermann; Gall, Carolin; Sabel, Bernhard A

2017-08-01

Visual field defects after posterior cerebral artery stroke can be improved by vision restoration training (VRT), but when combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which alters brain excitability, vision recovery can be potentiated in the chronic stage. To date, the combination of VRT and tDCS has not been evaluated in postacute stroke rehabilitation. To determine whether combined tDCS and VRT can be effectively implemented in the early recovery phase following stroke, and to explore the feasibility, safety and efficacy of an early intervention. Open-label pilot study including a case series of 7 tDCS/VRT versus a convenience sample of 7 control patients (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02935413). Rehabilitation center. Patients with homonymous visual field defects following a posterior cerebral artery stroke. Seven homonymous hemianopia patients were prospectively treated with 10 sessions of combined tDCS (2.mA, 10 daily sessions of 20 minutes) and VRT at 66 (±50) days on average poststroke. Visual field recovery was compared with the retrospective data of 7 controls, whose defect sizes and age of lesions were matched to those of the experimental subjects and who had received standard rehabilitation with compensatory eye movement and exploration training. All 7 patients in the treatment group completed the treatment protocol. The safety and acceptance were excellent, and patients reported occasional skin itching beneath the electrodes as the only minor side effect. Irrespective of their treatment, both groups (treatment and control) showed improved visual fields as documented by an increased mean sensitivity threshold in decibels in standard static perimetry. Recovery was significantly greater (P < .05) in the tDCS/VRT patients (36.73% ± 37.0%) than in the controls (10.74% ± 8.86%). In this open-label pilot study, tDCS/VRT in subacute stroke was demonstrated to be safe, with excellent applicability and acceptance of the treatment. Preliminary effectiveness calculations show that tDCS/VRT may be superior to standard vision training procedures. A confirmatory, larger-sample, controlled, randomized, and double-blind trial is now underway to compare real-tDCS- versus sham-tDCS-supported visual field training in the early vision rehabilitation phase. IV. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized, Controlled Pilot Trial of a Smartphone App for Smoking Cessation Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

PubMed Central

Bricker, Jonathan B.; Mull, Kristin; Kientz, Julie A.; Vilardaga, Roger M.; Mercer, Laina D.; Akioka, Katrina; Heffner, Jaimee L.

2014-01-01

Background There is a dual need for (1) innovative theory-based smartphone applications for smoking cessation and (2) controlled trials to evaluate their efficacy. Accordingly, this study tested the feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy, and mechanism of behavioral change of an innovative smartphone-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) application for smoking cessation versus an application following US Clinical Practice Guidelines. Method Adult participants were recruited nationally into the double-blind randomized controlled pilot trial (N = 196) that compared smartphone-delivered ACT for smoking cessation application (SmartQuit) with the National Cancer Institute's application for smoking cessation (QuitGuide). Results We recruited 196 participants in two months. SmartQuit participants opened their application an average of 37.2 times, as compared to 15.2 times for QuitGuide participants (p <.0001). The overall quit rates were 13% in SmartQuit vs. 8% in QuitGuide (OR=2.7; 95% CI=0.8-10.3). Consistent with ACT's theory of change, among those scoring low (below the median) on acceptance of cravings at baseline (n = 88), the quit rates were 15% in SmartQuit vs. 8% in QuitGuide (OR=2.9; 95% CI=0.6-20.7). Conclusions ACT is feasible to deliver by smartphone application and shows higher engagement and promising quit rates compared to an application that follows US Clinical Practice Guidelines. As results were limited by the pilot design (e.g., small sample), a full-scale efficacy trial is now needed. PMID:25085225

Feasibility, acceptability and preliminary psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation training in a sample of men diagnosed with prostate cancer on active surveillance: results from a randomized controlled pilot trial.

PubMed

Victorson, David; Hankin, Vered; Burns, James; Weiland, Rebecca; Maletich, Carly; Sufrin, Nathaniel; Schuette, Stephanie; Gutierrez, Bruriah; Brendler, Charles

2017-08-01

In a pilot randomized controlled trial, examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an 8-week, mindfulness training program (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) in a sample of men on active surveillance on important psychological outcomes including prostate cancer anxiety, uncertainty intolerance and posttraumatic growth. Men were randomized to either mindfulness (n = 24) or an attention control arm (n = 19) and completed self-reported measures of prostate cancer anxiety, uncertainty intolerance, global quality of life, mindfulness and posttraumatic growth at baseline, 8 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. Participants in the mindfulness arm demonstrated significant decreases in prostate cancer anxiety and uncertainty intolerance, and significant increases in mindfulness, global mental health and posttraumatic growth. Participants in the control condition also demonstrated significant increases in mindfulness over time. Longitudinal increases in posttraumatic growth were significantly larger in the mindfulness arm than they were in the control arm. While mindfulness training was found to be generally feasible and acceptable among participants who enrolled in the 8-week intervention as determined by completion rates and open-ended survey responses, the response rate between initial enrollment and the total number of men approached was lower than desired (47%). While larger sample sizes are necessary to examine the efficacy of mindfulness training on important psychological outcomes, in this pilot study posttraumatic growth was shown to significantly increase over time for men in the treatment group. Mindfulness training has the potential to help men cope more effectively with some of the stressors and uncertainties associated with active surveillance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exploratory analysis of glyburide as a novel therapy for preventing brain swelling.

PubMed

Sheth, Kevin N; Kimberly, W Taylor; Elm, Jordan J; Kent, Thomas A; Yoo, Albert J; Thomalla, Götz; Campbell, Bruce; Donnan, Geoffrey A; Davis, Stephen M; Albers, Gregory W; Jacobson, Sven; del Zoppo, Gregory; Simard, J Marc; Stern, Barney J; Mandava, Pitchaiah

2014-08-01

Malignant infarction is characterized by the formation of cerebral edema, and medical treatment is limited. Preclinical data suggest that glyburide, an inhibitor of SUR1-TRPM4, is effective in preventing edema. We previously reported feasibility of the GAMES-Pilot study, a two-center prospective, open label, phase IIa trial of 10 subjects at high risk for malignant infarction based on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) threshold of 82 cm(3) treated with RP-1127 (glyburide for injection). In this secondary analysis, we tested the hypothesis that RP-1127 may be efficacious in preventing poor outcome when compared to controls. Controls suffering large hemispheric infarction were obtained from the EPITHET and MMI-MRI studies. We first screened subjects for controls with the same DWI threshold used for enrollment into GAMES-Pilot, 82 cm(3). Next, to address imbalances, we applied a weighted Euclidean matching. Ninety day mRS 0-4, rate of decompressive craniectomy, and mortality were the primary clinical outcomes of interest. The mean age of the GAMES cohort was 51 years and initial DWI volume was 102 ± 23 cm(3). After Euclidean matching, GAMES subjects showed similar NIHSS, higher DWI volume, younger age and had mRS 0-4-90% versus 50% in controls p = 0.049; with a similar trend in mRS 0-3 (40 vs. 25%; p = 0.43) and trend toward lower mortality (10 vs. 35%; p = 0.21). In this pilot study, RP-1127-treated subjects showed better clinical outcomes when compared to historical controls. An adequately powered and randomized phase II trial of patients at risk for malignant infarction is needed to evaluate the potential efficacy of RP-1127.

The Effect of Shared Information on Pilot/Controller and Controller/Controller Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansman, R. John; Davison, Hayley J.

2000-01-01

The increased ability to exchange information between Pilots, Controllers, Dispatchers, and other agents is a key component of advanced Air Traffic Management. The importance of shared information as well as current and evolving practices in information sharing are presented for a variety of interactions including: Controller/Pilot interactions, Pilot/Airline interactions, Controller/Controller interactions, and Airline/ATM interactions.

78 FR 76736 - Special Conditions: Bombardier Inc., Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 Series Airplanes; Side...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-19

... operating conditions and configurations, whether normal or non-normal. 2. Pilot control authority: The... Series Airplanes; Side Stick Controllers: Pilot Strength, Pilot Control Authority, and Pilot Control... side stick controllers for pitch and roll control instead of conventional wheels and columns. The...

SHINE: Strategic Health Informatics Networks for Europe.

PubMed

Kruit, D; Cooper, P A

1994-10-01

The mission of SHINE is to construct an open systems framework for the development of regional community healthcare telematic services that support and add to the strategic business objectives of European healthcare providers and purchasers. This framework will contain a Methodology, that identifies healthcare business processes and develops a supporting IT strategy, and the Open Health Environment. This consists of an architecture and information standards that are 'open' and will be available to any organisation wishing to construct SHINE conform regional healthcare telematic services. Results are: generic models, e.g., regional healthcare business networks, IT strategies; demonstrable, e.g., pilot demonstrators, application and service prototypes; reports, e.g., SHINE Methodology, pilot specifications & evaluations; proposals, e.g., service/interface specifications, standards conformance.

Statistical analysis plan of the head position in acute ischemic stroke trial pilot (HEADPOST pilot).

PubMed

Olavarría, Verónica V; Arima, Hisatomi; Anderson, Craig S; Brunser, Alejandro; Muñoz-Venturelli, Paula; Billot, Laurent; Lavados, Pablo M

2017-02-01

Background The HEADPOST Pilot is a proof-of-concept, open, prospective, multicenter, international, cluster randomized, phase IIb controlled trial, with masked outcome assessment. The trial will test if lying flat head position initiated in patients within 12 h of onset of acute ischemic stroke involving the anterior circulation increases cerebral blood flow in the middle cerebral arteries, as measured by transcranial Doppler. The study will also assess the safety and feasibility of patients lying flat for ≥24 h. The trial was conducted in centers in three countries, with ability to perform early transcranial Doppler. A feature of this trial was that patients were randomized to a certain position according to the month of admission to hospital. Objective To outline in detail the predetermined statistical analysis plan for HEADPOST Pilot study. Methods All data collected by participating researchers will be reviewed and formally assessed. Information pertaining to the baseline characteristics of patients, their process of care, and the delivery of treatments will be classified, and for each item, appropriate descriptive statistical analyses are planned with comparisons made between randomized groups. For the outcomes, statistical comparisons to be made between groups are planned and described. Results This statistical analysis plan was developed for the analysis of the results of the HEADPOST Pilot study to be transparent, available, verifiable, and predetermined before data lock. Conclusions We have developed a statistical analysis plan for the HEADPOST Pilot study which is to be followed to avoid analysis bias arising from prior knowledge of the study findings. Trial registration The study is registered under HEADPOST-Pilot, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01706094.

A Study of the Characteristics of Human-Pilot Control Response to Simulated Aircraft Lateral Motions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheatham, Donald C

1954-01-01

Report presents the results of studies made in an attempt to provide information on the control operations of the human pilot. These studies included an investigation of the ability of pilots to control simulated unstable yawing oscillations, a study of the basic characteristics of human-pilot control response, and a study to determine whether and to what extent pilot control response can be represented in an analytical form.

Advanced helicopter cockpit and control configurations for helicopter combat missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haworth, Loran A.; Atencio, Adolph, Jr.; Bivens, Courtland; Shively, Robert; Delgado, Daniel

1987-01-01

Two piloted simulations were conducted by the U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate to evaluate workload and helicopter-handling qualities requirements for single pilot operation in a combat Nap-of-the-Earth environment. The single-pilot advanced cockpit engineering simulation (SPACES) investigations were performed on the NASA Ames Vertical Motion Simulator, using the Advanced Digital Optical Control System control laws and an advanced concepts glass cockpit. The first simulation (SPACES I) compared single pilot to dual crewmember operation for the same flight tasks to determine differences between dual and single ratings, and to discover which control laws enabled adequate single-pilot helicopter operation. The SPACES II simulation concentrated on single-pilot operations and use of control laws thought to be viable candidates for single pilot operations workload. Measures detected significant differences between single-pilot task segments. Control system configurations were task dependent, demonstrating a need for inflight reconfigurable control system to match the optimal control system with the required task.

A Guide to USAF Helicopter Instrument Flight Procedures

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

being a helicopter pilot is so different from being an airplane pilot, and why, in general, airplance pilots are open, clear-eyed, bouyant extroverts...downwash created by a helicopter’s rotors have two basic effects on flight procedures. Rotor wash causes erroneous indications on aircraft pi tot...effects create additional problems close to the ground. And finally, a helicopter’s slow speed creates the need for a closer look at bank angles and

Close up view of the center console on the flight ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Close up view of the center console on the flight deck of the Orbiter Discovery showing the console's instrumentation and controls. The commanders station is located to the left in this view and the pilot's station is to the right in the view. The handle and lever located on the right side of the center console and towards its front is one of a pair, the commander has one on the left of his seat in his station, of Speed Brake/Thrust Controllers. These are dual purpose controllers. During ascent the controller can be use to throttle the main engines and during entry the controllers can be used to control aerodynamic drag by opening or closing the orbiter's speed brake. - Space Transportation System, Orbiter Discovery (OV-103), Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Harris County, TX

Helicopter pilots' views of air traffic controller responsibilities: a mismatch.

PubMed

Martin, Daniel; Nixon, Jim

2018-02-21

Controllers and pilots must work together to ensure safe and efficient helicopter flight within the London control zone. Subjective ratings of pilot perception of controller responsibility for five key flight tasks were obtained from thirty helicopter pilots. Three types of airspace were investigated. Results indicate that there is variation in pilot understanding of controller responsibility compared to the formal regulations that define controller responsibility. Significant differences in the perception of controller responsibility were found for the task of aircraft separation in class D airspace and along helicopter routes. Analysis of the patterns of response suggests that task type rather than the airspace type may be the key factor. Results are framed using the concept of a shared mental model. This research demonstrates that pilots flying in complex London airspace have an expectation of controller responsibility for certain flight tasks, in certain airspace types that is not supported by aviation regulation. Practitioner Summary: The responsibility for tasks during flight varies according to the flight rules used and airspace type. Helicopter pilots may attribute responsibility to controllers for tasks when controllers have no responsibility as defined by regulation. This variation between pilot perceptions of controller responsibility could affect safety within the London control zone.

Open Textbooks and Increased Student Access and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldstein, Andrew; Martin, Mirta; Hudson, Amy; Warren, Kiara; Hilton, John, III; Wiley, David

2012-01-01

This study reports findings from a year-long pilot study during which 991 students in 9 core courses in the Virginia State University School of Business replaced traditional textbooks with openly licensed books and other digital content. The university made a deliberate decision to use open textbooks that were copyrighted under the Creative…

Piloted evaluation of an integrated propulsion and flight control simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bright, Michelle M.; Simon, Donald L.

1992-01-01

A piloted evaluation of the integrated flight and propulsion control simulator for advanced integrated propulsion and airframe control design is described. The evaluation will cover control effector gains and deadbands, control effectiveness and control authority, and heads up display functionality. For this evaluation the flight simulator is configured for transition flight using an advanced Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing fighter aircraft model, a simplified high-bypass turbofan engine model, fighter cockpit displays, and pilot effectors. The piloted tasks used for rating displays and control effector gains are described. Pilot comments and simulation results confirm that the display symbology and control gains are very adequate for the transition flight task. Additionally, it is demonstrated that this small-scale, fixed base flight simulator facility can adequately perform a real time, piloted control evaluation.

STS-40 Pilot Gutierrez changes LiOH canisters on OV-102's middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-40 Pilot Sidney M. Gutierrez changes lithium hydroxide (LiOH) canisters on the middeck of Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102. Next to Gutierrez is the open airlock hatch and behind him is the port side wall. A plastic stowage bag freefloats over his head.

Tom McMurtry - chief of Dryden Flight Operations with STS mated to 747 SCA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Thomas C. McMurtry in front of the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. He graduated in June 1957 from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. McMurtry had been part of the university's Navy ROTC program, and after graduation he joined the Navy as a pilot. Before retiring from the Navy in 1964 as a Lieutenant, he graduated from the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School, and had flown such aircraft as the F9F, A3D, A4D, F3D, F-8, A-6, and S-2. McMurtry was then a consultant for the Lockheed Corporation until joining NASA as a research pilot in 1967. While at the Dryden Flight Research Center, he was co-project pilot on the F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire program, and the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, as well as project pilot on the F-15 Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC) project, the KC-135 Winglets, the F-8 Supercritical Wing project, and the AD-1 Oblique Wing Project. He also made research flights in NASA's YF-12C aircraft (actually a modified SR-71). McMurtry made the last glide flight of the X-24B lifting body on November 26, 1975, and was co-pilot of the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on the first free flight of the space shuttle Enterprise on August 12, 1977. He was involved in several remotely piloted research vehicle programs, including the FAA/NASA 720 Controlled Impact Demonstration and the 3/8 F-15 Spin Research Vehicle. During McMurtry's 32 years as a pilot and manager at Dryden, he received numerous awards. These include the NASA Exceptional Service Award for his work on the F-8 Supercritical Wing, and the Iven C. Kincheloe Award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots for his role as chief pilot on the AD-1 project, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the 1999 Milton O. Thomson Lifetime Achievement Award. McMurtry also held a number of management positions at Dryden, including Chief Pilot, Director of Flight Operations, Associate Director of Flight Operations, and was the acting Chief Engineer at the time of his retirement on June 3, 1999. Since becoming a pilot in 1958, he logged more than 11,000 hours of flight time, in aircraft ranging from a WACO open cockpit biplane to a Mach 3 YF-12C, as well as navy trainers, fighters and attack airplanes, the U-2, F-104 and FA-18 chase planes, and diverse research aircraft. McMurtry's fondest memories are of early morning take-offs from Edwards AFB.

The Effects of Longitudinal Control-System Dynamics on Pilot Opinion and Response Characteristics as Determined from Flight Tests and from Ground Simulator Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadoff, Melvin

1958-01-01

The results of a fixed-base simulator study of the effects of variable longitudinal control-system dynamics on pilot opinion are presented and compared with flight-test data. The control-system variables considered in this investigation included stick force per g, time constant, and dead-band, or stabilizer breakout force. In general, the fairly good correlation between flight and simulator results for two pilots demonstrates the validity of fixed-base simulator studies which are designed to complement and supplement flight studies and serve as a guide in control-system preliminary design. However, in the investigation of certain problem areas (e.g., sensitive control-system configurations associated with pilot- induced oscillations in flight), fixed-base simulator results did not predict the occurrence of an instability, although the pilots noted the system was extremely sensitive and unsatisfactory. If it is desired to predict pilot-induced-oscillation tendencies, tests in moving-base simulators may be required. It was found possible to represent the human pilot by a linear pilot analog for the tracking task assumed in the present study. The criterion used to adjust the pilot analog was the root-mean-square tracking error of one of the human pilots on the fixed-base simulator. Matching the tracking error of the pilot analog to that of the human pilot gave an approximation to the variation of human-pilot behavior over a range of control-system dynamics. Results of the pilot-analog study indicated that both for optimized control-system dynamics (for poor airplane dynamics) and for a region of good airplane dynamics, the pilot response characteristics are approximately the same.

Poindexter enters ISS after Hatch Opening

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-09

S122-E-007032 (9 Feb. 2008) --- Astronaut Alan Poindexter, STS-122 pilot, translates into the International Space Station from the Space Shuttle Atlantis shortly after the two spacecraft docked in space and the hatches were opened on Feb. 9, 2008.

An Open Data Platform in the framework of the EGI-LifeWatch Competence Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar Gómez, Fernando; de Lucas, Jesús Marco; Yaiza Rodríguez Marrero, Ana

2016-04-01

The working pilot of an Open Data Platform supporting the full data cycle in research is presented. It aims to preserve knowledge explicitly, starting with the description of the Case Studies, and integrating data and software management and preservation on equal basis. The uninterrupted support in the chain starts at the data acquisition level and covers up to the support for reuse and publication in an open framework, providing integrity and provenance controls. The Lifewatch Open Science Framework is a pilot web portal developed in collaboration with different commercial companies that tries to enrich and integrate different data lifecycle-related tools in order to address the management of the different steps: data planning, gathering, storing, curation, preservation, sharing, discovering, etc. To achieve this goal, the platform includes the following features: -Data Management Planning. Tool to set up an structure of the data, including what data will be generated, how it will be exploited, re-used, curated, preserved, etc. It has a semantic approach: includes reference to ontologies in order to express what data will be gathered. -Close to instrumentation. The portal includes a distributed storage system that can be used both for storing data from instruments and output data from analysis. All that data can be shared -Analysis. Resources from EGI Federated Cloud are accessible within the portal, so that users can exploit computing resources to perform analysis and other processes, including workflows. -Preservation. Data can be preserved in different systems and DOIs can be minted not only for datasets but also for software, DMPs, etc. The presentation will show the different components of the framework as well as how it can be extrapolated to other communities.

Motion-Based Piloted Simulation Evaluation of a Control Allocation Technique to Recover from Pilot Induced Oscillations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craun, Robert W.; Acosta, Diana M.; Beard, Steven D.; Leonard, Michael W.; Hardy, Gordon H.; Weinstein, Michael; Yildiz, Yildiray

2013-01-01

This paper describes the maturation of a control allocation technique designed to assist pilots in the recovery from pilot induced oscillations (PIOs). The Control Allocation technique to recover from Pilot Induced Oscillations (CAPIO) is designed to enable next generation high efficiency aircraft designs. Energy efficient next generation aircraft require feedback control strategies that will enable lowering the actuator rate limit requirements for optimal airframe design. One of the common issues flying with actuator rate limits is PIOs caused by the phase lag between the pilot inputs and control surface response. CAPIO utilizes real-time optimization for control allocation to eliminate phase lag in the system caused by control surface rate limiting. System impacts of the control allocator were assessed through a piloted simulation evaluation of a non-linear aircraft simulation in the NASA Ames Vertical Motion Simulator. Results indicate that CAPIO helps reduce oscillatory behavior, including the severity and duration of PIOs, introduced by control surface rate limiting.

An open-label naturalistic pilot study of acamprosate in youth with autistic disorder.

PubMed

Erickson, Craig A; Early, Maureen; Stigler, Kimberly A; Wink, Logan K; Mullett, Jennifer E; McDougle, Christopher J

2011-12-01

To date, placebo-controlled drug trials targeting the core social impairment of autistic disorder (autism) have had uniformly negative results. Given this, the search for new potentially novel agents targeting the core social impairment of autism continues. Acamprosate is U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to treat alcohol dependence. The drug likely impacts both gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate neurotransmission. This study describes our initial open-label experience with acamprosate targeting social impairment in youth with autism. In this naturalistic report, five of six youth (mean age, 9.5 years) were judged treatment responders to acamprosate (mean dose 1,110 mg/day) over 10 to 30 weeks (mean duration, 20 weeks) of treatment. Acamprosate was well tolerated with only mild gastrointestinal adverse effects noted in three (50%) subjects.

Modeling Pilot Pulse Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Edward; Hess, Ronald; Godfroy-Cooper, Martine; Aponso, Bimal

2017-01-01

In this study, behavioral models are developed that closely reproduced pulsive control response of two pilots from the experimental pool using markedly different control techniques (styles) while conducting a tracking task. An intriguing find was that the pilots appeared to: 1) produce a continuous, internally-generated stick signal that they integrated in time; 2) integrate the actual stick position; and 3) compare the two integrations to issue and cease pulse commands. This suggests that the pilots utilized kinesthetic feedback in order to perceive and integrate stick position, supporting the hypothesis that pilots can access and employ the proprioceptive inner feedback loop proposed by Hess' pilot Structural Model. The Pulse Models used in conjunction with the pilot Structural Model closely recreated the pilot data both in the frequency and time domains during closed-loop simulation. This indicates that for the range of tasks and control styles encountered, the models captured the fundamental mechanisms governing pulsive and control processes. The pilot Pulse Models give important insight for the amount of remnant (stick output uncorrelated with the forcing function) that arises from nonlinear pilot technique, and for the remaining remnant arising from different sources unrelated to tracking control (i.e. neuromuscular tremor, reallocation of cognitive resources, etc.).

Digital Badging at The Open University: Recognition for Informal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Patrina

2015-01-01

Awarding badges to recognise achievement is not a new development. Digital badging now offers new ways to recognise learning and motivate learners, providing evidence of skills and achievements in a variety of formal and informal settings. Badged open courses (BOCs) were piloted in various forms by the Open University (OU) in 2013 to provide a…

Pilot-model measurements of pilot responses in a lateral-directional control task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J. J.

1976-01-01

Pilot response during an aircraft bank-angle compensatory control task was measured by using an adaptive modeling technique. In the main control loop, which is the bank angle to aileron command loop, the pilot response was the same as that measured previously in single-input, single-output systems. The pilot used a rudder to aileron control coordination that canceled up to 80 percent of the vehicle yawing moment due to aileron deflection.

Retinoic acid plus arsenic trioxide, the ultimate panacea for acute promyelocytic leukemia?

PubMed

Lallemand-Breitenbach, Valérie; de Thé, Hugues

2013-09-19

Rarely in the field of cancer treatment did we experience as many surprises as with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Yet, the latest clinical trial reported by Lo-Coco et al in the New England Journal of Medicine is a practice-changing study, as it reports a very favorable outcome of virtually all enrolled low-intermediate risk patients with APL without any DNA-damaging chemotherapy. Although predicted from previous small pilot studies, these elegant and stringently controlled results open a new era in leukemia therapy.

Estimation of Time-Varying Pilot Model Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaal, Peter M. T.; Sweet, Barbara T.

2011-01-01

Human control behavior is rarely completely stationary over time due to fatigue or loss of attention. In addition, there are many control tasks for which human operators need to adapt their control strategy to vehicle dynamics that vary in time. In previous studies on the identification of time-varying pilot control behavior wavelets were used to estimate the time-varying frequency response functions. However, the estimation of time-varying pilot model parameters was not considered. Estimating these parameters can be a valuable tool for the quantification of different aspects of human time-varying manual control. This paper presents two methods for the estimation of time-varying pilot model parameters, a two-step method using wavelets and a windowed maximum likelihood estimation method. The methods are evaluated using simulations of a closed-loop control task with time-varying pilot equalization and vehicle dynamics. Simulations are performed with and without remnant. Both methods give accurate results when no pilot remnant is present. The wavelet transform is very sensitive to measurement noise, resulting in inaccurate parameter estimates when considerable pilot remnant is present. Maximum likelihood estimation is less sensitive to pilot remnant, but cannot detect fast changes in pilot control behavior.

Astronaut Virgil Grissom shown through window of open hatch on Gemini craft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1965-01-01

Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom, the command pilot of the Gemini-Titan 3 three orbit mission, is shown through the window of the open hatch on Gemini spacecraft in the white room on the mornining of the launch.

The insertion of human dynamics models in the flight control loops of V/STOL research aircraft. Appendix 2: The optimal control model of a pilot in V/STOL aircraft control loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zipf, Mark E.

1989-01-01

An overview is presented of research work focussed on the design and insertion of classical models of human pilot dynamics within the flight control loops of V/STOL aircraft. The pilots were designed and configured for use in integrated control system research and design. The models of human behavior that were considered are: McRuer-Krendel (a single variable transfer function model); and Optimal Control Model (a multi-variable approach based on optimal control and stochastic estimation theory). These models attempt to predict human control response characteristics when confronted with compensatory tracking and state regulation tasks. An overview, mathematical description, and discussion of predictive limitations of the pilot models is presented. Design strategies and closed loop insertion configurations are introduced and considered for various flight control scenarios. Models of aircraft dynamics (both transfer function and state space based) are developed and discussed for their use in pilot design and application. Pilot design and insertion are illustrated for various flight control objectives. Results of pilot insertion within the control loops of two V/STOL research aricraft (Sikorski Black Hawk UH-60A, McDonnell Douglas Harrier II AV-8B) are presented and compared against actual pilot flight data. Conclusions are reached on the ability of the pilot models to adequately predict human behavior when confronted with similar control objectives.

Migraine with prolonged aura: phenotype and treatment.

PubMed

Viana, Michele; Afridi, Shazia

2018-01-01

We review the published literature on migraine with prolonged aura (PA), specifically with regards to the phenotype and treatment options. PA is not uncommon. A recent study found that about 17% of migraine auras are prolonged and that 26% of patients with migraine with aura have experienced at least one PA. The characteristics of PA are similar to most typical auras with the exception of a higher number of aura symptoms (in particular sensory and/or dysphasic). There are no well-established treatments at present which target the aura component of migraine. Other than case reports, there have been open-label studies of lamotrigine and greater occipital nerve blocks. The only randomised, blinded, controlled trial to date has been of nasal ketamine showing some reduction in aura severity but not duration. A small open-labelled pilot study of amiloride was also promising. Larger randomised, controlled trials are needed to establish whether any of the existing or novel compounds mentioned are significantly effective and safe.

Effect of mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel on oral malodor: a randomized, open-label pilot study.

PubMed

Iha, Kosaku; Suzuki, Nao; Yoneda, Masahiro; Takeshita, Toru; Hirofuji, Takao

2013-10-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel on oral malodor. An open-label, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to assess oral malodor and clinical parameters related to oral malodor before and after mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel (n = 9) or with gel not including hinokitiol (n = 9). Mouth cleaning included the teeth, gingiva, and tongue and was carried out 3 times per day for 4 weeks. Organoleptic test (OLT) scores (P = .021), levels of hydrogen sulfide (P = .008) and methyl mercaptan (P = .020), frequency of bleeding on probing, average probing pocket depth, and plaque index significantly improved in the group using hinokitiol. In contrast, only the OLT score (P = .031) significantly improved in the control group after the treatment regimen. Mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel may be effective for reduction of oral malodor. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual Action Learning: A Pilot in Building Leadership Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radcliff, Phil

2017-01-01

This account of practice encompasses a pilot virtual action learning programme with a small group of learners. This was an 18-month extension to the one-week Leadership Open Programme that the participants had previously completed at the Business School. It includes insights from an evaluation study completed in early 2016. It considers in…

Piloted evaluation of an integrated propulsion and flight control simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bright, Michelle M.; Simon, Donald L.

1992-01-01

This paper describes a piloted evaluation of the integrated flight and propulsion control simulator at NASA Lewis Research Center. The purpose of this evaluation is to demonstrate the suitability and effectiveness of this fixed based simulator for advanced integrated propulsion and airframe control design. The evaluation will cover control effector gains and deadbands, control effectiveness and control authority, and heads up display functionality. For this evaluation the flight simulator is configured for transition flight using an advanced Short Take-Off and vertical Landing fighter aircraft model, a simplified high-bypass turbofan engine model, fighter cockpit, displays, and pilot effectors. The paper describes the piloted tasks used for rating displays and control effector gains. Pilot comments and simulation results confirm that the display symbology and control gains are very adequate for the transition flight task. Additionally, it is demonstrated that this small-scale, fixed base flight simulator facility can adequately perform a real time, piloted control evaluation.

Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes: protocol for an open pilot study and external pilot clustered randomised controlled trial to assess acceptability, feasibility and fidelity of a multifaceted behavioural intervention targeting physical activity in primary care

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Physical activity (PA) and nutrition are the cornerstones of diabetes management. Several reviews and meta-analyses report that PA independently produces clinically important improvements in glucose control in people with Type 2 diabetes. However, it remains unclear what the optimal strategies are to increase PA behaviour in people with Type 2 diabetes in routine primary care. Methods This study will determine whether an evidence-informed multifaceted behaviour change intervention (Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes) targeting both consultation behaviour of primary healthcare professionals and PA behaviour in adults with Type 2 diabetes is both acceptable and feasible in the primary care setting. An open pilot study conducted in two primary care practices (phase one) will assess acceptability, feasibility and fidelity. Ongoing feedback from participating primary healthcare professionals and patients will provide opportunities for systematic adaptation and refinement of the intervention and study procedures. A two-arm parallel group clustered pilot randomised controlled trial with patients from participating primary care practices in North East England will assess acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of the intervention (versus usual clinical care) and trial processes over a 12-month period. Consultation behaviour involving fidelity of intervention delivery, diabetes and PA related knowledge, attitudes/beliefs, intentions and self-efficacy for delivering a behaviour change intervention targeting PA behaviour will be assessed in primary healthcare professionals. We will rehearse the collection of outcome data (with the focus on data yield and quality) for a future definitive trial, through outcome assessment at baseline, one, six and twelve months. An embedded qualitative process evaluation and treatment fidelity assessment will explore issues around intervention implementation and assess whether intervention components can be reliably and faithfully delivered in routine primary care. Discussion Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes will address an important gap in the evidence-base, that is, the need for interventions to increase free-living PA behaviour in adults with Type 2 diabetes. The multifaceted intervention incorporates an online accredited training programme for primary healthcare professionals and represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. This study will establish whether the multifaceted behavioural intervention is acceptable and feasible in routine primary care. Trial registration Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes (MaMT2D) was registered with Current Controlled Trials on the 14th January 2012: ISRCTN67997502. The first primary care practice was randomised on the 5th October 2012. PMID:24491134

Flight Simulator Visual-Display Delay Compensation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, D. Francis

1981-01-01

A piloted aircraft can be viewed as a closed-loop man-machine control system. When a simulator pilot is performing a precision maneuver, a delay in the visual display of aircraft response to pilot-control input decreases the stability of the pilot-aircraft system. The less stable system is more difficult to control precisely. Pilot dynamic response and performance change as the pilot attempts to compensate for the decrease in system stability. The changes in pilot dynamic response and performance bias the simulation results by influencing the pilot's rating of the handling qualities of the simulated aircraft. The study reported here evaluated an approach to visual-display delay compensation. The objective of the compensation was to minimize delay-induced change in pilot performance and workload, The compensation was effective. Because the compensation design approach is based on well-established control-system design principles, prospects are favorable for successful application of the approach in other simulations.

Open Collaboration: A Problem Solving Strategy That Is Redefining NASA's Innovative Spirit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rando, Cynthia M.; Fogarty, Jennifer A.; Richard, Elizabeth E.; Davis, Jeffrey R.

2011-01-01

In 2010, NASA?s Space Life Sciences Directorate announced the successful results from pilot experiments with open innovation methodologies. Specifically, utilization of internet based external crowd sourcing platforms to solve challenging problems in human health and performance related to the future of spaceflight. The follow-up to this success was an internal crowd sourcing pilot program entitled NASA@work, which was supported by the InnoCentive@work software platform. The objective of the NASA@work pilot was to connect the collective knowledge of individuals from all areas within the NASA organization via a private web based environment. The platform provided a venue for NASA Challenge Owners, those looking for solutions or new ideas, to pose challenges to internal solvers, those within NASA with the skill and desire to create solutions. The pilot was launched in 57 days, a record for InnoCentive and NASA, and ran for three months with a total of 20 challenges posted Agency wide. The NASA@work pilot attracted over 6000 participants throughout NASA with a total of 183 contributing solvers for the 20 challenges posted. At the time of the pilot?s closure, solvers provided viable solutions and ideas for 17 of the 20 posted challenges. The solver community provided feedback on the pilot describing it as a barrier breaking activity, conveying that there was a satisfaction associated with helping co-workers, that it was "fun" to think about problems outside normal work boundaries, and it was nice to learn what challenges others were facing across the agency. The results and the feedback from the solver community have demonstrated the power and utility of an internal collaboration tool, such as NASA@work.

The Effects of Orally Administered Beta-Glucan on Innate Immune Responses in Humans, a Randomized Open-Label Intervention Pilot-Study

PubMed Central

Leentjens, Jenneke; Quintin, Jessica; Gerretsen, Jelle; Kox, Matthijs; Pickkers, Peter; Netea, Mihai G.

2014-01-01

Rationale To prevent or combat infection, increasing the effectiveness of the immune response is highly desirable, especially in case of compromised immune system function. However, immunostimulatory therapies are scarce, expensive, and often have unwanted side-effects. β-glucans have been shown to exert immunostimulatory effects in vitro and in vivo in experimental animal models. Oral β-glucan is inexpensive and well-tolerated, and therefore may represent a promising immunostimulatory compound for human use. Methods We performed a randomized open-label intervention pilot-study in 15 healthy male volunteers. Subjects were randomized to either the β -glucan (n = 10) or the control group (n = 5). Subjects in the β-glucan group ingested β-glucan 1000 mg once daily for 7 days. Blood was sampled at various time-points to determine β-glucan serum levels, perform ex vivo stimulation of leukocytes, and analyze microbicidal activity. Results β-glucan was barely detectable in serum of volunteers at all time-points. Furthermore, neither cytokine production nor microbicidal activity of leukocytes were affected by orally administered β-glucan. Conclusion The present study does not support the use of oral β-glucan to enhance innate immune responses in humans. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01727895 PMID:25268806

Randomized, controlled pilot trial of a smartphone app for smoking cessation using acceptance and commitment therapy.

PubMed

Bricker, Jonathan B; Mull, Kristin E; Kientz, Julie A; Vilardaga, Roger; Mercer, Laina D; Akioka, Katrina J; Heffner, Jaimee L

2014-10-01

There is a dual need for (1) innovative theory-based smartphone applications for smoking cessation and (2) controlled trials to evaluate their efficacy. Accordingly, this study tested the feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy, and mechanism of behavioral change of an innovative smartphone-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) application for smoking cessation vs. an application following US Clinical Practice Guidelines. Adult participants were recruited nationally into the double-blind randomized controlled pilot trial (n=196) that compared smartphone-delivered ACT for smoking cessation application (SmartQuit) with the National Cancer Institute's application for smoking cessation (QuitGuide). We recruited 196 participants in two months. SmartQuit participants opened their application an average of 37.2 times, as compared to 15.2 times for QuitGuide participants (p<0001). The overall quit rates were 13% in SmartQuit vs. 8% in QuitGuide (OR=2.7; 95% CI=0.8-10.3). Consistent with ACT's theory of change, among those scoring low (below the median) on acceptance of cravings at baseline (n=88), the quit rates were 15% in SmartQuit vs. 8% in QuitGuide (OR=2.9; 95% CI=0.6-20.7). ACT is feasible to deliver by smartphone application and shows higher engagement and promising quit rates compared to an application that follows US Clinical Practice Guidelines. As results were limited by the pilot design (e.g., small sample), a full-scale efficacy trial is now needed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Loss-of-Control-Inhibitor Systems for Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

AHarrah, Ralph C.

2007-01-01

Systems to provide improved tactile feedback to aircraft pilots are being developed to help the pilots maintain harmony between their control actions and the positions of aircraft control surfaces, thereby helping to prevent loss of control. A system of this type, denoted a loss-of-control-inhibitor system (LOCIS) can be implemented as a relatively simple addition to almost any pre-existing flight-control system. The LOCIS concept offers at least a partial solution to the problem of (1) keeping a pilot aware of the state of the control system and the aircraft and (2) maintaining sufficient control under conditions that, as described below, have been known to lead to loss of control. Current commercial aircraft exhibit uneven responses of primary flight-control surfaces to aggressive pilot control commands, leading to deterioration of pilots ability to control their aircraft. In severe cases, this phenomenon can result in loss of control and consequent loss of aircraft. For an older aircraft equipped with a purely mechanical control system, the loss of harmony between a pilot s command action and the control- surface response can be attributed to compliance in the control system (caused, for example, by stretching of control cables, flexing of push rods, or servo-valve distortion). In a newer aircraft equipped with a fly-by-wire control system, the major contributions to loss of harmony between the pilot and the control surfaces are delays attributable to computer cycle time, control shaping, filtering, aliasing, servo-valve distortion, and actuator rate limiting. In addition, a fly-by-wire control system provides no tactile feedback that would enable the pilot to sense such features of the control state as surface flutter, surface jam, position limiting, actuator rate limiting, and control limiting imposed by the aircraft operational envelope. Hence, for example, when a pilot is involved in aggressive closed-loop maneuvering, as when encountering a wake-vortex upset on final landing approach, the control-surface delay can lead to loss of control. Aggressive piloting can be triggered and exacerbated by control-system anomalies, which the pilot cannot diagnose because of the lack of symptoms caused by the absence of feedback through the controls. The purpose served by a LOCIS is to counteract these adverse effects by providing real-time feedback that notifies the pilot that the aircraft is tending to lag the pilot s commands. A LOCIS (see figure) includes cockpit control input-position sensors, control-surface output-position sensors, variable dampers (for example, shock absorbers containing magneto-rheological fluids such that the damping forces can be varied within times of the order of milliseconds by varying applied magnetic fields) attached to the cockpit control levers, electromagnet coils to apply the magnetic fields, and feedback control circuits to drive the electromagnet coils. The feedback control gains are chosen so that the current applied to each electromagnet coil results in a damping force that increases in a suitable nonlinear manner (e.g., exponentially) with the difference between the actual and commanded positions of the affected control surface. The increasing damping force both alerts the pilot to the onset of a potentially dangerous situation and resists the pilot s effort to command a control surface to change position at an excessive rate

Revised NEO Personality Inventory profiles of male and female U.S. Air Force pilots.

PubMed

Callister, J D; King, R E; Retzlaff, P D; Marsh, R W

1999-12-01

The study of pilot personality characteristics has a long and controversial history. Personality characteristics seem to be fairly poor predictors of training outcome; however, valid personality assessment is essential to clinical psychological evaluations. Therefore, the personality characteristics of pilots must be studied to ensure valid clinical assessment. This paper describes normative personality characteristics of U.S. Air Force pilots based on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory profiles of 1,301 U.S. Air Force student pilots. Compared with male adult norms, male student pilots had higher levels of extraversion and lower levels of agreeableness. Compared with female adult norms, female student pilots had higher levels of extraversion and openness and lower levels of agreeableness. Descriptive statistics and percentile tables for the five domain scores and 30 facet scores are provided for clinical use, and a case vignette is provided as an example of the clinical utility of these U.S. Air Force norms.

Teaching treatment planning for protons with educational open-source software: experience with FoCa and matRad.

PubMed

Sanchez-Parcerisa, Daniel; Udías, Jose

2018-05-12

Open-source, MATLAB-based treatment planning systems FoCa and matRAD were used in a pilot project for training prospective medical physicists and postgraduate physics students in treatment planning and beam modeling techniques for proton therapy. In the four exercises designed, students learnt how proton pencil beams are modeled and how dose is calculated in three-dimensional voxelized geometries, how pencil beam scanning plans (PBS) are constructed, the rationale behind the choice of spot spacing in patient plans, and the dosimetric differences between photon IMRT and proton PBS plans. Sixty students of two courses participated in the pilot project, with over 90% of satisfactory rating from student surveys. The pilot experience will certainly be continued. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Engle, Cernan, Young, and Stafford under Saturn V at ASVC prior to grand opening

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Some of the former Apollo program astronauts recall the past as they tour the new Apollo/Saturn V Center (ASVC) at KSC prior to the gala grand opening ceremony for the facility that was held Jan. 8, 1997. The astronauts were invited to participate in the event, which also featured NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and KSC Director Jay Honeycutt. Standing underneath the KSC Apollo/Saturn V inside the building are (from left): Apollo 14 Back-up Lunar Module Pilot Joe H. Engle; Apollo 10 Lunar Module Pilot and Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan; Apollo 10 Command Module Pilot and Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young; and Apollo 10 Commander Thomas P. Stafford. The ASVC also features several other Apollo program spacecraft components, multimedia presentations and a simulated Apollo/Saturn V liftoff. The facility will be a part of the KSC bus tour that embarks from the KSC Visitor Center.

Quantum Physics Principles and Communication in the Acute Healthcare Setting: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Helgeson, Heidi L; Peyerl, Colleen Kraft; Solheim-Witt, Marit

This pilot study explores whether clinician awareness of quantum physics principles could facilitate open communication between patients and providers. In the spirit of action research, this study was conceptualized with a holistic view of human health, using a mixed method design of grounded theory as an emergent method. Instrumentation includes surveys and a focus group discussion with twelve registered nurses working in an acute care hospital setting. Findings document that the preliminary core phenomenon, energy as information, influences communication in the healthcare environment. Key emergent themes include awareness, language, validation, open communication, strategies, coherence, incoherence and power. Research participants indicate that quantum physics principles provide a language and conceptual framework for improving their awareness of communication and interactions in the healthcare environment. Implications of this pilot study support the feasibility of future research and education on awareness of quantum physics principles in other clinical settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Survey of piloting factors in V/STOL aircraft with implications for flight control system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringland, R. F.; Craig, S. J.

1977-01-01

Flight control system design factors involved for pilot workload relief are identified. Major contributors to pilot workload include configuration management and control and aircraft stability and response qualities. A digital fly by wire stability augmentation, configuration management, and configuration control system is suggested for reduction of pilot workload during takeoff, hovering, and approach.

Jail-to-community treatment continuum for adults with co-occurring substance use and mental disorders: study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Van Dorn, Richard A; Desmarais, Sarah L; Rade, Candalyn B; Burris, Elizabeth N; Cuddeback, Gary S; Johnson, Kiersten L; Tueller, Stephen J; Comfort, Megan L; Mueser, Kim T

2017-08-04

Adults with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders (CODs) are overrepresented in jails. In-custody barriers to treatment, including a lack of evidence-based treatment options and the often short periods of incarceration, and limited communication between jails and community-based treatment agencies that can hinder immediate enrollment into community care once released have contributed to a cycle of limited treatment engagement, unaddressed criminogenic risks, and (re)arrest among this vulnerable and high-risk population. This paper describes a study that will develop research and communication protocols and adapt two evidence-based treatments, dual-diagnosis motivational interviewing (DDMI) and integrated group therapy (IGT), for delivery to adults with CODs across a jail-to-community treatment continuum. Adaptations to DDMI and IGT were guided by the Risk-Need-Responsivity model and the National Institute of Corrections' implementation competencies; the development of the implementation framework and communication protocols were guided by the Evidence-Based Interagency Implementation Model for community corrections and the Inter-organizational Relationship model, respectively. Implementation and evaluation of the protocols and adapted interventions will occur via an open trial and a pilot randomized trial. The clinical intervention consists of two in-jail DDMI sessions and 12 in-community IGT sessions. Twelve adults with CODs and four clinicians will participate in the open trial to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of, and fidelity to, the interventions and research and communication protocols. The pilot controlled trial will be conducted with 60 inmates who will be randomized to either DDMI-IGT or treatment as usual. A baseline assessment will be conducted in jail, and four community-based assessments will be conducted during a 6-month follow-up period. Implementation, clinical, public health, and treatment preference outcomes will be evaluated. Findings have the potential to improve both jail- and community-based treatment services for adults with CODs as well as inform methods for conducting rigorous pilot implementation and evaluation research in correctional settings and as inmates re-enter the community. Findings will contribute to a growing area of work focused on interrupting the cycle of limited treatment engagement, unaddressed criminogenic risks, and (re)arrest among adults with CODs. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02214667 . Registered on 10 August 2014.

Positive Exchange of Flight Controls Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-03-10

This advisory circular provides guidance for all pilots, especially student pilots, flight instructors, and pilot examiners, on the recommended procedure to use for the positive exchange of flight controls between pilots when operating an aircraft.

Impact characteristics for high-pressure large-flow water-based emulsion pilot operated check valve reverse opening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei; Huang, Chuanhui; Yu, Ping; Zhang, Lei

2017-10-01

To improve the dynamic characteristics and cavitation characteristics of large-flow pilot operated check valve, consider the pilot poppet as the research object, analyses working principle and design three different kinds of pilot poppets. The vibration characteristics and impact characteristics are analyzed. The simulation model is established through flow field simulation software. The cavitation characteristics of large-flow pilot operated check valve are studied and discussed. On this basis, high-pressure large-flow impact experimental system is used for impact experiment, and the cavitation index is discussed. Then optimal structure is obtained. Simulation results indicate that the increase of pilot poppet half cone angle can effectively reduce the cavitation area, reducing the generation of cavitation. Experimental results show that the pressure impact is not decreasing with increasing of pilot poppet half cone angle in process of unloading, but the unloading capacity, response speed and pilot poppet half cone angle are positively correlated. The impact characteristics of 60° pilot poppet, and its cavitation index is lesser, which indicates 60° pilot poppet is the optimal structure, with the theory results are basically identical.

The Effect of Shared Information on Pilot/Controller Situation Awareness and Re-Route Negotiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Todd C.; Hansman, R. John; Endsley, Mica R.; Amonlirdviman, Keith; Vigeant-Langlois, Laurence

1998-01-01

The effect of shared information is assessed in terms of pilot/controller negotiation and shared situation awareness. Pilot goals and situation awareness requirements are developed and compared against those of air traffic controllers to identify areas of common and competing interest. A part-task simulator experiment is described which probes pilot/controller interaction in areas where common information has the potential to lead to contention, as identified in the comparative analysis. Preliminary results are presented which suggest that shared information can effect more collaborative interaction between pilots and air traffic controllers.

Linking the Pilot Structural Model and Pilot Workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Edward; Hess, Ronald; Aponso, Bimal; Godfroy-Cooper, Martine

2018-01-01

Behavioral models are developed that closely reproduced pulsive control response of two pilots using markedly different control techniques while conducting a tracking task. An intriguing find was that the pilots appeared to: 1) produce a continuous, internally-generated stick signal that they integrated in time; 2) integrate the actual stick position; and 3) compare the two integrations to either issue or cease a pulse command. This suggests that the pilots utilized kinesthetic feedback in order to sense and integrate stick position, supporting the hypothesis that pilots can access and employ the proprioceptive inner feedback loop proposed by Hess's pilot Structural Model. A Pilot Cost Index was developed, whose elements include estimated workload, performance, and the degree to which the pilot employs kinesthetic feedback. Preliminary results suggest that a pilot's operating point (parameter values) may be based on control style and index minimization.

Evaluation of Teacher Perceptions and Potential of OpenOffice in a K-12 School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vajda, James; Abbitt, Jason T.

2011-01-01

Through this mixed-method evaluation study the authors investigated a pilot implementation of an open-source productivity suite for teachers in a K-12 public school district. The authors evaluated OpenOffice version 3.0 using measures identified by the technology acceptance model as predictors of acceptance and use of technology systems. During a…

Illustrations and Supporting Texts for Sound Standing Waves of Air Columns in Pipes in Introductory Physics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeng, Liang; Smith, Chris; Poelzer, G. Herold; Rodriguez, Jennifer; Corpuz, Edgar; Yanev, George

2014-01-01

In our pilot studies, we found that many introductory physics textbook illustrations with supporting text for sound standing waves of air columns in open-open, open-closed, and closed-closed pipes inhibit student understanding of sound standing wave phenomena due to student misunderstanding of how air molecules move within these pipes. Based on…

75 FR 16537 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

... Permanent a Unit-of- Count Metric Alternative for NYSE OpenBook March 25, 2010. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1... its NYSE OpenBook product packages. Under the Pilot Program, the Exchange no longer defines the Vendor.... The Exchange recognizes that each Vendor and Subscriber will use NYSE OpenBook data differently and...

Open, Online, and Blended: Transactional Interactions with MOOC Content by Learners in Three Different Course Formats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emanuel, Jeffrey P.; Lamb, Anne

2017-01-01

During the 2013-14 academic year, Harvard University piloted the use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as tools for blended learning in select undergraduate and graduate residential and online courses. One of these courses, The Ancient Greek Hero, combined for-credit (Harvard College and Harvard Extension School) and open online (HarvardX)…

STS-1 landing at Edwards - first orbital mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The first flight of a space shuttle into space and back occurred from April 12 to April 14, 1981. After years of testing of the space shuttle Columbia and training the astronauts in simulators, the orbiter lifted off into space on the 12th, boosted by the seven million pounds of thrust supplied by its solid-propellant rockets and liquid-hydrogen engines. The flight, one of four Orbital Flight Tests of Columbia, served as a two-day demonstration of the first reusable, piloted spacecraft's ability to go into orbit and return safely to Earth. Columbia carried as its main payload a Developmental Flight Instrumentation pallet with instruments to record pressures, temperatures, and levels of acceleration at various points on the vehicle during launch, flight, and landing. One of many cameras aboard--a remote television camera--revealed some of the thermal protection tiles had disengaged during launch. As Columbia reentered the atmosphere from space at Mach 24 (24 times the speed of sound) after 36 orbits, aerodynamic heating built up to over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, causing some concern during the moments when ionized gases disrupted radio communication. But at 188,000 feet and Mach 10, mission commander John W. Young and pilot Robert L. Crippen reported that the orbiter was performing as expected. After a series of maneuvers to reduce speed, the mission commander and pilot prepared to land. In flight, Young and Crippen tested the spacecraft's on-board systems, fired the orbital maneuvering system for changing orbits, employed the reaction control system for controlling attitude, and opened and closed the payload doors. Columbia was the first reusable, piloted spacecraft, the first piloted lifting-reentry vehicle, and the first piloted spacecraft without a crew escape system. Energy management for the space shuttles was based on previous experience with the X-15 at NASA's Flight Research Center (which had become the Dryden Flight Research Center in 1976). Landing the shuttles without power--and therefore without the weight penalty of an additional engine and fuel--was based on previous experience at the Flight Research Center with piloted lifting bodies that also landed without power, as had the X-15s. Dryden and Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) had also hosted the approach and landing tests of the shuttle prototype Enterprise in 1977 and had tested the computers used for the shuttles' flight control systems in the F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire aircraft, which also contributed to the solution of a dangerous pilot induced oscillation that occurred on the final approach and landing test. In this clip Young and Crippen fly the orbiter Columbia to a picture-perfect, unpowered landing on the dry lakebed runway 23 at Edwards AFB, CA, after it's first orbital flight, which ended on April 14.

In Tanzania, the many costs of pay-for-performance leave open to debate whether the strategy is cost-effective.

PubMed

Borghi, Josephine; Little, Richard; Binyaruka, Peter; Patouillard, Edith; Kuwawenaruwa, August

2015-03-01

Pay-for-performance programs in health care are widespread in low- and middle-income countries. However, there are no studies of these programs' costs or cost-effectiveness. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of a pay-for-performance pilot program in Tanzania and modeled costs of its national expansion. We reviewed project accounts and reports, interviewed key stakeholders, and derived outcomes from a controlled before-and-after study. In 2012 US dollars, the financial cost of the pay-for-performance pilot was $1.2 million, and the economic cost was $2.3 million. The incremental cost per additional facility-based birth ranged from $540 to $907 in the pilot and from $94 to $261 for a national program. In a low-income setting, the costs of managing the program and generating and verifying performance data were substantial. Pay-for-performance programs can stimulate the generation and use of health information by health workers and managers for strategic planning purposes, but the time involved could divert attention from service delivery. Pay-for-performance programs may become more cost-effective when integrated into routine systems over time. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Bupropion SR in Adolescents with Comorbid ADHD and Nicotine Dependence: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upadhyaya, Himanshu P.; Brady, Kathleen T.; Wang, Wei

2004-01-01

Objective: Bupropion SR has been shown to be effective for the treatment of nicotine dependence in adults. This open-label pilot study was designed to examine the feasibility and preliminary tolerability of bupropion SR in adolescents with nicotine dependence. Method: Sixteen adolescents aged 12 to 19 years were enrolled in the study. Eleven of…

Open-Trial Pilot of "Mind Reading" and in Vivo Rehearsal for Children with HFASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomeer, Marcus L.; Rodgers, Jonathan D.; Lopata, Christopher; McDonald, Christin A.; Volker, Martin A.; Toomey, Jennifer A.; Smith, Rachael A.; Gullo, Gaetano

2011-01-01

In this pilot study, the authors evaluated a manualized administration of the "Mind Reading" (MR) program with in vivo rehearsal to determine the effects on emotion recognition and autism features of eleven 7- to 12-year-old children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASD), and to determine the overall feasibility of the…

A Bold New Math Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Salman; Slavitt, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Summit San Jose is part of the Summit Public Schools network, a group of charter schools in California's Bay Area. In 2011, when Summit San Jose first opened its new high school with a cohort of 9th graders, the teachers decided to pilot Khan Academy. At the time, they had piloted their math resources and platform with five classrooms in Los…

2005-2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of Chief State School Officers, 2009

2009-01-01

The purpose of this document is to describe the US ED growth model pilot program from its inception to the point at which the program was no longer a pilot and was opened up to all states. In addition, the paper is designed to help states in the process of planning to submit a growth model proposal. The information in this document is mostly…

A Day in the Life of a Psychiatry Resident: A Pilot Qualitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilty, Donald M.; Maynes, Sonya M.; Kellner, Maria; Clark, Marilyn S.; Bourgeois, James A.; Servis, Mark E.

2005-01-01

Objective: The topic "A Day in the Life of a Psychiatry Resident" is an opportunity to explore residents' experiences to inform the delivery of education. Methods: An open-ended, qualitative approach was used in a pilot project to explore contemporary residents' experiences with education, similar to a patient-centered model of health care.…

Pilot Study of Droxidopa With Carbidopa in Adults With ADHD.

PubMed

Adler, Lenard A; Gorny, Stephen W

2015-04-23

We conducted a two-period (open-label and double-blind) pilot investigation of droxidopa, with and without carbidopa, for ADHD. Twenty adult ADHD patients received open-label droxidopa titrated from 200 to 600 mg 3 times per day (TID; Weeks 1-3), then open-label droxidopa plus carbidopa titrated from 25 or 50 mg TID (Weeks 4-6). In Weeks 7 to 8, patients were randomized to continued co-treatment or matching placebo substitution. Improvements in mean total Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Report Scale (AISRS) scores were seen at Week 1 (p < .0001) and Week 3 (p < .0001). Improvements were maintained but not increased with carbidopa. Thirteen of 20 patients completed open-label treatment. In the double-blind period, mean total AISRS scores were similar between the co-treatment (n = 6) and placebo (n = 5) groups. No serious adverse events were reported. These preliminary findings indicate that droxidopa can improve adult ADHD symptoms. Further studies are warranted to examine the efficacy and safety of droxidopa in ADHD. © 2015 SAGE Publications.

Levocetirizine in persistent allergic rhinitis: continuous or on-demand use? A pilot study.

PubMed

Canonica, Giorgio Walter; Fumagalli, Federica; Guerra, Laura; Baiardini, Ilaria; Compalati, Enrico; Rogkakou, Anthi; Massacane, Pierangela; Gamalero, Cinzia; Riccio, Anna Maria; Scordamaglia, Antonio; Passalacqua, Giovanni

2008-10-01

Allergic rhinitis is a high-prevalence disease that affects quality of life (QOL), sleep quality and productivity of patients. According to the ARIA initiative, it is classified as intermittent and persistent, the latter being the most troublesome. The aim of this randomized, open-label, 6-month, pilot study was to determine whether levocetirizine 5 mg administered continuously once daily in the morning was better than levocetirizine 5 mg on-demand in symptomatic subjects with persistent allergic rhinitis. Total and individual symptom scores were recorded in a diary card throughout the study. QOL, quality of sleep, nasal cytology, rate of drug intake, and safety were also assessed at pre-defined time-points. In all, adult patients (31 in each group) were enrolled, of whom 22 dropped out. Both treatment regimens considerably decreased the total and individual symptoms scores from baseline and achieved similar levels up to week 14. Continuous treatment was generally better than on-demand from week 15 onwards, reaching statistical significance from weeks 17 to 21 (from week 19 to 21 for nasal pruritus). Both regimens substantially improved QOL and sleep quality. Both treatments were well tolerated, although the on-demand group reported more adverse events. The present open label study in 62 patients indicates that levocetirizine 5 mg reliably controls persistent rhinitis over a period of 6 months, and shows a trend to be more effective in controlling the symptoms of rhinitis, improving QOL and decreasing nasal inflammation, when administered as long-term continuous therapy rather than as on-demand therapy.

Adaptive Controller Effects on Pilot Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Gregory, Irene M.; Hempley, Lucas E.

2014-01-01

Adaptive control provides robustness and resilience for highly uncertain, and potentially unpredictable, flight dynamics characteristic. Some of the recent flight experiences of pilot-in-the-loop with an adaptive controller have exhibited unpredicted interactions. In retrospect, this is not surprising once it is realized that there are now two adaptive controllers interacting, the software adaptive control system and the pilot. An experiment was conducted to categorize these interactions on the pilot with an adaptive controller during control surface failures. One of the objectives of this experiment was to determine how the adaptation time of the controller affects pilots. The pitch and roll errors, and stick input increased for increasing adaptation time and during the segment when the adaptive controller was adapting. Not surprisingly, altitude, cross track and angle deviations, and vertical velocity also increase during the failure and then slowly return to pre-failure levels. Subjects may change their behavior even as an adaptive controller is adapting with additional stick inputs. Therefore, the adaptive controller should adapt as fast as possible to minimize flight track errors. This will minimize undesirable interactions between the pilot and the adaptive controller and maintain maneuvering precision.

Pilot control through the TAFCOS automatic flight control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wehrend, W. R., Jr.

1979-01-01

The set of flight control logic used in a recently completed flight test program to evaluate the total automatic flight control system (TAFCOS) with the controller operating in a fully automatic mode, was used to perform an unmanned simulation on an IBM 360 computer in which the TAFCOS concept was extended to provide a multilevel pilot interface. A pilot TAFCOS interface for direct pilot control by use of a velocity-control-wheel-steering mode was defined as well as a means for calling up conventional autopilot modes. It is concluded that the TAFCOS structure is easily adaptable to the addition of a pilot control through a stick-wheel-throttle control similar to conventional airplane controls. Conventional autopilot modes, such as airspeed-hold, altitude-hold, heading-hold, and flight path angle-hold, can also be included.

Sage tea-thyme-peppermint hydrosol oral rinse reduces chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: A randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Mutluay Yayla, Ezgi; Izgu, Nur; Ozdemir, Leyla; Aslan Erdem, Sinem; Kartal, Murat

2016-08-01

This pilot study aimed to investigate the preventive effect of sage tea-thyme-peppermint hydrosol oral rinse used in conjunction with basic oral care on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. An open-label randomized controlled study. Two oncology hospitals in Ankara, Turkey. Patients receiving 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy regimens were divided into the intervention group (N=30) and control group (N=30). Basic oral care was prescribed to the control group, while the intervention group was prescribed sage tea-thyme-peppermint hydrosol in addition to basic oral care. All patients were called to assess their compliance with the study instructions on day 5 and 14. Oral mucositis was evaluated using an inspection method or by assessing oral cavity photos based on the World Health Organization oral toxicity scale on day 5 and 14. Most of the patients in the intervention group did not develop oral mucositis on day 5. In addition, the incidence of grade 1 oral mucositis was statistically lower in the intervention group (10%) than the control group (53.3%) on day 5. By day 14, the majority of patients in both the groups had grade 0 oral mucositis. Sage tea-thyme-peppermint hydrosol oral rinse has promising results in alleviating oral mucositis. This hydrosol can be recommended for clinical use as it is well tolerated and cost-effective. However, further randomized controlled trials are needed to support the study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flying qualities and control system characteristics for superaugmented aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, T. T.; Mcruer, D. T.; Johnston, D. E.

1984-01-01

Aircraft-alone dynamics and superaugmented control system fundamental regulatory properties including stability and regulatory responses of the basic closed-loop systems; fundamental high and low frequency margins and governing factors; and sensitivity to aircraft and controller parameters are addressed. Alternative FCS mechanizations, and mechanizational side effects are also discussed. An overview of flying qualities considerations encompasses general pilot operations as a controller in unattended, intermittent and trim, and full-attention regulatory or command control; effective vehicle primary and secondary response properties to pilot inputs and disturbances; pilot control architectural possibilities; and comparison of superaugmented and conventional aircraft path responses for different forms of pilot control. Results of a simple experimental investigation into pilot dynamic behavior in attitude control of superaugmented aircraft configurations with high frequency time laps and time delays are presented.

Assessment of Crew Workload for the RAH-66 Comanche Force Development Experiment 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

Scale and a cockpit controls and displays usability questionnaire . Results of the assessment indicate that (a) workload was tolerable for the pilots...Workload Levels Between Front Seat and Back Seat 13 3.4 Pilot Responses to Controls and Displays Usability Questionnaire 13 3.5 HMD Symbology 13 4... questionnaire . The data were analyzed to determine if the pilot flying the aircraft (pilot on controls) and the pilot operating the mission equipment

Prediction of pilot-aircraft stability boundaries and performance contours

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stengel, R. F.; Broussard, J. R.

1977-01-01

Control-theoretic pilot models can provide important new insights regarding the stability and performance characteristics of the pilot-aircraft system. Optimal-control pilot models can be formed for a wide range of flight conditions, suggesting that the human pilot can maintain stability if he adapts his control strategy to the aircraft's changing dynamics. Of particular concern is the effect of sub-optimal pilot adaptation as an aircraft transitions from low to high angle-of-attack during rapid maneuvering, as the changes in aircraft stability and control response can be extreme. This paper examines the effects of optimal and sub-optimal effort during a typical 'high-g' maneuver, and it introduces the concept of minimum-control effort (MCE) adaptation. Limited experimental results tend to support the MCE adaptation concept.

An Open-Label Naturalistic Pilot Study of Acamprosate in Youth with Autistic Disorder

PubMed Central

Early, Maureen; Stigler, Kimberly A.; Wink, Logan K.; Mullett, Jennifer E.; McDougle, Christopher J.

2011-01-01

Abstract To date, placebo-controlled drug trials targeting the core social impairment of autistic disorder (autism) have had uniformly negative results. Given this, the search for new potentially novel agents targeting the core social impairment of autism continues. Acamprosate is U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved drug to treat alcohol dependence. The drug likely impacts both gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate neurotransmission. This study describes our initial open-label experience with acamprosate targeting social impairment in youth with autism. In this naturalistic report, five of six youth (mean age, 9.5 years) were judged treatment responders to acamprosate (mean dose 1,110 mg/day) over 10 to 30 weeks (mean duration, 20 weeks) of treatment. Acamprosate was well tolerated with only mild gastrointestinal adverse effects noted in three (50%) subjects. PMID:22136091

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Human-in-the-Loop Controller and Pilot Acceptability Study: Collision Avoidance, Self-Separation, and Alerting Times (CASSAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comstock, James R., Jr.; Ghatas, Rania W.; Vincent, Michael J.; Consiglio, Maria C.; Munoz, Cesar; Chamberlain, James P.; Volk, Paul; Arthur, Keith E.

2016-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been mandated by the Congressional funding bill of 2012 to open the National Airspace System (NAS) to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). With the growing use of unmanned systems, NASA has established a multi-center "UAS Integration in the NAS" Project, in collaboration with the FAA and industry, and is guiding its research efforts to look at and examine crucial safety concerns regarding the integration of UAS into the NAS. Key research efforts are addressing requirements for detect-and-avoid (DAA), self-separation (SS), and collision avoidance (CA) technologies. In one of a series of human-in-the-loop experiments, NASA Langley Research Center set up a study known as Collision Avoidance, Self-Separation, and Alerting Times (CASSAT). The first phase assessed active air traffic controller interactions with DAA systems and the second phase examined reactions to the DAA system and displays by UAS Pilots at a simulated ground control station (GCS). Analyses of the test results from Phase I and Phase II are presented in this paper. Results from the CASSAT study and previous human-in-the-loop experiments will play a crucial role in the FAA's establishment of rules, regulations, and procedures to safely, efficiently, and effectively integrate UAS into the NAS.

78 FR 11554 - Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplane, Limit Pilot Forces for Sidestick Control

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

... wheel or stick controls, is not appropriate for a sidestick controller, because pilot forces are applied... Pilot Forces for Sidestick Control AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final... conventional wheel or control stick. This kind of controller is designed to be operated using only one hand...

HSI Guidelines Outline for the Air Vehicle Control Station. Version 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

This document provides guidance to the FAA and manufacturers on how to develop UAS Pilot Vehicle Interfaces to safely and effectively integrate UASs into the NAS. Preliminary guidelines are provided for Aviate, Communicate, Navigate and Avoid Hazard functions. The pilot shall have information and control capability so that pilot-UA interactions are not adverse, unfavorable, nor compromise safety. Unfavorable interactions include anomalous aircraft-pilot coupling (APC) interactions (closed loop), pilot-involved oscillations (categories I, II or III), and non-oscillatory APC events (e.g., divergence). - Human Systems Integration Pilot-Technology Interface Requirements for Command, Control, and Communications (C3)

14 CFR 105.21 - Parachute operations over or into a congested area or an open-air assembly of persons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... congested area or an open-air assembly of persons. 105.21 Section 105.21 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL...-air assembly of persons. (a) No person may conduct a parachute operation, and no pilot in command of... congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or an open-air assembly of persons unless a certificate of...

Changes in Psychological Parameters in Patients with Tension-type Headache Following Massage Therapy: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Moraska, Albert; Chandler, Clint

2009-01-01

Investigations into complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches to address stress, depression, and anxiety of those experiencing chronic pain are rare. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the value of a structured massage therapy program, with a focus on myofascial trigger points, on psychological measures associated with tension-type headache. Participants were enrolled in an open-label trial using a baseline control with four 3-week phases: baseline, massage (two 3-week periods) and a follow-up phase. Eighteen subjects with episodic or chronic tension-type headache were enrolled and evaluated at 3-week intervals using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Perceived Stress Scale. The Daily Stress Inventory was administered over 7-day periods during baseline and the final week of massage. Twice weekly, 45-minute massage therapy sessions commenced following the baseline phase and continued for 6 weeks. A significant improvement in all psychological measures was detected over the timeframe of the study. Post hoc evaluation indicated improvement over baseline for depression and trait anxiety following 6 weeks of massage, but not 3 weeks. A reduction in the number of events deemed stressful as well as their respective impact was detected. This pilot study provides evidence for reduction of affective distress in a chronic pain population, suggesting the need for more rigorously controlled studies using massage therapy to address psychological measures associated with TTH. PMID:20046550

Development of a novel parallel-spool pilot operated high-pressure solenoid valve with high flow rate and high speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Dai; Li, Xiaoning

2015-03-01

High-pressure solenoid valve with high flow rate and high speed is a key component in an underwater driving system. However, traditional single spool pilot operated valve cannot meet the demands of both high flow rate and high speed simultaneously. A new structure for a high pressure solenoid valve is needed to meet the demand of the underwater driving system. A novel parallel-spool pilot operated high-pressure solenoid valve is proposed to overcome the drawback of the current single spool design. Mathematical models of the opening process and flow rate of the valve are established. Opening response time of the valve is subdivided into 4 parts to analyze the properties of the opening response. Corresponding formulas to solve 4 parts of the response time are derived. Key factors that influence the opening response time are analyzed. According to the mathematical model of the valve, a simulation of the opening process is carried out by MATLAB. Parameters are chosen based on theoretical analysis to design the test prototype of the new type of valve. Opening response time of the designed valve is tested by verifying response of the current in the coil and displacement of the main valve spool. The experimental results are in agreement with the simulated results, therefore the validity of the theoretical analysis is verified. Experimental opening response time of the valve is 48.3 ms at working pressure of 10 MPa. The flow capacity test shows that the largest effective area is 126 mm2 and the largest air flow rate is 2320 L/s. According to the result of the load driving test, the valve can meet the demands of the driving system. The proposed valve with parallel spools provides a new method for the design of a high-pressure valve with fast response and large flow rate.

Challenges of agricultural monitoring: integration of the Open Farm Management Information System into GEOSS and Digital Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Řezník, T.; Kepka, M.; Charvát, K.; Charvát, K., Jr.; Horáková, S.; Lukas, V.

2016-04-01

From a global perspective, agriculture is the single largest user of freshwater resources, each country using an average of 70% of all its surface water supplies. An essential proportion of agricultural water is recycled back to surface water and/or groundwater. Agriculture and water pollution is therefore the subject of (inter)national legislation, such as the Clean Water Act in the United States of America, the European Water Framework Directive, and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution. Regular monitoring by means of sensor networks is needed in order to provide evidence of water pollution in agriculture. This paper describes the benefits of, and open issues stemming from, regular sensor monitoring provided by an Open Farm Management Information System. Emphasis is placed on descriptions of the processes and functionalities available to users, the underlying open data model, and definitions of open and lightweight application programming interfaces for the efficient management of collected (spatial) data. The presented Open Farm Management Information System has already been successfully registered under Phase 8 of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Architecture Implementation Pilot in order to support the wide variety of demands that are primarily aimed at agriculture pollution monitoring. The final part of the paper deals with the integration of the Open Farm Management Information System into the Digital Earth framework.

Results of a simulator test comparing two display concepts for piloted flight-path-angle control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, W. W.

1978-01-01

Results of a simulator experiment which was conducted in order to compare pilot gamma-control performance using two display formats are reported. Pilots flew a variable flight path angle tracking task in the landing configuration. Pilot and airplane performance parameters were recorded and pilot comments noted for each case.

Adaptive Controller Adaptation Time and Available Control Authority Effects on Piloting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna; Gregory, Irene

2013-01-01

Adaptive control is considered for highly uncertain, and potentially unpredictable, flight dynamics characteristic of adverse conditions. This experiment looked at how adaptive controller adaptation time to recover nominal aircraft dynamics affects pilots and how pilots want information about available control authority transmitted. Results indicate that an adaptive controller that takes three seconds to adapt helped pilots when looking at lateral and longitudinal errors. The controllability ratings improved with the adaptive controller, again the most for the three seconds adaptation time while workload decreased with the adaptive controller. The effects of the displays showing the percentage amount of available safe flight envelope used in the maneuver were dominated by the adaptation time. With the displays, the altitude error increased, controllability slightly decreased, and mental demand increased. Therefore, the displays did require some of the subjects resources but these negatives may be outweighed by pilots having more situation awareness of their aircraft.

Identification of Time-Varying Pilot Control Behavior in Multi-Axis Control Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaal, Peter M. T.; Sweet, Barbara T.

2012-01-01

Recent developments in fly-by-wire control architectures for rotorcraft have introduced new interest in the identification of time-varying pilot control behavior in multi-axis control tasks. In this paper a maximum likelihood estimation method is used to estimate the parameters of a pilot model with time-dependent sigmoid functions to characterize time-varying human control behavior. An experiment was performed by 9 general aviation pilots who had to perform a simultaneous roll and pitch control task with time-varying aircraft dynamics. In 8 different conditions, the axis containing the time-varying dynamics and the growth factor of the dynamics were varied, allowing for an analysis of the performance of the estimation method when estimating time-dependent parameter functions. In addition, a detailed analysis of pilots adaptation to the time-varying aircraft dynamics in both the roll and pitch axes could be performed. Pilot control behavior in both axes was significantly affected by the time-varying aircraft dynamics in roll and pitch, and by the growth factor. The main effect was found in the axis that contained the time-varying dynamics. However, pilot control behavior also changed over time in the axis not containing the time-varying aircraft dynamics. This indicates that some cross coupling exists in the perception and control processes between the roll and pitch axes.

Controlled pilot oxidizer for a gas turbine combustor

DOEpatents

Laster, Walter R.; Bandaru, Ramarao V.

2010-07-13

A combustor (22) for a gas turbine (10) includes a main burner oxidizer flow path (34) delivering a first portion (32) of an oxidizer flow (e.g., 16) to a main burner (28) of the combustor and a pilot oxidizer flow path (38) delivering a second portion (36) of the oxidizer flow to a pilot (30) of the combustor. The combustor also includes a flow controller (42) disposed in the pilot oxidizer flow path for controlling an amount of the second portion delivered to the pilot.

Pilot and Controller Workload and Situation Awareness with Three Traffic Management Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vu, Kim-Phuong L.; Strybel, Thomas Z.; Kraut, Joshua; Bacon, Paige; Minakata, Katsumi; Battiste, Vernol; Johnson, Walter

2010-01-01

This paper reports on workload and situation awareness of pilots and controllers participating in a human-in-the-loop simulation using three different distributed air-ground traffic management concepts. Eight experimental pilots started the scenario in an en-route phase of flight and were asked to avoid convective weather while performing spacing and merging tasks along with a continuous descent approach (CDA) into Louisville Standiford Airport (SDF). Two controllers managed the sectors through which the pilots flew, with one managing a sector that included the Top of Descent, and the other managing a sector that included the merge point for arrival into SDF. At 3-minute intervals in the scenario, pilots and controllers were probed on their workload or situation awareness. We employed one of three concepts of operation that distributed separation responsibility across human controllers, pilots, and automation to measure changes in operator situation awareness and workload. We found that when pilots were responsible for separation, they had higher levels of awareness, but not necessarily higher levels of workload. When controllers are responsible and actively engaged, they showed higher workload levels compared to pilots and changes in awareness that were dependent on sector characteristics.

Open Collaboration: A Problem Solving Strategy That is Redefining NASA's Innovative Spirit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rando, Cynthia M.; Fogarty, Jennifer A.; Richard, E. E.; Davis, Jeffrey R.

2011-01-01

In 2010, NASA's Space Life Sciences Directorate announced the successful results from pilot experiments with open innovation methodologies. Specifically, utilization of internet based external crowdsourcing platforms to solve challenging problems in human health and performance related to the future of spaceflight. The follow-up to this success was an internal crowdsourcing pilot program entitled NASA@work, which was supported by the InnoCentive@work software platform. The objective of the NASA@work pilot was to connect the collective knowledge of individuals from all areas within the NASA organization via a private web based environment. The platform provided a venue for NASA Challenge Owners, those looking for solutions or new ideas, to pose challenges to internal solvers, those within NASA with the skill and desire to create solutions. The pilot was launched in 57 days, a record for InnoCentive and NASA, and ran for three months with a total of 20 challenges posted Agency wide. The NASA@work pilot attracted over 6,000 participants throughout NASA with a total of 183 contributing solvers for the 20 challenges posted. At the time of the pilot's closure, solvers provided viable solutions and ideas for 17 of the 20 posted challenges. The solver community provided feedback on the pilot describing it as a barrier breaking activity, conveying that there was a satisfaction associated with helping co-workers, that it was fun to think about problems outside normal work boundaries, and it was nice to learn what challenges others were facing across the agency. The results and the feedback from the solver community have demonstrated the power and utility of an internal collaboration tool, such as NASA@work.

78 FR 78457 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Topaz Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... rule change is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system and, in general, to protect... Pilot Program, the proposed rule change will allow for further analysis of the Penny Pilot Program and a...

White Teenage Girls and Affirmative Action in Higher Education in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Botsis, H.

2010-01-01

This is an initial and exploratory comment on the pilot phase of a study into adolescent female white identity and socio-sexual desire in post-apartheid South Africa. In the course of this pilot it became apparent that historical issues of race and racism are openly discussed in these girls' classrooms. Yet, despite these everyday interactions the…

Open-Trial Pilot Study of a Comprehensive School-Based Intervention for High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopata, Christopher; Thomeer, Marcus L.; Volker, Martin A.; Lee, Gloria K.; Smith, Tristram H.; Rodgers, Jonathan D.; Smith, Rachael A.; Gullo, Gaetano; McDonald, Christin A.; Mirwis, Joshua; Toomey, Jennifer A.

2013-01-01

There is a notable lack of manualized comprehensive school-based interventions (CSBIs) for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASDs). This pilot study examined the feasibility and initial efficacy of a CSBI for 12 children with HFASDs, aged 6 to 9 years. Treatment included a 3-week summer preparation program followed by a…

The Intern Studio: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wix, Linney

1995-01-01

Describes and discusses the Intern Studio Project, which consists of the provision of regular open studio time for art therapy interns in a state university graduate program. Psychological and artistic bases for the open studio approach are discussed, and include the relational approach, Hillman's essentialist paradigm, and series and context…

Open-Label Memantine in Fragile X Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Craig A.; Mullett, Jennifer E.; McDougle, Christopher J.

2009-01-01

Glutamatergic dysfunction is implicated in the pathophysiology of fragile X syndrome (FXS). The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effectiveness and tolerability of memantine for a number of target symptoms associated with FXS. Medical records describing open-label treatment with memantine in 6 patients with FXS and a comorbid…

Piloted Simulation Tests of Propulsion Control as Backup to Loss of Primary Flight Controls for a B747-400 Jet Transport

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-04-01

This report describes the concept of a propulsion controlled aircraft (PCA), : discusses pilot controls, displays, and procedures; and presents the results of a : PCA piloted simulation test and evaluation of the B747-400 airplane conducted at : NASA...

The Propulsive-Only Flight Control Problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blezad, Daniel J.

1996-01-01

Attitude control of aircraft using only the throttles is investigated. The long time constants of both the engines and of the aircraft dynamics, together with the coupling between longitudinal and lateral aircraft modes make piloted flight with failed control surfaces hazardous, especially when attempting to land. This research documents the results of in-flight operation using simulated failed flight controls and ground simulations of piloted propulsive-only control to touchdown. Augmentation control laws to assist the pilot are described using both optimal control and classical feedback methods. Piloted simulation using augmentation shows that simple and effective augmented control can be achieved in a wide variety of failed configurations.

Identification of miRNA-103 in the Cellular Fraction of Human Peripheral Blood as a Potential Biomarker for Malignant Mesothelioma – A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Weber, Daniel G.; Johnen, Georg; Bryk, Oleksandr; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Brüning, Thomas

2012-01-01

Background To date, no biomarkers with reasonable sensitivity and specificity for the early detection of malignant mesothelioma have been described. The use of microRNAs (miRNAs) as minimally-invasive biomarkers has opened new opportunities for the diagnosis of cancer, primarily because they exhibit tumor-specific expression profiles and have been commonly observed in blood of both cancer patients and healthy controls. The aim of this pilot study was to identify miRNAs in the cellular fraction of human peripheral blood as potential novel biomarkers for the detection of malignant mesothelioma. Methodology/Principal Findings Using oligonucleotide microarrays for biomarker identification the miRNA levels in the cellular fraction of human peripheral blood of mesothelioma patients and asbestos-exposed controls were analyzed. Using a threefold expression change in combination with a significance level of p<0.05, miR-103 was identified as a potential biomarker for malignant mesothelioma. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used for validation of miR-103 in 23 malignant mesothelioma patients, 17 asbestos-exposed controls, and 25 controls from the general population. For discrimination of mesothelioma patients from asbestos-exposed controls a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 71% were calculated, and for discrimination of mesothelioma patients from the general population a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 76%. Conclusions/Significance The results of this pilot study show that miR-103 is characterized by a promising sensitivity and specificity and might be a potential minimally-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of mesothelioma. In addition, our results support the concept of using the cellular fraction of human blood for biomarker discovery. However, for early detection of malignant mesothelioma the feasibility of miR-103 alone or in combination with other biomarkers needs to be analyzed in a prospective study. PMID:22253921

E54-1403

NASA Image and Video Library

1954-09-17

B-47A Stratojet on ramp with pilots and crew. In 1954 after a research flight in the Boeing B-47A Stratojet Crew Chief Wilbur McClenaghan (center) asks of the pilots if there are any "squawks" that should be taken care of before the next flight. Pilots are Joe Walker on the viewer's left and Stanley Butchart on the right. Data system technician Merle Curtis, in coveralls, is busy checking the airdata head mounted on the nose boom with the help of Instrumentation Crew Chief Raymond Langley. The door to the cockpit area is open showing a view of the ladder that folds down to be used by the pilots to enter and leave the area.

HOPE: An On-Line Piloted Handling Qualities Experiment Data Book

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, E. B.; Proffitt, Melissa S.

2010-01-01

A novel on-line database for capturing most of the information obtained during piloted handling qualities experiments (either flight or simulated) is described. The Hyperlinked Overview of Piloted Evaluations (HOPE) web application is based on an open-source object-oriented Web-based front end (Ruby-on-Rails) that can be used with a variety of back-end relational database engines. The hyperlinked, on-line data book approach allows an easily-traversed way of looking at a variety of collected data, including pilot ratings, pilot information, vehicle and configuration characteristics, test maneuvers, and individual flight test cards and repeat runs. It allows for on-line retrieval of pilot comments, both audio and transcribed, as well as time history data retrieval and video playback. Pilot questionnaires are recorded as are pilot biographies. Simple statistics are calculated for each selected group of pilot ratings, allowing multiple ways to aggregate the data set (by pilot, by task, or by vehicle configuration, for example). Any number of per-run or per-task metrics can be captured in the database. The entire run metrics dataset can be downloaded in comma-separated text for further analysis off-line. It is expected that this tool will be made available upon request

Degradation of learned skills. Static practice effectiveness for visual approach and landing skill retention

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sitterley, T. E.

1974-01-01

The effectivess of an improved static retraining method was evaluated for a simulated space vehicle approach and landing under instrument and visual flight conditions. Experienced pilots were trained and then tested after 4 months without flying to compare their performance using the improved method with three methods previously evaluated. Use of the improved static retraining method resulted in no practical or significant skill degradation and was found to be even more effective than methods using a dynamic presentation of visual cues. The results suggested that properly structured open loop methods of flight control task retraining are feasible.

Influence of testosterone gel treatment on spermatogenesis in men with hypogonadism.

PubMed

George, Mskhalaya; Yulia, Tishova; Svetlana, Kalinchenko

2014-10-01

The prevalence of androgen deficiency in reproductive-aged men is increasing and needs new approach to long-term hypogonadism treatment that can preserve fertility. An open non-controlled pilot study included 18 men with eugonadotropic hypogonadism, who received transdermal testosterone gel treatment for 3 months. Sperm analysis was made before treatment and after 3 month of testosterone therapy. Testosterone level was normalized in all patients, but no negative effect was observed on spermatogenesis. Testosterone gel therapy may be a therapy of choice in hypogonadal men of reproductive age but further studies are needed.

Operating a production pilot factory serving several scientific domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sfiligoi, I.; Würthwein, F.; Andrews, W.; Dost, J. M.; MacNeill, I.; McCrea, A.; Sheripon, E.; Murphy, C. W.

2011-12-01

Pilot infrastructures are becoming prominent players in the Grid environment. One of the major advantages is represented by the reduced effort required by the user communities (also known as Virtual Organizations or VOs) due to the outsourcing of the Grid interfacing services, i.e. the pilot factory, to Grid experts. One such pilot factory, based on the glideinWMS pilot infrastructure, is being operated by the Open Science Grid at University of California San Diego (UCSD). This pilot factory is serving multiple VOs from several scientific domains. Currently the three major clients are the analysis operations of the HEP experiment CMS, the community VO HCC, which serves mostly math, biology and computer science users, and the structural biology VO NEBioGrid. The UCSD glidein factory allows the served VOs to use Grid resources distributed over 150 sites in North and South America, in Europe, and in Asia. This paper presents the steps taken to create a production quality pilot factory, together with the challenges encountered along the road.

Step 1: Human System Integration (HSI) FY05 Pilot-Technology Interface Requirements for Command, Control, and Communications (C3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

The document provides the Human System Integration(HSI) high-level functional C3 HSI requirements for the interface to the pilot. Description includes (1) the information required by the pilot to have knowledge C3 system status, and (2) the control capability needed by the pilot to obtain C3 information. Fundamentally, these requirements provide the candidate C3 technology concepts with the necessary human-related elements to make them compatible with human capabilities and limitations. The results of the analysis describe how C3 operations and functions should interface with the pilot to provide the necessary C3 functionality to the UA-pilot system. Requirements and guidelines for C3 are partitioned into three categories: (1) Pilot-Air Traffic Control (ATC) Voice Communications (2) Pilot-ATC Data Communications, and (3) command and control of the unmanned aircraft (UA). Each requirement is stated and is supported with a rationale and associated reference(s).

Combining control input with flight path data to evaluate pilot performance in transport aircraft.

PubMed

Ebbatson, Matt; Harris, Don; Huddlestone, John; Sears, Rodney

2008-11-01

When deriving an objective assessment of piloting performance from flight data records, it is common to employ metrics which purely evaluate errors in flight path parameters. The adequacy of pilot performance is evaluated from the flight path of the aircraft. However, in large jet transport aircraft these measures may be insensitive and require supplementing with frequency-based measures of control input parameters. Flight path and control input data were collected from pilots undertaking a jet transport aircraft conversion course during a series of symmetric and asymmetric approaches in a flight simulator. The flight path data were analyzed for deviations around the optimum flight path while flying an instrument landing approach. Manipulation of the flight controls was subject to analysis using a series of power spectral density measures. The flight path metrics showed no significant differences in performance between the symmetric and asymmetric approaches. However, control input frequency domain measures revealed that the pilots employed highly different control strategies in the pitch and yaw axes. The results demonstrate that to evaluate pilot performance fully in large aircraft, it is necessary to employ performance metrics targeted at both the outer control loop (flight path) and the inner control loop (flight control) parameters in parallel, evaluating both the product and process of a pilot's performance.

The effect of Nintendo® Wii® on balance in people with multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized control study.

PubMed

Brichetto, Giampaolo; Spallarossa, Patricio; de Carvalho, Maria L Lopes; Battaglia, Mario A

2013-08-01

Improvement of sensory strategies is a relevant part of balance rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to Assess the effectiveness of visual-feedback exercises in improving balance in MS. We divided 36 patients into Wii and control-treated groups that underwent balance rehabilitation. Outcomes were obtained for Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, and sway area under conditions of opened and closed eyes. BBS showed a statistically significant improvement (from 49.6 to 54.6 points, p < 0.05) in the Wii group. Interactive visual-feedback exercises such as Wii could be more effective than the current standard protocol in improving balance disorders in MS.

Optimal guidance for the space shuttle transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stengel, R. F.

1972-01-01

A guidance method for the space shuttle's transition from hypersonic entry to subsonic cruising flight is presented. The method evolves from a numerical trajectory optimization technique in which kinetic energy and total energy (per unit weight) replace velocity and time in the dynamic equations. This allows the open end-time problem to be transformed to one of fixed terminal energy. In its ultimate form, E-Guidance obtains energy balance (including dynamic-pressure-rate damping) and path length control by angle-of-attack modulation and cross-range control by roll angle modulation. The guidance functions also form the basis for a pilot display of instantaneous maneuver limits and destination. Numerical results illustrate the E-Guidance concept and the optimal trajectories on which it is based.

Quantitative assessment of joint position sense recovery in subacute stroke patients: a pilot study.

PubMed

Kattenstroth, Jan-Christoph; Kalisch, Tobias; Kowalewski, Rebecca; Tegenthoff, Martin; Dinse, Hubert R

2013-11-01

To assess joint position sense performance in subacute stroke patients using a novel quantitative assessment. Proof-of-principle pilot study with a group of subacute stroke patients. Assessment at baseline and after 2 weeks of intervention. Additional data for a healthy age-matched control group. Ten subacute stroke patients (aged 65.41 years (standard deviation 2.5), 4 females, 2.3 weeks (standard deviation 0.2)) post-stroke receiving in-patient standard rehabilitation and repetitive electrical stimulation of the affected hand. Joint position sense was assessed based on the ability of correctly perceiving the opening angles of the finger joints. Patients had to report size differences of polystyrene balls of various sizes, whilst the balls were enclosed simultaneously by the affected and the non-affected hands. A total of 21 pairwise size comparisons was used to quantify joint position performance. After 2 weeks of therapeutic intervention a significant improvement in joint position sense performance was observed; however, the performance level was still below that of a healthy control group. The results indicate high feasibility and sensitivity of the joint position test in subacute stroke patients. Testing allowed quantification of both the deficit and the rehabilitation outcome.

A Two-Year Randomized Trial of Interventions to Decrease Stress Hormone Vasopressin Production in Patients with Meniere's Disease-A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Kitahara, Tadashi; Okamoto, Hidehiko; Fukushima, Munehisa; Sakagami, Masaharu; Ito, Taeko; Yamashita, Akinori; Ota, Ichiro; Yamanaka, Toshiaki

2016-01-01

Meniere's disease, a common inner ear condition, has an incidence of 15-50 per 100,000. Because mental/physical stress and subsequent increase in the stress hormone vasopressin supposedly trigger Meniere's disease, we set a pilot study to seek new therapeutic interventions, namely management of vasopressin secretion, to treat this disease. We enrolled 297 definite Meniere's patients from 2010 to 2012 in a randomized-controlled and open-label trial, assigning Group-I (control) traditional oral medication, Group-II abundant water intake, Group-III tympanic ventilation tubes and Group-IV sleeping in darkness. Two hundred sixty-three patients completed the planned 2-year-follow-up, which included assessment of vertigo, hearing, plasma vasopressin concentrations and changes in stress/psychological factors. At 2 years, vertigo was completely controlled in 54.3% of patients in Group-I, 81.4% in Group-II, 84.1% in Group-III, and 80.0% in Group-IV (statistically I < II = III = IV). Hearing was improved in 7.1% of patients in Group-I, 35.7% in Group-II, 34.9% in Group-III, and 31.7% in Group-IV (statistically I < II = III = IV). Plasma vasopressin concentrations decreased more in Groups-II, -III, and -IV than in Groups-I (statistically I < II = III = IV), although patients' stress/psychological factors had not changed. Physicians have focused on stress management for Meniere's disease. However, avoidance of stress is unrealistic for patients who live in demanding social environments. Our findings in this pilot study suggest that interventions to decrease vasopressin secretion by abundant water intake, tympanic ventilation tubes and sleeping in darkness is feasible in treating Meniere's disease, even though these therapies did not alter reported mental/physical stress levels. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01099046.

Design, Implementation, and Wide Pilot Deployment of FitForAll: An Easy to use Exergaming Platform Improving Physical Fitness and Life Quality of Senior Citizens.

PubMed

Konstantinidis, Evdokimos I; Billis, Antonis S; Mouzakidis, Christos A; Zilidou, Vasiliki I; Antoniou, Panagiotis E; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2016-01-01

Many platforms have emerged as response to the call for technology supporting active and healthy aging. Key requirements for any such e-health systems and any subsequent business exploitation are tailor-made design and proper evaluation. This paper presents the design, implementation, wide deployment, and evaluation of the low cost, physical exercise, and gaming (exergaming) FitForAll (FFA) platform system usability, user adherence to exercise, and efficacy are explored. The design of FFA is tailored to elderly populations, distilling literature guidelines and recommendations. The FFA architecture introduces standard physical exercise protocols in exergaming software engineering, as well as, standard physical assessment tests for augmented adaptability through adjustable exercise intensity. This opens up the way to next generation exergaming software, which may be more automatically/smartly adaptive. 116 elderly users piloted FFA five times/week, during an eight-week controlled intervention. Usability evaluation was formally conducted (SUS, SUMI questionnaires). Control group consisted of a size-matched elderly group following cognitive training. Efficacy was assessed objectively through the senior fitness (Fullerton) test, and subjectively, through WHOQoL-BREF comparisons of pre-postintervention between groups. Adherence to schedule was measured by attendance logs. The global SUMI score was 68.33±5.85%, while SUS was 77.7. Good usability perception is reflected in relatively high adherence of 82% for a daily two months pilot schedule. Compared to control group, elderly using FFA improved significantly strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance while presenting a significant trend in quality of life improvements. This is the first elderly focused exergaming platform intensively evaluated with more than 100 participants. The use of formal tools makes the findings comparable to other studies and forms an elderly exergaming corpus.

Neuronal ensemble control of prosthetic devices by a human with tetraplegia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hochberg, Leigh R.; Serruya, Mijail D.; Friehs, Gerhard M.; Mukand, Jon A.; Saleh, Maryam; Caplan, Abraham H.; Branner, Almut; Chen, David; Penn, Richard D.; Donoghue, John P.

2006-07-01

Neuromotor prostheses (NMPs) aim to replace or restore lost motor functions in paralysed humans by routeing movement-related signals from the brain, around damaged parts of the nervous system, to external effectors. To translate preclinical results from intact animals to a clinically useful NMP, movement signals must persist in cortex after spinal cord injury and be engaged by movement intent when sensory inputs and limb movement are long absent. Furthermore, NMPs would require that intention-driven neuronal activity be converted into a control signal that enables useful tasks. Here we show initial results for a tetraplegic human (MN) using a pilot NMP. Neuronal ensemble activity recorded through a 96-microelectrode array implanted in primary motor cortex demonstrated that intended hand motion modulates cortical spiking patterns three years after spinal cord injury. Decoders were created, providing a `neural cursor' with which MN opened simulated e-mail and operated devices such as a television, even while conversing. Furthermore, MN used neural control to open and close a prosthetic hand, and perform rudimentary actions with a multi-jointed robotic arm. These early results suggest that NMPs based upon intracortical neuronal ensemble spiking activity could provide a valuable new neurotechnology to restore independence for humans with paralysis.

Simvastatin as an Adjunct to Conventional Therapy of Non-infectious Uveitis: A Randomized, Open-Label Pilot Study.

PubMed

Shirinsky, Ivan V; Biryukova, Anastasia A; Shirinsky, Valery S

2017-12-01

Statins have been shown to reduce ocular inflammation in animal models of uveitis and to prevent development of uveitis in observational studies. There have been no experimental human studies evaluating statins' efficacy and safety in uveitis. In this study, we aimed to investigate efficacy and safety of simvastatin in patients with uveitis. For this single-center, open-label, randomized study, we enrolled patients with acute non-infectious uveitis. The patients were randomized to receive 40 mg simvastatin per day for 2 months in addition to conventional treatment or conventional treatment alone. The studied outcomes were the rate of steroid-sparing control of ocular inflammation, measures of ocular inflammation, intraocular pressure, and visual acuity. Fifty patients were enrolled in the study. Twenty-five patients were randomly assigned to receive simvastatin with conventional treatment and 25 to conventional treatment alone. Simvastatin was associated with significantly higher rates of steroid-sparing ocular inflammation control, decrease in anterior chamber inflammation, and improvement in visual acuity. The treatment was well tolerated, no serious adverse effects were observed. Our findings suggest that statins may have therapeutic potential in uveitis. These results need to be confirmed in double-blind, randomized, controlled studies.

The Effects of Shared Information on Pilot-Controller Situation Awareness And Re-Route Negotiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Todd C.; Hansman, R. John; Endsley, Mica R.; Amonlirdviman, Keith

1999-01-01

The effect of shared information is assessed in terms of pilot-controller negotiating behavior and shared situation awareness. Pilot goals and situation awareness requirements are developed and compared against those of air traffic controllers to identify areas of common and competing interest. An exploratory, part-task simulator experiment is described which evaluates the extent to which shared information may lead pilots and controllers to cooperate or compete when negotiating route amendments. Results are presented which indicate that shared information enhances situation awareness and can engender more collaborative interaction between pilots and air traffic controllers. Furthermore, the value of providing controllers with a good-quality weather overlay on their plan view displays is demonstrated. Observed improvements in situation awareness and separation assurance are discussed.

A Pilot Model for the NASA Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) (Single-Axis Pitch Task)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handley, Patrick Mark

This thesis defines, tests, and validates a descriptive pilot model for a single-axis pitch control task of the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER). SAFER is a small propulsive jetpack used by astronauts for self-rescue. Pilot model research supports development of improved self-rescue strategies and technologies through insights into pilot behavior.This thesis defines a multi-loop pilot model. The innermost loop controls the hand controller, the middle loop controls pitch rate, and the outer loop controls pitch angle. A human-in-the-loop simulation was conducted to gather data from a human pilot. Quantitative and qualitative metrics both indicate that the model is an acceptable fit to the human data. Fuel consumption was nearly identical; time to task completion matched very well. There is some evidence that the model responds faster to initial pitch rates than the human, artificially decreasing the model's time to task completion. This pilot model is descriptive, not predictive, of the human pilot. Insights are made into pilot behavior from this research. Symmetry implies that the human responds to positive and negative initial conditions with the same strategy. The human pilot appears indifferent to pitch angles within 0.5 deg, coasts at a constant pitch rate 1.09 deg/s, and has a reaction delay of 0.1 s.

High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) longitudinal controller: Design, analyses, and simulation resultss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostroff, Aaron J.; Hoffler, Keith D.; Proffitt, Melissa S.; Brown, Philip W.; Phillips, Michael R.; Rivers, Robert A.; Messina, Michael D.; Carzoo, Susan W.; Bacon, Barton J.; Foster, John F.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the design, analysis, and nonlinear simulation results (batch and piloted) for a longitudinal controller which is scheduled to be flight-tested on the High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). The HARV is an F-18 airplane modified for and equipped with multi-axis thrust vectoring. The paper includes a description of the facilities, a detailed review of the feedback controller design, linear analysis results of the feedback controller, a description of the feed-forward controller design, nonlinear batch simulation results, and piloted simulation results. Batch simulation results include maximum pitch stick agility responses, angle of attack alpha captures, and alpha regulation for full lateral stick rolls at several alpha's. Piloted simulation results include task descriptions for several types of maneuvers, task guidelines, the corresponding Cooper-Harper ratings from three test pilots, and some pilot comments. The ratings show that desirable criteria are achieved for almost all of the piloted simulation tasks.

Impact of temperature on nitrification in biological activated carbon (BAC) filters used for drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Andersson, A; Laurent, P; Kihn, A; Prévost, M; Servais, P

2001-08-01

The impact of temperature on nitrification in biological granular activated carbon (GAC) filters was evaluated in order to improve the understanding of the nitrification process in drinking water treatment. The study was conducted in a northern climate where very cold water temperatures (below 2 degrees C) prevail for extended periods and rapid shifts of temperature are frequent in the spring and fall. Ammonia removals were monitored and the fixed nitrifying biomass was measured using a method of potential nitrifying activity. The impact of temperature was evaluated on two different filter media: an opened superstructure wood-based activated carbon and a closed superstructure activated carbon-based on bituminous coal. The study was conducted at two levels: pilot scale (first-stage filters) and full-scale (second-stage filters) and the results indicate a strong temperature impact on nitrification activity. Ammonia removal capacities ranged from 40 to 90% in pilot filters, at temperatures above 10 degrees C, while more than 90% ammonia was removed in the full-scale filters for the same temperature range. At moderate temperatures (4-10 degrees C), the first stage pilot filters removed 10-40% of incoming ammonia for both media (opened and closed superstructure). In the full-scale filters, a difference between the two media in nitrification performances was observed at moderate temperatures: the ammonia removal rate in the opened superstructure support (more than 90%) was higher than in the closed superstructure support (45%). At low temperatures (below 4 degrees C) both media performed poorly. Ammonia removal capacities were below 30% in both pilot- and full-scale filters.

Impact of flight systems integration on future aircraft design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hood, R. V.; Dollyhigh, S. M.; Newsom, J. R.

1984-01-01

Integrations trends in aircraft are discussed with an eye to manifestations in future aircraft designs through interdisciplinary technology integration. Current practices use software changes or small hardware fixes to solve problems late in the design process, e.g., low static stability to upgrade fuel efficiency. A total energy control system has been devised to integrate autopilot and autothrottle functions, thereby eliminating hardware, reducing the software, pilot workload, and cost, and improving flight efficiency and performance. Integrated active controls offer reduced weight and larger payloads for transport aircraft. The introduction of vectored thrust may eliminate horizontal and vertical stabilizers, and location of the thrust at the vehicle center of gravity can provide vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. It is suggested that further efforts will open a new discipline, aeroservoelasticity, and tests will become multidisciplinary, involving controls, aerodynamics, propulsion and structures.

Actigraphy in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder Undergoing Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: An Open Label Pilot Study.

PubMed

Nishida, Masaki; Kikuchi, Senichiro; Nisijima, Koichi; Suda, Shiro

2017-03-01

The effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on physical activity and sleep patterns in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) remain unclear. We examined the effects of rTMS treatment on the rest-activity cycle and sleep disturbances in MDD. In this open-label pilot study, 14 patients with medication-resistant MDD underwent 10 rTMS sessions over the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition to Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores, waist actigraphy was used to evaluate alterations in the rest-activity cycle over the course of rTMS treatments. Actigraphic data were evaluated at baseline and in the first (rTMS sessions 1-3), second (rTMS sessions 4-7), and third (rTMS sessions 8-10) sections. Although Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores were significantly improved by rTMS, sleep variables assessed by actigraphy did not show significant changes. However, post hoc tests indicated a significant increase in mean steps per day between the baseline and first section time points (P = 0.014; t13 = -2.316). Our data indicated that a daytime physical activity response to rTMS occurred in early sessions, whereas subjective symptom improvements were consistent across all sessions. Future double-blind placebo-controlled studies assessing the effects of rTMS on the rest-activity cycle and sleep disturbances in MDD are warranted.

CINRG pilot trial of coenzyme Q10 in steroid-treated Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Spurney, Christopher F; Rocha, Carolina Tesi; Henricson, Erik; Florence, Julaine; Mayhew, Jill; Gorni, Ksenija; Pasquali, Livia; Pestronk, Alan; Martin, Gerard R; Hu, Fengming; Nie, Lei; Connolly, Anne M; Escolar, Diana M

2011-08-01

Corticosteroid treatment slows disease progression and is the standard of care for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a potent antioxidant that may improve function in dystrophin-deficient muscle. We performed an open-label, "add-on" pilot study of CoQ10 in thirteen 5-10-year-old DMD patients on steroids. The primary outcome measure was the total quantitative muscle testing (QMT) score. Twelve of 16 children (mean age 8.03 ± 1.64 years) completed the trial. Target serum levels of CoQ10 (≥2.5 μg/ml) were shown to be subject- and administration-dependent. Nine of 12 subjects showed an increase in total QMT score. Overall, CoQ10 treatment resulted in an 8.5% increase in muscle strength (P = 0.03). Addition of CoQ10 to prednisone therapy in DMD patients resulted in an increase in muscle strength. These results warrant a larger, controlled trial of CoQ10 in DMD. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effect of aircraft control forces on pilot performance during instrument landings in a flight simulator.

PubMed

Hewson, D J; McNair, P J; Marshall, R N

2001-07-01

Pilots may have difficulty controlling aircraft at both high and low force levels due to larger variability in force production at these force levels. The aim of this study was to measure the force variability and landing performance of pilots during an instrument landing in a flight simulator. There were 12 pilots who were tested while performing 5 instrument landings in a flight simulator, each of which required different control force inputs. Pilots can produce the least force when pushing the control column to the right, therefore the force levels for the landings were set relative to each pilot's maximum aileron-right force. The force levels for the landings were 90%, 60%, and 30% of maximal aileron-right force, normal force, and 25% of normal force. Variables recorded included electromyographic activity (EMG), aircraft control forces, aircraft attitude, perceived exertion and deviation from glide slope and heading. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test for differences between landings. Pilots were least accurate in landing performance during the landing at 90% of maximal force (p < 0.05). There was also a trend toward decreased landing performance during the landing at 25% of normal force. Pilots were more variable in force production during the landings at 60% and 90% of maximal force (p < 0.05). Pilots are less accurate at performing instrument landings when control forces are high due to the increased variability of force production. The increase in variability at high force levels is most likely associated with motor unit recruitment, rather than rate coding. Aircraft designers need to consider the reduction in pilot performance at high force levels, as well as pilot strength limits when specifying new standards.

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

14 CFR 61.94 - Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Student pilot seeking a sport pilot... Student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a recreational pilot certificate: Operations at... operational control tower in other airspace. (a) A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate or a...

Efficacy of Dentaq® Oral and ENT Health Probiotic Complex on Clinical Parameters of Gingivitis in Patients Undergoing Fixed Orthodontic Treatment: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Kolip, Duygu; Yılmaz, Nuray; Gökkaya, Berna; Kulan, Pinar; Kargul, Betul; MacDonald, Kyle W; Cadieux, Peter A; Burton, Jeremy P; James, Kris M

2016-09-01

Probiotics act as a unique approach to maintaining oral health by supplementing the endogenous oral bacteria with additional naturally occurring beneficial microbes to provide defense against pathogens harmful to teeth and gingiva. The aim of this pilot study was to clinically evaluate the effects of probiotics on plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation in subjects with fixed orthodontics. The pilot study was comprised of 15 healthy patients, aged 11 to 18 years, undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. Patients used an all-natural, dissolving lozenge containing six proprietary probiotic strains (Dentaq® Oral and ENT Health Probiotic Complex)for 28 days. Gingival Index (GI) according to Löe-Silness and Plaque Index (PI) according to Quigley-Hein for all teeth were measured at baseline (Day Zero) and at the end of the probiotic regimen (Day 28). The mean baseline GI and PI scores within each patient decreased by 28.4% and 35.8%, respectively, by Day 28. Patients reported decreased tooth and gingival pain, decreased oral bleeding, and increased motivation to maintain proper oral hygiene over the course of the study. This pilot study provided preliminary support for the use of Dentaq Oral and ENT Health Probiotic Complex as a safe and effective natural health product for the reduction of plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation. The results demonstrate its potential therapeutic value and open the door for larger scale placebo-controlled clinical studies to verify these findings.

Neurofeedback as a treatment for major depressive disorder--a pilot study.

PubMed

Peeters, Frenk; Oehlen, Mare; Ronner, Jacco; van Os, Jim; Lousberg, Richel

2014-01-01

There is growing interest in neurofeedback as a treatment for major depressive disorder. Reduction of asymmetry of alpha-activity between left and right prefrontal areas with neurofeedback has been postulated as effective in earlier studies. Unfortunately, methodological shortcomings limit conclusions that can be drawn from these studies. In a pilot-study, we investigated the effectiveness of reduction of asymmetry of alpha-activity with neurofeedback in depressed participants with the use of a stringent methodological approach. Nine participants meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder were treated with a maximum of 30 neurofeedback-sessions, aimed at reducing asymmetry of alpha-activity, over a 10-week period. No changes in the use of antidepressants were allowed 6 weeks before and during the intervention. Changes in depressive symptomatology were assessed with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms, self-report version. We observed response in 1 and remission in 4 out of a total of 9 participants. The effectiveness appeared largest in female participants. The mean asymmetry of alpha-activity decreased significantly over sessions in a quadratic fashion. This decrease was associated with clinical response. This pilot study suggests that neurofeedback aimed at a reduction of frontal asymmetry of alpha-activity may be effective as a treatment for depression. However, this was an open label pilot study. Non-specific effects of the procedure and/or a beneficial natural course may have confounded the results. Randomized controlled trials will have to establish the efficacy of neurofeedback for depression. Nederlands Trial Register NTR1629.

Rehabilitation of balance disturbances due to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a pilot study.

PubMed

Cammisuli, Sharon; Cavazzi, Enrico; Baldissarro, Eleonora; Leandri, Massimo

2016-08-01

Cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) have sensory and motor deficits leading to inappropriate proprioceptive feedback, impaired postural control, and fall risk. Balance training with computerized force platforms has been successfully used in rehabilitation of balance disturbances, but programs specifically developed for CIPN patients are lacking. This pilot study evaluated a rehabilitation protocol exclusively based on visual computer-feedback balance training (VCFBT) to improve balance in patients with CIPN. Open-label, non-randomized pilot study, 4-week intervention with pre- vs. post-treatment evaluation. Outpatients of the Rehabilitation Institute of the Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, in Genoa, Italy. Seven out-patients with clinical-instrumental diagnosis of CIPN. At admission, patients were administered the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and underwent static-dynamic posturography using a computerized force platform to objectively quantify their balance impairment. Their performance was compared to values of a normal age-matched population. Patients then underwent 4 weeks of VCFBT (three 60-minute sessions/week). At discharge, BBS and posturography were repeated and the results compared with those at admission. A significant pre- vs. post-treatment improvement was found in balance as measured by static-dynamic posturography (P=0.004) and BBS (P<0.002). Despite caution needed for the low sample size, this pilot study has shown preliminary evidence that intensive rehabilitation, based on VCFBT can produce a significant improvement in balance outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first report in CIPN patients of a rehabilitation program based exclusively on VCFBT.

Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBIE): Requirements Definition and Pilot Implementation Standard

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

10 MIMOSA ...objectives. MIMOSA The goals of the Machinery Information Management Open Systems Alli- ance ( MIMOSA ) organization include the creation of open...information standards for life-cycle asset management [Johnson 2004]. As shown in Table 2-1 [BP 2004], MIMOSA is one of many standards that have been

Mobile Learning via SMS at Open University Malaysia: Equitable, Effective, and Sustainable

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Tina; Fadzil, Mansor; Mansor, Norziati

2011-01-01

This article describes Open University Malaysia's efforts at enhancing the blended learning approach for undergraduate distance learners with the successful implementation of the Mobile Learning via SMS initiative. The pilot project was implemented in the May 2009 semester, and this coming January 2011 semester will be in its sixth consecutive…

A Study of Longitudinal Control Problems at Low and Negative Damping and Stability with Emphasis on Effects of Motion Cues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadoff, Melvin; McFadden, Norman M.; Heinle, Donovan R.

1961-01-01

As part of a general investigation to determine the effects of simulator motions on pilot opinion and task performance over a wide range of vehicle longitudinal dynamics, a cooperative NASA-AMAL program was conducted on the centrifuge at Johnsville, Pennsylvania. The test parameters and measurements for this program duplicated those of earlier studies made at Ames Research Center with a variable-stability airplane and with a pitch-roll chair flight simulator. Particular emphasis was placed on the minimum basic damping and stability the pilots would accept and on the minimum dynamics they considered controllable in the event of stability-augmentation system failure. Results of the centrifuge-simulator program indicated that small positive damping was required by the pilots over most of the frequency range covered for configurations rated acceptable for emergency conditions only (e.g., failure of a pitch damper). It was shown that the pilot's tolerance for unstable dynamics was dependent primarily on the value of damping. For configurations rated acceptable for emergency operation only, the allowable instability and damping corresponded to a divergence time to double amplitude of about 1 second. Comparisons were made of centrifuge, pitch-chair and fixed-cockpit simulator tests with flight tests. Pilot ratings indicated that the effects of incomplete or spurious motion cues provided by these three modes of simulation were important only for high-frequency, lightly damped dynamics or unstable, moderately damped dynamics. The pitch- chair simulation, which provided accurate angular-acceleration cues to the pilot, compared most favorably with flight. For the centrifuge simulation, which furnished accurate normal accelerations but spurious pitching and longitudinal accelerations, there was a deterioration of pilots' opinion relative to flight results. Results of simulator studies with an analog pilot replacing the human pilot illustrated the adaptive capability of human pilots in coping with the wide range of vehicle dynamics and the control problems covered in this study. It was shown that pilot-response characteristics, deduced by the analog-pilot method, could be related to pilot opinion. Possible application of these results for predicting flight-control problems was illustrated by means of an example control-problem analysis. The results of a brief evaluation of a pencil-type side-arm controller in the centrifuge showed a considerable improvement in the pilots' ability to cope with high-frequency, low-damping dynamics, compared to results obtained with the center stick. This improvement with the pencil controller was attributed primarily to a marked reduction in the adverse effects of large and exaggerated pitching and longitudinal accelerations on pilot control precision.

Structural Differences in Gray Matter between Glider Pilots and Non-Pilots. A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

PubMed Central

Ahamed, Tosif; Kawanabe, Motoaki; Ishii, Shin; Callan, Daniel E.

2014-01-01

Glider flying is a unique skill that requires pilots to control an aircraft at high speeds in three dimensions and amidst frequent full-body rotations. In the present study, we investigated the neural correlates of flying a glider using voxel-based morphometry. The comparison between gray matter densities of 15 glider pilots and a control group of 15 non-pilots exhibited significant gray matter density increases in left ventral premotor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and the supplementary eye field. We posit that the identified regions might be associated with cognitive and motor processes related to flying, such as joystick control, visuo-vestibular interaction, and oculomotor control. PMID:25506339

Structural Differences in Gray Matter between Glider Pilots and Non-Pilots. A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study.

PubMed

Ahamed, Tosif; Kawanabe, Motoaki; Ishii, Shin; Callan, Daniel E

2014-01-01

Glider flying is a unique skill that requires pilots to control an aircraft at high speeds in three dimensions and amidst frequent full-body rotations. In the present study, we investigated the neural correlates of flying a glider using voxel-based morphometry. The comparison between gray matter densities of 15 glider pilots and a control group of 15 non-pilots exhibited significant gray matter density increases in left ventral premotor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and the supplementary eye field. We posit that the identified regions might be associated with cognitive and motor processes related to flying, such as joystick control, visuo-vestibular interaction, and oculomotor control.

Evaluation of Two Unique Side Stick Controllers in a Fixed-Base Flight Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayer, Jann; Cox, Timothy H.

2003-01-01

A handling qualities analysis has been performed on two unique side stick controllers in a fixed-base F-18 flight simulator. Each stick, which uses a larger range of motion than is common for similar controllers, has a moving elbow cup that accommodates movement of the entire arm for control. The sticks are compared to the standard center stick in several typical fighter aircraft tasks. Several trends are visible in the time histories, pilot ratings, and pilot comments. The aggressive pilots preferred the center stick, because the side sticks are underdamped, causing overshoots and oscillations when large motions are executed. The less aggressive pilots preferred the side sticks, because of the smooth motion and low breakout forces. The aggressive pilots collectively gave the worst ratings, probably because of increased sensitivity of the simulator (compared to the actual F-18 aircraft), which can cause pilot-induced oscillations when aggressive inputs are made. Overall, the elbow cup is not a positive feature, because using the entire arm for control inhibits precision. Pilots had difficulty measuring their performance, particularly during the offset landing task, and tended to overestimate.

Carotid duplex ultrasound and transcranial Doppler findings in commercial divers and pilots.

PubMed

Dormanesh, Banafshe; Vosoughi, Kia; Akhoundi, Fahimeh H; Mehrpour, Masoud; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Esmaeili, Setareh; Sabet, Azin Shafiee

2016-12-01

The risky working environments of divers and pilots, and the possible role of extreme ambient pressure in carotid stenosis, make ischemic stroke an important occupational concern among these professionals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of being exposed to hyperbaric or hypobaric conditions with carotid artery stenosis by comparing common carotid intima-media thickness (CCIMT) and blood flow velocities of cerebral arteries in divers and pilots using carotid duplex ultrasound (CDUS) and transcranial Doppler (TCD). CDUS and transtemporal TCD were performed in 29 divers, 36 pilots and 30 control participants. Medical history, blood pressure, lipid profile and blood sugar were recorded to control the previously well-known risk factors of atherosclerosis. Findings of the CDUS and TCD [including: CCIMT and blood flow velocities of internal carotid artery (ICA), common carotid artery (CCA), and middle cerebral artery (MCA)] of divers and pilots were compared with those of the control group using regression analysis models. Both right and left side CCIMT were significantly higher in divers (P < 0.05) and pilots (P < 0.05) in comparison with the control group. Carotid index [peak systolic velocity (PSV) of ICA/PSV of CCA) of divers and pilots were also higher than the control group. TCD findings were not significantly different between divers, pilots, and the control group. Increased CCIMT and carotid index in diver and pilot groups appear to be suggestive of accelerated atherosclerosis of carotid artery in these occupational groups.

Open-lung protective ventilation with pressure control ventilation, high-frequency oscillation, and intratracheal pulmonary ventilation results in similar gas exchange, hemodynamics, and lung mechanics.

PubMed

Sedeek, Khaled A; Takeuchi, Muneyuki; Suchodolski, Klaudiusz; Vargas, Sara O; Shimaoka, Motomu; Schnitzer, Jay J; Kacmarek, Robert M

2003-11-01

Pressure control ventilation (PCV), high-frequency oscillation (HFO), and intratracheal pulmonary ventilation (ITPV) may all be used to provide lung protective ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome, but the specific approach that is optimal remains controversial. Saline lavage was used to produce acute respiratory distress syndrome in 21 sheep randomly assigned to receive PCV, HFO, or ITPV as follows: positive end-expiratory pressure (PCV and ITPV) and mean airway pressure (HFO) were set in a pressure-decreasing manner after lung recruitment that achieved a ratio of Pao2/Fio2 > 400 mmHg. Respiratory rates were 30 breaths/min, 120 breaths/min, and 8 Hz, respectively, for PCV, ITPV, and HFO. Eucapnia was targeted with peak carinal pressure of no more than 35 cm H2O. Animals were then ventilated for 4 h. There were no differences among groups in gas exchange, lung mechanics, or hemodynamics. Tidal volume (PCV, 8.9 +/- 2.1 ml/kg; ITPV, 2.7 +/- 0.8 ml/kg; HFO, approximately 2.0 ml/kg) and peak carinal pressure (PCV, 30.6 +/- 2.6 cm H2O; ITPV, 22.3 +/- 4.8 cm H2O; HFO, approximately 24.3 cm H2O) were higher in PCV. Pilot histologic data showed greater interstitial hemorrhage and alveolar septal expansion in PCV than in HFO or ITPV. These data indicate that HFO, ITPV, and PCV when applied with an open-lung protective ventilatory strategy results in the same gas exchange, lung mechanics, and hemodynamic response, but pilot data indicate that lung injury may be greater with PCV.

Chronic migraine headache prevention with noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation: The EVENT study.

PubMed

Silberstein, Stephen D; Calhoun, Anne H; Lipton, Richard B; Grosberg, Brian M; Cady, Roger K; Dorlas, Stefanie; Simmons, Kristy A; Mullin, Chris; Liebler, Eric J; Goadsby, Peter J; Saper, Joel R

2016-08-02

To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) for the prevention of chronic migraine (CM) attacks. In this first prospective, multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot study of nVNS in CM prophylaxis, adults with CM (≥15 headache d/mo) entered the baseline phase (1 month) and were subsequently randomized to nVNS or sham treatment (2 months) before receiving open-label nVNS treatment (6 months). The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability. Efficacy endpoints in the intent-to-treat population included change in the number of headache days per 28 days and acute medication use. Fifty-nine participants (mean age, 39.2 years; mean headache frequency, 21.5 d/mo) were enrolled. During the randomized phase, tolerability was similar for nVNS (n = 30) and sham treatment (n = 29). Most adverse events were mild/moderate and transient. Mean changes in the number of headache days were -1.4 (nVNS) and -0.2 (sham) (Δ = 1.2; p = 0.56). Twenty-seven participants completed the open-label phase. For the 15 completers initially assigned to nVNS, the mean change from baseline in headache days after 8 months of treatment was -7.9 (95% confidence interval -11.9 to -3.8; p < 0.01). Therapy with nVNS was well-tolerated with no safety issues. Persistent prophylactic use may reduce the number of headache days in CM; larger sham-controlled studies are needed. NCT01667250. This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with CM, nVNS is safe, is well-tolerated, and did not significantly change the number of headache days. This pilot study lacked the precision to exclude important safety issues or benefits of nVNS. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Pilot-in-the-Loop Analysis of Propulsive-Only Flight Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Hwei-Lan; Biezad, Daniel J.

1996-01-01

Longitudinal control system architectures are presented which directly couple flight stick motions to throttle commands for a multi-engine aircraft. This coupling enables positive attitude control with complete failure of the flight control system. The architectures chosen vary from simple feedback gains to classical lead-lag compensators with and without prefilters. Each architecture is reviewed for its appropriateness for piloted flight. The control systems are then analyzed with pilot-in-the-loop metrics related to bandwidth required for landing. Results indicate that current and proposed bandwidth requirements should be modified for throttles only flight control. Pilot ratings consistently showed better ratings than predicted by analysis. Recommendations are made for more robust design and implementation. The use of Quantitative Feedback Theory for compensator design is discussed. Although simple and effective augmented control can be achieved in a wide variety of failed configurations, a few configuration characteristics are dominant for pilot-in-the-loop control. These characteristics will be tested in a simulator study involving failed flight controls for a multi-engine aircraft.

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a large, four-engine, remotely piloted airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempel, R. W.; Horton, T. W.

1985-01-01

A controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four engine, remotely piloted transport airplane was conducted. Closed loop primary flight control was performed from a ground based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up/down telemetry link. Uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to a highly modified Bendix PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were generated by the ground pilot. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems. However, manned flight tests were the primary method of verification and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design, development, and flight testing of control laws and the systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

Long-lasting effect of a single botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia secondary to upper esophageal sphincter dysfunction: a pilot study.

PubMed

Terre, Rosa; Valles, Margarida; Panades, Agusti; Mearin, Fermin

2008-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of botulinum toxin (BTX-A) injection in the cricopharyngeus muscle in patients with neurological dysphagia caused by alteration in the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening and with preserved pharyngeal contraction. A prospective pilot study was undertaken in 10 patients (7 brain lesions and 3 cervical spinal cord injuries), with a minimum time-lapse of 6 months from neurological lesion to BTX-A injection. Dysfunction of the UES opening and the presence of pharyngeal contraction were diagnosed by videofluoroscopy (VDF) and esophageal manometry (EM). The BTX-A (100 U) injection was guided by endoscopy. Clinical, VDF, and EM follow-ups were carried out at 3 weeks, 3 and 6 months, and at 1 year post-injection. Prior to treatment, 6 patients were fed by nasogastric tube. VDF showed impairment of the UES opening, residue in pyriform sinuses, and aspiration in all cases. During follow-up, there was a decrease in the number of patients that had aspiration: 3 patients at one year. During swallowing, EM showed a mean UES relaxation of 90% (range: 74.5-100%), residual pressure 3.2 mmHg (range: 0-13 mmHg) and pharyngeal amplitude 52 mmHg (range: 25-80 mmHg). At follow-up, a significant improvement in UES relaxation (98% (89-100%)) and pharyngeal contraction (97 mmHg (35-165 mmHg)) was observed. At 3 months, 6 patients were eating exclusively by mouth. One single injection of BTX-A in the UES has long-lasting effectiveness in patients with neurological dysphagia caused by alteration in the UES opening and with pharyngeal contraction. Nevertheless, a randomized control trial should be done to confirm these results and rule out the effect of potential spontaneous improvement of neurological injury.

Rationale, design and pilot feasibility results of a smartphone-assisted, mindfulness-based intervention for smokers with mood disorders: Project mSMART MIND.

PubMed

Minami, Haruka; Brinkman, Hannah R; Nahvi, Shadi; Arnsten, Julia H; Rivera-Mindt, Monica; Wetter, David W; Bloom, Erika Litvin; Price, Lawrence H; Vieira, Carlos; Donnelly, Remington; McClain, Lauren M; Kennedy, Katherine A; D'Aquila, Erica; Fine, Micki; McCarthy, Danielle E; Graham Thomas, J; Hecht, Jacki; Brown, Richard A

2018-03-01

Although individuals with psychiatric disorders are disproportionately affected by cigarette smoking, few outpatient mental health treatment facilities offer smoking cessation services. In this paper, we describe the development of a smartphone-assisted mindfulness smoking cessation intervention with contingency management (SMI-CM), as well as the design and methods of an ongoing pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) targeting smokers receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment. We also report the results of an open-label pilot feasibility study. In phase 1, we developed and pilot-tested SMI-CM, which includes a smartphone intervention app that prompts participants to practice mindfulness, complete ecological momentary assessment (EMA) reports 5 times per day, and submit carbon monoxide (CO) videos twice per day. Participants earned incentives if submitted videos showed CO≤6ppm. In phase 2, smokers receiving outpatient treatment for mood disorders are randomized to receive SMI-CM or enhanced standard treatment plus non-contingent CM (EST). The results from the pilot feasibility study (N=8) showed that participants practiced mindfulness an average of 3.4times/day (≥3min), completed 72.3% of prompted EMA reports, and submitted 68.0% of requested CO videos. Participants reported that the program was helpful overall (M=4.85/5) and that daily mindfulness practice was helpful for both managing mood and quitting smoking (Ms=4.50/5). The results from the feasibility study indicated high levels of acceptability and satisfaction with SMI-CM. The ongoing RCT will allow evaluation of the efficacy and mechanisms of action underlying SMI-CM for improving cessation rates among smokers with mood disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

77 FR 16232 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): A Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-20

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): A Pilot Surveillance for High... in response to ``A Pilot Surveillance for High Impact/Low Prevalence Congenital and Inherited...

Flight directors for STOl aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rabin, U. H.

1983-01-01

Flight director logic for flight path and airspeed control of a powered-lift STOL aircraft in the approach, transition, and landing configurations are developed. The methods for flight director design are investigated. The first method is based on the Optimal Control Model (OCM) of the pilot. The second method, proposed here, uses a fixed dynamic model of the pilot in a state space formulation similar to that of the OCM, and includes a pilot work-load metric. Several design examples are presented with various aircraft, sensor, and control configurations. These examples show the strong impact of throttle effectiveness on the performance and pilot work-load associated with manual control of powered-lift aircraft during approach. Improved performed and reduced pilot work-load can be achieved by using direct-lift-control to increase throttle effectiveness.

ShakeAlert Users Transition to the Production Prototype System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauss, J. A.; Vinci, M.; Steele, W. P.; Hellweg, M.; Allen, R. M.; DeGroot, R. M.

2016-12-01

The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system transitioned from the demonstration system into the fully-fledged production prototype system this year. Users were migrated over to the new system concurrent with the release of the ShakeAlert UserDisplay Version 2.5.0. The production prototype system provides robust connectivity, fail-over mechanisms to ensure that alarms are deliverd even if one connection fails, and provides a framework to connect future stations, participants, and other sources as the project expands to the full public system. We will present an overview of key user sectors that are either testing or launching pilot projects for the system within their organizations. We will outline the implementation of certain actions, and highlight accomplishments and challenges the Beta Users encounter in fully implementing ShakeAlert within their organizations. By better studying these issues, project partners can better assist the users in incorporating early warning in their operations. Opening up the system to allow for pilot projects enables ShakeAlert users to develop hardware, software, and policy solutions for actions in response to early warning alerts in a controlled environment. This is the first step on the path toward limited rollouts. The pilot groups leverage the expertise of our stakeholders to develop the `last mile' alert distribution and responses. The transition went smoothly in February 2015, for users in California, and we expect to connect with more beta users and pilot groups in this next phase. User transition is planned for Fall 2016 for users in the Pacific Northwest. Beta Users, such as municipalities, emergency response groups, and county officials, lifelines, schools, and private industry continue to meet with ShakeAlert partners to 1) further education and training on both benefits and limitations 2) strategize on implementation actions, such as opening fire house bay doors in response to an alarm, and 3) coordinate continued engagement as the system comes online with more Users and in more areas. The newly created Joint Committee on Communication, Education, and Outreach is aiding with the education and training aspect of the rollout.

FLASH fly-by-light flight control demonstration results overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halski, Don J.

1996-10-01

The Fly-By-Light Advanced Systems Hardware (FLASH) program developed Fly-By-Light (FBL) and Power-By-Wire (PBW) technologies for military and commercial aircraft. FLASH consists of three tasks. Task 1 developed the fiber optic cable, connectors, testers and installation and maintenance procedures. Task 3 developed advanced smart, rotary thin wing and electro-hydrostatic (EHA) actuators. Task 2, which is the subject of this paper,l focused on integration of fiber optic sensors and data buses with cable plant components from Task 1 and actuators from Task 3 into centralized and distributed flight control systems. Both open loop and piloted hardware-in-the-loop demonstrations were conducted with centralized and distributed flight control architectures incorporating the AS-1773A optical bus, active hand controllers, optical sensors, optimal flight control laws in high speed 32-bit processors, and neural networks for EHA monitoring and fault diagnosis. This paper overviews the systems level testing conducted under the FLASH Flight Control task. Preliminary results are summarized. Companion papers provide additional information.

"Heart Bone"--The Case for the IHI Open School as Connector: A Model for Integrating Quality Improvement and Patient Safety into Health Professions Curricula.

PubMed

Miller, Ryan J; Hoffman, Wendell W

2015-06-01

The physician is guardian of the patient and obligated to both the "Science of Medicine" (SOM), defined by the randomized controlled trial, and the "Art of Medicine" (AOM), defined by patient safety (PS) and quality improvement (QI). Historically SOM knowledge has dominated AOM knowledge; however given the frequency of medical harm, a new paradigm is necessary. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement Open School (IHIOS) is accelerating AOM into medical curricula by connecting all stakeholders to the emerging PS and QI sciences, and doing so in an interprofessional manner. A South Dakota IHIOS chapter was established in 2011, connecting SOM to AOM knowledge for 600 students from eight schools and thirteen disciplines. Four specific foci included 1) interprofessional pilot project introducing PS and QI into first year curricula, 2) sessions for third-year medical students to assess Open School courses through faculty-facilitated small groups, 3) development of longitudinal quality and safety curricula, 4) integration of OS courses across South Dakota health professions schools. The interprofessional pilot project demonstrated significant learning in 16 of 16 and 13 of 16 (p = 0.05) teaching points. The third-year sessions showed that PS and QI topics are viewed as important especially with faculty-facilitated case studies. Subsequently a longitudinal PS and QI curriculum was implemented. This led to the incorporation of IHIOS courses as core curricula in four South Dakota colleges and eight health disciplines. Our work was one of the first large-scale efforts to measure learning via the IHIOS through the novel use of the chapter as connector. The model contributes to national efforts for paradigm change through interprofessional education.

Combined treatment with memantine/es-citalopram for older depressed patients with cognitive impairment: a pilot study.

PubMed

Pelton, Gregory H; Harper, Oliver L; Roose, Steven P; Marder, Karen; D'Antonio, Kristina; Devanand, D P

2016-06-01

The objective of the study is to assess combined antidepressant and memantine treatment in older patients presenting with depression and cognitive impairment. Thirty-five depressed patients with cognitive impairment participated in this open-label pilot study. We evaluated whether, over a 48-week period, combined antidepressant (primarily es-citalopram) and memantine treatment was effective in the treatment of cognitive impairment and depression. Neuropsychological testing was performed, and antidepressant response monitored at baseline and at the 12, 24, and 48-week time points. Treatment with escitalopram (mean daily dose 18.62 mg, SD 5.15) and memantine (mean daily dose 13.62 mg, SD 6.67) was associated with improvement in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores over the 48-week study period. Patients demonstrated significant improvement in the primary outcome of cognitive performance (Selective Reminding Test total immediate recall; SRT-IR) over the 48-week treatment period (p = 0.0147). Significant improvement was also observed in measures of naming and verbal fluency but not in the other cognitive domains. One of the 35 patients (2.9%) converted to Alzheimer's disease over the 48-week treatment period. In the amnestic mild cognitive impairment subsample (n = 22), the conversion rate was 4.5%, a rate lower than in other reports of patients with DEP-CI. In this open-label trial, combined antidepressant and memantine treatment in patients with DEP-CI was associated with improved cognition and a low rate of conversion to dementia compared with published studies in patients with DEP-CI. Although limited by the open-label study design that incorporates practice effects that can improve cognitive test performance, the findings suggest the need for a larger randomized placebo-controlled trial. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise and pilot performance: enhanced functioning under search-and-rescue flying conditions.

PubMed

Cowings, P S; Kellar, M A; Folen, R A; Toscano, W B; Burge, J D

2001-01-01

Studies have shown that autonomous mode behavior is one cause of aircraft fatalities due to pilot error. In such cases, the pilot is in a high state of psychological and physiological arousal and tends to focus on one problem, while ignoring more critical information. This study examined the effect of training in physiological self-recognition and regulation, as a means of improving crew cockpit performance. Seventeen pilots were assigned to the treatment and control groups matched for accumulated flight hours. The treatment group contained 4 pilots from HC-130 Hercules aircraft and 4 HH-65 Dolphin helicopter pilots; the control group contained 3 pilots of HC-130s and 6 helicopter pilots. During an initial flight, physiological data were recorded on each crewmember and an instructor pilot rated individual crew performance. Eight crewmembers were then taught to regulate their own physiological response levels using Autogenic-Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE). The remaining participants received no training. During a second flight, treatment participants showed significant improvement in performance (rated by the same instructor pilot as in pretests) while controls did not improve. The results indicate that AFTE management of high states of physiological arousal may improve pilot performance during emergency flying conditions.

Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise and pilot performance: enhanced functioning under search-and-rescue flying conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowings, P. S.; Kellar, M. A.; Folen, R. A.; Toscano, W. B.; Burge, J. D.

2001-01-01

Studies have shown that autonomous mode behavior is one cause of aircraft fatalities due to pilot error. In such cases, the pilot is in a high state of psychological and physiological arousal and tends to focus on one problem, while ignoring more critical information. This study examined the effect of training in physiological self-recognition and regulation, as a means of improving crew cockpit performance. Seventeen pilots were assigned to the treatment and control groups matched for accumulated flight hours. The treatment group contained 4 pilots from HC-130 Hercules aircraft and 4 HH-65 Dolphin helicopter pilots; the control group contained 3 pilots of HC-130s and 6 helicopter pilots. During an initial flight, physiological data were recorded on each crewmember and an instructor pilot rated individual crew performance. Eight crewmembers were then taught to regulate their own physiological response levels using Autogenic-Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE). The remaining participants received no training. During a second flight, treatment participants showed significant improvement in performance (rated by the same instructor pilot as in pretests) while controls did not improve. The results indicate that AFTE management of high states of physiological arousal may improve pilot performance during emergency flying conditions.

Novel Estimation of Pilot Performance Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Edward N.; Aponso, Bimal

2017-01-01

Two mechanisms internal to the pilot that affect performance during a tracking task are: 1) Pilot equalization (i.e. lead/lag); and 2) Pilot gain (i.e. sensitivity to the error signal). For some applications McRuer's Crossover Model can be used to anticipate what equalization will be employed to control a vehicle's dynamics. McRuer also established approximate time delays associated with different types of equalization - the more cognitive processing that is required due to equalization difficulty, the larger the time delay. However, the Crossover Model does not predict what the pilot gain will be. A nonlinear pilot control technique, observed and coined by the authors as 'amplitude clipping', is shown to improve stability, performance, and reduce workload when employed with vehicle dynamics that require high lead compensation by the pilot. Combining linear and nonlinear methods a novel approach is used to measure the pilot control parameters when amplitude clipping is present, allowing precise measurement in real time of key pilot control parameters. Based on the results of an experiment which was designed to probe workload primary drivers, a method is developed that estimates pilot spare capacity from readily observable measures and is tested for generality using multi-axis flight data. This paper documents the initial steps to developing a novel, simple objective metric for assessing pilot workload and its variation over time across a wide variety of tasks. Additionally, it offers a tangible, easily implementable methodology for anticipating a pilot's operating parameters and workload, and an effective design tool. The model shows promise in being able to precisely predict the actual pilot settings and workload, and observed tolerance of pilot parameter variation over the course of operation. Finally, an approach is proposed for generating Cooper-Harper ratings based on the workload and parameter estimation methodology.

STS-28 Columbia, OV-102, Pilot Richards at forward flight deck pilots station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Pilot Richard N. Richards, sitting at forward flight deck pilots station controls, looks back to aft flight deck during STS-28, a Department of Defense (DOD) dedicated mission. Control panels F7 and F8 and portable laptop computer propped on panel F4 appear in front of Richards. Behind him are the pilots seat seat back and head rest. A stuffed toy animal is positioned on C1 panel.

TOPPITS: Trial Of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Throat Symptoms. Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Watson, Gillian; O'Hara, James; Carding, Paul; Lecouturier, Jan; Stocken, Deborah; Fouweather, Tony; Wilson, Janet

2016-04-01

Persistent throat symptoms and Extra Oesophageal Reflux (EOR) are among the commonest reasons for attendance at a secondary care throat or voice clinic. There is a growing trend to treat throat symptom patients with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to suppress stomach acid, but most controlled studies fail to demonstrate a significant benefit of PPI over placebo. In addition, patient views on PPI use vary widely. A UK multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial for adults with persistent throat symptoms to compare the effectiveness of treatment with the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lansoprazole versus placebo. The trial includes a six-month internal pilot, during which three sites will recruit 30 participants in total, to assess the practicality of the trial and assess the study procedures and willingness of the patient population to participate. If the pilot is successful, three additional sites will be opened to recruitment, and a further 302 participants recruited across the six main trial sites. Further trial sites may be opened, as necessary. The main trial will continue for a further 18 months. Participants will be followed up for 12 months from randomisation, throughout which both primary and secondary outcome data will be collected. The primary outcome is change in Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) score, the 'area standard' for this type of assessment, after 16 weeks (four months) of treatment. Secondary outcomes are RSI changes at 12 months after randomisation, Quality of Life assessment at four and 12 months, laryngeal mucosal changes, assessments of compliance and side effects, and patient-reported satisfaction. TOPPITS is designed to evaluate the relative effectiveness of treatment with a proton pump inhibitor versus placebo in patients with persistent throat symptoms. This will provide valuable information to clinicians and GPs regarding the treatment and management of care for these patients, on changes in symptoms, and in Quality of Life, over time. ISRCTN38578686 . Registered 17 April 2014.

Prevention of hypothermia in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation using the humigard® open surgery humidification system: a prospective randomized pilot and feasibility clinical trial.

PubMed

Weinberg, Laurence; Huang, Andrew; Alban, Daniel; Jones, Robert; Story, David; McNicol, Larry; Pearce, Brett

2017-01-23

Perioperative thermal disturbances during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are common. We hypothesized that in patients undergoing OLT the use of a humidified high flow CO 2 warming system maintains higher intraoperative temperatures when compared to standardized multimodal strategies to maintain thermoregulatory homeostasis. We performed a randomized pilot study in adult patients undergoing primary OLT. Participants were randomized to receive either open wound humidification with a high flow CO 2 warming system in addition to standard care (Humidification group) or to standard care alone (Control group). The primary end point was nasopharyngeal core temperature measured 5 min immediately prior to reperfusion of the donor liver (Stage 3 - 5 min). Secondary endpoints included intraoperative PaCO 2 , minute ventilation and the use of vasoconstrictors. Eleven patients were randomized to each group. Both groups were similar for age, body mass index, MELD, SOFA and APACHE II scores, baseline temperature, and duration of surgery. Immediately prior to reperfusion (Stage 3 - 5 min) the mean (SD) core temperature was higher in the Humidification Group compared to the Control Group: 36.0 °C (0.13) vs. 35.4 °C (0.22), p = 0.028. Repeated measured ANOVA showed that core temperatures over time during the stages of the transplant were higher in the Humidification Group compared to the Control Group (p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the ETCO 2 , PaCO 2 , minute ventilation, or inotropic support. The humidified high flow CO 2 warming system was superior to standardized multimodal strategies in maintaining normothermia in patients undergoing OLT. Use of the device was feasible and did not interfere with any aspects of surgery. A larger study is needed to investigate if the improved thermoregulation observed is associated with improved patient outcomes. ACTRN12616001631493 . Retrospectively registered 25 November 2016.

Launch Vehicle Manual Steering with Adaptive Augmenting Control:In-Flight Evaluations of Adverse Interactions Using a Piloted Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, Curt; Miller, Chris; Wall, John H.; VanZwieten, Tannen S.; Gilligan, Eric T.; Orr, Jeb S.

2015-01-01

An Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) algorithm for the Space Launch System (SLS) has been developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) as part of the launch vehicle's baseline flight control system. A prototype version of the SLS flight control software was hosted on a piloted aircraft at the Armstrong Flight Research Center to demonstrate the adaptive controller on a full-scale realistic application in a relevant flight environment. Concerns regarding adverse interactions between the adaptive controller and a potential manual steering mode were also investigated by giving the pilot trajectory deviation cues and pitch rate command authority, which is the subject of this paper. Two NASA research pilots flew a total of 25 constant pitch rate trajectories using a prototype manual steering mode with and without adaptive control, evaluating six different nominal and off-nominal test case scenarios. Pilot comments and PIO ratings were given following each trajectory and correlated with aircraft state data and internal controller signals post-flight.

STS-33 Pilot Blaha bats soccer ball (stuffed toy) on OV-103's middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

STS-33 Pilot John E. Blaha is the goalie in an onboard soccer game using a soccer ball (stuffed toy). The game is on Discovery's, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103's, middeck. Wearing a crew polo shirt and shorts, Blaha, with open hands, dives to save ball from hitting the middeck forward lockers and passing the imaginary goal line on the cabin's port side.

An Overnight Success?: Usage Patterns and Demographics of Academic Library Patrons during the Overnight Period from 11 p.m.-8 a.m.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Mark; Hodges, Chris

2014-01-01

During the Fall 2013 semester East Carolina University's main library piloted 24/5 hours of operation by opening on Sunday morning and not closing until Friday night. This article details the planning and execution of the pilot program, as well the findings from the data collected during the overnight period by people-counting cameras and a…

Experience with a three-axis side-located controller during a static and centrifuge simulation of the piloted launch of a manned multistage vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, William H.; Holleman, Euclid C.

1960-01-01

An investigation was conducted to determine a human pilot's ability to control a multistage vehicle through the launch trajectory. The simulation was performed statically and dynamically by utilizing a human centrifuge. An interesting byproduct of the program was the three-axis side-located controller incorporated for pilot control inputs. This method of control proved to be acceptable for the successful completion of the tracking task during the simulation. There was no apparent effect of acceleration on the mechanical operation of the controller, but the pilot's control feel deteriorated as his dexterity decreased at high levels of acceleration. The application of control in a specific control mode was not difficult. However, coordination of more than one mode was difficult, and, in many instances, resulted in inadvertent control inputs. The acceptable control harmony at an acceleration level of 1 g became unacceptable at higher acceleration levels. Proper control-force harmony for a particular control task appears to be more critical for a three-axis controller than for conventional controllers. During simulations in which the pilot wore a pressure suit, the nature of the suit gloves further aggravated this condition.

Use of Dynamic Distortion to Predict and Alleviate Loss of Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klyde, David; Liang, Chi-Ying; Alvarez, Daniel

2011-01-01

This research has developed and evaluated the specific concepts, termed Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain, to alleviate aircraft loss of control that results from unfavorable pilot/vehicle system interactions, including pilot-induced oscillations (PIOs). Unfavorable pilot/ vehicle-system interactions have long been an aviation safety problem. While the effective aircraft dynamic properties involved in these events have been extensively studied and understood, similar scrutiny has not been paid to the many aspects of the primary manual control system that converts the pilot control inputs to motions of the control surfaces. The purpose of the Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain developments is to redress this neglect, and to develop and validate remedial manual control systems.

Stall Recovery Guidance Algorithms Based on Constrained Control Approaches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stepanyan, Vahram; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje; Kaneshige, John; Acosta, Diana

2016-01-01

Aircraft loss-of-control, in particular approach to stall or fully developed stall, is a major factor contributing to aircraft safety risks, which emphasizes the need to develop algorithms that are capable of assisting the pilots to identify the problem and providing guidance to recover the aircraft. In this paper we present several stall recovery guidance algorithms, which are implemented in the background without interfering with flight control system and altering the pilot's actions. They are using input and state constrained control methods to generate guidance signals, which are provided to the pilot in the form of visual cues. It is the pilot's decision to follow these signals. The algorithms are validated in the pilot-in-the loop medium fidelity simulation experiment.

Development of ADOCS controllers and control laws. Volume 3: Simulation results and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Kenneth H.; Glusman, Steven I.

1985-01-01

The Advanced Cockpit Controls/Advanced Flight Control System (ACC/AFCS) study was conducted by the Boeing Vertol Company as part of the Army's Advanced Digital/Optical Control System (ADOCS) program. Specifically, the ACC/AFCS investigation was aimed at developing the flight control laws for the ADOCS demonstator aircraft which will provide satisfactory handling qualities for an attack helicopter mission. The three major elements of design considered are as follows: Pilot's integrated Side-Stick Controller (SSC) -- Number of axes controlled; force/displacement characteristics; ergonomic design. Stability and Control Augmentation System (SCAS)--Digital flight control laws for the various mission phases; SCAS mode switching logic. Pilot's Displays--For night/adverse weather conditions, the dynamics of the superimposed symbology presented to the pilot in a format similar to the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) Pilot Night Vision System (PNVS) for each mission phase is a function of SCAS characteristics; display mode switching logic. Results of the five piloted simulations conducted at the Boeing Vertol and NASA-Ames simulation facilities are presented in Volume 3. Conclusions drawn from analysis of pilot rating data and commentary were used to formulate recommendations for the ADOCS demonstrator flight control system design. The ACC/AFCS simulation data also provide an extensive data base to aid the development of advanced flight control system design for future V/STOL aircraft.

Re-utilization of Industrial CO 2 for Algae Production Using a Phase Change Material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joseph, Brian

This is the final report of a 36-month Phase II cooperative agreement. Under this project, Touchstone Research Laboratory (Touchstone) investigated the merits of incorporating a Phase Change Material (PCM) into an open-pond algae production system that can capture and re-use the CO 2 from a coal-fired flue gas source located in Wooster, OH. The primary objective of the project was to design, construct, and operate a series of open algae ponds that accept a slipstream of flue gas from a coal-fired source and convert a significant portion of the CO 2 to liquid biofuels, electricity, and specialty products, while demonstratingmore » the merits of the PCM technology. Construction of the pilot facility and shakedown of the facility in Wooster, OH, was completed during the first two years, and the focus of the last year was on operations and the cultivation of algae. During this Phase II effort a large-scale algae concentration unit from OpenAlgae was installed and utilized to continuously harvest algae from indoor raceways. An Algae Lysing Unit and Oil Recovery Unit were also received and installed. Initial parameters for lysing nanochloropsis were tested. Conditions were established that showed the lysing operation was effective at killing the algae cells. Continuous harvesting activities yielded over 200 kg algae dry weight for Ponds 1, 2 and 4. Studies were conducted to determine the effect of anaerobic digestion effluent as a nutrient source and the resulting lipid productivity of the algae. Lipid content and total fatty acids were unaffected by culture system and nutrient source, indicating that open raceway ponds fed diluted anaerobic digestion effluent can obtain similar lipid productivities to open raceway ponds using commercial nutrients. Data were also collected with respect to the performance of the PCM material on the pilot-scale raceway ponds. Parameters such as evaporative water loss, temperature differences, and growth/productivity were tracked. The pond with the PCM material was consistently 2 to 5°C warmer than the control pond. This difference did not seem to increase significantly over time. During phase transitions for the PCM, the magnitude of the difference between the daily minimum and maximum temperatures decreased, resulting in smaller daily temperature fluctuations. A thin layer of PCM material reduced overall water loss by 74% and consistently provided algae densities that were 80% greater than the control pond.« less

Astronaut Edwin Aldrin in open hatch of spacecraft during EVA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

Astronaut Edwin Aldrin, pilot for the Gemini 12 flight, stands up in the open hatch of the spacecraft during his extravehicular activity (EVA) on the first day of the four day mission in space. He prepares camera for installation on outside of the spacecraft (63537); Aldrin removes micrometeoroid package for return to the spacecraft (63538).

Crewmembers in Kibo following Hatch Opening

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-16

ISS023-E-041799 (16 May 2010) --- Soon after initial hatch opening, four STS-132 crew members and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov (left), Expedition 23 commander, are pictured in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. Pictured (front to back) are NASA astronauts Michael Good, mission specialist; Tony Antonelli, pilot; Steve Bowen and Piers Sellers, both mission specialists.

White Matter Integrity in High-Altitude Pilots Exposed to Hypobaria

PubMed Central

McGuire, Stephen A.; Boone, Goldie R.E.; Sherman, Paul M.; Tate, David F.; Wood, Joe D.; Patel, Beenish; Eskandar, George; Wijtenburg, S. Andrea; Rowland, Laura M.; Clarke, Geoffrey D.; Grogan, Patrick M.; Sladky, John H.; Kochunov, Peter V.

2017-01-01

Introduction Nonhypoxic hypobaric (low atmospheric pressure) occupational exposure, such as experienced by U.S. Air Force U-2 pilots and safety personnel operating inside altitude chambers, is associated with increased subcortical white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this discrete WMH change remain unknown. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate that occupational exposure to nonhypoxic hypobaria is associated with altered white matter integrity as quantified by fractional anisotropy (FA) measured using diffusion tensor imaging and relate these findings to WMH burden and neurocognitive ability. Methods There were 102 U-2 pilots and 114 age- and gender-controlled, health-matched controls who underwent magnetic resonance imaging. All pilots performed neurocognitive assessment. Whole-brain and tract-wise average FA values were compared between pilots and controls, followed by comparison within pilots separated into high and low WMH burden groups. Neurocognitive measurements were used to help interpret group difference in FA values. Results Pilots had significantly lower average FA values than controls (0.489/0.500, respectively). Regionally, pilots had higher FA values in the fronto-occipital tract where FA values positively correlated with visual-spatial performance scores (0.603/0.586, respectively). There was a trend for high burden pilots to have lower FA values than low burden pilots. Discussion Nonhypoxic hypobaric exposure is associated with significantly lower average FA in young, healthy U-2 pilots. This suggests that recurrent hypobaric exposure causes diffuse axonal injury in addition to focal white matter changes. PMID:28323582

Commander Brand and Pilot Overmyer operate controls on forward flight deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

On forward flight deck, Commander Brand and Pilot Overmyer operate controls from commanders and pilots seats. Overall view taken from the aft flight deck looking forward shows both astronauts reviewing procedures and checking CRT screen data.

Open PHACTS computational protocols for in silico target validation of cellular phenotypic screens: knowing the knowns† †The authors declare no competing interests. ‡ ‡Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Pipeline Pilot protocols, xls file with the output of the Pipeline Pilot protocols, KNIME workflows, and supplementary figures showing the Pipeline Pilot protocols. See DOI: 10.1039/c6md00065g Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Zdrazil, B.; Neefs, J.-M.; Van Vlijmen, H.; Herhaus, C.; Caracoti, A.; Brea, J.; Roibás, B.; Loza, M. I.; Queralt-Rosinach, N.; Furlong, L. I.; Gaulton, A.; Bartek, L.; Senger, S.; Chichester, C.; Engkvist, O.; Evelo, C. T.; Franklin, N. I.; Marren, D.; Ecker, G. F.

2016-01-01

Phenotypic screening is in a renaissance phase and is expected by many academic and industry leaders to accelerate the discovery of new drugs for new biology. Given that phenotypic screening is per definition target agnostic, the emphasis of in silico and in vitro follow-up work is on the exploration of possible molecular mechanisms and efficacy targets underlying the biological processes interrogated by the phenotypic screening experiments. Herein, we present six exemplar computational protocols for the interpretation of cellular phenotypic screens based on the integration of compound, target, pathway, and disease data established by the IMI Open PHACTS project. The protocols annotate phenotypic hit lists and allow follow-up experiments and mechanistic conclusions. The annotations included are from ChEMBL, ChEBI, GO, WikiPathways and DisGeNET. Also provided are protocols which select from the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to PHARMACOLOGY interaction file selective compounds to probe potential targets and a correlation robot which systematically aims to identify an overlap of active compounds in both the phenotypic as well as any kinase assay. The protocols are applied to a phenotypic pre-lamin A/C splicing assay selected from the ChEMBL database to illustrate the process. The computational protocols make use of the Open PHACTS API and data and are built within the Pipeline Pilot and KNIME workflow tools. PMID:27774140

Characterization of Pilot Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Edward; Aponso, Bimal; Godfroy, Martine

2017-01-01

Skilled pilots often use pulse control when controlling higher order (i.e. acceleration-command) vehicle dynamics. Pulsing does not produce a stick response that resembles what the human Crossover Model predicts. The Crossover Model (CM) assumes the pilot provides compensation necessary (lead or lag) such that the suite of display-human-vehicle approximates an integrator in the region of crossover frequency. However, it is shown that the CM does appear to drive the pilots pulsing behavior in a very predictable manner. Roughly speaking, the pilot generates pulses such that the area under the pulse (pulse amplitude multiplied by pulse width) is approximately equal to area under the hypothetical CM output. This can allow a pilot to employ constant amplitude pulsing so that only the pulse duration (width) is modulated a drastic simplification over the demands of continuous tracking. A pilot pulse model is developed, with which the parameters of the pilots internally-generated CM can be computed in real time for pilot monitoring and display compensation. It is also demonstrated that pursuit tracking may be activated when pulse control is employed.

Compensation for time delay in flight simulator visual-display systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, D. F.

1983-01-01

A piloted aircraft can be viewed as a closed-loop, man-machine control system. When a simulator pilot is performing a precision maneuver, a delay in the visual display of aircraft response to pilot-control input decreases the stability of the pilot-aircraft system. The less stable system is more difficult to control precisely. Pilot dynamic response and performance change as the pilot attempts to compensate for the decrease in system stability, and these changes bias the simulation results by influencing the pilot's rating of the handling qualities of the simulated aircraft. Delay compensation, designed to restore pilot-aircraft system stability, was evaluated in several studies which are reported here. The studies range from single-axis, tracking-task experiments (with sufficient subjects and trials to establish statistical significance of the results) to a brief evaluation of compensation of a computer-generated-imagery (CGI) visual display system in a full six-degree-of-freedom simulation. The compensation was effective - improvements in pilot performance and workload or aircraft handling-qualities rating (HQR) were observed. Results from recent aircraft handling-qualities research literature which support the compensation design approach are also reviewed.

The influence of ATC message length and timing on pilot communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrow, Daniel; Rodvold, Michelle

1993-01-01

Pilot-controller communication is critical to safe and efficient flight. It is often a challenging component of piloting, which is reflected in the number of incidents and accidents involving miscommunication. Our previous field study identified communication problems that disrupt routine communication between pilots and controllers. The present part-task simulation study followed up the field results with a more controlled investigation of communication problems. Pilots flew a simulation in which they were frequently vectored by Air Traffic Control (ATC), requiring intensive communication with the controller. While flying, pilots also performed a secondary visual monitoring task. We examined the influence of message length (one message with four commands vs. two messages with two commands each) and noncommunication workload on communication accuracy and length. Longer ATC messages appeared to overload pilot working memory, resulting in more incorrect or partial readbacks, as well as more requests to repeat the message. The timing between the two short messages also influenced communication. The second message interfered with memory for or response to the first short message when it was delivered too soon after the first message. Performing the secondary monitoring task did not influence communication. Instead, communication reduced monitoring accuracy.

Effects of False Tilt Cues on the Training of Manual Roll Control Skills

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaal, Peter M. T.; Popovici, Alexandru; Zavala, Melinda A.

2015-01-01

This paper describes a transfer-of-training study performed in the NASA Ames Vertica lMotion Simulator. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of false tilt cues on training and transfer of training of manual roll control skills. Of specific interest were the skills needed to control unstable roll dynamics of a mid-size transport aircraft close to the stall point. Nineteen general aviation pilots trained on a roll control task with one of three motion conditions: no motion, roll motion only, or reduced coordinated roll motion. All pilots transferred to full coordinated roll motion in the transfer session. A novel multimodal pilot model identification technique was successfully applied to characterize how pilots' use of visual and motion cues changed over the course of training and after transfer. Pilots who trained with uncoordinated roll motion had significantly higher performance during training and after transfer, even though they experienced the false tilt cues. Furthermore, pilot control behavior significantly changed during the two sessions, as indicated by increasing visual and motion gains, and decreasing lead time constants. Pilots training without motion showed higher learning rates after transfer to the full coordinated roll motion case.

Legislated emergency locating transmitters and emergency position indicating radio beacons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wade, William R. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

An emergency locating transmitting (ELT) system is disclosed which comprises a legislated ELT modified with an interface unit and connected by a multiwire cable to a remote control monitor (RCM), typically located at the pilot position. The RCM can remotely test the ELT by disabling the legislated swept tone and allowing transmission of a single tone, turn the ELT on for legislated ELT transmission, and reset the ELT to an armed condition. The RCM also provides visual and audio indications of transmitter operating condition as well as ELT battery condition. Removing the RCM or shorting or opening the interface input connections will not affect traditional ELT operation.

Autogenic-feedback training improves pilot performance during emergency flying conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellar, Michael A.; Folen, Raymond A.; Cowings, Patricia S.; Toscano, William B.; Hisert, Glen L.

1994-01-01

Studies have shown that autonomous mode behavior is one cause of aircraft fatalities due to pilot error. In such cases, the pilot is in a high state of psychological and physiological arousal and tends to focus on one problem, while ignoring more critical information. This study examined the effect of training in physiological self-recognition and regulation, as a means of improving crew cockpit performance. Seventeen pilots were assigned to the treatment and control groups matched for accumulated flight hours. The treatment group comprised three pilots of HC-130 Hercules aircraft and four HH-65 Dolphin helicopter pilots; the control group comprised three pilots of HC-130's and six Dolphin helicopter pilots. During an initial flight, physiological data were recorded for each crew member and individual crew performance was rated by an instructor pilot. Eight crewmembers were then taught to regulate their own physiological response levels using Autogenic-Feedback Training (AFT). The remaining subjects received no training. During a second flight, treatment subjects showed significant improvement in performance, while controls did not improve. The results indicate that AFT management of high states of physiological arousal may improve pilot performance during emergency flying conditions.

Autogenic-feedback training improves pilot performance during emergency flying conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellar, Michael A.; Folen, Raymond A.; Cowings, Patricia S.; Toscano, William B.; Hisert, Glen L.

1993-01-01

Studies have shown that autonomous mode behavior is one cause of aircraft fatalities due to pilot error. In such cases, the pilot is in a high state of psychological and physiological arousal and tends to focus on one problem, while ignoring more critical information. The effect of training in physiological self-recognition and regulation, as a means of improving crew cockpit performance was examined. Seventeen pilots were assigned to the treatment and control groups matched for accumulated flight hours. The treatment group comprised four pilots of HC-130 Hercules aircraft and four HH-65 Dolphin helicopter pilots; the control group comprised three pilots of HC-130's and six Dolphin helicopter pilots. During an initial flight physiological data were recorded for each crewmember and individual crew performance and rated by an instructor pilot. Eight crewmembers were then taught to regulate their own physiological response levels using Autogenic-Feedback Training (AFT). The remaining subjects received no training. During a second flight, treatment subjects showed significant improvement in performance, while controls did not improve. The results indicate that AFT management of high states of physiological arousal may improve pilot performance during emergency flying conditions.

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a remotely piloted jet transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horton, Timothy W.; Kempel, Robert W.

1988-01-01

The Dryden Flight Research Center Facility of NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) and the FAA conducted the controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four-engine, remotely piloted jet transport airplane. Closed-loop primary flight was controlled through the existing onboard PB-20D autopilot which had been modified for the CID program. Uplink commands were sent from a ground-based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up-down telemetry link. These uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to the modified PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were produced by the ground system. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground-based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems; however, piloted flight tests were the primary method and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design, development, and flight testing of control laws and systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

From generic pathways to ICT-supported horizontally integrated care: the SmartCare approach and convergence with future Internet assembly.

PubMed

Urošević, Vladimir; Mitić, Marko

2014-01-01

Successful service integration in policy and practice requires both technology innovation and service process innovation being pursued and implemented at the same time. The SmartCare project (partially EC-funded under CIP ICT PSP Program) aims to achieve this through development, piloting and evaluation of ICT-based services, horizontally integrating health and social care in ten pilot regions, including Kraljevo region in Serbia. The project has identified and adopted two generic highest-level common thematic pathways in joint consolidation phase - integrated support for long-term care and integrated support after hospital discharge. A common set of standard functional specifications for an open ICT platform enabling the delivery of integrated care is being defined, around the challenges of data sharing, coordination and communication in these two formalized pathways. Implementation and system integration on technology and architecture level are to be based on open standards, multivendor interoperability, and leveraging on the current evolving open specification technology foundations developed in relevant projects across the European Research Area.

75 FR 43395 - Airworthiness Directives; Aircraft Industries a.s. Model L 23 Super Blanik Gliders

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-26

... elevator in place and in jamming of the Pilot's elevator control system, and subsequent loss of elevator... elevator in place and in jamming of the Pilot's elevator control system, and subsequent loss of elevator... retaining the elevator in place and in jamming of the Pilot's elevator control system, and subsequent loss...

Closed-loop, pilot/vehicle analysis of the approach and landing task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, D. K.; Anderson, M. R.

1985-01-01

Optimal-control-theoretic modeling and frequency-domain analysis is the methodology proposed to evaluate analytically the handling qualities of higher-order manually controlled dynamic systems. Fundamental to the methodology is evaluating the interplay between pilot workload and closed-loop pilot/vehicle performance and stability robustness. The model-based metric for pilot workload is the required pilot phase compensation. Pilot/vehicle performance and loop stability is then evaluated using frequency-domain techniques. When these techniques were applied to the flight-test data for thirty-two highly-augmented fighter configurations, strong correlation was obtained between the analytical and experimental results.

Virtual reality flight control display with six-degree-of-freedom controller and spherical orientation overlay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckman, Brian C. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A virtual reality flight control system displays to the pilot the image of a scene surrounding a vehicle or pod having six degrees of freedom of acceleration or velocity control by the pilot and traveling through inertial space, the image itself including a superimposed figure providing the pilot an instant reference of orientation consisting of superimposed sets of geometric figures whose relative orientations provide the pilot an instantaneous feel or sense of orientation changes with respect to some fixed coordinate system. They include a first set of geometric figures whose orientations are fixed to the pilot's vehicle and a second set of geometric figures whose orientations are fixed with respect to a fixed or interstellar coordinate system. The first set of figures is a first set of orthogonal great circles about the three orthogonal axes of the flight vehicle or pod and centered at and surrounding the pilot's head, while the second set of figures is a second set of orthogonal great circles about the three orthogonal axes of a fixed or interstellar coordinate system, also centered at and surrounding the pilot's head.

Wetware, Hardware, or Software Incapacitation: Observational Methods to Determine When Autonomy Should Assume Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Gregory, Irene M.

2014-01-01

Control-theoretic modeling of human operator's dynamic behavior in manual control tasks has a long, rich history. There has been significant work on techniques used to identify the pilot model of a given structure. This research attempts to go beyond pilot identification based on experimental data to develop a predictor of pilot behavior. Two methods for pre-dicting pilot stick input during changing aircraft dynamics and deducing changes in pilot behavior are presented This approach may also have the capability to detect a change in a subject due to workload, engagement, etc., or the effects of changes in vehicle dynamics on the pilot. With this ability to detect changes in piloting behavior, the possibility now exists to mediate human adverse behaviors, hardware failures, and software anomalies with autono-my that may ameliorate these undesirable effects. However, appropriate timing of when au-tonomy should assume control is dependent on criticality of actions to safety, sensitivity of methods to accurately detect these adverse changes, and effects of changes in levels of auto-mation of the system as a whole.

Piloted simulation tests of propulsion control as backup to loss of primary flight controls for a mid-size jet transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bull, John; Mah, Robert; Davis, Gloria; Conley, Joe; Hardy, Gordon; Gibson, Jim; Blake, Matthew; Bryant, Don; Williams, Diane

1995-01-01

Failures of aircraft primary flight-control systems to aircraft during flight have led to catastrophic accidents with subsequent loss of lives (e.g. , DC-1O crash, B-747 crash, C-5 crash, B-52 crash, and others). Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) investigated the use of engine thrust for emergency flight control of several airplanes, including the B-720, Lear 24, F-15, C-402, and B-747. A series of three piloted simulation tests have been conducted at Ames Research Center to investigate propulsion control for safely landing a medium size jet transport which has experienced a total primary flight-control failure. The first series of tests was completed in July 1992 and defined the best interface for the pilot commands to drive the engines. The second series of tests was completed in August 1994 and investigated propulsion controlled aircraft (PCA) display requirements and various command modes. The third series of tests was completed in May 1995 and investigated PCA full-flight envelope capabilities. This report describes the concept of a PCA, discusses pilot controls, displays, and procedures; and presents the results of piloted simulation evaluations of the concept by a cross-section of air transport pilots.

Impact of Bromocriptine-QR Therapy on Glycemic Control and Daily Insulin Requirement in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Subjects Whose Dysglycemia Is Poorly Controlled on High-Dose Insulin: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Roe, Erin D; Chamarthi, Bindu; Raskin, Philip

2015-01-01

The concurrent use of a postprandial insulin sensitizing agent, such as bromocriptine-QR, a quick release formulation of bromocriptine, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, may offer a strategy to improve glycemic control and limit/reduce insulin requirement in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients on high-dose insulin. This open label pilot study evaluated this potential utility of bromocriptine-QR. Ten T2DM subjects on metformin (1-2 gm/day) and high-dose (TDID ≥ 65 U/day) basal-bolus insulin were enrolled to receive once daily (morning) bromocriptine-QR (1.6-4.8 mg/day) for 24 weeks. Subjects with at least one postbaseline HbA1c measurement (N = 8) were analyzed for change from baseline HbA(1c), TDID, and postprandial glucose area under the curve of a four-hour mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT). Compared to the baseline, average HbA1c decreased 1.76% (9.74 ± 0.56 to 7.98 ± 0.36, P = 0.01), average TDID decreased 27% (199 ± 33 to 147 ± 31, P = 0.009), and MMTT AUC(60-240) decreased 32% (P = 0.04) over the treatment period. The decline in HbA(1c) and TDID was observed at 8 weeks and sustained over the remaining 16-week study duration. In this study, bromocriptine-QR therapy improved glycemic control and meal tolerance while reducing insulin requirement in T2DM subjects poorly controlled on high-dose insulin therapy.

Launch Vehicle Manual Steering with Adaptive Augmenting Control In-flight Evaluations of Adverse Interactions Using a Piloted Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, Curt; Miller, Chris; Wall, John H.; Vanzwieten, Tannen S.; Gilligan, Eric; Orr, Jeb S.

2015-01-01

An adaptive augmenting control algorithm for the Space Launch System has been developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center as part of the launch vehicles baseline flight control system. A prototype version of the SLS flight control software was hosted on a piloted aircraft at the Armstrong Flight Research Center to demonstrate the adaptive controller on a full-scale realistic application in a relevant flight environment. Concerns regarding adverse interactions between the adaptive controller and a proposed manual steering mode were investigated by giving the pilot trajectory deviation cues and pitch rate command authority. Two NASA research pilots flew a total of twenty five constant pitch-rate trajectories using a prototype manual steering mode with and without adaptive control.

Ontology-driven data integration and visualization for exploring regional geologic time and paleontological information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chengbin; Ma, Xiaogang; Chen, Jianguo

2018-06-01

Initiatives of open data promote the online publication and sharing of large amounts of geologic data. How to retrieve information and discover knowledge from the big data is an ongoing challenge. In this paper, we developed an ontology-driven data integration and visualization pilot system for exploring information of regional geologic time, paleontology, and fundamental geology. The pilot system (http://www2.cs.uidaho.edu/%7Emax/gts/)

Pilot Fullerton prepares meal on middeck

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-03-30

STS003-26-253 (30 March 1982) --- Astronaut Gordon Fullerton, STS-3 pilot, wearing communications kit assembly (assy) mini-headset (HDST), prepares meal on middeck. Fullerton clips corner of rehydratable food (cereal) package with scissors. The opening will allow Fullerton to insert JSC water dispenser kit water gun in order to heat contents with hot water. Meal tray assembly is secured to forward middeck locker and holds additional food packages and beverage containers. Photo credit: NASA

STS-38 Pilot Culbertson removes film from an OV-104 middeck stowage locker

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

STS-38 Pilot Frank L. Culbertson removes photographic film from stowage locker MF43E located on the middeck of Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104. Additional items fastened to the forward lockers include a doll, meal tray assemblies, a SONY Walkman, a camera lens, and a Department of Air Force insignia (decal). The crew escape pole (CEP) extends over Culbertson's head and the open airlock hatch appears behind him.

Pilot Study Comparing Closed Versus Open Tracheal Suctioning in Postoperative Neonates and Infants With Complex Congenital Heart Disease.

PubMed

Tume, Lyvonne N; Baines, Paul B; Guerrero, Rafael; Hurley, Margaret A; Johnson, Robert; Kalantre, Atul; Ramaraj, Ram; Ritson, Paul C; Walsh, Laura; Arnold, Philip D

2017-07-01

To determine the hemodynamic effect of tracheal suction method in the first 36 hours after high-risk infant heart surgery on the PICU and to compare open and closed suctioning techniques. Pilot randomized crossover study. Single PICU in United Kingdom. Infants undergoing surgical palliation with Norwood Sano, modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, or pulmonary artery banding in the first 36 hours postoperatively. Infants were randomized to receive open or closed (in-line) tracheal suctioning either for their first or second study tracheal suction in the first 36 hours postoperatively. Twenty-four infants were enrolled over 18 months, 11 after modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, seven after Norwood Sano, and six after pulmonary artery banding. Thirteen patients received the open suction method first followed by the closed suction method second, and 11 patients received the closed suction method first followed by the open suction method second in the first 36 hours after their surgery. There were statistically significant larger changes in heart rate (p = 0.002), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.022), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.009), mean blood pressure (p = 0.007), and arterial saturation (p = 0.040) using the open suction method, compared with closed suctioning, although none were clinically significant (defined as requiring any intervention). There were no clinically significant differences between closed and open tracheal suction methods; however, there were statistically significant greater changes in some hemodynamic variables with open tracheal suctioning, suggesting that closed technique may be safer in children with more precarious physiology.

Final Results from A Pilot Project to Investigate Wake Vortex Patterns and Weather Patterns at the Atlantic City Airport by the Richard Stockton College of NJ and the FAA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trout, Joseph; Manson, J. Russell; King, David; Decicco, Nicolas; Prince, Alyssa; di Mercurio, Alexis; Rios, Manual

2017-01-01

Wake Vortex Turbulence is the turbulence generated by an aircraft in flight. This turbulence is created by vortices at the tips of the wing that may decay slowly and persist for several minutes after creation. These vortices and turbulence are hazardous to other aircraft in the vicinity. The strength, formation and lifetime of the turbulence and vortices are effected by many things including the weather. Here we present the final results of the pilot project to investigation of low level wind fields generated by the Weather Research and Forecasting Model and an analysis of historical data. The findings from the historical data and the data simulations were used as inputs for the computational fluid dynamics model (OpenFoam) to show that the vortices could be simulated using OpenFoam. Presented here are the updated results from a research grant, ``A Pilot Project to Investigate Wake Vortex Patterns and Weather Patterns at the Atlantic City Airport by the Stockton University and the FAA''.

Remotely piloted vehicles. Citations from the International Aerospace abstracts data base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mauk, S. C.

1980-01-01

These citations from the international literature cover various aspects of remotely piloted vehicles. Included are articles concerning aircraft design, flight tests, aircraft control, cost effectiveness, automatic flight control, automatic pilots, and data links. Civil aviation applications are included, although military uses of remotely piloted vehicles are stressed. This updated bibliography contains 224 citations, 43 of which are new additions to the previous edition.

Commander Brand and Pilot Overmyer operate controls on forward flight deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

On forward flight deck, Commander Brand and Pilot Overmyer operate controls from commanders and pilots seats. Overall view taken from the aft flight deck looking forward shows Overmyer pointing to data on Panel 7 (F7) CRT 1 screen.

Pilot visual acquisition of traffic : operational communications from air traffic control operational communication.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-05-01

Avionics devices designed to provide pilots with graphically displayed traffic information will enable pilots to acquire and verify the identity of any intruder aircraft within the general area, either before or in accordance with a controller-issued...

From WSN towards WoT: Open API Scheme Based on oneM2M Platforms.

PubMed

Kim, Jaeho; Choi, Sung-Chan; Ahn, Il-Yeup; Sung, Nak-Myoung; Yun, Jaeseok

2016-10-06

Conventional computing systems have been able to be integrated into daily objects and connected to each other due to advances in computing and network technologies, such as wireless sensor networks (WSNs), forming a global network infrastructure, called the Internet of Things (IoT). To support the interconnection and interoperability between heterogeneous IoT systems, the availability of standardized, open application programming interfaces (APIs) is one of the key features of common software platforms for IoT devices, gateways, and servers. In this paper, we present a standardized way of extending previously-existing WSNs towards IoT systems, building the world of the Web of Things (WoT). Based on the oneM2M software platforms developed in the previous project, we introduce a well-designed open API scheme and device-specific thing adaptation software (TAS) enabling WSN elements, such as a wireless sensor node, to be accessed in a standardized way on a global scale. Three pilot services are implemented (i.e., a WiFi-enabled smart flowerpot, voice-based control for ZigBee-connected home appliances, and WiFi-connected AR.Drone control) to demonstrate the practical usability of the open API scheme and TAS modules. Full details on the method of integrating WSN elements into three example systems are described at the programming code level, which is expected to help future researchers in integrating their WSN systems in IoT platforms, such as oneM2M. We hope that the flexibly-deployable, easily-reusable common open API scheme and TAS-based integration method working with the oneM2M platforms will help the conventional WSNs in diverse industries evolve into the emerging WoT solutions.

From WSN towards WoT: Open API Scheme Based on oneM2M Platforms

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaeho; Choi, Sung-Chan; Ahn, Il-Yeup; Sung, Nak-Myoung; Yun, Jaeseok

2016-01-01

Conventional computing systems have been able to be integrated into daily objects and connected to each other due to advances in computing and network technologies, such as wireless sensor networks (WSNs), forming a global network infrastructure, called the Internet of Things (IoT). To support the interconnection and interoperability between heterogeneous IoT systems, the availability of standardized, open application programming interfaces (APIs) is one of the key features of common software platforms for IoT devices, gateways, and servers. In this paper, we present a standardized way of extending previously-existing WSNs towards IoT systems, building the world of the Web of Things (WoT). Based on the oneM2M software platforms developed in the previous project, we introduce a well-designed open API scheme and device-specific thing adaptation software (TAS) enabling WSN elements, such as a wireless sensor node, to be accessed in a standardized way on a global scale. Three pilot services are implemented (i.e., a WiFi-enabled smart flowerpot, voice-based control for ZigBee-connected home appliances, and WiFi-connected AR.Drone control) to demonstrate the practical usability of the open API scheme and TAS modules. Full details on the method of integrating WSN elements into three example systems are described at the programming code level, which is expected to help future researchers in integrating their WSN systems in IoT platforms, such as oneM2M. We hope that the flexibly-deployable, easily-reusable common open API scheme and TAS-based integration method working with the oneM2M platforms will help the conventional WSNs in diverse industries evolve into the emerging WoT solutions. PMID:27782058

Pilot non dialysis chronic renal insufficiency study (P-ND-CRIS): a pilot study of an open prospective hospital-based French cohort.

PubMed

Massol, Jacques; Janin, Gérard; Bachot, Camille; Gousset, Christophe; Deville, Geoffroy Sainte-Claire; Chalopin, Jean-Marc

2017-02-01

Before establishing a prospective cohort, an initial pilot study is recommended. However, there are no precise guidelines on this subject. This paper reports the findings of a French regional pilot study carried out in three nephrology departments, before realizing a major prospective Non Dialysis Chronic Renal Insufficiency study (ND-CRIS). We carried out an internal pilot study. The objectives of this pilot study were to validate the feasibility (regulatory approval, providing patients with information, availability of variables, refusal rate of eligible patients) and quality criteria (missing data, rate of patients lost to follow-up, characteristics of the patients included and non-included eligible patients, quality control of the data gathered) and estimate the human resources necessary (number of clinical research associates required). The authorizations obtained (CCTIRS - CNIL) and the contracts signed with hospitals have fulfilled the regulatory requirements. After validating the information on the study provided to patients, 1849 of them were included in three centres (university hospital, intercommunal hospital, town hospital) between April 2012 and September 2015. The low refusal rate (51 patients) and the characteristics of non-included patients have confirmed the benefit for patients of participating in the study and provide evidence of the feasibility and representativeness of the population studied. The lack of missing data on the variables studied, the quality of the data analyzed and the low number of patients lost to follow-up are evidence of the quality of the study. By taking into account the time spent by CRAs to enter data and to travel, as well as the annual patient numbers in each hospital, we estimate that five CRAs will be required in total. With no specific guidelines on how to realize a pilot study before implementing a major prospective cohort, we considered it pertinent to report our experience of P-ND-CRIS. This experience confirms that i) feasibility, ii) quality of data and iii) evaluating the resources required must be validated before carrying out a large prospective cohort study such as ND-CRIS.

The Rocks From Space outreach initiative and The Space Safari: the development of virtual learning environments for planetary science outreach in the UK.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, V. K.; Greenwood, R. C.; Bridges, J.; Watson, J.; Brooks, V.

The Rocks From Space outreach initiative and The Space Safari: the development of virtual learning environments for planetary science outreach in the UK. V.K. Pearson (1), R.C. Greenwood (1), J. Bridges (1), J. Watson (2) and V. Brooks (2) (1) Plantetary and Space Sciences Research Institute (PSSRI), The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA. (2) Stockton-on-Tees City Learning Centre, Marsh House Avenue, Billingham, TS23 3QJ. (v.k.pearson@open.ac.uk Fax: +44 (0) 858022 Phone: +44 (0) 1908652814 The Rocks From Space (RFS) project is a PPARC and Open University supported planetary science outreach initiative. It capitalises on the successes of Open University involvement in recent space missions such as Genesis and Stardust which have brought planetary science to the forefront of public attention.Our traditional methods of planetary science outreach have focussed on activities such as informal school visits and public presentations. However, these traditional methods are often limited to a local area to fit within time and budget constraints and therefore RFS looks to new technologies to reach geographically dispersed audiences. In collaboration with Stockton-on-Tees City Learning Centre, we have conducted a pilot study into the use of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) for planetary science outreach. The pilot study was undertaken under the guise of a "Space Safari" in which pupils dispersed across the Teesside region of the UK could collaboratively explore the Solar System. Over 300 students took part in the pilot from 11 primary schools (ages 6-10). Resources for their exploration were provided by Open University scientists in Milton Keynes and hosted on the VLE. Students were encouraged to post their findings, ideas and questions via wikis and a VLE forum. This combination of contributions from students, teachers and scientists encouraged a collaborative learning environment. These asynchronous activities were complemented by synchronous virtual classroom activities using Elluminate Live! facilities where students could attend "drop-in" sessions with scientists to discuss their exploration. Following these activities, schools were asked to produce a collaborative piece of work about their exploration that could be hosted on the Rocks From Space website (www.rocksfromspace.open.ac.uk; designed by Milton Keynes HE college students) as a resource for future projects and wider public access. Submissions included powerpoint presentations, animations, poems and murals and illustrates the cross curriculum nature of this project. We present the outcomes and evaluation of this pilot study with recommendations for the future use of VLEs in planetary science outreach.

An Analysis of Tower (Ground) Controller - Pilot Voice Communications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-11-01

This report is based on an analysis of over 48 hours of pilot-controller communications recorded from the ground-control : frequency at twelve air traffic control towers. The analysis examined the complexity of controller instructions, that : is, how...

Crew workload in JASDF C-1 transport flights: I. Change in heart rate and salivary cortisol.

PubMed

Kakimoto, Y; Nakamura, A; Tarui, H; Nagasawa, Y; Yagura, S

1988-06-01

The physiological responses of heart rate and salivary cortisol for six paired captains and co-pilots during JASDF scheduled transport flights were compared to assess crew workload. The relative change of both responses showed similar patterns and were influenced significantly by whether pilots were controlling the aircraft. Moreover, differences in flying experience and responsibility of captains and co-pilots influenced the two physiological responses; heart rate and salivary cortisol measures increased more for both captains and co-pilots while they were in control of the aircraft than when they were not. Compared to captains, co-pilots showed much higher activation and variability in relative change of heart rate and salivary cortisol between periods of controlling and non-controlling the aircraft. On the other hand, captains showed relatively constant responses comparing aircraft controlling and non-controlling periods, especially in the cruise phase of flight. Salivary cortisol may be a useful, non-invasive method of assess crew workload.

Disruptive Innovation? Open Educational Projects Peer 2 Peer University and StraighterLine Take Shape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, 2010

2010-01-01

The pilot phase of Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU), a "grassroots" open educational project aimed at creating a new model for lifelong learning is now underway. Billing itself as an institution which promotes "learning for everyone, by everyone, about almost anything", P2PU is seeking to provide high-quality, low-cost educational opportunities by…

Recognising Informal Elearning with Digital Badging: Evidence for a Sustainable Business Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Patrina

2015-01-01

Digital badging as a trend in education is now recognised. It offers a way to reward and motivate, providing evidence of skills and achievements. Badged Open Courses (BOCs) were piloted by The Open University (OU) in 2013. The project built on research into the motivations and profiles of learners using free educational resources which the OU…

Campus and Online U.S. College Students' Attitudes toward an Open Educational Resource Course Fee: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindshield, Brian L.; Adhikari, Koushik

2013-01-01

Convincing faculty to accept, create, adapt, and adopt open educational resources (OERs) instead of textbooks for their courses has proven challenging because incentives are lacking. One approach to provide incentive to faculty members is an OER course fee, which could be employed in courses that use OERs approved by the institution for courses…

75 FR 16535 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Order Granting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

... NYSE OpenBook March 25, 2010. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the... its pilot program for a revised unit-of-count methodology for NYSE OpenBook until July 31, 2010. The...Book product packages.\\3\\ Under the proposal, the Exchange no longer defines the Vendor- Subscriber...

Mapping automotive like controls to a general aviation aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, Christopher G.

The purpose of this thesis was to develop fly-by-wire control laws enabling a general aviation aircraft to be flown with automotive controls, i.e. a steering wheel and gas/brake pedals. There was a six speed shifter used to change the flight mode of the aircraft. This essentially allows the pilot to have control over different aspects of the flight profile such as climb/descend or cruise. A highway in the sky was used to aid in the navigation since it is not intuitive to people without flight experience how to navigate from the sky or when to climb and descend. Many believe that general aviation could become as widespread as the automobile. Every person could have a personal aircraft at their disposal and it would be as easy to operate as driving an automobile. The goal of this thesis is to fuse the ease of drivability of a car with flight of a small general aviation aircraft. A standard automotive control hardware setup coupled with variably autonomous control laws will allow new pilots to fly a plane as easily as driving a car. The idea is that new pilots will require very little training to become proficient with these controls. Pilots with little time to stay current can maintain their skills simply by driving a car which is typically a daily activity. A human factors study was conducted to determine the feasibility of the applied control techniques. Pilot performance metrics were developed to compare candidates with no aviation background and experienced pilots. After analyzing the relative performance between pilots and non-pilots, it has been determined that the control system is robust and easy to learn. Candidates with no aviation experience whatsoever can learn to fly an aircraft as safely and efficiently as someone with hundreds of hours of flight experience using these controls.

Pilots strategically compensate for display enlargements in surveillance and flight control tasks.

PubMed

Stelzer, Emily Muthard; Wickens, Christopher D

2006-01-01

Experiments were conducted to assess the impact of display size on flight control, airspace surveillance, and goal-directed target search. Research of 3-D displays has shown that display scale compression influences the perception of flight path deviation, though less is known about the causes that drive this effect. In addition, research on attention-based tasks has shown that information displaced to significant eccentricities can amplify effort, but it is unclear whether the effect generates a performance difference in complex displays. In Experiment 1, 16 pilots completed a low-fidelity flight control task under single- and dual-axis control. In Experiment 2, the control task from Experiment 1 was scaled up to a more realistic flight environment, and pilots performed hazard surveillance and target search tasks. For flight control, pilots exhibited less path error and greater stick activity with a large display, which was attributed both to greater enhanced resolution and to the fact that larger depictions of error lead to greater urgency in correcting deviations. Size did not affect hazard surveillance or search, as pilots were adaptive in altering scanning patterns in response to the enlargement of the displays. Although pilots were adaptive to display changes in search and surveillance, display size reduction diminished estimates of flight path deviation and control performance because of lowered resolution and control urgency. Care should be taken when manipulating display size, as size reduction can diminish control performance.

A Pilot Study of Open Venous Revascularization using Expandable PTFE Stent Grafts in a Porcine (Sus scrofa) Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-23

expandable stent -grafts that are designed to expand within a vessel to cover an injury or open a blockage. Methods: 3 Yorkshire cross swine were...expandable PTFE stent graft was deployed into the vessel in an open direct fashion. The swine were awoken and allowed to ambulate. At 72 hours, conduit...hours, all stents were patent on venography. Conclusion: Direct site endovascular repair of venous injuries utilizing expandable PTFE stent grafts is a

Dynamic and functional balance tasks in subjects with persistent whiplash: a pilot trial.

PubMed

Stokell, Raina; Yu, Annie; Williams, Katrina; Treleaven, Julia

2011-08-01

Disturbances in static balance have been demonstrated in subjects with persistent whiplash. Some also report loss of balance and falls. These disturbances may contribute to difficulties in dynamic tasks. The aim of this study was to determine whether subjects with whiplash had deficits in dynamic and functional balance tasks when compared to a healthy control group. Twenty subjects with persistent pain following a whiplash injury and twenty healthy controls were assessed in single leg stance with eyes open and closed, the step test, Fukuda stepping test, tandem walk on a firm and soft surface, Singleton test with eyes open and closed, a stair walking test and the timed 10 m walk with and without head movement. Subjects with whiplash demonstrated significant deficits (p < 0.01) in single leg stance with eyes closed, the step test, tandem walk on a firm and soft surface, stair walking and the timed 10 m walk with and without head movement when compared to the control subjects. Specific assessment and rehabilitation directed towards improving these deficits may need to be considered in the management of patients with persistent whiplash if these results are confirmed in a larger cohort. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vertical flight path steering system for aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambregts, Antonius A. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

Disclosed is a vertical flight path angle steering system for aircraft, utilizing a digital flight control computer which processes pilot control inputs and aircraft response parameters into suitable elevator commands and control information for display to the pilot on a cathode ray tube. The system yields desirable airplane control handling qualities and responses as well as improvements in pilot workload and safety during airplane operation in the terminal area and under windshear conditions.

Controlling road rage : a literature review and pilot study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-06-01

This report discusses results of a literature review and pilot study on how to prevent aggressive driving and road rage. The study "Controlling Road Rage: A Literature Review and Pilot Study" defines road rage as "an incident in which an angry or imp...

An investigation of sensory information, levels of automation, and piloting experience on unmanned aircraft pilot performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

"The current experiment was intended to examine the effect of sensory information on pilot reactions to system : failures within a UAS control station simulation. This research also investigated the level of automation used in : controlling the aircr...

Handling qualities of large flexible control-configured aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swaim, R. L.

1980-01-01

The effects on handling qualities of low frequency symmetric elastic mode interaction with the rigid body dynamics of a large flexible aircraft was analyzed by use of a mathematical pilot modeling computer simulation. An extension of the optimal control model for a human pilot was made so that the mode interaction effects on the pilot's control task could be assessed. Pilot ratings were determined for a longitudinal tracking task with parametric variations in the undamped natural frequencies of the two lowest frequency symmetric elastic modes made to induce varying amounts of mode interaction. Relating numerical performance index values associated with the frequency variations used in several dynamic cases, to a numerical Cooper-Harper pilot rating has proved successful in discriminating when the mathematical pilot can or cannot separate rigid from elastic response in the tracking task.

A Demonstration of a Retrofit Architecture for Intelligent Control and Diagnostics of a Turbofan Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litt, Jonathan S.; Turso, James A.; Shah, Neerav; Sowers, T. Shane; Owen, A. Karl

2005-01-01

A retrofit architecture for intelligent turbofan engine control and diagnostics that changes the fan speed command to maintain thrust is proposed and its demonstration in a piloted flight simulator is described. The objective of the implementation is to increase the level of autonomy of the propulsion system, thereby reducing pilot workload in the presence of anomalies and engine degradation due to wear. The main functions of the architecture are to diagnose the cause of changes in the engine s operation, warning the pilot if necessary, and to adjust the outer loop control reference signal in response to the changes. This requires that the retrofit control architecture contain the capability to determine the changed relationship between fan speed and thrust, and the intelligence to recognize the cause of the change in order to correct it or warn the pilot. The proposed retrofit architecture is able to determine the fan speed setting through recognition of the degradation level of the engine, and it is able to identify specific faults and warn the pilot. In the flight simulator it was demonstrated that when degradation is introduced into an engine with standard fan speed control, the pilot needs to take corrective action to maintain heading. Utilizing the intelligent retrofit control architecture, the engine thrust is automatically adjusted to its expected value, eliminating yaw without pilot intervention.

Occupational Stress and Hypertension among Railway Loco Pilots and Section Controllers.

PubMed

Jayakumar, Devasigamoney

2017-01-01

A cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted on loco pilots in 2008, in view of loco pilots being one of the high strain jobs in Indian Railways. Subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted among section controllers in 2011, which is another high strain job of Indian Railways. The studies were conducted to analyze and compare occupational stress and hypertension. A cross-sectional study on occupational stress and hypertension was conducted among 230 loco pilots in 2008, and subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 82 section controllers in 2011. A closed end 24 item questionnaire on occupational stress was administered. Systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg were considered as hypertension as per the VII Joint National Committee. Chi-square test and t -test were used for testing significance at P < 0.05. The mean stress score was 8.56 in loco pilots and 7.32 in section controllers. The number of loco pilots with more than 12 stress factors was 49 (21.3%) and the number of section controllers with more than 12 stress factors was 7 (8.5%). The number employees with more than 12 stress factors in different categories of loco pilots were 30 (32%) in the goods category, 12 (12%) in the mail/passenger category, and 7 (19%) in the shunter category, and 3 (11%) in the supervisory category and 4 (7%) in the on-board category of section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in loco pilots was 36.52% (84) and in the section controllers was 53.66% (44). The prevalence of hypertension in the category with more than 12 stress factors was 30.61% (15) in the loco pilots and 28.57% (2) in the section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in the both the study groups were higher in the older age, with a family history of hypertension, and with a body mass index of more than 25 kg/m 2 . The mean occupational stress and employees with more than 12 stress factors were higher in the loco pilots group. The goods category of loco pilots had highest stress factors. The prevalence of hypertension was high in the category with risk factors such as older age, family history of hypertension and BMI above 25 kg/m 2 .

Development of ADOCS controllers and control laws. Volume 2: Literature review and preliminary analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Kenneth H.; Glusman, Steven I.

1985-01-01

The Advanced Cockpit Controls/Advanced Flight Control System (ACC/AFCS) study was conducted by the Boeing Vertol Company as part of the Army's Advanced Digital/Optical Control System (ADOCS) program. Specifically, the ACC/AFCS investigation was aimed at developing the flight control laws for the ADOCS demonstrator aircraft which will provide satisfactory handling qualities for an attack helicopter mission. The three major elements of design considered are as follows: Pilot's integrated Side-Stick Controller (SSC) -- Number of axes controlled; force/displacement characteristics; ergonomic design. Stability and Control Augmentation System (SCAS)--Digital flight control laws for the various mission phases; SCAS mode switching logic. Pilot's Displays--For night/adverse weather conditions, the dynamics of the superimposed symbology presented to the pilot in a format similar to the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) Pilot Night Vision System (PNVS) for each mission phase as a function of ACAS characteristics; display mode switching logic. Findings from the literature review and the analysis and synthesis of desired control laws are reported in Volume 2. Conclusions drawn from pilot rating data and commentary were used to formulate recommendations for the ADOCS demonstrator flight control system design. The ACC/AFCS simulation data also provide an extensive data base to aid the development of advanced flight control system design for future V/STOL aircraft.

Piloted simulation of a ground-based time-control concept for air traffic control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Thomas J.; Green, Steven M.

1989-01-01

A concept for aiding air traffic controllers in efficiently spacing traffic and meeting scheduled arrival times at a metering fix was developed and tested in a real time simulation. The automation aid, referred to as the ground based 4-D descent advisor (DA), is based on accurate models of aircraft performance and weather conditions. The DA generates suggested clearances, including both top-of-descent-point and speed-profile data, for one or more aircraft in order to achieve specific time or distance separation objectives. The DA algorithm is used by the air traffic controller to resolve conflicts and issue advisories to arrival aircraft. A joint simulation was conducted using a piloted simulator and an advanced concept air traffic control simulation to study the acceptability and accuracy of the DA automation aid from both the pilot's and the air traffic controller's perspectives. The results of the piloted simulation are examined. In the piloted simulation, airline crews executed controller issued descent advisories along standard curved path arrival routes, and were able to achieve an arrival time precision of + or - 20 sec at the metering fix. An analysis of errors generated in turns resulted in further enhancements of the algorithm to improve the predictive accuracy. Evaluations by pilots indicate general support for the concept and provide specific recommendations for improvement.

Adaptive State Predictor Based Human Operator Modeling on Longitudinal and Lateral Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Gregory, Irene M.; Hempley, Lucas E.

2015-01-01

Control-theoretic modeling of the human operator dynamic behavior in manual control tasks has a long and rich history. In the last two decades, there has been a renewed interest in modeling the human operator. There has also been significant work on techniques used to identify the pilot model of a given structure. The purpose of this research is to attempt to go beyond pilot identification based on collected experimental data and to develop a predictor of pilot behavior. An experiment was conducted to categorize these interactions of the pilot with an adaptive controller compensating during control surface failures. A general linear in-parameter model structure is used to represent a pilot. Three different estimation methods are explored. A gradient descent estimator (GDE), a least squares estimator with exponential forgetting (LSEEF), and a least squares estimator with bounded gain forgetting (LSEBGF) used the experiment data to predict pilot stick input. Previous results have found that the GDE and LSEEF methods are fairly accurate in predicting longitudinal stick input from commanded pitch. This paper discusses the accuracy of each of the three methods - GDE, LSEEF, and LSEBGF - to predict both pilot longitudinal and lateral stick input from the flight director's commanded pitch and bank attitudes.

OMV mission simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cok, Keith E.

1989-01-01

The Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) will be remotely piloted during rendezvous, docking, or proximity operations with target spacecraft from a ground control console (GCC). The real-time mission simulator and graphics being used to design a console pilot-machine interface are discussed. A real-time orbital dynamics simulator drives the visual displays. The dynamics simulator includes a J2 oblate earth gravity model and a generalized 1962 rotating atmospheric and drag model. The simulator also provides a variable-length communication delay to represent use of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) and NASA Communications (NASCOM). Input parameter files determine the graphics display. This feature allows rapid prototyping since displays can be easily modified from pilot recommendations. A series of pilot reviews are being held to determine an effective pilot-machine interface. Pilots fly missions with nominal to 3-sigma dispersions in translational or rotational axes. Console dimensions, switch type and layout, hand controllers, and graphic interfaces are evaluated by the pilots and the GCC simulator is modified for subsequent runs. Initial results indicate a pilot preference for analog versus digital displays and for two 3-degree-of-freedom hand controllers.

An experimental study of human pilot's scanning behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washizu, K.; Tanaka, K.; Osawa, T.

1982-01-01

The scanning behavior and the control behavior of the pilot who manually controls the two-variable system, which is the most basic one of multi-variable systems are investigated. Two control tasks which simulate the actual airplane attitude and airspeed control were set up. In order to simulate the change of the situation where the pilot is placed, such as changes of flight phase, mission and others, the subject was requested to vary the weightings, as his control strategy, upon each task. Changes of human control dynamics and his canning properties caused by the modification of the situation were investigated. By making use of the experimental results, the optimal model of the control behavior and the scanning behavior of the pilot in the two-variable system is proposed from the standpoint of making the performance index minimal.

46 CFR 96.40-1 - Pilot boarding equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pilot boarding equipment. 96.40-1 Section 96.40-1... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Pilot Boarding Equipment § 96.40-1 Pilot boarding equipment. (a) This section applies to each vessel that normally embarks or disembarks a pilot from a pilot...

46 CFR 195.40-1 - Pilot boarding equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pilot boarding equipment. 195.40-1 Section 195.40-1... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Pilot Boarding Equipment § 195.40-1 Pilot boarding equipment. (a) This section applies to each vessel that normally embarks or disembarks a pilot from a pilot...

46 CFR 96.40-1 - Pilot boarding equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pilot boarding equipment. 96.40-1 Section 96.40-1... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Pilot Boarding Equipment § 96.40-1 Pilot boarding equipment. (a) This section applies to each vessel that normally embarks or disembarks a pilot from a pilot...

46 CFR 195.40-1 - Pilot boarding equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pilot boarding equipment. 195.40-1 Section 195.40-1... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Pilot Boarding Equipment § 195.40-1 Pilot boarding equipment. (a) This section applies to each vessel that normally embarks or disembarks a pilot from a pilot...

Feasibility and effects of a physical exercise programme in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1: a randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Kierkegaard, Marie; Harms-Ringdahl, Karin; Edström, Lars; Widén Holmqvist, Lotta; Tollbäck, Anna

2011-07-01

To investigate the feasibility and effects of a physical exercise programme on functioning and health-related quality of life in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1. A randomized controlled trial. Thirty-five adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1. After stratification for level of functioning, study participants were assigned by lot to either a training group or a control group. Training-group participants attended a 60-minute comprehensive group-training programme, Friskis&Svettis® Open Doors, twice a week for 14 weeks. The six-minute walk test was the primary outcome measure and the timed-stands test, the timed up-and-go test, the Epworth sleepiness scale and the Short Form-36 health survey were secondary outcome measures. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no significant differences in any outcome measures, except for an increased between-group difference after intervention in the Short Form-36 mental health subscale and a decrease in the vitality subscale for the control group. The programme was well tolerated and many training-group participants perceived subjective changes for the better. No negative effects were reported. The Friskis&Svettis® Open Doors programme was feasible for adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1 who had been screened for cardiac involvement, had distal or mild-to-moderate proximal muscle impairment, and no severe cognitive impairments. No beneficial or detrimental effects were evident.

Effect of vertical active vibration isolation on tracking performance and on ride qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dimasi, F. P.; Allen, R. E.; Calcaterra, P. C.

1972-01-01

An investigation to determine the effect on pilot performance and comfort of an active vibration isolation system for a commercial transport pilot seat is reported. The test setup consisted of: a hydraulic shaker which produced random vertical vibration inputs; the active vibration isolation system; the pilot seat; the pilot control wheel and column; the side-arm controller; and a two-axis compensatory tracking task. The effects of various degrees of pilot isolation on short-term (two-minute) tracking performance and comfort were determined.

Free-Spinning-Tunnel Tests of a 1/16-Scale Model of the Chance Vought XF5U-1 Airplane, TED No. NACA 2349

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Richard P.

1947-01-01

Spin tests of a 1/16-scale model of the Chance Vought XF5U-1 airplane have been performed in the Langley 20-foot free-spinning tunnel. The effect of control position and movement upon the erect and inverted spin and recovery characteristics ae well as the effects of propellers, of stability flaps, and of various revisions to the design configuration have been determined for the normal fighter loading. The investigation also included spin recovery parachute, tumbling, and pilot-escape tests. For the original design configuration, with or without windmilling propellers, the recovery characteristics of the model were considered unsatisfactory. Increasing the maximum upward deflection of the ailavators from 45 deg to 65 deg resulted in greatly improved recovery characteristics. Dimensional revisions to the original airplane configuration, which satisfactorily improved the general spin and recovery characteristics of the model, consisted of: (1) a supplementary vertical tail 34 inches by 59 inches (full-scale) attached to a boom 80 inches aft of the trailing edge of the airplane in the plane of symmetry, (2) a large semispan undersurface spoiler placed along the airplane quarter-chord line and opened on the outboard side in a spin, or (3) two additional vertical tails 64 inches by 52 inches (full-scale) located at the tips of the ailavators. A satisfactory parachute arrangement for emergency spin recovery from demonstration spins was found to be an arrangement consisting of a 13.3-foot parachute attached by a 30-foot towline to the arresting gear mast on the airplane and opened simultaneously with an 8-foot parachute on the outboard end of the wing attached by a 3-foot towline. Tests indicated that pilot escape from a spin would be extremely hazardous unless the pilot is mechanically ejected from the cockpit. Model tumbling tests indicated that the airplane would not tumble.

Proton pump inhibitors and vascular function: A prospective cross-over pilot study.

PubMed

Ghebremariam, Yohannes T; Cooke, John P; Khan, Fouzia; Thakker, Rahul N; Chang, Peter; Shah, Nigam H; Nead, Kevin T; Leeper, Nicholas J

2015-08-01

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used drugs for the treatment of gastric reflux. Recent retrospective cohorts and large database studies have raised concern that the use of PPIs is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, there is no prospective clinical study evaluating whether the use of PPIs directly causes CV harm. We conducted a controlled, open-label, cross-over pilot study among 21 adults aged 18 and older who are healthy (n=11) or have established clinical cardiovascular disease (n=10). Study subjects were assigned to receive a PPI (Prevacid; 30 mg) or a placebo pill once daily for 4 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, participants were crossed over to receive the alternate treatment for the ensuing 4 weeks. Subjects underwent evaluation of vascular function (by the EndoPAT technique) and had plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA, an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial function previously implicated in PPI-mediated risk) measured prior to and after each treatment interval. We observed a marginal inverse correlation between the EndoPAT score and plasma levels of ADMA (r = -0.364). Subjects experienced a greater worsening in plasma ADMA levels while on PPI than on placebo, and this trend was more pronounced amongst those subjects with a history of vascular disease. However, these trends did not reach statistical significance, and PPI use was also not associated with an impairment in flow-mediated vasodilation during the course of this study. In conclusion, in this open-label, cross-over pilot study conducted among healthy subjects and coronary disease patients, PPI use did not significantly influence vascular endothelial function. Larger, long-term and blinded trials are needed to mechanistically explain the correlation between PPI use and adverse clinical outcomes, which has recently been reported in retrospective cohort studies. © The Author(s) 2015.

Are pilot trials useful for predicting randomisation and attrition rates in definitive studies: A review of publicly funded trials.

PubMed

Cooper, Cindy L; Whitehead, Amy; Pottrill, Edward; Julious, Steven A; Walters, Stephen J

2018-04-01

External pilot trials are recommended for testing the feasibility of main or confirmatory trials. However, there is little evidence that progress in external pilot trials actually predicts randomisation and attrition rates in the main trial. To assess the use of external pilot trials in trial design, we compared randomisation and attrition rates in publicly funded randomised controlled trials with rates in their pilots. Randomised controlled trials for which there was an external pilot trial were identified from reports published between 2004 and 2013 in the Health Technology Assessment Journal. Data were extracted from published papers, protocols and reports. Bland-Altman plots and descriptive statistics were used to investigate the agreement of randomisation and attrition rates between the full and external pilot trials. Of 561 reports, 41 were randomised controlled trials with pilot trials and 16 met criteria for a pilot trial with sufficient data. Mean attrition and randomisation rates were 21.1% and 50.4%, respectively, in the pilot trials and 16.8% and 65.2% in the main. There was minimal bias in the pilot trial when predicting the main trial attrition and randomisation rate. However, the variation was large: the mean difference in the attrition rate between the pilot and main trial was -4.4% with limits of agreement of -37.1% to 28.2%. Limits of agreement for randomisation rates were -47.8% to 77.5%. Results from external pilot trials to estimate randomisation and attrition rates should be used with caution as comparison of the difference in the rates between pilots and their associated full trial demonstrates high variability. We suggest using internal pilot trials wherever appropriate.

Are pilot trials useful for predicting randomisation and attrition rates in definitive studies: A review of publicly funded trials

PubMed Central

Whitehead, Amy; Pottrill, Edward; Julious, Steven A; Walters, Stephen J

2018-01-01

Background/aims: External pilot trials are recommended for testing the feasibility of main or confirmatory trials. However, there is little evidence that progress in external pilot trials actually predicts randomisation and attrition rates in the main trial. To assess the use of external pilot trials in trial design, we compared randomisation and attrition rates in publicly funded randomised controlled trials with rates in their pilots. Methods: Randomised controlled trials for which there was an external pilot trial were identified from reports published between 2004 and 2013 in the Health Technology Assessment Journal. Data were extracted from published papers, protocols and reports. Bland–Altman plots and descriptive statistics were used to investigate the agreement of randomisation and attrition rates between the full and external pilot trials. Results: Of 561 reports, 41 were randomised controlled trials with pilot trials and 16 met criteria for a pilot trial with sufficient data. Mean attrition and randomisation rates were 21.1% and 50.4%, respectively, in the pilot trials and 16.8% and 65.2% in the main. There was minimal bias in the pilot trial when predicting the main trial attrition and randomisation rate. However, the variation was large: the mean difference in the attrition rate between the pilot and main trial was −4.4% with limits of agreement of −37.1% to 28.2%. Limits of agreement for randomisation rates were −47.8% to 77.5%. Conclusion: Results from external pilot trials to estimate randomisation and attrition rates should be used with caution as comparison of the difference in the rates between pilots and their associated full trial demonstrates high variability. We suggest using internal pilot trials wherever appropriate. PMID:29361833

A simulator investigation of the use of digital data link for pilot/ATC communications in a single pilot operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinton, David A.; Lohr, Gary W.

1988-01-01

Studies have shown that radio communications between pilots and air traffic control contribute to high pilot workload and are subject to various errors. These errors result from congestion on the voice radio channel, and missed and misunderstood messages. The use of digital data link has been proposed as a means of reducing this workload and error rate. A critical factor, however, in determining the potential benefit of data link will be the interface between future data link systems and the operator of those systems, both in the air and on the ground. The purpose of this effort was to evaluate the pilot interface with various levels of data link capability, in simulated general aviation, single-pilot instrument flight rule operations. Results show that the data link reduced demands on pilots' short-term memory, reduced the number of communication transmissions, and permitted the pilots to more easily allocate time to critical cockpit tasks while receiving air traffic control messages. The pilots who participated unanimously indicated a preference for data link communications over voice-only communications. There were, however, situations in which the pilot preferred the use of voice communications, and the ability for pilots to delay processing the data link messages, during high workload events, caused delays in the acknowledgement of messages to air traffic control.

Development of ADOCS controllers and control laws. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Kenneth H.; Glusman, Steven I.

1985-01-01

The Advanced Cockpit Controls/Advanced Flight Control System (ACC/AFCS) study was conducted by the Boeing Vertol Company as part of the Army's Advanced Digital/Optical Control System (ADOCS) program. Specifically, the ACC/AFCS investigation was aimed at developing the flight control laws for the ADOCS demonstrator aircraft that will provide satisfactory handling qualities for an attack helicopter mission. The three major elements of design considered during the study are as follows: Pilot's integrated Side-Stick Controller (SSC) -- Number of axes controlled; force/displacement characteristics; ergonomic design. Stability and Control Augmentation System (SCAS)--Digital flight control laws for the various mission phases; SCAS mode switching logic. Pilot's Displays--For night/adverse weather conditions, the dynamics of the superimposed symbology presented to the pilot in a format similar to the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) Pilot Night Vision System (PNVS) for each mission phase as a function of SCAS characteristics; display mode switching logic. Volume 1 is an Executive Summary of the study. Conclusions drawn from analysis of pilot rating data and commentary were used to formulate recommendations for the ADOCS demonstrator flight control system design. The ACC/AFCS simulation data also provide an extensive data base to aid the development of advanced flight control system design for future V/STOL aircraft.

Aircraft control forces and EMG activity: comparison of novice and experienced pilots during simulated rolls, loops and turns.

PubMed

Hewson, D J; McNair, P J; Marshall, R N

2000-08-01

Flying an aircraft requires a considerable degree of coordination, particularly during aerobatic activities such as rolls, loops and turns. Only one previous study has examined the magnitude of muscle activity required to fly an aircraft, and that was restricted to takeoff and landing maneuvers. The aim of this study was to examine the phasing of muscle activation and control forces of novice and experienced pilots during more complex simulated flight maneuvers. There were 12 experienced and 9 novice pilots who were tested on an Aermacchi flight simulator while performing a randomized set of rolling, looping, and turning maneuvers. Four different runaway trim settings were used to increase the difficulty of the turns (elevator-up, elevator-down, aileron-left, and aileron-right). Variables recorded included aircraft attitude, pilot applied forces, and electromyographic (EMG) activity. Discriminant function analysis was used to distinguish between novice and experienced pilots. Over all maneuvers, 70% of pilots were correctly classified as novice or experienced. Better levels of classification were achieved when maneuvers were analyzed individually (67-91%), although the maneuvers that required the greatest force application, elevator-up turns, were unable to discriminate between novice and experienced pilots. There were no differences in the phasing of muscle activity between experienced and novice pilots. The only consistent difference in EMG activity between novice and experienced pilots was the reduced EMG activity in the wrist extensors of experienced pilots (p < 0.05). The increased wrist extensor activity of the novice pilots is indicative of a distal control strategy, whereby distal muscles with smaller motor units are used to perform a task that requires precise control. Muscle activity sensors could be used to detect the onset of high G maneuvers prior to any change in aircraft attitude and control G-suit inflation accordingly.

Computer simulation of multiple pilots flying a modern high performance helicopter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zipf, Mark E.; Vogt, William G.; Mickle, Marlin H.; Hoelzeman, Ronald G.; Kai, Fei; Mihaloew, James R.

1988-01-01

A computer simulation of a human response pilot mechanism within the flight control loop of a high-performance modern helicopter is presented. A human response mechanism, implemented by a low order, linear transfer function, is used in a decoupled single variable configuration that exploits the dominant vehicle characteristics by associating cockpit controls and instrumentation with specific vehicle dynamics. Low order helicopter models obtained from evaluations of the time and frequency domain responses of a nonlinear simulation model, provided by NASA Lewis Research Center, are presented and considered in the discussion of the pilot development. Pilot responses and reactions to test maneuvers are presented and discussed. Higher level implementation, using the pilot mechanisms, are discussed and considered for their use in a comprehensive control structure.

Detection of system failures in multi-axes tasks. [pilot monitored instrument approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ephrath, A. R.

1975-01-01

The effects of the pilot's participation mode in the control task on his workload level and failure detection performance were examined considering a low visibility landing approach. It is found that the participation mode had a strong effect on the pilot's workload, the induced workload being lowest when the pilot acted as a monitoring element during a coupled approach and highest when the pilot was an active element in the control loop. The effects of workload and participation mode on failure detection were separated. The participation mode was shown to have a dominant effect on the failure detection performance, with a failure in a monitored (coupled) axis being detected significantly faster than a comparable failure in a manually controlled axis.

46 CFR 58.25-80 - Automatic pilots and ancillary steering gear.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Steering Gear § 58.25-80 Automatic pilots and ancillary steering gear. (a) Automatic pilots and ancillary steering gear, and steering-gear control systems, must be arranged to allow immediate resumption of manual operation of the steering-gear control system required in...

46 CFR 58.25-80 - Automatic pilots and ancillary steering gear.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Steering Gear § 58.25-80 Automatic pilots and ancillary steering gear. (a) Automatic pilots and ancillary steering gear, and steering-gear control systems, must be arranged to allow immediate resumption of manual operation of the steering-gear control system required in...

Identification of pilot-vehicle dynamics from simulation and flight test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Ronald A.

1990-01-01

The paper discusses an identification problem in which a basic feedback control structure, or pilot control strategy, is hypothesized. Identification algorithms are employed to determine the particular form of pilot equalization in each feedback loop. It was found that both frequency- and time-domain identification techniques provide useful information.

Efficacy and tolerability of bromelain in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis--a pilot study.

PubMed

Büttner, L; Achilles, N; Böhm, M; Shah-Hosseini, K; Mösges, R

2013-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and impact on quality of life (QoL) of bromelain tablets (500 FIP) in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this prospective, open-label observational pilot study, 12 patients suffering from CRS with (CRS+NP) or without (CRS-NP) nasal polyps who had undergone prior sinus surgery were treated with bromelain tablets (500 FIP) for three months. Efficacy was evaluated using symptom scores (Total Symptom Scores: TSS); a Total Rhinoscopy Score (TRS) was also determined. QoL was assessed by using the German, adapted version of the Sinonasal Outcome Test 20 (SNOT-20 GAV). Treatment with bromelain tablets (500 FIP) improved TSS, TRS and SNOT-20 GAV on average. This treatment was found to be more effective, however, for CRS-NP than for CRS+NP. The average intake was six tablets, equivalent to a daily dosage of 3000 FIP. No adverse events were observed. Preliminary results indicate good tolerability, symptom control, and improvement in QoL for the treatment of CRS using bromelain tablets (500 FIP).

Alleviating Emotional Distress in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: An Open Trial of Metacognitive Therapy.

PubMed

Fisher, Peter L; McNicol, Kirsten; Young, Bridget; Smith, Ed; Salmon, Peter

2015-06-01

Metacognitive therapy (MCT) is an effective psychological treatment for a range of emotional disorders. However, the applicability of MCT to treating emotional distress in physical health populations has yet to be tested. The present study examined the potential of MCT for alleviating emotional distress in adolescent and young adult cancer (AYAC) survivors. Twelve AYAC survivors, aged 18-23, who had completed acute medical treatment participated in this pilot open trial with 6 months follow-up. Each participant completed a baseline period followed by 8-14 sessions of MCT that targeted perseverative thinking (worry and rumination), attentional control, and metacognitive beliefs. The primary outcome variable was severity of depression and anxiety symptoms as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). MCT was associated with large and statistically significant reductions in anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms, and metacognitive beliefs and processes. In the intention-to-treat sample, 50% of participants met standardized criteria for recovery on the HADS at posttreatment and these gains were maintained through to 6-month follow-up. MCT is a promising transdiagnostic approach to treating different forms of emotional distress in AYAC survivors. Further investigation in controlled trials is now warranted.

MIMO model of an interacting series process for Robust MPC via System Identification.

PubMed

Wibowo, Tri Chandra S; Saad, Nordin

2010-07-01

This paper discusses the empirical modeling using system identification technique with a focus on an interacting series process. The study is carried out experimentally using a gaseous pilot plant as the process, in which the dynamic of such a plant exhibits the typical dynamic of an interacting series process. Three practical approaches are investigated and their performances are evaluated. The models developed are also examined in real-time implementation of a linear model predictive control. The selected model is able to reproduce the main dynamic characteristics of the plant in open-loop and produces zero steady-state errors in closed-loop control system. Several issues concerning the identification process and the construction of a MIMO state space model for a series interacting process are deliberated. 2010 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modified optimal control pilot model for computer-aided design and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidson, John B.; Schmidt, David K.

1992-01-01

This paper presents the theoretical development of a modified optimal control pilot model based upon the optimal control model (OCM) of the human operator developed by Kleinman, Baron, and Levison. This model is input compatible with the OCM and retains other key aspects of the OCM, such as a linear quadratic solution for the pilot gains with inclusion of control rate in the cost function, a Kalman estimator, and the ability to account for attention allocation and perception threshold effects. An algorithm designed for each implementation in current dynamic systems analysis and design software is presented. Example results based upon the analysis of a tracking task using three basic dynamic systems are compared with measured results and with similar analyses performed with the OCM and two previously proposed simplified optimal pilot models. The pilot frequency responses and error statistics obtained with this modified optimal control model are shown to compare more favorably to the measured experimental results than the other previously proposed simplified models evaluated.

Manual and automatic flight control during severe turbulence penetration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, D. E.; Klein, R. H.; Hoh, R. H.

1976-01-01

An analytical and experimental investigation of possible contributing factors in jet aircraft turbulence upsets was conducted. Major contributing factors identified included autopilot and display deficiencies, the large aircraft inertia and associated long response time, and excessive pilot workload. An integrated flight and thrust energy management director system was synthesized. The system was incorporated in a moving-base simulation and evaluated using highly experienced airline pilots. The evaluation included comparison of pilot workload and flight performance during severe turbulence penetration utilizing four control/display concepts: manual control with conventional full panel display, conventional autopilot (A/P-A) with conventional full panel display, improved autopilot (A/P-B) with conventional full panel display plus thrust director display, and longitudinal flight director with conventional full panel display plus thrust director display. Simulation results show improved performance, reduced pilot workload, and a pilot preference for the autopilot system controlling to the flight director command and manual control of thrust following the trim thrust director.

Piloted Evaluation of an Integrated Methodology for Propulsion and Airframe Control Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bright, Michelle M.; Simon, Donald L.; Garg, Sanjay; Mattern, Duane L.; Ranaudo, Richard J.; Odonoghue, Dennis P.

1994-01-01

An integrated methodology for propulsion and airframe control has been developed and evaluated for a Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft using a fixed base flight simulator at NASA Lewis Research Center. For this evaluation the flight simulator is configured for transition flight using a STOVL aircraft model, a full nonlinear turbofan engine model, simulated cockpit and displays, and pilot effectors. The paper provides a brief description of the simulation models, the flight simulation environment, the displays and symbology, the integrated control design, and the piloted tasks used for control design evaluation. In the simulation, the pilots successfully completed typical transition phase tasks such as combined constant deceleration with flight path tracking, and constant acceleration wave-off maneuvers. The pilot comments of the integrated system performance and the display symbology are discussed and analyzed to identify potential areas of improvement.

Flight Controllability Limits and Related Human Transfer Functions as Determined from Simulator and Flight Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Lawrence W., Jr.; Day, Richard E.

1961-01-01

A simulator study and flight tests were performed to determine the levels of static stability and damping necessary to enable a pilot to control the longitudinal and lateral-directional dynamics of a vehicle for short periods of time. Although a basic set of aerodynamic characteristics was used, the study was conducted so that the results would be applicable to a wide range of flight conditions and configurations. Novel piloting techniques were found which enabled the pilot to control the vehicle at conditions that were otherwise uncontrollable. The influence of several critical factors in altering the controllability limits was also investigated. Several human transfer functions were used which gave fairly good representations of the controllability limits determined experimentally for the short-period longitudinal, directional, and lateral modes. A transfer function with approximately the same gain and phase angle as the pilot at the controlling frequencies along the controllability limits was also derived.

Prediction of aircraft handling qualities using analytical models of the human pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1982-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot-induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

Prediction of aircraft handling qualities using analytical models of the human pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1982-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations is formulated. Finally, a model based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

An analytical approach for predicting pilot induced oscillations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1981-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion or determining the susceptability of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

Fuel injector system

DOEpatents

Hsu, Bertrand D.; Leonard, Gary L.

1988-01-01

A fuel injection system particularly adapted for injecting coal slurry fuels at high pressures includes an accumulator-type fuel injector which utilizes high-pressure pilot fuel as a purging fluid to prevent hard particles in the fuel from impeding the opening and closing movement of a needle valve, and as a hydraulic medium to hold the needle valve in its closed position. A fluid passage in the injector delivers an appropriately small amount of the ignition-aiding pilot fuel to an appropriate region of a chamber in the injector's nozzle so that at the beginning of each injection interval the first stratum of fuel to be discharged consists essentially of pilot fuel and thereafter mostly slurry fuel is injected.

An Analysis of TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control) Controller-Pilot Voice Communication

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-06-01

The purpose of this analysis was to examine pilot-controller communication practices in the TRACONI (Terminal Radar Approach : Control) environment. Forty-eight hours of communications recorded on the voice tapes from eight TRACONs were analyzed. : T...

Launch Vehicle Manual Steering with Adaptive Augmenting Control In-flight Evaluations Using a Piloted Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, Curt

2014-01-01

An adaptive augmenting control algorithm for the Space Launch System has been developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center as part of the launch vehicles baseline flight control system. A prototype version of the SLS flight control software was hosted on a piloted aircraft at the Armstrong Flight Research Center to demonstrate the adaptive controller on a full-scale realistic application in a relevant flight environment. Concerns regarding adverse interactions between the adaptive controller and a proposed manual steering mode were investigated by giving the pilot trajectory deviation cues and pitch rate command authority.

Enabling FAIR and Open Data - The Importance of Communities on Influencing Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stall, S.; Lehnert, K.; Robinson, E.; Parsons, M. A.; Hanson, B.; Cutcher-Gershenfeld, J.; Nosek, B.

2017-12-01

Our research ecosystem is diverse and dependent on many interacting stakeholders that influence and support the process of science. These include funders, institutions, libraries, publishers, researchers, data managers, repositories, archives and communities. Process improvement in this ecosystem thus usually needs support by more than one of these many stakeholders. For example, mandates for open data extend across this ecosystem. Solutions require these stakeholders to come together and agree upon improvements. Recently, the value of FAIR and Open Data has encouraged funders to sponsor discussions with tangible agreements that include the steps needed to move the ecosystem towards results. Work by many of these stakeholders over the past years have developed pilot efforts that are ready to be scaled with broader engagement. A partnership of the AGU, Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), Research Data Alliance (RDA), Center for Open Science, and key publishers including Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) have agreed to work together to develop integrated processes, leveraging these pilots, to make FAIR and open data the default for Earth and space science publications. This effort will build on the work of COPDESS.org, ESIP, RDA, the scientific journals, and domain repositories to ensure that well documented data, preserved in a repository with community agreed-upon metadata, and supporting persistent identifiers becomes part of the expected research products submitted in support of each publication.

Synthetic Vision Systems in GA Cockpit-Evaluation of Basic Maneuvers Performed by Low Time GA Pilots During Transition from VMC to IMC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takallu, M. A.; Wong, D. T.; Uenking, M. D.

2002-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the effectiveness of modern flight displays in general aviation cockpits for mitigating Low Visibility Loss of Control and the Controlled Flight Into Terrain accidents. A total of 18 General Aviation (GA) pilots with private pilot, single engine land rating, with no additional instrument training beyond private pilot license requirements, were recruited to evaluate three different display concepts in a fixed-based flight simulator at the NASA Langley Research Center's General Aviation Work Station. Evaluation pilots were asked to continue flight from Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) while performing a series of 4 basic precision maneuvers. During the experiment, relevant pilot/vehicle performance variables, pilot control inputs and physiological data were recorded. Human factors questionnaires and interviews were administered after each scenario. Qualitative and quantitative data have been analyzed and the results are presented here. Pilot performance deviations from the established target values (errors) were computed and compared with the FAA Practical Test Standards. Results of the quantitative data indicate that evaluation pilots committed substantially fewer errors when using the Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) displays than when they were using conventional instruments. Results of the qualitative data indicate that evaluation pilots perceived themselves to have a much higher level of situation awareness while using the SVS display concept.

Novel CO2 laser robotic controller outperforms experienced laser operators in tasks of accuracy and performance repeatability.

PubMed

Wong, Yu-Tung; Finley, Charles C; Giallo, Joseph F; Buckmire, Robert A

2011-08-01

To introduce a novel method of combining robotics and the CO(2) laser micromanipulator to provide excellent precision and performance repeatability designed for surgical applications. Pilot feasibility study. We developed a portable robotic controller that appends to a standard CO(2) laser micromanipulator. The robotic accuracy and laser beam path repeatability were compared to six experienced users of the industry standard micromanipulator performing the same simulated surgical tasks. Helium-neon laser beam video tracking techniques were employed. The robotic controller demonstrated superiority over experienced human manual micromanipulator control in accuracy (laser path within 1 mm of idealized centerline), 97.42% (standard deviation [SD] 2.65%), versus 85.11% (SD 14.51%), P = .018; and laser beam path repeatability (area of laser path divergence on successive trials), 21.42 mm(2) (SD 4.35 mm(2) ) versus 65.84 mm(2) (SD 11.93 mm(2) ), P = .006. Robotic micromanipulator control enhances accuracy and repeatability for specific laser tasks. Computerized control opens opportunity for alternative user interfaces and additional safety features. Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Baicalin supplementation reduces serum biomarkers of skeletal muscle wasting and may protect against lean body mass reduction in cancer patients: Results from a pilot open-label study.

PubMed

Emanuele, Enzo; Bertona, Marco; Pareja-Galeano, Helios; Fiuza-Luces, Carmen; Morales, Javier Salvador; Sanchis-Gomar, Fabian; Lucia, Alejandro

2016-07-01

Muscle wasting in patients with cancer has been linked to an increased activity of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and higher circulating levels of activin-A (ActA), a negative growth factor for muscle mass. Baicalin is a natural flavonoid that can reduce skeletal muscle atrophy in animal models of cancer cachexia by inhibiting NF-κB. This pilot open-label study assessed the effects of baicalin supplementation (50 mg daily for 3 months) in cancer patients who showed involuntary weight loss >5% over the past 6 months. A total of 20 patients were investigated. Participants were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the 3-month study period for the following endpoints: 1) changes from baseline in serum NF-κB and ActA levels; and 2) change from baseline in lean body mass (LBM). We observed significant reduction in both NF-κB (p<0.05) and ActA (p<0.05) serum levels from baseline to 3 months. At 3 months, patients also showed a significant mean increase in LBM (+0.8 kg, p<0.05 compared with baseline). Our pilot open-label data suggest that baicalin supplementation is potentially useful for contrasting lean body mass reduction in cancer patients with involuntary weight loss, an effect which is likely mediated by the inhibition of negative growth factors for muscle mass.

A pilot randomized placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive aripiprazole for chronic PTSD in US military Veterans resistant to antidepressant treatment.

PubMed

Naylor, Jennifer C; Kilts, Jason D; Bradford, Daniel W; Strauss, Jennifer L; Capehart, Bruce P; Szabo, Steven T; Smith, Karen D; Dunn, Charlotte E; Conner, Kathryn M; Davidson, Jonathan R T; Wagner, Henry Ryan; Hamer, Robert M; Marx, Christine E

2015-05-01

Many individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience persistent symptoms despite pharmacological treatment with antidepressants. Several open-label monotherapy and adjunctive studies have suggested that aripiprazole (a second-generation antipsychotic) may have clinical utility in PTSD. However, there have been no randomized placebo-controlled trials of aripiprazole use for PTSD. We thus conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of adjunctive aripiprazole versus placebo among Veterans with chronic PTSD serving in the US military since 11 September 2001 to assess the feasibility, safety, tolerability, and therapeutic potential of aripiprazole. Sixteen Veterans were randomized, and 14 completed at least 4 weeks of the study; 12 completed the entire 8-week trial. Outcome measures included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), PTSD Checklist, Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores. Aripiprazole was well-tolerated in this cohort, and improvements in CAPS, PTSD Checklist, Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores were as hypothesized. Although CAPS change scores did not reach statistical significance, aripiprazole outperformed placebo by 9 points on the CAPS in the last observation carried forward analysis compared with the placebo group (n = 7 per group), and by 20 points in the group randomized to aripiprazole that completed the entire study (n = 5) compared with the placebo group (n = 7). Results suggest promise for aripiprazole as an adjunctive strategy for the treatment of PTSD.

Oral administration of an association of forskolin, rutin and vitamins B1 and B2 potentiates the hypotonising effects of pharmacological treatments in POAG patients.

PubMed

Pescosolido, N; Librando, A

2010-01-01

Control of intraocular pressure is still the main strategy to treat glaucoma patients. Forskolin has already shown an ability to control intraocular pressure after topic administration, whereas rutin is known to improve ocular blood fl ow. Therefore, aim of this pilot study has been to observe whether administration of an association of oral forskolin and rutin to POAG patients under different regimens of medical therapy may contribute to their effects, further decreasing IOP values. Forskolin (a natural compound present in the crude extract of the plant Coleus Forskohlii) and rutin are the main ingredients of a food supplement commercially available in Italy. In an open label pilot study, 16 patients with POAG under treatment with different topical drugs and with stable IOP were given additional treatment with the food supplement for 40 days, and their IOP values measured at enrolment, at the end of treatment and 40 days after treatment interruption. Further addition of forskolin and rutin to topical association treatments resulted in a further decrease of IOP by roughly 20% of the initial value. The effect was reversible upon suspension of the treatment. These data show for the fi rst time that forskolin and rutin given through the oral route appear to reach the ocular district, where they can act in synergy with topical pharmacological treatments, and contribute to the control of intraocular pressure.

Simulation comparison of a decoupled longitudinal control system and a velocity vector control wheel steering system during landings in wind shear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimball, G., Jr.

1980-01-01

A simulator comparison of the velocity vector control wheel steering (VCWS) system and a decoupled longitudinal control system is presented. The piloting task was to use the electronic attitude direction indicator (EADI) to capture and maintain a 3 degree glide slope in the presence of wind shear and to complete the landing using the perspective runway included on the EADI. The decoupled control system used constant prefilter and feedback gains to provide steady state decoupling of flight path angle, pitch angle, and forward velocity. The decoupled control system improved the pilots' ability to control airspeed and flight path angle during the final stages of an approach made in severe wind shear. The system also improved their ability to complete safe landings. The pilots preferred the decoupled control system in severe winds and, on a pilot rating scale, rated the approach and landing task with the decoupled control system as much as 3 to 4 increments better than use of the VCWS system.

Pilot Comparisons of Temporary Open Revascularization Using Stent Grafts vs. Standard Shunts in a Sheep (Ovis aries) Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-14

using stent grafts vs. standard shunts in a sheep (Ovis aries) model." PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Pl) I TRAINING COORDINATOR (TC): Lt Col James Sampson...Objectives: Pilot study and development of an experimental model to test and compare the performance of endovascular stent -graft as an arterial shunt...FDG2015001 OA 2 Results: Exposure and placement of vascular stent -grafts and shunts into the common carotid artery was feasible. Stent -graft and

STS-29 Pilot Blaha with SE83-9 'Chix in Space' incubator on OV-103's middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

On aft middeck of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Pilot John E. Blaha opens incubator hatch on STS-29 Student Experiment (SE) 83-9 Chicken Embryo Development in Space or 'Chix in Space'. SE83-9 developed by John C. Vellinger is located in middeck aft locker MA16F. The student's sponsor is Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). Behind Blaha are starboard wall-mounted sleep restraints, freefloating headset, and checklists velcroed to wall.

Human Factors Affecting Pilot Performance in Vertical and Translational Instrument Flight

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

purpose of a mission lie all the areas of information which together result in the accomplished flight. Since the only courve of’ action open to a pilot...any of these cases there is a diffi’cult t radeoff between the desire to present the largest possible outside angular representation ( field of view...is an urgent program to implement the cockpit display of traffic information (CDTL). Practical limitations on the fields of view of vertical situation

STS-101: Crew Activity Report / Flight Day 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

The primary mission objective for STS-101 was to deliver supplies to the International Space Station, perform a space walk, and reboost the station from 230 statute miles to 250 statute miles. The commander of this mission was, James D. Haslsell. The crew was Scott J. Horowitz, the pilot, and mission specialists Mary Ellen Weber, Jeffrey N. Williams, James S. Voss, Susan J. Helms, and Yuri Vladimirovich Usachev. This videotape shows the activities of the fifth day of the mission. The day's activities started with the opening of the hatch to the space station. Helms and Usachev then opened the hatch to the station's Unity Connecting Module. The crew also placed ducting throughout the Zarya Control Module to improve air circulation and prevent problems with stale air. Helms and Usachev are shown replacing two of six batteries to be replaced in this mission in the Zarya module. The crew began moving supplies into the space station. There are several shots of the interior of the space station.

Pilot modeling and closed-loop analysis of flexible aircraft in the pitch tracking task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, D. K.

1983-01-01

The issue addressed in the appropriate modeling technique for pilot vehicle analysis of large flexible aircraft, when the frequency separation between the rigid-body mode and the dynamic aeroelastic modes is reduced. This situation was shown to have significant effects on pitch-tracking performance and subjective rating of the task, obtained via fixed base simulation. Further, the dynamics in these cases are not well modeled with a rigid-body-like model obtained by including only 'static elastic' effects, for example. It is shown that pilot/vehicle analysis of this data supports the hypothesis that an appropriate pilot-model structure is an optimal-control pilot model of full order. This is in contrast to the contention that a representative model is of reduced order when the subject is controlling high-order dynamics as in a flexible vehicle. The key appears to be in the correct assessment of the pilot's objective of attempting to control 'rigid-body' vehicle response, a response that must be estimated by the pilot from observations contaminated by aeroelastic dynamics. Finally, a model-based metric is shown to correlate well with the pilot's subjective ratings.

A combined group treatment for nightmares and insomnia in combat veterans: a pilot study.

PubMed

Swanson, Leslie M; Favorite, Todd K; Horin, Elizabeth; Arnedt, J Todd

2009-12-01

Insomnia and nightmares are hallmarks of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sleep disturbances in PTSD negatively impact clinical course and functioning. In this open clinical trial, the preliminary effects of a combined treatment for insomnia and nightmares in combat veterans with PTSD were assessed. Ten combat veterans participated in a 10-session group treatment combining cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia with exposure, rescripting, and relaxation therapy. Participants maintained daily sleep and dream diaries and completed self-report measures of sleep quality and PTSD symptoms pre- and posttreatment. Participants reported improvements in sleep and nightmares following treatment. Future research using controlled designs to evaluate this treatment is warranted.

Cosmic Radiation and Cataracts in Airline Pilots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafnsson, V.; Olafsdottir, E.; Hrafnkelsson, J.; de Angelis, G.; Sasaki, H.; Arnarson, A.; Jonasson, F.

Nuclear cataracts have been associated with ionising radiation exposure in previous studies. A population based case-control study on airline pilots has been performed to investigate whether employment as a commercial pilot and consequent exposure to cosmic radiation were associated to lens opacification, when adjusted for known risk factors for cataracts. Cases of opacification of the ocular lens were found in surveys among pilots and a random sample of the Icelandic population. Altogether 445 male subjects underwent a detailed eye examination and answered a questionnaire. Information from the airline company on the 79 pilots employment time, annual hours flown per aircraft type, the timetables and the flight profiles made calculation of individual cumulated radiation dose (mSv) possible. Lens opacification were classified and graded according to WHO simplified cataracts grading system using slit lamp. The odds ratio from logistic regression of nuclear cataracts risk among cases and controls was 3.02 (95% CI 1.44 to 6.35) for pilots compared with non-pilots, adjusted for age, smoking and sunbathing habits, whereas that of cortical cataracts risk among cases and controls was lower than unity (non significant) for pilots compared with non-pilots in a logistic regression analysis adjusted for same factors. Length of employment as a pilot and cumulated radiation dose (mSv) were significantly related to the risk of nuclear cataracts. So the association between radiation exposure of pilots and the risk of nuclear cataracts, adjusted for age, smoking and sunbathing habits, indicates that cosmic radiation may be cause of nuclear cataract among commercial pilots.

Analytical methodology for determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements. [pilot workload and acceptance level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phatak, A. V.

1980-01-01

A systematic analytical approach to the determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements is formulated. The approach is based upon the hypothesis that pilot acceptance level or opinion rating of a given system is inversely related to the degree of pilot involvement in the control task. A nonlinear simulation of the helicopter approach to landing task incorporating appropriate models for UH-1H aircraft, the environmental disturbances and the human pilot was developed as a tool for evaluating the pilot acceptance hypothesis. The simulated pilot model is generic in nature and includes analytical representation of the human information acquisition, processing, and control strategies. Simulation analyses in the flight director mode indicate that the pilot model used is reasonable. Results of the simulation are used to identify candidate pilot workload metrics and to test the well known performance-work-load relationship. A pilot acceptance analytical methodology is formulated as a basis for further investigation, development and validation.

Occupational Stress and Hypertension among Railway Loco Pilots and Section Controllers

PubMed Central

Jayakumar, Devasigamoney

2017-01-01

Introduction: A cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted on loco pilots in 2008, in view of loco pilots being one of the high strain jobs in Indian Railways. Subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted among section controllers in 2011, which is another high strain job of Indian Railways. Objective: The studies were conducted to analyze and compare occupational stress and hypertension. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study on occupational stress and hypertension was conducted among 230 loco pilots in 2008, and subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 82 section controllers in 2011. Materials and Methods: A closed end 24 item questionnaire on occupational stress was administered. Systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg were considered as hypertension as per the VII Joint National Committee. Chi-square test and t-test were used for testing significance at P < 0.05. Results: The mean stress score was 8.56 in loco pilots and 7.32 in section controllers. The number of loco pilots with more than 12 stress factors was 49 (21.3%) and the number of section controllers with more than 12 stress factors was 7 (8.5%). The number employees with more than 12 stress factors in different categories of loco pilots were 30 (32%) in the goods category, 12 (12%) in the mail/passenger category, and 7 (19%) in the shunter category, and 3 (11%) in the supervisory category and 4 (7%) in the on-board category of section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in loco pilots was 36.52% (84) and in the section controllers was 53.66% (44). The prevalence of hypertension in the category with more than 12 stress factors was 30.61% (15) in the loco pilots and 28.57% (2) in the section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in the both the study groups were higher in the older age, with a family history of hypertension, and with a body mass index of more than 25 kg/m2. The mean occupational stress and employees with more than 12 stress factors were higher in the loco pilots group. The goods category of loco pilots had highest stress factors. The prevalence of hypertension was high in the category with risk factors such as older age, family history of hypertension and BMI above 25 kg/m2. PMID:29391744

Brightness discrimination test is not useful in screening for open angle glaucoma.

PubMed

Peter, E; Thomas, R; Muliyil, J

1996-06-01

Brightness discrimination test (BDT) is routinely employed to assess asymmetrical optic nerve dysfunction and has been suggested as a screening test for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). We tested the reliability and validity of BDT in the diagnosis of POAG. The study groups included 34 patients with established primary open angle glaucoma, 20 glaucoma suspects, and 33 age-sex matched controls. Cataract was not an exclusion criterion in these groups. The normal brightness score was determined to be 88% (mean score, 94%-2 SD) in a pilot study. Brightness discrimination test was performed in all subjects by two observers independently. BDT showed an excellent interobserver agreement (weighted Kappa 0.84). The presence of a cataract alone increased the risk of brightness impairment twofold, glaucoma alone increased the risk eightfold, and the presence of both conditions by 17 times compared to those with neither condition. BDT was not a useful test in the diagnosis of POAG (sensitivity 67% and specificity 93%); the ability to detect a significant field defect was also poor (sensitivity 53% and specificity 76%). There was poor association between decreased brightness scores and asymmetrical field defects as determined by the Humphrey's field analyzer (HFA).

Intelligent Pilot Aids for Flight Re-Planning in Emergencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pritchett, Amy R.; Ockerman, Jennifer

2005-01-01

Effective and safe control of an aircraft may be difficult or nearly impossible for a pilot following an unexpected system failure. Without prior training, the pilot must ascertain on the fly those changes in both manual control technique and procedures that will lead to a safe landing of the aircraft. Sophisticated techniques for determining the required control techniques are now available. Likewise, a body of literature on pilot decision making provides formalisms for examining how pilots approach discrete decisions framed as the selection between options. However, other aspects of behavior, such as the task of route planning and guidance, are not as well studied. Not only is the pilot faced with possible performance changes to the aircraft dynamics, but he or she is also tasked to create a plan of actions that will effectively take the aircraft down to a safe landing. In this plan, the many actions that the pilot can perform are closely intertwined with the trajectory of the aircraft, making it difficult to accurately predict the final outcome. Coupled with the vast number of potential actions to be taken, this problem may seem intractable. This is reflected in the lack of a pre-specified procedure capable of giving pilots the ability to find a resolution for this task. This report summarizes a multi-year effort to examine methods to aid pilots in planning an approach and arrival to an airport following an aircraft systems failure. Ultimately, we hypothesize that automatic assistance to pilots can be provided in real-time in the form of improving pilot control of a damaged aircraft and providing pilots with procedural directives suitable for critical flight conditions; such systems may also benefit pilot training and procedure design. To achieve this result, a systematic, comprehensive research program was followed, building on prior research. This approach included a pencil-and-paper study with airline pilots examining methods of representing a flight route in an immediately understandable manner, and in a manner that would allow the pilot to modify an automatically-generated route and/or detect any inappropriate elements in an automatically-generated route. Likewise, a flight simulator study examined different cockpit systems for the relative merits of providing pilots with any of a variety of automated functions for emergency flight planning. The results provide specific guidance for the design of such systems.

Design and pilot evaluation of the RAH-66 Comanche Core AFCS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fogler, Donald L., Jr.; Keller, James F.

1993-01-01

This paper addresses the design and pilot evaluation of the Core Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) for the Reconnaissance/Attack Helicopter (RAH-66) Comanche. During the period from November 1991 through February 1992, the RAH-66 Comanche control laws were evaluated through a structured pilot acceptance test using a motion base simulator. Design requirements, descriptions of the control law design, and handling qualities data collected from ADS-33 maneuvers are presented.

Analysis of routine pilot-controller communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrow, Daniel G.; Lee, Alfred; Rodvold, Michelle

1990-01-01

Although pilot-controller communication is central to aviation safety, this area of aviation human factors has not been extensively researched. Most research has focused on what kinds of communication problems occur. A more complete picture of communication problems requires understanding how communication usually works in routine operations. A sample of routine pilot-controller communication in the TRACON environment is described. After describing several dimensions of routine communication, three kinds of communication problems are treated: inaccuracies such as incorrect readbacks, procedural deviations such as missing callsigns and readbacks, and nonroutine transactions where pilot and controller must deal with misunderstandings or other communication problems. Preliminary results suggest these problems are not frequent events in daily operations. However, analysis of the problems that do occur suggest some factors that may cause them.

Multiple curved descending approaches and the air traffic control problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hart, S. G.; Mcpherson, D.; Kreifeldt, J.; Wemple, T. E.

1977-01-01

A terminal area air traffic control simulation was designed to study ways of accommodating increased air traffic density. The concepts that were investigated assumed the availability of the microwave landing system and data link and included: (1) multiple curved descending final approaches; (2) parallel runways certified for independent and simultaneous operation under IFR conditions; (3) closer spacing between successive aircraft; and (4) a distributed management system between the air and ground. Three groups each consisting of three pilots and two air traffic controllers flew a combined total of 350 approaches. Piloted simulators were supplied with computer generated traffic situation displays and flight instruments. The controllers were supplied with a terminal area map and digital status information. Pilots and controllers also reported that the distributed management procedure was somewhat more safe and orderly than the centralized management procedure. Flying precision increased as the amount of turn required to intersect the outer mark decreased. Pilots reported that they preferred the alternative of multiple curved descending approaches with wider spacing between aircraft to closer spacing on single, straight in finals while controllers preferred the latter option. Both pilots and controllers felt that parallel runways are an acceptable way to accommodate increased traffic density safely and expeditiously.

Analysis of the longitudinal handling qualities and pilot-induced-oscillation tendencies of the High-Angle-of-Attack Research Vehicle (HARV)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Ronald A.

1994-01-01

The NASA High-Angle-of Attack Research Vehicle (HARV), a modified F-18 aircraft, experienced handling qualities problems in recent flight tests at NASA Dryden Research Center. Foremost in these problems was the tendency of the pilot-aircraft system to exhibit a potentially dangerous phenomenon known as a pilot-induced oscillation (PIO). When they occur, PIO's can severely restrict performance, sharply dimish mission capabilities, and can even result in aircraft loss. A pilot/vehicle analysis was undertaken with the goal of reducing these PIO tendencies and improving the overall vehicle handling qualities with as few changes as possible to the existing feedback/feedforward flight control laws. Utilizing a pair of analytical pilot models developed by the author, a pilot/vehicle analysis of the existing longitudinal flight control system was undertaken. The analysis included prediction of overall handling qualities levels and PIO susceptability. The analysis indicated that improvement in the flight control system was warranted and led to the formulation of a simple control stick command shaping filter. Analysis of the pilot/vehicle system with the shaping filter indicated significant improvements in handling qualities and PIO tendencies could be achieved. A non-real time simulation of the modified control system was undertaken with a realistic, nonlinear model of the current HARV. Special emphasis was placed upon those details of the command filter implementation which could effect safety of flight. The modified system is currently awaiting evaluation in the real-time, pilot-in-the-loop, Dual-Maneuvering-Simulator (DMS) facility at Langley.

Practices to identify and preclude adverse Aircraft-and-Rotorcraft-Pilot Couplings - A design perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavel, Marilena D.; Masarati, Pierangelo; Gennaretti, Massimo; Jump, Michael; Zaichik, Larisa; Dang-Vu, Binh; Lu, Linghai; Yilmaz, Deniz; Quaranta, Giuseppe; Ionita, Achim; Serafini, Jacopo

2015-07-01

Understanding, predicting and supressing the inadvertent aircraft oscillations caused by Aircraft/Rotorcraft Pilot Couplings (A/RPC) is a challenging problem for designers. These are potential instabilities that arise from the effort of controlling aircraft with high response actuation systems. The present paper reviews, updates and discusses desirable practices to be used during the design process for unmasking A/RPC phenomena. These practices are stemming from the European Commission project ARISTOTEL Aircraft and Rotorcraft Pilot Couplings - Tools and Techniques for Alleviation and Detection (2010-2013) and are mainly related to aerodynamic and structural modelling of the aircraft/rotorcraft, pilot modelling and A/RPC prediction criteria. The paper proposes new methodologies for precluding adverse A/RPCs events taking into account the aeroelasticity of the structure and pilot biodynamic interaction. It is demonstrated that high-frequency accelerations due to structural elasticity cause negative effects on pilot control, since they lead to involuntary body and limb-manipulator system displacements and interfere with pilot's deliberate control activity (biodynamic interaction) and, finally, worsen handling quality ratings.

Theoretical linear approach to the combined man-manipulator system in manual control of an aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brauser, K.

1981-01-01

An approach to the calculation of the dynamic characteristics of the combined man manipulator system in manual aircraft control was derived from a model of the neuromuscular system. This model combines the neuromuscular properties of man with the physical properties of the manipulator system which is introduced as pilot manipulator model into the manual aircraft control. The assumption of man as a quasilinear and time invariant control operator adapted to operating states, depending on the flight phases, of the control system gives rise to interesting solutions of the frequency domain transfer functions of both the man manipulator system and the closed loop pilot aircraft control system. It is shown that it is necessary to introduce the complete precision pilot manipulator model into the closed loop pilot aircraft transfer function in order to understand the well known handling quality criteria, and to derive these criteria directly from human operator properties.

Unilateral Hearing Loss Is Associated With Impaired Balance in Children: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Wolter, Nikolaus E; Cushing, Sharon L; Vilchez-Madrigal, Luis D; James, Adrian L; Campos, Jennifer; Papsin, Blake C; Gordon, Karen A

2016-12-01

To determine if children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (UHL) demonstrate impaired balance compared with their normal hearing (NH) peers. Prospective, case-control study. Balance was assessed in14 UHL and 14 NH children using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test-2 (BOT-2) and time to fall (TTF) in an immersive, virtual-reality laboratory. Postural control was quantified by center of pressure (COP) using force plates. The effect of vision on balance was assessed by comparing scores and COP characteristics on BOT-2 tasks performed with eyes open and closed. Balance ability as measured by the BOT-2 score was significantly worse in children with UHL compared with NH children (p = 0.004). TTF was shorter in children with UHL compared with NH children in the most difficult tasks when visual and somatosensory inputs were limited (p < 0.01). Visual input improved postural control (reduced COP variability) in both groups in all tasks (p < 0.05) but postural control as measured by COP variability was more affected in children with UHL when visual input was removed while performing moderately difficult tasks (i.e., standing on one foot) (p = 0.02). In this pilot study, children with UHL show poorer balance skills than NH children. Significant differences in TTF between the two groups were only seen in the most difficult tasks and therefore may be missed on routine clinical assessment. Children with UHL appear to rely more on vision for maintaining postural control than their NH peers. These findings may point to deficits not only in the hearing but also the vestibular portion of the inner ear.

Impact of Bromocriptine-QR Therapy on Glycemic Control and Daily Insulin Requirement in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Subjects Whose Dysglycemia Is Poorly Controlled on High-Dose Insulin: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Roe, Erin D.; Chamarthi, Bindu; Raskin, Philip

2015-01-01

Background. The concurrent use of a postprandial insulin sensitizing agent, such as bromocriptine-QR, a quick release formulation of bromocriptine, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, may offer a strategy to improve glycemic control and limit/reduce insulin requirement in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients on high-dose insulin. This open label pilot study evaluated this potential utility of bromocriptine-QR. Methods. Ten T2DM subjects on metformin (1-2 gm/day) and high-dose (TDID ≥ 65 U/day) basal-bolus insulin were enrolled to receive once daily (morning) bromocriptine-QR (1.6–4.8 mg/day) for 24 weeks. Subjects with at least one postbaseline HbA1c measurement (N = 8) were analyzed for change from baseline HbA1c, TDID, and postprandial glucose area under the curve of a four-hour mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT). Results. Compared to the baseline, average HbA1c decreased 1.76% (9.74 ± 0.56 to 7.98 ± 0.36, P = 0.01), average TDID decreased 27% (199 ± 33 to 147 ± 31, P = 0.009), and MMTT AUC60–240 decreased 32% (P = 0.04) over the treatment period. The decline in HbA1c and TDID was observed at 8 weeks and sustained over the remaining 16-week study duration. Conclusion. In this study, bromocriptine-QR therapy improved glycemic control and meal tolerance while reducing insulin requirement in T2DM subjects poorly controlled on high-dose insulin therapy. PMID:26060825

Validation of MIL-F-9490D. General Specification for Flight Control System for Piloted Military Aircraft. Volume III. C-5A Heavy Logistics Transport Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-04-01

U* AFFDL-TR-77-7 0 VOLUME III " 󈧦 VALIDATION OF MIL-F-9490D - GENERAL SPECIFICATION FOR FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM "FOR PILOTED MILITARY AIRCRAFT VOLUME...ý A1O 1 C I\\.FFBL Ti(-77-7. Vol. III f Validatio~n of UL-P-9-490D#,*. General Spacificatior "~inal 1’l -_t e for Flight ContrsA Zyn’om for Piloted...cation MIL-F-9490D (USAF), "Flight Control Systems - Design, Installation and Test of Piloted Aircraft, General Specifications for," dated 6 June 1975, by

An application of adaptive learning to malfunction recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruz, R. E.

1986-01-01

A self-organizing controller is developed for a simplified two-dimensional aircraft model. The Controller learns how to pilot the aircraft through a navigational mission without exceeding pre-established position and velocity limits. The controller pilots the aircraft by activating one of eight directional actuators at all times. By continually monitoring the aircraft's position and velocity with respect to the mission, the controller progressively modifies its decision rules to improve the aircraft's performance. When the controller has learned how to pilot the aircraft, two actuators fail permanently. Despite this malfunction, the controller regains proficiency at its original task. The experimental results reported show the controller's capabilities for self-organizing control, learning, and malfunction recovery.

Female health workers at the doorstep: a pilot of community-based maternal, newborn, and child health service delivery in northern Nigeria.

PubMed

Uzondu, Charles A; Doctor, Henry V; Findley, Sally E; Afenyadu, Godwin Y; Ager, Alastair

2015-03-01

Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world. Poor health outcomes are linked to weak health infrastructure, barriers to service access, and consequent low rates of service utilization. In the northern state of Jigawa, a pilot study was conducted to explore the feasibility of deploying resident female Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) to rural areas to provide essential maternal, newborn, and child health services. Between February and August 2011, a quasi-experimental design compared service utilization in the pilot community of Kadawawa, which deployed female resident CHEWs to provide health post services, 24/7 emergency access, and home visits, with the control community of Kafin Baka. In addition, we analyzed data from the preceding year in Kadawawa, and also compared service utilization data in Kadawawa from 2008-2010 (before introduction of the pilot) with data from 2011-2013 (during and after the pilot) to gauge sustainability of the model. Following deployment of female CHEWs to Kadawawa in 2011, there was more than a 500% increase in rates of health post visits compared with 2010, from about 1.5 monthly visits per 100 population to about 8 monthly visits per 100. Health post visit rates were between 1.4 and 5.5 times higher in the intervention community than in the control community. Monthly antenatal care coverage in Kadawawa during the pilot period ranged from 11.9% to 21.3%, up from 0.9% to 5.8% in the preceding year. Coverage in Kafin Baka ranged from 0% to 3%. Facility-based deliveries by a skilled birth attendant more than doubled in Kadawawa compared with the preceding year (105 vs. 43 deliveries total, respectively). There was evidence of sustainability of these changes over the 2 subsequent years. Community-based service delivery through a resident female community health worker can increase health service utilization in rural, hard-to-reach areas. © Uzondu et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly cited. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. When linking to this article, please use the following permanent link: http://dx.doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-14-00117.

Data-linked pilot reply time on controller workload and communication in a simulated terminal option

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-05-01

This report describes an analysis of air traffic control communication and workload in a simulated terminal radar approach : control environment. The objective of this study was to investigate how pilot-to-controller data-link acknowledgment time : m...

Applications of pilot scanning behavior to integrated display research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, M. C.

1977-01-01

The oculometer is an electrooptical device designed to measure pilot scanning behavior during instrument approaches and landing operations. An overview of some results from a simulation study is presented to illustrate how information from the oculometer installed in a visual motion simulator, combined with measures of performance and control input data, can provide insight into the behavior and tactics of individual pilots during instrument approaches. Differences in measured behavior of the pilot subjects are pointed out; these differences become apparent in the way the pilots distribute their visual attention, in the amount of control activity, and in selected performance measures. Some of these measured differences have diagnostic implications, suggesting the use of the oculometer along with performance measures as a pilot training tool.

A Control Allocation Technique to Recover From Pilot-Induced Oscillations (CAPIO) Due to Actuator Rate Limiting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yildiz, Yildiray; Kolmanovsky, Ilya V.

2010-01-01

This paper proposes a control allocation technique that can help pilots recover from pilot induced oscillations (PIO). When actuators are rate-saturated due to aggressive pilot commands, high gain flight control systems or some anomaly in the system, the effective delay in the control loop may increase depending on the nature of the cause. This effective delay increase manifests itself as a phase shift between the commanded and actual system signals and can instigate PIOs. The proposed control allocator reduces the effective time delay by minimizing the phase shift between the commanded and the actual attitude accelerations. Simulation results are reported, which demonstrate phase shift minimization and recovery from PIOs. Conversion of the objective function to be minimized and constraints to a form that is suitable for implementation is given.

"Tower, Am I Cleared to Land?": Problematic Communication in Aviation Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, John W., III

2008-01-01

This study examined problematic communication in pilot-air traffic controller (ATC) interaction. More than 15 hours of pilot-ATC dialogue were collected by monitoring control tower frequencies at 15 U.S. airports. The transcribed data yielded a total of 34 ATCs, 270 pilots, and 1,799 turns of talk. Analyses revealed that (a) communication…

14 CFR 135.247 - Pilot qualifications: Recent experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... as the sole manipulator of the flight controls in an aircraft of the same category and class and, if... controls in an aircraft of the same category and class and, if a type rating is required, of the same type... to a pilot in command of a turbine-powered airplane that is type certificated for more than one pilot...

14 CFR 135.247 - Pilot qualifications: Recent experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... as the sole manipulator of the flight controls in an aircraft of the same category and class and, if... controls in an aircraft of the same category and class and, if a type rating is required, of the same type... to a pilot in command of a turbine-powered airplane that is type certificated for more than one pilot...

14 CFR 135.247 - Pilot qualifications: Recent experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... as the sole manipulator of the flight controls in an aircraft of the same category and class and, if... controls in an aircraft of the same category and class and, if a type rating is required, of the same type... to a pilot in command of a turbine-powered airplane that is type certificated for more than one pilot...

An Analysis of En Route Controller-Pilot Voice Communications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-03-01

The purposes of this analysis were to examine current pilot-controller communication practices in the en route : environment. Forty-eight hours of voice tapes from eight different Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) were : examined. There were...

Analysis of reportable events in Kansas City air route traffic control center

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-10

The implementation of ControllerPilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) in domestic en route airspace will change the controllers and pilots : tasks, which will, in turn change the types of observed errors. This study characterizes the current...

Development of a coding form for approach control/pilot voice communications.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-05-01

The Aviation Topics Speech Acts Taxonomy (ATSAT) is a tool for categorizing pilot/controller communications according to their purpose and for classifying communication errors. Air traffic controller communications that deviate from FAA Air Traffic C...

A pilot rating scale for evaluating failure transients in electronic flight control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hindson, William S.; Schroeder, Jeffery A.; Eshow, Michelle M.

1990-01-01

A pilot rating scale was developed to describe the effects of transients in helicopter flight-control systems on safety-of-flight and on pilot recovery action. The scale was applied to the evaluation of hardovers that could potentially occur in the digital flight-control system being designed for a variable-stability UH-60A research helicopter. Tests were conducted in a large moving-base simulator and in flight. The results of the investigation were combined with existing airworthiness criteria to determine quantitative reliability design goals for the control system.

A Methodology to Determine the Psychomotor Performance of Helicopter Pilots During Flight Maneuvers.

PubMed

McMahon, Terry W; Newman, David G

2015-07-01

Helicopter flying is a complex psychomotor task requiring continuous control inputs to maintain stable flight and conduct maneuvers. Flight safety is impaired when this psychomotor performance is compromised. A comprehensive understanding of the psychomotor performance of helicopter pilots, under various operational and physiological conditions, remains to be developed. The purpose of this study was to develop a flight simulator-based technique for capturing psychomotor performance data of helicopter pilots. Three helicopter pilots conducted six low-level flight sequences in a helicopter simulator. Accelerometers applied to each flight control recorded the frequency and magnitude of movements. The mean (± SEM) number of control inputs per flight was 2450 (± 136). The mean (± SEM) number of control inputs per second was 1.96 (± 0.15). The mean (± SEM) force applied was 0.44 G (± 0.05 G). No significant differences were found between pilots in terms of flight completion times or number of movements per second. The number of control inputs made by the hands was significantly greater than the number of foot movements. The left hand control input forces were significantly greater than all other input forces. This study shows that the use of accelerometers in flight simulators is an effective technique for capturing accurate, reliable data on the psychomotor performance of helicopter pilots. This technique can be applied in future studies to a wider range of operational and physiological conditions and mission types in order to develop a greater awareness and understanding of the psychomotor performance demands on helicopter pilots.

Uncoupling VOR and vestibuloautonomic retention to Coriolis acceleration training in student pilots and control subjects.

PubMed

Wang, Linjie; Cao, Yi; Tan, Cheng; Zhao, Qi; He, Siyang; Niu, Dongbin; Tang, Guohua; Zou, Peng; Xing, Lei

2017-01-01

Explore the different vestibular physiologic response retention patterns after Coriolis acceleration training in student pilots and extend the results for use with Chinese astronauts in the future. Twelve healthy control male subjects were screened from males familiar with vestibular training and who physically resembled the astronauts. Fourteen student pilots were selected from 23 participants by rotational vestibular function tests. All subjects were exposed to five-day continuous or intermittent Coriolis acceleration training. Subjective motion sickness (MS) symptom scores, electrocardiography, electrogastrography (EGG), post-rotatory nystagmus and renin-angiotensin system responses were measured before, during and after rotational vestibular function tests at different times after vestibular training. Subjects could tolerate 10 min or 15 min of vestibular with mild MS symptoms. Retention of vestibular autonomic responses (retention of MS symptom scores, heart rate variability, power density of EGG, variations in levels of arginine vasopressin) were approximately 1 week for control subjects and approximately 5 weeks for student pilots. Decreases in slow-phase velocity of post-rotatory nystagmus were maintained for 14 weeks for control subjects and 9 weeks for student pilots. Retention of the vestibulo-autonomic reaction after vestibular training was different for control subjects and student pilots. All parameters related to autonomic responses could be maintained at low levels after vestibular training for approximately 1 week for control subjects and approximately 5 weeks for student pilots. Uncoupling patterns between post-rotatory nystagmus and the vestibulo-autonomic reaction may be helpful in the design of clinical rehabilitation plans for balance-disorder patients and for exploration of artificial gravity in future space missions.

Biomechanically Induced and Controller Coupled Oscillations Experienced on the F-16XL Aircraft During Rolling Maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, John W.; Montgomery, Terry

1996-01-01

During rapid rolling maneuvers, the F-16 XL aircraft exhibits a 2.5 Hz lightly damped roll oscillation, perceived and described as 'roll ratcheting.' This phenomenon is common with fly-by-wire control systems, particularly when primary control is derived through a pedestal-mounted side-arm controller. Analytical studies have been conducted to model the nature of the integrated control characteristics. The analytical results complement the flight observations. A three-degree-of-freedom linearized set of aerodynamic matrices was assembled to simulate the aircraft plant. The lateral-directional control system was modeled as a linear system. A combination of two second-order transfer functions was derived to couple the lateral acceleration feed through effect of the operator's arm and controller to the roll stick force input. From the combined systems, open-loop frequency responses and a time history were derived, describing and predicting an analogous in-flight situation. This report describes the primary control, aircraft angular rate, and position time responses of the F-16 XL-2 aircraft during subsonic and high-dynamic-pressure rolling maneuvers. The analytical description of the pilot's arm and controller can be applied to other aircraft or simulations to assess roll ratcheting susceptibility.

Comparison of in-flight and ground-based simulator derived flying qualities and pilot performance for approach and landing tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grantham, William D.; Williams, Robert H.

1987-01-01

For the case of an approach-and-landing piloting task emphasizing response to the landing flare, pilot opinion and performance parameters derived from jet transport aircraft six-degree-of-freedom ground-based and in-flight simulators were compared in order to derive data for the flight-controls/flying-qualities engineers. The data thus obtained indicate that ground simulation results tend to be conservative, and that the effect of control sensitivity is more pronounced for ground simulation. The pilot also has a greater tendency to generate pilot-induced oscillation in ground-based simulation than in flight.

Analytical display design for flight tasks conducted under instrument meteorological conditions. [human factors engineering of pilot performance for display device design in instrument landing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1976-01-01

Paramount to proper utilization of electronic displays is a method for determining pilot-centered display requirements. Display design should be viewed fundamentally as a guidance and control problem which has interactions with the designer's knowledge of human psychomotor activity. From this standpoint, reliable analytical models of human pilots as information processors and controllers can provide valuable insight into the display design process. A relatively straightforward, nearly algorithmic procedure for deriving model-based, pilot-centered display requirements was developed and is presented. The optimal or control theoretic pilot model serves as the backbone of the design methodology, which is specifically directed toward the synthesis of head-down, electronic, cockpit display formats. Some novel applications of the optimal pilot model are discussed. An analytical design example is offered which defines a format for the electronic display to be used in a UH-1H helicopter in a landing approach task involving longitudinal and lateral degrees of freedom.

Pilot performance in zero-visibility precision approach. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ephrath, A. R.

1975-01-01

The pilot's short-term decisions regarding performance assessment and failure monitoring is examined. The performance of airline pilots who flew simulated zero-visibility landing approaches is reported. Results indicate that the pilot's mode of participation in the control task has a strong effect on his workload, the induced workload being lowest when the pilot acts as a monitor during a coupled approach and highest when the pilot is an active element in the control loop. A marked increase in workload at altitudes below 500 ft. is documented at all participation modes; this increase is inversely related to distance-to-go. The participation mode is shown to have a dominant effect on failure-detection performance, with a failure in a monitored (coupled) axis being detected faster than a comparable failure in a manually-controlled axis. Touchdown performance is also documented. It is concluded that the conventional instrument panel and its associated displays are inadequate for zero-visibility operations in the final phases of the landing approach.

Query Health: standards-based, cross-platform population health surveillance

PubMed Central

Klann, Jeffrey G; Buck, Michael D; Brown, Jeffrey; Hadley, Marc; Elmore, Richard; Weber, Griffin M; Murphy, Shawn N

2014-01-01

Objective Understanding population-level health trends is essential to effectively monitor and improve public health. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Query Health initiative is a collaboration to develop a national architecture for distributed, population-level health queries across diverse clinical systems with disparate data models. Here we review Query Health activities, including a standards-based methodology, an open-source reference implementation, and three pilot projects. Materials and methods Query Health defined a standards-based approach for distributed population health queries, using an ontology based on the Quality Data Model and Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture, Health Quality Measures Format (HQMF) as the query language, the Query Envelope as the secure transport layer, and the Quality Reporting Document Architecture as the result language. Results We implemented this approach using Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) and hQuery for data analytics and PopMedNet for access control, secure query distribution, and response. We deployed the reference implementation at three pilot sites: two public health departments (New York City and Massachusetts) and one pilot designed to support Food and Drug Administration post-market safety surveillance activities. The pilots were successful, although improved cross-platform data normalization is needed. Discussions This initiative resulted in a standards-based methodology for population health queries, a reference implementation, and revision of the HQMF standard. It also informed future directions regarding interoperability and data access for ONC's Data Access Framework initiative. Conclusions Query Health was a test of the learning health system that supplied a functional methodology and reference implementation for distributed population health queries that has been validated at three sites. PMID:24699371

Query Health: standards-based, cross-platform population health surveillance.

PubMed

Klann, Jeffrey G; Buck, Michael D; Brown, Jeffrey; Hadley, Marc; Elmore, Richard; Weber, Griffin M; Murphy, Shawn N

2014-01-01

Understanding population-level health trends is essential to effectively monitor and improve public health. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Query Health initiative is a collaboration to develop a national architecture for distributed, population-level health queries across diverse clinical systems with disparate data models. Here we review Query Health activities, including a standards-based methodology, an open-source reference implementation, and three pilot projects. Query Health defined a standards-based approach for distributed population health queries, using an ontology based on the Quality Data Model and Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture, Health Quality Measures Format (HQMF) as the query language, the Query Envelope as the secure transport layer, and the Quality Reporting Document Architecture as the result language. We implemented this approach using Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) and hQuery for data analytics and PopMedNet for access control, secure query distribution, and response. We deployed the reference implementation at three pilot sites: two public health departments (New York City and Massachusetts) and one pilot designed to support Food and Drug Administration post-market safety surveillance activities. The pilots were successful, although improved cross-platform data normalization is needed. This initiative resulted in a standards-based methodology for population health queries, a reference implementation, and revision of the HQMF standard. It also informed future directions regarding interoperability and data access for ONC's Data Access Framework initiative. Query Health was a test of the learning health system that supplied a functional methodology and reference implementation for distributed population health queries that has been validated at three sites. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

77 FR 69571 - Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplane, Limit Pilot Forces for Sidestick Control

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-20

... wheel or stick controls, is not appropriate for a sidestick controller, because pilot forces are applied... Forces for Sidestick Control AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of... instead of a conventional wheel or control stick. This kind of controller is designed to be operated using...

Bioelectric Control of a 757 Class High Fidelity Aircraft Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jorgensen, Charles; Wheeler, Kevin; Stepniewski, Slawomir; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

This paper presents results of a recent experiment in fine grain Electromyographic (EMG) signal recognition, We demonstrate bioelectric flight control of 757 class simulation aircraft landing at San Francisco International Airport. The physical instrumentality of a pilot control stick is not used. A pilot closes a fist in empty air and performs control movements which are captured by a dry electrode array on the arm, analyzed and routed through a flight director permitting full pilot outer loop control of the simulation. A Vision Dome immersive display is used to create a VR world for the aircraft body mechanics and flight changes to pilot movements. Inner loop surfaces and differential aircraft thrust is controlled using a hybrid neural network architecture that combines a damage adaptive controller (Jorgensen 1998, Totah 1998) with a propulsion only based control system (Bull & Kaneshige 1997). Thus the 757 aircraft is not only being flown bioelectrically at the pilot level but also demonstrates damage adaptive neural network control permitting adaptation to severe changes in the physical flight characteristics of the aircraft at the inner loop level. To compensate for accident scenarios, the aircraft uses remaining control surface authority and differential thrust from the engines. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time real time bioelectric fine-grained control, differential thrust based control, and neural network damage adaptive control have been integrated into a single flight demonstration. The paper describes the EMG pattern recognition system and the bioelectric pattern recognition methodology.

Investigation of piloting aids for manual control of hypersonic maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raney, David L.; Phillips, Michael R.; Person, Lee H., Jr.

1995-01-01

An investigation of piloting aids designed to provide precise maneuver control for an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle is described. Stringent constraints and nonintuitive high-speed flight effects associated with maneuvering in the hypersonic regime raise the question of whether manual control of such a vehicle should even be considered. The objectives of this research were to determine the extent of manual control that is desirable for a vehicle maneuvering in this regime and to identify the form of aids that must be supplied to the pilot to make such control feasible. A piloted real-time motion-based simulation of a hypersonic vehicle concept was used for this study, and the investigation focused on a single representative cruise turn maneuver. Piloting aids, which consisted of an auto throttle, throttle director, autopilot, flight director, and two head-up display configurations, were developed and evaluated. Two longitudinal control response types consisting of a rate-command/attitude-hold system and a load factor-rate/load-factor-hold system were also compared. The complete set of piloting aids, which consisted of the autothrottle, throttle director, and flight director, improved the average Cooper-Harper flying qualities ratings from 8 to 2.6, even though identical inner-loop stability and control augmentation was provided in all cases. The flight director was determined to be the most critical of these aids, and the cruise turn maneuver was unachievable to adequate performance specifications in the absence of this flight director.

Practice Environments and Job Satisfaction in Patient-Centered Medical Homes

PubMed Central

Alidina, Shehnaz; Rosenthal, Meredith B.; Schneider, Eric C.; Singer, Sara J.; Friedberg, Mark W.

2014-01-01

PURPOSE We undertook a study to evaluate the effects of medical home transformation on job satisfaction in the primary care setting. METHODS We collected primary data from 20 primary care practices participating in medical home pilot projects in Rhode Island and Colorado from 2009 to 2011. We surveyed clinicians and staff about the quality of their practice environments (eg, office chaos, communication, difficulties in providing safe, high-quality care) and job satisfaction at baseline and 30 months, and about stress, burnout, and intention to leave at 30 months. We interviewed practice leaders about the impact of pilot project participation. We assessed longitudinal changes in the practice environment and job satisfaction and, in the final pilot year, examined cross-sectional associations between the practice environment and job satisfaction, stress, burnout, and intention to leave. RESULTS Between baseline and 30 months, job satisfaction improved in Rhode Island (P =.03) but not in Colorado. For both pilot projects, reported difficulties in providing safe, high-quality care decreased (P <.001), but emphasis on quality and the level of office chaos did not change significantly. In cross-sectional analyses, fewer difficulties in providing safe, high-quality care and more open communication were associated with greater job satisfaction. Greater office chaos and an emphasis on electronic information were associated with greater stress and burnout. CONCLUSIONS Medical home transformations that emphasize quality and open communication while minimizing office chaos may offer the best chances of improving job satisfaction. PMID:25024241

A Flight Evaluation of the Factors which Influence the Selection of Landing Approach Speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drinkwater, Fred J., III; Cooper, George E.

1958-01-01

The factors which influence the selection of landing approach speeds are discussed from the pilot's point of view. Concepts were developed and data were obtained during a landing approach flight investigation of a large number of jet airplane configurations which included straight-wing, swept-wing, and delta-wing airplanes as well as several applications of boundary-layer control. Since the fundamental limitation to further reductions in approach speed on most configurations appeared to be associated with the reduction in the pilot's ability to control flight path angle and airspeed, this problem forms the basis of the report. A simplified equation is presented showing the basic parameters which govern the flight path angle and airspeed changes, and pilot control techniques are discussed in relation to this equation. Attention is given to several independent aerodynamic characteristics which do not affect the flight path angle or airspeed directly but which determine to a large extent the effort and attention required of the pilot in controlling these factors during the approach. These include stall characteristics, stability about all axes, and changes in trim due to thrust adjustments. The report considers the relationship between piloting technique and all of the factors previously mentioned. A piloting technique which was found to be highly desirable for control of high-performance airplanes is described and the pilot's attitudes toward low-speed flight which bear heavily on the selection of landing approach speeds under operational conditions are discussed.

An Evaluation of Detect and Avoid (DAA) Displays for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: The Effect of Information Level and Display Location on Pilot Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fern, Lisa; Rorie, R. Conrad; Pack, Jessica S.; Shively, R. Jay; Draper, Mark H.

2015-01-01

A consortium of government, industry and academia is currently working to establish minimum operational performance standards for Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Control and Communications (C2) systems in order to enable broader integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). One subset of these performance standards will need to address the DAA display requirements that support an acceptable level of pilot performance. From a pilot's perspective, the DAA task is the maintenance of self separation and collision avoidance from other aircraft, utilizing the available information and controls within the Ground Control Station (GCS), including the DAA display. The pilot-in-the-loop DAA task requires the pilot to carry out three major functions: 1) detect a potential threat, 2) determine an appropriate resolution maneuver, and 3) execute that resolution maneuver via the GCS control and navigation interface(s). The purpose of the present study was to examine two main questions with respect to DAA display considerations that could impact pilots' ability to maintain well clear from other aircraft. First, what is the effect of a minimum (or basic) information display compared to an advanced information display on pilot performance? Second, what is the effect of display location on UAS pilot performance? Two levels of information level (basic, advanced) were compared across two levels of display location (standalone, integrated), for a total of four displays. The authors propose an eight-stage pilot-DAA interaction timeline from which several pilot response time metrics can be extracted. These metrics were compared across the four display conditions. The results indicate that the advanced displays had faster overall response times compared to the basic displays, however, there were no significant differences between the standalone and integrated displays. Implications of the findings on understanding pilot performance on the DAA task, the development of DAA display performance standards, as well as the need for future research are discussed.

Pilot evaluation of sailplane handling qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, A. G., Jr.

1978-01-01

The evaluation sailplanes were found generally deficient in the area of cockpit layout. The pilots indicated general dissatisfaction with high pitch sensitivity especially when coupled with inertially induced stick forces. While all sailplanes were judged satisfactory for centering thermals and in the ease of speed control in circling flight, pilot opinions diverged on the maneuvering response, pull-out characteristics from a dive, and on phugoid damping. Lateral-directional control problems were noted mainly during takeoff and landing for most sailplanes with the landing wheel ahead of center of gravity. Pilot opinion of in-flight lateral-directional stability and control was generally satisfactory. Five of the evaluation sailplanes exhibited a very narrow airspeed band in which perceptible stall warning buffet occurred. However, this characteristic was considered not objectionable when stall recovery was easy. The pilots objected to the characteristics of a wide airspeed band of stall warning followed by a stall with yawing and rolling tendency and substantial loss of altitude during the stall. Glide path control for the evaluation sailplanes was found to be generally objectionable.

Analysis of Controller-Pilot Voice Communications from Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-07-01

The implementation of Controller Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) in domestic en route airspace is a key enabling technology in the Next Generation Air Transportation System. The Federal Aviation Administration plans to implement en route CPDLC ...

An Analysis of Tower (Local) Controller - Pilot Voice Communications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-06-01

The purposes of this analysis were to examine current pilot-controller communication practices in the terminal environment. Forty-nine hours of voice tapes from local positions in ten Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCTs) were examined. There were 8,444...

Studies of Pilot Control During Launching and Reentry of Space Vehicles, Utilizing the Human Centrifuge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Carl C.; Woodling, C. H.

1959-01-01

With the ever increasing complexity of airplanes and the nearness to reality of manned space vehicles the use of pilot-controlled flight simulators has become imperative. The state of the art in flight simulation has progressed well with the demand. Pilot-controlled flight simulators are finding increasing uses in aeromedical research, airplane and airplane systems design, and preflight training. At the present many flight simulators are in existence with various degrees of sophistication and sundry purposes. These vary from fixed base simulators where the pilot applies control inputs according to visual cues presented to him on an instrument display to moving base simulators where various combinations of angular and linear motions are added in an attempt to improve the flight simulation.

EUMIS - an open portal framework for interoperable marine environmental services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamre, T.; Sandven, S.; Leadbetter, A.; Gouriou, V.; Dunne, D.; Grant, M.; Treguer, M.; Torget, Ø.

2012-04-01

NETMAR (Open service network for marine environmental data) is an FP7 project that aims to develop a pilot European Marine Information System (EUMIS) for searching, downloading and integrating satellite, in situ and model data from ocean and coastal areas. EUMIS will use a semantic framework coupled with ontologies for identifying and accessing distributed data, such as near-real time, forecast and historical data. Four pilots have been defined to clarify the needs for satellite, in situ and model based products and services in selected user communities. The pilots are: · Pilot 1: Arctic Sea Ice Monitoring and Forecasting · Pilot 2: Oil spill drift forecast and shoreline cleanup assessment services in France · Pilot 3: Ocean colour - Marine Ecosystem, Research and Monitoring · Pilot 4: International Coastal Atlas Network (ICAN) for coastal zone management NETMAR is developing a set of data delivery services for the targeted user communities by means of standard web-GIS and OPeNDAP protocols. Processing services and adaptive service chaining services will also be developed, to enable users to generate new products suited to their needs. Both data retrieved from online repositories as well as the products generated dynamically can be accessed and visualised in the EUMIS portal. For this purpose, a GIS Viewer, a Service Chaining Editor and a Ontology Browser/Discovery Client have been developed and integrated in EUMIS. The EUMIS portal is developed using a portal framework that is compliant with the JSR-168 (Java Portlet Specification 1.0) and JSR-286 (Java Portlet Specification, 2.0) standards. These standards defines the interface (contract) and lifecycle management for a portal system component, a portlet, which can be implemented in a number of programming languages, not only Java. The GIS Viewer is developed using a combination of Java, JavaScript and JSF (e.g. MapFaces). The Service chaining editor is implemented in JavaScript (using different libraries like jQuery and WireIt), and the Ontology Browser/Discovery Client by means of Adobe Flex. In addition to the portlets developed in the project, we have also used several of the pre-built portlets that come with the Liferay Community Edition portal framework, notably the wiki, forum and RSS feed portlets. The presentation will focus on the developed system components and show some examples of products and services from the defined pilots.

Airborne Use of Traffic Intent Information in a Distributed Air-Ground Traffic Management Concept: Experiment Design and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Adams, Richard J.; Duley, Jacqueline A.; Legan, Brian M.; Barmore, Bryan E.; Moses, Donald

2001-01-01

A predominant research focus in the free flight community has been on the type of information required on the flight deck to enable pilots to "autonomously" maintain separation from other aircraft. At issue are the relative utility and requirement for information exchange between aircraft regarding the current "state" and/or the "intent" of each aircraft. This paper presents the experimental design and some initial findings of an experimental research study designed to provide insight into the issue of intent information exchange in constrained en-route operations and its effect on pilot decision making and flight performance. Two operational modes for autonomous operations were compared in a piloted simulation. The tactical mode was characterized primarily by the use of state information for conflict detection and resolution and an open-loop means for the pilot to meet operational constraints. The strategic mode involved the combined use of state and intent information, provided the pilot an additional level of alerting, and allowed a closed-loop approach to meeting operational constraints. Potential operational benefits of both modes are illustrated through several scenario case studies. Subjective data results are presented that generally indicate pilot consensus in favor of the strategic mode.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft for Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rezek, T. W.

1985-01-01

NASA Technical Memorandum presents overview of remotely-piloted research vehicle (RPRV) activities. Controlled from ground, vehicles allow new concepts tried without subjecting pilots to danger. Critical role of pilot in flight testing with RPRV's demonstrated repeatedly, and many system anomalies uncovered with no risk to human life.

Honest, Open, Proud for adolescents with mental illness: pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mulfinger, Nadine; Müller, Sabine; Böge, Isabel; Sakar, Vehbi; Corrigan, Patrick W; Evans-Lacko, Sara; Nehf, Luise; Djamali, Julia; Samarelli, Anna; Kempter, Michael; Ruckes, Christian; Libal, Gerhard; Oexle, Nathalie; Noterdaeme, Michele; Rüsch, Nicolas

2018-06-01

Due to public stigma or self-stigma and shame, many adolescents with mental illness (MI) struggle with the decision whether to disclose their MI to others. Both disclosure and nondisclosure are associated with risks and benefits. Honest, Open, Proud (HOP) is a peer-led group program that supports participants with disclosure decisions in order to reduce stigma's impact. Previously, HOP had only been evaluated among adults with MI. This two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial included 98 adolescents with MI. Participants were randomly assigned to HOP and treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU alone. Outcomes were assessed pre (T0/baseline), post (T1/after the HOP program), and at 3-week follow-up (T2/6 weeks after T0). Primary endpoints were stigma stress at T1 and quality of life at T2. Secondary outcomes included self-stigma, disclosure-related distress, empowerment, help-seeking intentions, recovery, and depressive symptoms. The trial is registered on ClinicalTrials (NCT02751229; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov). Compared to TAU, adolescents in the HOP program showed significantly reduced stigma stress at T1 (d = .92, p < .001) and increased quality of life at T2 (d = .60, p = .004). In a longitudinal mediation model, the latter effect was fully mediated by stigma stress reduction at T1. HOP further showed significant positive effects on self-stigma, disclosure-related distress, secrecy, help-seeking intentions, attitudes to disclosure, recovery, and depressive symptoms. Effects at T1 remained stable or improved further at follow-up. In a limited economic evaluation HOP was cost-efficient in relation to gains in quality of life. As HOP is a compact three-session program and showed positive effects on stigma and disclosure variables as well as on symptoms and quality of life, it could help to reduce stigma's negative impact among adolescents with MI. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Head-to-Head Comparison of Aripiprazole and Risperidone in the Treatment of ADHD Symptoms in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and ADHD: A Pilot, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Lamberti, Marco; Siracusano, Rosamaria; Italiano, Domenico; Alosi, Norma; Cucinotta, Francesca; Di Rosa, Gabriella; Germanò, Eva; Spina, Edoardo; Gagliano, Antonella

2016-08-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are frequently overlapping neurodevelopmental disorders. Individuals in whom the disorders are comorbid show more severe impairment because of deficits in the processing of social situations, adaptive functioning, and executive control than individuals with either disorder alone. This open-label pilot study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy and tolerability of risperidone and aripiprazole for treating ADHD symptoms in patients with both ASD and ADHD over the course of 24 weeks of treatment. Patients (n = 44) were randomly assigned to start treatment with risperidone (22 patients) or aripiprazole (22 patients). Children were evaluated before starting treatment (T0), and after 12 weeks (T1) and 24 weeks (T2) of treatment. At each visit, specific psychiatric clinical scales were administered to assess the efficacy of the two drugs. The mean age was 8.4 ± 2.9 years in the aripiprazole group and 7.8 ± 2.3 years in the risperidone group. A total of 37 children (29 boys and 8 girls) completed the study (18 in the aripiprazole group and 19 in the risperidone group). Aripiprazole and risperidone appeared to have similar benefits in terms of efficacy and tolerability, although there were slight differences between the two drugs. Both groups showed a significant improvement in ADHD symptoms after 24 weeks of treatment (ADHD Rating Scale, Conners Parent Rating Scale-Hyperactivity, and Clinical Global Improvement-Severity Scale). No significant difference between the two drugs on any parameters at 24 weeks were found. Prolactin levels were decreased in the aripiprazole group. Both drugs were well tolerated, with no serious adverse events detected. Our study confirms the efficacy of both aripiprazole and risperidone in ameliorating ADHD symptoms of children also presenting with ASD.

Piloted Simulation to Evaluate the Utility of a Real Time Envelope Protection System for Mitigating In-Flight Icing Hazards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ranaudo, Richard J.; Martos, Borja; Norton, Bill W.; Gingras, David R.; Barnhart, Billy P.; Ratvasky, Thomas P.; Morelli, Eugene

2011-01-01

The utility of the Icing Contamination Envelope Protection (ICEPro) system for mitigating a potentially hazardous icing condition was evaluated by 29 pilots using the NASA Ice Contamination Effects Flight Training Device (ICEFTD). ICEPro provides real time envelope protection cues and alerting messages on pilot displays. The pilots participating in this test were divided into two groups; a control group using baseline displays without ICEPro, and an experimental group using ICEPro driven display cueing. Each group flew identical precision approach and missed approach procedures with a simulated failure case icing condition. Pilot performance, workload, and survey questionnaires were collected for both groups of pilots. Results showed that real time assessment cues were effective in reducing the number of potentially hazardous upset events and in lessening exposure to loss of control following an incipient upset condition. Pilot workload with the added ICEPro displays was not measurably affected, but pilot opinion surveys showed that real time cueing greatly improved their situation awareness of a hazardous aircraft state.

Handling qualities of large flexible control-configured aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swaim, R. L.

1979-01-01

The approach to an analytical study of flexible airplane longitudinal handling qualities was to parametrically vary the natural frequencies of two symmetric elastic modes to induce mode interactions with the rigid body dynamics. Since the structure of the pilot model was unknown for such dynamic interactions, the optimal control pilot modeling method is being applied and used in conjunction with pilot rating method.

STS-43 Pilot Baker eats a sandwich on OV-104's forward flight deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-43 Pilot Michael A. Baker, seated at the forward flight deck pilots station controls, eats a freefloating peanut butter and jelly sandwich while holding a carrot. Surrounding Baker on Atlantis', Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104's, flight deck are procedural checklists, control panels, and windows. A lemonade drink bag is velcroed to overhead panel O9.

Lateral information processing by spiking neurons: a theoretical model of the neural correlate of consciousness.

PubMed

Ebner, Marc; Hameroff, Stuart

2011-01-01

Cognitive brain functions, for example, sensory perception, motor control and learning, are understood as computation by axonal-dendritic chemical synapses in networks of integrate-and-fire neurons. Cognitive brain functions may occur either consciously or nonconsciously (on "autopilot"). Conscious cognition is marked by gamma synchrony EEG, mediated largely by dendritic-dendritic gap junctions, sideways connections in input/integration layers. Gap-junction-connected neurons define a sub-network within a larger neural network. A theoretical model (the "conscious pilot") suggests that as gap junctions open and close, a gamma-synchronized subnetwork, or zone moves through the brain as an executive agent, converting nonconscious "auto-pilot" cognition to consciousness, and enhancing computation by coherent processing and collective integration. In this study we implemented sideways "gap junctions" in a single-layer artificial neural network to perform figure/ground separation. The set of neurons connected through gap junctions form a reconfigurable resistive grid or sub-network zone. In the model, outgoing spikes are temporally integrated and spatially averaged using the fixed resistive grid set up by neurons of similar function which are connected through gap-junctions. This spatial average, essentially a feedback signal from the neuron's output, determines whether particular gap junctions between neurons will open or close. Neurons connected through open gap junctions synchronize their output spikes. We have tested our gap-junction-defined sub-network in a one-layer neural network on artificial retinal inputs using real-world images. Our system is able to perform figure/ground separation where the laterally connected sub-network of neurons represents a perceived object. Even though we only show results for visual stimuli, our approach should generalize to other modalities. The system demonstrates a moving sub-network zone of synchrony, within which the contents of perception are represented and contained. This mobile zone can be viewed as a model of the neural correlate of consciousness in the brain.

Effect of facial massage on static balance in individuals with temporomandibular disorder - a pilot study.

PubMed

El Hage, Yasmin; Politti, Fabiano; Herpich, Carolina Marciela; de Souza, Dowglas Fernando Magalhães; de Paula Gomes, Cid André Fidelis; Amorim, Cesar Ferreira; de Oliveira Gonzalez, Tabajara; Biasotto-Gonzalez, Daniela Aparecida

2013-01-01

The influence of the neuromuscular system on the cervical region and mastication is directly associated with mandibular movements and neck posture. Normal occlusal homeostasis depends on complex sensory feedback mechanisms of the periodontal ligament, temporomandibular joint and other structures of the stomatognathic system. This feedback serves as a regulatory mechanism that helps determine the force and nature of muscle contractions. Alterations in the muscles of mastication, neck muscles, and occlusal characteristics constitute causal factors of imbalances in the postural muscle chains, leading to alterations in the center of pressure (CoP) of the feet. Thus, therapies that seek occlusal reestablishment, such as muscle relaxation techniques, may lead to a restructuring of the global equilibrium of the neuromuscular system and an improvement in body posture. The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate the immediate effect of facial massage on the CoP in the anteroposterior (CoPAP) and mediolateral (CoPML) directions in individuals with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Twenty individuals with a diagnosis of TMD based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) were submitted to a facial massage technique. CoPAP and CoPML were evaluated using a force plate. Evaluations were performed under two visual conditions (eyes open and eyes closed) prior to resting in dorsal decubitus (baseline), after 10 minutes of rest (premassage) and after the administration of the massage technique (postmassage). No significant differences were found regarding CoPAP velocity with eyes open or the following aspects under either visual condition (eyes open or closed): CoPML velocity, RMS of CoPAP, RMS of CoPML, and sway area. The only significant difference was found for mean CoPAP velocity with eyes closed. While the results of the present study demonstrate the reliability of the reproduction of the data, facial massage had no immediate influence on postural control in individuals with TMD.

Navigation experience and mental representations of the environment: do pilots build better cognitive maps?

PubMed

Sutton, Jennifer E; Buset, Melanie; Keller, Mikayla

2014-01-01

A number of careers involve tasks that place demands on spatial cognition, but it is still unclear how and whether skills acquired in such applied experiences transfer to other spatial tasks. The current study investigated the association between pilot training and the ability to form a mental survey representation, or cognitive map, of a novel, ground-based, virtual environment. Undergraduate students who were engaged in general aviation pilot training and controls matched to the pilots on gender and video game usage freely explored a virtual town. Subsequently, participants performed a direction estimation task that tested the accuracy of their cognitive map representation of the town. In addition, participants completed the Object Perspective Test and rated their spatial abilities. Pilots were significantly more accurate than controls at estimating directions but did not differ from controls on the Object Perspective Test. Locations in the town were visited at a similar rate by the two groups, indicating that controls' relatively lower accuracy was not due to failure to fully explore the town. Pilots' superior performance is likely due to better online cognitive processing during exploration, suggesting the spatial updating they engage in during flight transfers to a non-aviation context.

Navigation Experience and Mental Representations of the Environment: Do Pilots Build Better Cognitive Maps?

PubMed Central

Sutton, Jennifer E.; Buset, Melanie; Keller, Mikayla

2014-01-01

A number of careers involve tasks that place demands on spatial cognition, but it is still unclear how and whether skills acquired in such applied experiences transfer to other spatial tasks. The current study investigated the association between pilot training and the ability to form a mental survey representation, or cognitive map, of a novel, ground-based, virtual environment. Undergraduate students who were engaged in general aviation pilot training and controls matched to the pilots on gender and video game usage freely explored a virtual town. Subsequently, participants performed a direction estimation task that tested the accuracy of their cognitive map representation of the town. In addition, participants completed the Object Perspective Test and rated their spatial abilities. Pilots were significantly more accurate than controls at estimating directions but did not differ from controls on the Object Perspective Test. Locations in the town were visited at a similar rate by the two groups, indicating that controls' relatively lower accuracy was not due to failure to fully explore the town. Pilots' superior performance is likely due to better online cognitive processing during exploration, suggesting the spatial updating they engage in during flight transfers to a non-aviation context. PMID:24603608

Training monitoring skills in helicopter pilots.

PubMed

Potter, Brian A; Blickensderfer, Elizabeth L; Boquet, Albert J

2014-05-01

Prior research has indicated that ineffective pilot monitoring has been associated with aircraft accidents. Despite this finding, empirical research concerning pilot monitoring skill training programs is nearly nonexistent. E-learning may prove to be an effective method to foster nontechnical flight skills, including monitoring. This study examined the effect of using e-learning to enhance helicopter aircrew monitoring skill performance. The design was a posttest only field study. Forty-four helicopter pilots completed either an e-learning training module or a control activity and then flew two scenarios in a high-fidelity flight simulator. Learner reactions and knowledge gained were assessed immediately following the e-learning module. Two observer raters assessed behaviors and performance outcomes using recordings of the simulation flights. Subjects who completed the e-learning training module scored almost twice as high as did the control group on the administered knowledge test (experimental group, mean = 92.8%; control group, mean = 47.7%) and demonstrated up to 150% more monitoring behaviors during the simulated flights than the control subjects. In addition, the participating pilots rated the course highly. The results supported the hypothesis that a relatively inexpensive and brief training course implemented through e-learning can foster monitoring skill development among helicopter pilots.

The effect of balance training on postural control in people with multiple sclerosis using the CAREN virtual reality system: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kalron, Alon; Fonkatz, Ilia; Frid, Lior; Baransi, Hani; Achiron, Anat

2016-03-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multi-focal progressive disorder of the central nervous system often resulting in diverse clinical manifestations. Imbalance appears in most people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). A popular balance training tool is virtual reality (VR) with several advantages including increased compliance and user satisfaction. Therefore, the aim of this pilot RCT (Trial registration number, date: ISRCTN14425615, 21/01/2016) was to examine the efficacy of a 6-week VR balance training program using the computer assisted rehabilitation environment (CAREN) system (Motek Medical BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands) on balance measures in PwMS. Results were compared with those of a conventional balance exercise group. Secondary aims included the impact of this program on the fear of falling. Thirty-two PwMS were equally randomized into the VR intervention group or the control group. Each group received balance training sessions for 6 consecutive weeks, two sessions per week, 30 min sessions. Clinical balance tests and instrumented posturography outcome measures were collected upon initiation of the intervention programs and at termination. Final analysis included 30 patients (19 females, 11 males; mean age, (S.D.) = 45.2 (11.6) years; mean EDSS (S.D.) = 4.1 (1.3), mean disease duration (S.D.) = 11.0 (8.9) years). Both groups showed a main effect of time on the center of pressure (CoP) path length with eyes open (F = 5.278, P = .024), sway rate with eyes open (F = 5.852, P = .035), Functional Reach Test (F = 20.841, P = .001), Four Square Step Test (F = 9.011, P = .031) and the Fear of Falls self-reported questionnaire (F = 17.815, P = .023). In addition, significant differences in favor of the VR program were observed for the group x time interactions of the Functional Reach Test (F = 10.173, P = .009) and fear of falling (F = 6.710, P = .021). We demonstrated that balance training based on the CAREN device is an effective method of balance training for PwMS.

Double-blind optimization of subcallosal cingulate deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression: a pilot study.

PubMed

Ramasubbu, Rajamannar; Anderson, Susan; Haffenden, Angela; Chavda, Swati; Kiss, Zelma H T

2013-09-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subcallosal cingulate (SCC) is reported to be a safe and effective new treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, the optimal electrical stimulation parameters are unknown and generally selected by trial and error. This pilot study investigated the relationship between stimulus parameters and clinical effects in SCC-DBS treatment for TRD. Four patients with TRD underwent SCC-DBS surgery. In a double-blind stimulus optimization phase, frequency and pulse widths were randomly altered weekly, and corresponding changes in mood and depression were evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D-17). In the open-label postoptimization phase, depressive symptoms were evaluated biweekly for 6 months to determine long-term clinical outcomes. Longer pulse widths (270-450 μs) were associated with reductions in HAM-D-17 scores in 3 patients and maximal happy mood VAS responses in all 4 patients. Only 1 patient showed acute clinical or mood effects from changing the stimulation frequency. After 6 months of open-label therapy, 2 patients responded and 1 patient partially responded. Limitations include small sample size, weekly changes in stimulus parameters, and fixed-order and carry-forward effects. Longer pulse width stimulation may have a role in stimulus optimization for SCC-DBS in TRD. Longer pulse durations produce larger apparent current spread, suggesting that we do not yet know the optimal target or stimulus parameters for this therapy. Investigations using different stimulus parameters are required before embarking on large-scale randomized sham-controlled trials.

An open-label pilot study of aripiprazole for male and female veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder who respond suboptimally to antidepressants.

PubMed

Youssef, Nagy A; Marx, Christine E; Bradford, Daniel W; Zinn, Sandra; Hertzberg, Michael A; Kilts, Jason D; Naylor, Jennifer C; Butterfield, Marian I; Strauss, Jennifer L

2012-07-01

Emerging data suggest that second-generation antipsychotics such as aripiprazole may be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, few clinical trials have used aripiprazole in PTSD, and data are limited on its use in Veterans with PTSD. The objective of this pilot trial was to investigate the safety and efficacy of aripiprazole in Veterans with PTSD. Ten individuals (five men and five women) meeting the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th ed., PTSD criteria participated in this 12-week, open-label, flexibly dosed monotherapy trial. The dose range of aripiprazole was 5-30 mg/day, titrated to tolerability and clinical response. The primary outcome measure was the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Additional outcomes included the Short PTSD Rating Interview, the Treatment Outcome PTSD Scale (Top-8), the Davidson Trauma Scale, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen, and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement. Eight participants completed the study, and aripiprazole was generally well tolerated and associated with a significant improvement in PTSD symptoms, as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (primary outcome measure) and by the Short PTSD Rating Interview, the Treatment Outcome PTSD Scale, and the Davidson Trauma Scale. An improvement was also observed on all three Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale subscales and the Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen, and the average Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement ratings indicated that patients were 'much improved'. These promising initial results merit further investigation in a larger, randomized-controlled trial.

Pilot dynamics for instrument approach tasks: Full panel multiloop and flight director operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weir, D. H.; Mcruer, D. T.

1972-01-01

Measurements and interpretations of single and mutiloop pilot response properties during simulated instrument approach are presented. Pilot subjects flew Category 2-like ILS approaches in a fixed base DC-8 simulaton. A conventional instrument panel and controls were used, with simulated vertical gust and glide slope beam bend forcing functions. Reduced and interpreted pilot describing functions and remmant are given for pitch attitude, flight director, and multiloop (longitudinal) control tasks. The response data are correlated with simultaneously recorded eye scanning statistics, previously reported in NASA CR-1535. The resulting combined response and scanning data and their interpretations provide a basis for validating and extending the theory of manual control displays.

PILOT: An intelligent distributed operations support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rasmussen, Arthur N.

1993-01-01

The Real-Time Data System (RTDS) project is exploring the application of advanced technologies to the real-time flight operations environment of the Mission Control Centers at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The system, based on a network of engineering workstations, provides services such as delivery of real time telemetry data to flight control applications. To automate the operation of this complex distributed environment, a facility called PILOT (Process Integrity Level and Operation Tracker) is being developed. PILOT comprises a set of distributed agents cooperating with a rule-based expert system; together they monitor process operation and data flows throughout the RTDS network. The goal of PILOT is to provide unattended management and automated operation under user control.

On the pilot's behavior of detecting a system parameter change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morizumi, N.; Kimura, H.

1986-01-01

The reaction of a human pilot, engaged in compensatory control, to a sudden change in the controlled element's characteristics is described. Taking the case where the change manifests itself as a variance change of the monitored signal, it is shown that the detection time, defined to be the time elapsed until the pilot detects the change, is related to the monitored signal and its derivative. Then, the detection behavior is modeled by an optimal controller, an optimal estimator, and a variance-ratio test mechanism that is performed for the monitored signal and its derivative. Results of a digital simulation show that the pilot's detection behavior can be well represented by the model proposed here.

Four Apollo astronauts with Command and Service Module at ASVC prior to grand opening

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Some of the former Apollo program astronauts admire an Apollo Command and Service Module during a tour the new Apollo/Saturn V Center (ASVC) at KSC prior to the gala grand opening ceremony for the facility that was held Jan. 8, 1997. The astronauts were invited to participate in the event, which also featured NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and KSC Director Jay Honeycutt. The astronauts are (from left): Apollo 10 Command Module Pilot and Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young;. Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr.; Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan; and Apollo 10 Commander Thomas P. Stafford. The ASVC also features several other Apollo program spacecraft components, multimedia presentations and a simulated Apollo/Saturn V liftoff. The facility will be a part of the KSC bus tour that embarks from the KSC Visitor Center.

Reentry Vehicle Flight Controls Design Guidelines: Dynamic Inversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ito, Daigoro; Georgie, Jennifer; Valasek, John; Ward, Donald T.

2002-01-01

This report addresses issues in developing a flight control design for vehicles operating across a broad flight regime and with highly nonlinear physical descriptions of motion. Specifically it addresses the need for reentry vehicles that could operate through reentry from space to controlled touchdown on Earth. The latter part of controlled descent is achieved by parachute or paraglider - or by all automatic or a human-controlled landing similar to that of the Orbiter. Since this report addresses the specific needs of human-carrying (not necessarily piloted) reentry vehicles, it deals with highly nonlinear equations of motion, and then-generated control systems must be robust across a very wide range of physics. Thus, this report deals almost exclusively with some form of dynamic inversion (DI). Two vital aspects of control theory - noninteracting control laws and the transformation of nonlinear systems into equivalent linear systems - are embodied in DI. Though there is no doubt that the mathematical tools and underlying theory are widely available, there are open issues as to the practicality of using DI as the only or primary design approach for reentry articles. This report provides a set of guidelines that can be used to determine the practical usefulness of the technique.

Simulation Evaluation of Pilot Inputs for Real Time Modeling During Commercial Flight Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martos, Borja; Ranaudo, Richard; Oltman, Ryan; Myhre, Nick

2017-01-01

Aircraft dynamics characteristics can only be identified from flight data when the aircraft dynamics are excited sufficiently. A preliminary study was conducted into what types and levels of manual piloted control excitation would be required for accurate Real-Time Parameter IDentification (RTPID) results by commercial airline pilots. This includes assessing the practicality for the pilot to provide this excitation when cued, and to further understand if pilot inputs during various phases of flight provide sufficient excitation naturally. An operationally representative task was evaluated by 5 commercial airline pilots using the NASA Ice Contamination Effects Flight Training Device (ICEFTD). Results showed that it is practical to use manual pilot inputs only as a means of achieving good RTPID in all phases of flight and in flight turbulence conditions. All pilots were effective in satisfying excitation requirements when cued. Much of the time, cueing was not even necessary, as just performing the required task provided enough excitation for accurate RTPID estimation. Pilot opinion surveys reported that the additional control inputs required when prompted by the excitation cueing were easy to make, quickly mastered, and required minimal training.

Using Simulation Speeds to Differentiate Controller Interface Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna; Pope, Alan

2008-01-01

This study investigated two concepts: (1) whether speeding a human-in-the-loop simulation (or the subject's "world") scales time stress in such a way as to cause primary task performance to reveal workload differences between experimental conditions and (2) whether using natural hand motions to control the attitude of an aircraft makes controlling the aircraft easier and more intuitive. This was accomplished by having pilots and non-pilots make altitude and heading changes using three different control inceptors at three simulation speeds. Results indicate that simulation speed does affect workload and controllability. The bank and pitch angle error was affected by simulation speed but not by a simulation speed by controller type interaction; this may have been due to the relatively easy flying task. Results also indicate that pilots could control the bank and pitch angle of an aircraft about equally as well with the glove as with the sidestick. Non-pilots approached the pilots ability to control the bank and pitch angle of an aircraft using the positional glove - where the hand angle is directly proportional to the commanded aircraft angle. Therefore, (1) changing the simulation speed lends itself to objectively indexing a subject s workload and may also aid in differentiating among interface concepts based upon performance if the task being studied is sufficiently challenging and (2) using natural body movements to mimic the movement of an airplane for attitude control is feasible.

Piloted simulator study of allowable time delay in pitch flight control system of a transport airplane with negative static stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grantham, William D.; Smith, Paul M.; Person, Lee H., Jr.; Meyer, Robert T.; Tingas, Stephen A.

1987-01-01

A piloted simulation study was conducted to determine the permissible time delay in the flight control system of a 10-percent statically unstable transport airplane during cruise flight conditions. The math model used for the simulation was a derivative Lockheed L-1011 wide-body jet transport. Data were collected and analyzed from a total of 137 cruising flights in both calm- and turbulent-air conditions. Results of this piloted simulation study verify previous findings that show present military specifications for allowable control-system time delay may be too stringent when applied to transport-size airplanes. Also, the degree of handling-qualities degradation due to time delay is shown to be strongly dependent on the source of the time delay in an advanced flight control system. Maximum allowable time delay for each source of time delay in the control system, in addition to a less stringent overall maximum level of time delay, should be considered for large aircraft. Preliminary results also suggest that adverse effects of control-system time delay may be at least partially offset by variations in control gearing. It is recommended that the data base include different airplane baselines, control systems, and piloting tasks with many pilots participating, so that a reasonable set of limits for control-system time delay can be established to replace the military specification limits currently being used.

An Experimental Study of the Effect of Shared Information on Pilot/Controller Re-Route Negotiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Todd C.; Hansman, R. John

1999-01-01

Air-ground data link systems are being developed to enable pilots and air traffic controllers to share information more fully. The sharing of information is generally expected to enhance their shared situation awareness and foster more collaborative decision making. An exploratory, part-task simulator experiment is described which evaluates the extent to which shared information may lead pilots and controllers to cooperate or compete when negotiating route amendments. The results indicate an improvement in situation awareness for pilots and controllers and a willingness to work cooperatively. Independent of data link considerations, the experiment also demonstrates the value of providing controllers with a good-quality weather representation on their plan view displays. Observed improvements in situation awareness and separation assurance are discussed. It is argued that deployment of this relatively simple, low-risk addition to the plan view displays be accelerated.

Piloted simulation study of two tilt-wing control concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birckelbaw, Lourdes G.; Corliss, Lloyd D.

1994-01-01

A two-phase piloted simulation study was conducted to investigate alternative wing and flap controls for tilt-wing aircraft. The initial phase of the study compared the flying qualities of both a conventional (programmed) flap and an innovative geared flap. The second phase of the study introduced an alternate method of pilot control for the geared flap and further studied the flying qualities of the programmed flap, and two geared flap configurations. In general, the pilot rating showed little variation between the programmed flap and the geared flap control concepts. Some differences between the two concepts were noticed and are discussed in this paper. The addition of pitch attitude stabilization in the second phase of the study greatly enhanced the aircraft flying qualities. This paper describes the simulated tilt-wing aircraft and the flap control concepts and presents the results of both phases of the simulation study.

Operational and Functional Description of the AERA Packages,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-11

implications: * Very early coordination with the pilot may be effected, to allow the pilot to resolve the problem (since he has primary responsibility for...but that this is a situation of which the controller and the pilot may want to be aware for planning purposes. 4.3.2.3 Controller’s Response The primary ...data link will be greatly expanded in AERA 2.01. The primary capability that affects the operation of t he ATC system is that non-control messages

Propulsion controlled aircraft computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cogan, Bruce R. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A low-cost, easily retrofit Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA) system for use on a wide range of commercial and military aircraft consists of an propulsion controlled aircraft computer that reads in aircraft data including aircraft state, pilot commands and other related data, calculates aircraft throttle position for a given maneuver commanded by the pilot, and then displays both current and calculated throttle position on a cockpit display to show the pilot where to move throttles to achieve the commanded maneuver, or is automatically sent digitally to command the engines directly.

Using Natural Language to Enable Mission Managers to Control Multiple Heterogeneous UAVs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Puig-Navarro, Javier; Mehdi, S. Bilal; Mcquarry, A. Kyle

2016-01-01

The availability of highly capable, yet relatively cheap, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is opening up new areas of use for hobbyists and for commercial activities. This research is developing methods beyond classical control-stick pilot inputs, to allow operators to manage complex missions without in-depth vehicle expertise. These missions may entail several heterogeneous UAVs flying coordinated patterns or flying multiple trajectories deconflicted in time or space to predefined locations. This paper describes the functionality and preliminary usability measures of an interface that allows an operator to define a mission using speech inputs. With a defined and simple vocabulary, operators can input the vast majority of mission parameters using simple, intuitive voice commands. Although the operator interface is simple, it is based upon autonomous algorithms that allow the mission to proceed with minimal input from the operator. This paper also describes these underlying algorithms that allow an operator to manage several UAVs.

Space Station on-orbit solar array loads during assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghofranian, S.; Fujii, E.; Larson, C. R.

This paper is concerned with the closed-loop dynamic analysis of on-orbit maneuvers when the Space Shuttle is fully mated to the Space Station Freedom. A flexible model of the Space Station in the form of component modes is attached to a rigid orbiter and on-orbit maneuvers are performed using the Shuttle Primary Reaction Control System jets. The traditional approach for this type of problems is to perform an open-loop analysis to determine the attitude control system jet profiles based on rigid vehicles and apply the resulting profile to a flexible Space Station. In this study a closed-loop Structure/Control model was developed in the Dynamic Analysis and Design System (DADS) program and the solar array loads were determined for single axis maneuvers with various delay times between jet firings. It is shown that the Digital Auto Pilot jet selection is affected by Space Station flexibility. It is also shown that for obtaining solar array loads the effect of high frequency modes cannot be ignored.

Simulation Test Of Descent Advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Thomas J.; Green, Steven M.

1991-01-01

Report describes piloted-simulation test of Descent Advisor (DA), subsystem of larger automation system being developed to assist human air-traffic controllers and pilots. Focuses on results of piloted simulation, in which airline crews executed controller-issued descent advisories along standard curved-path arrival routes. Crews able to achieve arrival-time precision of plus or minus 20 seconds at metering fix. Analysis of errors generated in turns resulted in further enhancements of algorithm to increase accuracies of its predicted trajectories. Evaluations by pilots indicate general support for DA concept and provide specific recommendations for improvement.

Flight-test experience in digital control of a remotely piloted vehicle.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, J. W.

1972-01-01

The development of a remotely piloted vehicle system consisting of a remote pilot cockpit and a ground-based digital computer coupled to the aircraft through telemetry data links is described. The feedback control laws are implemented in a FORTRAN program. Flight-test experience involving high feedback gain limits for attitude and attitude rate feedback variables, filtering of sampled data, and system operation during intermittent telemetry data link loss is discussed. Comparisons of closed-loop flight tests with analytical calculations, and pilot comments on system operation are included.

The Effect of Shared Information on Pilot/Controller And Controller/Controller Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansman, R. John

1999-01-01

In order to respond to the increasing demand on limited airspace system resources, a number of applications of information technology have been proposed, or are under investigation, to improve the efficiency, capacity and reliability of ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) operations. Much of the attention in advanced ATM technology has focused on advanced automation systems or decision aiding systems to improve the performance of individual Pilots or Controllers. However, the most significant overall potential for information technology appears to he in increasing the shared information between human agents such as Pilots, Controllers or between interacting Controllers or traffic flow managers. Examples of proposed shared information systems in the US include; Controller Pilot Databank Communication (CPDLC), Traffic Management Advisor (TMA); Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS); Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) and NAS Level Common Information Exchange. Air Traffic Management is fundamentally a human centered process consisting of the negotiation, execution and monitoring of contracts between human agents for the allocation of limited airspace, runway and airport surface resources. The decision processes within ATM tend to be Semistructured. Many of the routine elements in ATM decision making on the part of the Controllers or Pilots are well Structured and can be represented by well defined rules or procedures. However in disrupted conditions, the ATM decision processes are often Unstructured and cannot be reduced to a set of discrete rules. As a consequence, the ability to automate ATM processes will be limited and ATM will continue to be a human centric process where the responsibility and the authority for the negotiation will continue to rest with human Controllers and Pilots. The use of information technology to support the human decision process will therefore be an important aspect of ATM modernization. The premise of many of the proposed shared information systems is that the performance of ATM operations will improve with an increase in Shared Situation Awareness between agents (Pilots, Controller, Dispatchers). This will allow better informed control decisions and an improved ability to negotiate between agents. A common information basis may reduce communication load and may increase the level of collaboration in the decision process. In general, information sharing is expected to have advantages for all agents within the system. However there are important questions which remain to be,addressed. For example: What shared information is most important for developing effective Shared Situation Awareness? Are there issues of information saturation? Does information parity create ambiguity in control authority? Will information sharing induce undesirable or unstable gaming behavior between agents? This paper will explore the effect of current and proposed information sharing between different ATM agents. The paper will primarily concentrate on bilateral tactical interactions between specific agents (Pilot/Controller; Controller/Controller; Pilot/Dispatcher; Controller/Dispatcher) however it will also briefly discuss multilateral interaction and more strategic interactions.

The use of vestibular models for design and evaluation of flight simulator motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bussolari, Steven R.; Young, Laurence R.; Lee, Alfred T.

1989-01-01

Quantitative models for the dynamics of the human vestibular system are applied to the design and evaluation of flight simulator platform motion. An optimal simulator motion control algorithm is generated to minimize the vector difference between perceived spatial orientation estimated in flight and in simulation. The motion controller has been implemented on the Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames Research Center and evaluated experimentally through measurement of pilot performance and subjective rating during VTOL aircraft simulation. In general, pilot performance in a longitudinal tracking task (formation flight) did not appear to be sensitive to variations in platform motion condition as long as motion was present. However, pilot assessment of motion fidelity by means of a rating scale designed for this purpose, were sensitive to motion controller design. Platform motion generated with the optimal motion controller was found to be generally equivalent to that generated by conventional linear crossfeed washout. The vestibular models are used to evaluate the motion fidelity of transport category aircraft (Boeing 727) simulation in a pilot performance and simulator acceptability study at the Man-Vehicle Systems Research Facility at NASA Ames Research Center. Eighteen airline pilots, currently flying B-727, were given a series of flight scenarios in the simulator under various conditions of simulator motion. The scenarios were chosen to reflect the flight maneuvers that these pilots might expect to be given during a routine pilot proficiency check. Pilot performance and subjective rating of simulator fidelity was relatively insensitive to the motion condition, despite large differences in the amplitude of motion provided. This lack of sensitivity may be explained by means of the vestibular models, which predict little difference in the modeled motion sensations of the pilots when different motion conditions are imposed.

Preliminary Effect of Synthetic Vision Systems Displays to Reduce Low-Visibility Loss of Control and Controlled Flight Into Terrain Accidents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaab, Louis J.; Takallu, Mohammad A.

2002-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the effectiveness of Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) flight displays as a means of eliminating Low Visibility Loss of Control (LVLOC) and Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents by low time general aviation (GA) pilots. A series of basic maneuvers were performed by 18 subject pilots during transition from Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) to Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), with continued flight into IMC, employing a fixed-based flight simulator. A total of three display concepts were employed for this evaluation. One display concept, referred to as the Attitude Indicator (AI) replicated instrumentation common in today's General Aviation (GA) aircraft. The second display concept, referred to as the Electronic Attitude Indicator (EAI), featured an enlarged attitude indicator that was more representative of a glass display that also included advanced flight symbology, such as a velocity vector. The third concept, referred to as the SVS display, was identical to the EAI except that computer-generated terrain imagery replaced the conventional blue-sky/brown-ground of the EAI. Pilot performance parameters, pilot control inputs and physiological data were recorded for post-test analysis. Situation awareness (SA) and qualitative pilot comments were obtained through questionnaires and free-form interviews administered immediately after the experimental session. Initial pilot performance data were obtained by instructor pilot observations. Physiological data (skin temperature, heart rate, and muscle flexure) were also recorded. Preliminary results indicate that far less errors were committed when using the EAI and SVS displays than when using conventional instruments. The specific data example examined in this report illustrates the benefit from SVS displays to avoid massive loss of SA conditions. All pilots acknowledged the enhanced situation awareness provided by the SVS display concept. Levels of pilot stress appear to be correlated with skin temperature measurements.

Development of a remote digital augmentation system and application to a remotely piloted research vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, J. W.; Deets, D. A.

1975-01-01

A cost-effective approach to flight testing advanced control concepts with remotely piloted vehicles is described. The approach utilizes a ground based digital computer coupled to the remotely piloted vehicle's motion sensors and control surface actuators through telemetry links to provide high bandwidth feedback control. The system was applied to the control of an unmanned 3/8-scale model of the F-15 airplane. The model was remotely augmented; that is, the F-15 mechanical and control augmentation flight control systems were simulated by the ground-based computer, rather than being in the vehicle itself. The results of flight tests of the model at high angles of attack are discussed.

Comparison of Postural Responses to Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation between Pilots and the General Populace

PubMed Central

Yang, Yang; Pu, Fang; Lv, Xiaoning; Li, Shuyu; Li, Jing; Li, Deyu; Li, Minggao

2015-01-01

Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) can be used to study the body's response to vestibular stimuli. This study aimed to investigate whether postural responses to GVS were different between pilots and the general populace. Bilateral bipolar GVS was applied with a constant-current profile to 12 pilots and 12 control subjects via two electrodes placed over the mastoid processes. Both GVS threshold and the center of pressure's trajectory (COP's trajectory) were measured. Position variability of COP during spontaneous body sway and peak displacement of COP during GVS-induced body sway were calculated in the medial-lateral direction. Spontaneous body sway was slight for all subjects, and there was no significant difference in the value of COP position variability between the pilots and controls. Both the GVS threshold and magnitude of GVS-induced body deviation were similar for different GVS polarities. GVS thresholds were similar between the two groups, but the magnitude of GVS-induced body deviation in the controls was significantly larger than that in the pilots. The pilots showed less GVS-induced body deviation, meaning that pilots may have a stronger ability to suppress vestibular illusions. PMID:25632395

Hopewell Beneficial CO2 Capture for Production of Fuels, Fertilizer and Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

UOP; Honeywell Resins & Chemicals; Honeywell Process Solutions

2010-09-30

For Phase 1 of this project, the Hopewell team developed a detailed design for the Small Scale Pilot-Scale Algal CO2 Sequestration System. This pilot consisted of six (6) x 135 gallon cultivation tanks including systems for CO2 delivery and control, algal cultivation, and algal harvesting. A feed tank supplied Hopewell wastewater to the tanks and a receiver tank collected the effluent from the algal cultivation system. The effect of environmental parameters and nutrient loading on CO2 uptake and sequestration into biomass were determined. Additionally the cost of capturing CO2 from an industrial stack emission at both pilot and full-scale wasmore » determined. The engineering estimate evaluated Amine Guard technology for capture of pure CO2 and direct stack gas capture and compression. The study concluded that Amine Guard technology has lower lifecycle cost at commercial scale, although the cost of direct stack gas capture is lower at the pilot scale. Experiments conducted under high concentrations of dissolved CO2 did not demonstrate enhanced algae growth rate. This result suggests that the dissolved CO2 concentration at neutral pH was already above the limiting value. Even though dissolved CO2 did not show a positive effect on biomass growth, controlling its value at a constant set-point during daylight hours can be beneficial in an algae cultivation stage with high algae biomass concentration to maximize the rate of CO2 uptake. The limited enhancement of algal growth by CO2 addition to Hopewell wastewater was due at least in part to the high endogenous CO2 evolution from bacterial degradation of dissolved organic carbon present at high levels in the wastewater. It was found that the high level of bacterial activity was somewhat inhibitory to algal growth in the Hopewell wastewater. The project demonstrated that the Honeywell automation and control system, in combination with the accuracy of the online pH, dissolved O2, dissolved CO2, turbidity, Chlorophyll A and conductivity sensors is suitable for process control of algae cultivation in an open pond systems. This project concluded that the Hopewell wastewater is very suitable for algal cultivation but the potential for significant CO2 sequestration from the plant stack gas emissions was minimal due to the high endogenous CO2 generation in the wastewater from the organic wastewater content. Algae cultivation was found to be promising, however, for nitrogen remediation in the Hopewell wastewater.« less

AFTI/F-16 Spin chute close-up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A close-up photo of the spin chute mounted on the rear fuselage of the AFTI F-16, a safety device designed to prevent the loss of aircraft in spin conditions. Under some circumstances, pilots cannot recover from spins using normal controls. It these instances, the spin chute is deployed, thus 'breaking' the spin and enabling the pilot to recover. The spin chute is held in a metal cylinder attached to the AFTI F-16 by four tubes, a structure strong enough to withstand the shock of the spin chute opening. Unlike the air probe in the last photo, spin chutes are not standard equipment on research or prototype aircraft but are commonly attached expressly for actual spin tests. During the 1980s and 1990s, NASA and the U.S. Air Force participated in a joint program to integrate and demonstrate new avionics technologies to improve close air support capabilities in next-generation aircraft. The testbed aircraft, seen here in flight over the desert at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, was called the Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) F-16. The tests demonstrated technologies to improve navigation and the pilot's ability to find and destroy enemy ground targets day or night, including adverse weather. The aircraft--an F-16A Fighting Falcon (Serial #75-0750)--underwent numerous modifications. A relatively low-cost testbed, it evaluated the feasability of advanced, intergrated-sensor, avionics, and flight control technologies. During the first phase of the AFTI/F-16 program, which began in 1983, the aircraft demonstrated voice-actuated commands, helmet-mounted sights, flat turns, and selective fuselage pointing using forward-mounted canards and a triplex digital flight control computer system. The second phase of research, which began in the summer of 1991, demonstrated advanced technologies and capabilities to find and destroy ground targets day or night, and in adverse weather while using maneuverability and speed at low altitude. This phase was known as the close air support and battlefield air interdiction (CAS/BAI) phase. Finally, the aircraft was used to assess the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto - GCAS), a joint project with the Swedish Government. For these tests, the pilot flew the aircraft directly toward the ground, simulating a total loss of control. The GCAS was designed to take command in such emergencies and bring the aircraft back to level flight. The AFTI F-16 program ended at Dryden on November 4, 1997 after 15 years and over 700 research flights. The USAF continued to fly the aircraft until retiring it to the Air Force Museum on January 9, 2001.

Cervical Spine Status of Pilots and Air-Controllers of Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft.

PubMed

Shin, Young Ho; Yun, Chul; Han, Andrew Hogyu

2017-05-01

Many countries have developed their own airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems for use in surveying their territorial sky in real time. However, a review of the literature suggests that no studies have been conducted to analyze the cervical spine of pilots and air-controllers of AEW&C aircraft. The study subjects were 80 pilots and air-controllers of AEW&C aircraft with a period of service of > 1 yr and had data on physical examinations, simple radiographs and functional scores of the axial skeleton, and questionnaires about lifestyle and working conditions. Information about physical characteristics and experience of neck pain were collected. Functional scores including the neck disability index and short-form 36-item health survey were obtained. Radiological measurements were performed for the C2-7 Cobb angle and degree of forward head posture. Of the 80 subjects, 33 (41.3%) had experienced neck pain and 63 (78.8%) had impaired cervical lordosis. The results of functional and radiological evaluations were not significantly different between pilots and air-controllers. In multivariate analysis, only the age was significantly related to the occurrence of impaired cervical lordosis. However, there were no significant factors related to the occurrence of neck pain. The results of this study suggest that the working environment of pilots and air-controllers of AEW&C aircraft has a negative effect on their cervical spine. Age seemed to be the most significant factor affecting the occurrence of impaired cervical lordosis in these subjects.Shin YH, Yun C, Han AH. Cervical spine status of pilots and air-controllers of airborne early warning and control aircraft. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(5):476-480.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watkins, B.E.; Kanna, R.L.; Chambers, R.D.

There is a great need for alternatives to open burn/open detonation of explosives and propellants from dismantled munitions. LANL has investigated the use of base hydrolysis for the demilitarization of explosives. Hydrolysates of Comp B, Octol, Tritonal, and PBXN-109 were processed in the pilot molten salt unit (in building 191). NOx and CO emissions were found to be low, except for CO from PBXN-109 processing. This report describes experimental results of the destruction of the base hydrolysates.

Effects of stick dynamics on helicopter flying qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Douglas C.; Schroeder, Jeffery A.

1990-01-01

An experiment that investigated the influence of typical helicopter force-feel system dynamics on roll-axis handling qualities was conducted in concurrent ground and inflight simulations. Variations in lateral control natural frequency and damping ratio, effected by changes in inertia and damping, were evaluated in a disturbance-rejection task. Pilot ratings indicated a preference for low-inertia feel systems, although measured performance was relatively constant over the range of stick characteristics. Force-sensing was compared with position sensing as the input to the control system. Force-sensing improved performance but did not improve pilot ratings. Overall, the results indicated that control-stick dynamics, at least within a reasonable range, did not have a significant effect on pilot-vehicle performance. However, the physical effort required to maintain a desired pilot/manipulator bandwidth became objectionable as the stick inertia increased beyond 5-7 lbm, which was reflected in the pilot ratings and comments.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aegerter, P.A.

Phillips Petroleum Company scientists and engineers have been operating petroleum refining and separations pilot plants for five years in the Process Development Center. The 26 pilot plants in this building, with one exception, operate under complete computer-control, allowing maximum utilization of limited operating manpower. This centralization and automation of pilot plants has allowed Phillips to more than double the number of operating pilot plants in the petroleum refining area without an increase in manpower. At the same time, the quantity and quality of data has increased correspondingly. This paper discusses Phillips philosophy of operation and management of these pilot plants.more » In addition, details of day-to-day operations and a brief description of the control system are also presented.« less

Analysis of aircraft longitudinal handling qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1981-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

Airborne Use of Traffic Intent Information in a Distributed Air-Ground Traffic Management Concept: Experiment Design and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Adams, Richard J.; Barmore, Bryan E.; Moses, Donald

2001-01-01

This paper presents initial findings of a research study designed to provide insight into the issue of intent information exchange in constrained en-route air-traffic operations and its effect on pilot decision making and flight performance. The piloted simulation was conducted in the Air Traffic Operations Laboratory at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two operational modes for autonomous operations were compared under conditions of low and high operational complexity. The tactical mode was characterized primarily by the use of state information for conflict detection and resolution and an open-loop means for the pilot to meet operational constraints. The strategic mode involved the combined use of state and intent information, provided the pilot an additional level of alerting, and allowed a closed-loop approach to meeting operational constraints. Operational constraints included separation assurance, schedule adherence, airspace hazard avoidance, flight efficiency, and passenger comfort. Potential operational benefits of both modes are illustrated through several scenario case studies. Subjective pilot ratings and comments comparing the tactical and strategic modes are presented.

Airborne Use of Traffic Intent Information in a Distributed Air-Ground Traffic Management Concept: Experiment Design and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Adams, Richard J.; Barmore, Bryan E.; Moses, Donald

2002-01-01

This paper presents initial findings of a research study designed to provide insight into the issue of intent information exchange in constrained en-route air-traffic operations and its effect on pilot decision making and flight performance. The piloted simulation was conducted in the Air Traffic Operations Laboratory at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two operational modes for autonomous operations were compared under conditions of low and high operational complexity. The tactical mode was characterized primarily by the use of state information for conflict detection and resolution and an open-loop means for the pilot to meet operational constraints. The strategic mode involved the combined use of state and intent information, provided the pilot an additional level of alerting, and allowed a closed-loop approach to meeting operational constraints. Operational constraints included separation assurance, schedule adherence, airspace hazard avoidance, flight efficiency, and passenger comfort. Potential operational benefits of both modes are illustrated through several scenario case studies. Subjective pilot ratings and comments comparing the tactical and strategic modes are presented.

Comparing systemic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorders: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial.

PubMed

Hunger, Christina; Hilzinger, Rebecca; Koch, Theresa; Mander, Johannes; Sander, Anja; Bents, Hinrich; Schweitzer, Jochen

2016-03-31

Social anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent anxiety disorders in the general population. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorders is well demonstrated. However, only three studies point to the efficacy of systemic therapy (ST) in anxiety disorders, and only two of them especially focus on social anxiety disorders. These ST studies either do not use a good comparator but minimal supportive therapy, they do not use a multi-person ST but a combined therapy, or they do not especially focus on social anxiety disorders but mood and anxiety disorders in general. Though ST was approved as evidence based in Germany for a variety of disorders in 2008, evidence did not include anxiety disorders. This is the first pilot study that will investigate multi-person ST, integrating a broad range of systemic methods, specifically for social anxiety disorders and that will compare ST to the "gold standard" CBT. This article describes the rationale and protocol of a prospective, open, interventive, balanced, bi-centric, pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 32 patients with a primary SCID diagnosis of social anxiety disorder will be randomized to either CBT or ST. Both treatments will be manualized. The primary outcome will include social anxiety symptoms at the end of therapy. Therapy will be restricted to no more than 26 hours (primary endpoint). Secondary outcomes will include psychological, social systems and interpersonal functioning, symptom adjustment, and caregiver burden, in addition to change measures, therapist variables and treatment adherence. At the secondary endpoints, 9 and 12 months after the beginning of therapy, we will again assess all outcomes. The study is expected to pilot test a RCT which will be the first to directly compare CBT and multi-person ST, integrating a broad range of systemic methods, for social anxiety disorders, and it will provide empirical evidence for the calculation of the number of patients needed for a confirmatory RCT. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02360033 ; date of registration: 21 January 2015.

Adjunctive low-dose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for major depression: An open-label pilot trial.

PubMed

Smith, Deidre J; Sarris, Jerome; Dowling, Nathan; O'Connor, Manjula; Ng, Chee H

2018-04-01

Whilst the majority of evidence supports the adjunctive use of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in improving mood, to date no study exists using low-dose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) alone as an adjunctive treatment in patients with mild to moderate major depressive disorder (MDD). A naturalistic 8-week open-label pilot trial of low-dose DHA, (260 mg or 520 mg/day) in 28 patients with MDD who were non-responsive to medication or psychotherapy, with a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) score of greater than 17, was conducted. Primary outcomes of depression, clinical severity, and daytime sleepiness were measured. After 8 weeks, 54% of patients had a ≥50% reduction on the HAM-D, and 45% were in remission (HAM-D ≤ 7). The eta-squared statistic (0.59) indicated a large effect size for the reduction of depression (equivalent to Cohen's d of 2.4). However confidence in this effect size is tempered due to the lack of a placebo. The mean score for the Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale was significantly improved by 1.28 points (P < 0.05). Despite a significant reduction in the HAM-D score for middle insomnia (P = 0.02), the reduction in excessive daytime somnolence on the total Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) did not reach significance. No significant adverse reactions to DHA were found. Within the major limits of this open-label pilot study, the results suggest that DHA may provide additional adjunctive benefits in patients with mild- to -moderate depression.

Feasibility, safety and efficacy of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in chronic tinnitus: an open pilot study.

PubMed

Kreuzer, Peter M; Landgrebe, Michael; Resch, Markus; Husser, Oliver; Schecklmann, Martin; Geisreiter, Florian; Poeppl, Timm B; Prasser, Sarah J; Hajak, Goeran; Rupprecht, Rainer; Langguth, Berthold

2014-01-01

Vagus nerve stimulation represents an established treatment strategy for epilepsy and affective disorders. Recently, positive effects were also shown in animals and humans with tinnitus. Here we report the results of an open pilot study exploring feasibility, safety and efficacy of tVNS in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. Fifty patients with chronic tinnitus underwent tVNS in an open single-armed pilot study which was conducted in two phases applying two different stimulating devices (Cerbomed CM02 and NEMOS). Clinical assessment was based on Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), WHO Quality of Life, and various numeric rating scales. Primary outcome was defined as change in TQ (baseline vs. final visit in week 24). The study has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01176734). Primary analysis indicated mean TQ reductions of 3.7 points (phase 1) and 2.8 points (phase 2) significant for the first study phase. Secondary analyses indicated a significant BDI reduction for phase 1 (uncorrected for multiple testing), but no further systematic or significant effects. Adverse events included twitching and pressure at electrode placement site. The occurrence of one hospitalization because of palpations and the development of a left bundle branch block were considered as unrelated to the intervention. Cognitive testing revealed no significant changes. Our data demonstrate the feasibility of tVNS over a period of 6 months. There was no clinically relevant improvement of tinnitus complaints. Our data suggest tVNS to be considered safe in patients without a history of cardiac disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Initial Investigation of Reaction Control System Design on Spacecraft Handling Qualities for Earth Orbit Docking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Randall E.; Jackson, E. Bruce; Goodrich, Kenneth H.; Ragsdale, W. Al; Neuhaus, Jason; Barnes, Jim

2008-01-01

A program of research, development, test, and evaluation is planned for the development of Spacecraft Handling Qualities guidelines. In this first experiment, the effects of Reaction Control System design characteristics and rotational control laws were evaluated during simulated proximity operations and docking. Also, the influence of piloting demands resulting from varying closure rates was assessed. The pilot-in-the-loop simulation results showed that significantly different spacecraft handling qualities result from the design of the Reaction Control System. In particular, cross-coupling between translational and rotational motions significantly affected handling qualities as reflected by Cooper-Harper pilot ratings and pilot workload, as reflected by Task-Load Index ratings. This influence is masked but only slightly by the rotational control system mode. While rotational control augmentation using Rate Command Attitude Hold can reduce the workload (principally, physical workload) created by cross-coupling, the handling qualities are not significantly improved. The attitude and rate deadbands of the RCAH introduced significant mental workload and control compensation to evaluate when deadband firings would occur, assess their impact on docking performance, and apply control inputs to mitigate that impact.

Analysis of pilot response time to time-critical air traffic control calls

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-08-01

One of the most important time-critical air traffic control messages for a pilot is one : that required an immediate maneuver for traffic avoidance. This study examines the time : required for an air traffic controller to successfully transmit such a...

Flight deck human factors issues for National Airspace System (NAS) en route controller pilot data link communications (CPDLC)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

Fundamental differences exist between transmissions of Air Traffic Control clearances over voice and those transmitted via Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC). This paper provides flight deck human factors issues that apply to processin...

A technique for displaying flight information in the field of view of binoculars for use by the pilots of radio controlled models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuller, H. V.

1974-01-01

A display system was developed to provide flight information to the ground based pilots of radio controlled models used in flight research programs. The display system utilizes data received by telemetry from the model, and presents the information numerically in the field of view of the binoculars used by the pilots.

STS-43 Pilot Baker eats a sandwich on OV-104's forward flight deck

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-08-11

STS043-02-020 (2-11 Aug. 1991) --- Astronaut Michael A. Baker, STS-43 pilot, seated at the forward flight deck pilot station controls of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, eats a free-floating peanut butter and jelly sandwich while holding a carrot. Surrounding Baker are procedural checklists, control panels, and windows. A lemonade drink bag is velcroed to overhead panel.

Report of ejections in the Spanish Air Force, 1979-1995: an epidemiological and comparative study.

PubMed

Moreno Vázquez, J M; Durán Tejeda, M R; García Alcón, J L

1999-07-01

Ejection seats have saved many lives with more than 80% of pilots having survived an ejection. Nevertheless, ejection injuries are seen in all modern air forces. An epidemiological study has been carried out on the 48 ejections made by the Spanish Air Force (SpAF) from 1979-1995. From data facilitated by the Flight Safety Section of the SpAF Staff, by the Flight Safety Section of Squadrons, and from personal reports of pilots who survived ejections a form was created. Relationships between data concerning aeronautical parameters, pilot data and injuries have been found, and a comparative study was made between these results and data shown by air forces of other countries. Of 48 pilots who ejected, 7 died, 25 had severe injuries, 11 had minor injuries and 5 had no injuries. The reason for the ejections included 35 cases of technical failure, and 13 cases of human error. Of 43 surviving pilots, 23 were injured only at the egress phase, 1 1 only at landing, and 9 cases at both moments. None of the five pilots who ejected outside the ejection envelope were able to adopt the correct position. However, of 43 pilots who ejected within the envelope, 19 were seated in good position. Of 13 pilots who maintained control of the airplane, 9 were able to adopt a correct position. Of 35 pilots who effected the ejection without control of the aircraft, 25 were not able to achieve a correct seated position. The pilot position in the ejection seat, plane control, ejection inside the envelope, the pilot's training in how to assume the necessary body position at both egress and landing phases are determining factors for successful ejections.

ARTIST CONCEPT - ASTRONAUT WORDEN'S EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY (EVA) (APOLLO XV)

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-07-09

S71-39614 (July 1971) --- An artist's concept of the Apollo 15 Command and Service Modules (CSM), showing two crewmembers performing a new-to-Apollo extravehicular activity (EVA). The figure at left represents astronaut Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot, connected by an umbilical tether to the CM, at right, where a figure representing astronaut James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, stands at the open CM hatch. Worden is working with the panoramic camera in the Scientific Instrument Module (SIM). Behind Irwin is the 16mm data acquisition camera. Artwork by North American Rockwell.

Analysis of pilot control strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heffley, R. K.; Hanson, G. D.; Jewell, W. F.; Clement, W. F.

1983-01-01

Methods for nonintrusive identification of pilot control strategy and task execution dynamics are presented along with examples based on flight data. The specific analysis technique is Nonintrusive Parameter Identification Procedure (NIPIP), which is described in a companion user's guide (NASA CR-170398). Quantification of pilot control strategy and task execution dynamics is discussed in general terms followed by a more detailed description of how NIPIP can be applied. The examples are based on flight data obtained from the NASA F-8 digital fly by wire airplane. These examples involve various piloting tasks and control axes as well as a demonstration of how the dynamics of the aircraft itself are identified using NIPIP. Application of NIPIP to the AFTI/F-16 flight test program is discussed. Recommendations are made for flight test applications in general and refinement of NIPIP to include interactive computer graphics.

Pilot/Controller Coordinated Decision Making in the Next Generation Air Transportation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bearman, Chris; Miller, Ronald c.; Orasanu, Judith M.

2011-01-01

Introduction: NextGen technologies promise to provide considerable benefits in terms of enhancing operations and improving safety. However, there needs to be a thorough human factors evaluation of the way these systems will change the way in which pilot and controllers share information. The likely impact of these new technologies on pilot/controller coordinated decision making is considered in this paper using the "operational, informational and evaluative disconnect" framework. Method: Five participant focus groups were held. Participants were four experts in human factors, between x and x research students and a technical expert. The participant focus group evaluated five key NextGen technologies to identify issues that made different disconnects more or less likely. Results: Issues that were identified were: Decision Making will not necessarily improve because pilots and controllers possess the same information; Having a common information source does not mean pilots and controllers are looking at the same information; High levels of automation may lead to disconnects between the technology and pilots/controllers; Common information sources may become the definitive source for information; Overconfidence in the automation may lead to situations where appropriate breakdowns are not initiated. Discussion: The issues that were identified lead to recommendations that need to be considered in the development of NextGen technologies. The current state of development of these technologies provides a good opportunity to utilize recommendations at an early stage so that NextGen technologies do not lead to difficulties in resolving breakdowns in coordinated decision making.

Piloted simulation study of two tilt-wing flap control concepts, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birckelbaw, Lourdes G.; Corliss, Lloyd D.; Hindson, William S.; Churchill, Gary B.

1994-01-01

A two phase piloted simulation study has been conducted in the Ames Vertical Motion Simulator to investigate alternative wing and flap controls for tilt-wing aircraft. This report documents the flying qualities results and findings of the second phase of the piloted simulation study and describes the simulated tilt-wing aircraft, the flap control concepts, the experiment design and the evaluation tasks. The initial phase of the study compared the flying qualities of both a conventional programmed flap and an innovative geared flap. The second phase of the study introduced an alternate method of pilot control for the geared flap and further studied the flying qualities of the programmed flap and two geared flap configurations. In general, the pilot ratings showed little variation between the programmed flap and the geared flap control concepts. Some differences between the two control concepts were noticed and are discussed in this report. The geared flap configurations had very similar results. Although the geared flap concept has the potential to reduce or eliminate the pitch control power requirements from a tail rotor or a tail thruster at low speeds and in hover, the results did not show reduced tail thruster pitch control power usage with the geared flap configurations compared to the programmed flap configuration. The addition of pitch attitude stabilization in the second phase of simulation study greatly enhanced the aircraft flying qualities compared to the first phase.

TASAR Flight Trial 2: Assessment of Air Traffic Controller Acceptability of TASAR Requests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Idris, Husni; Enea, Gabriele

2016-01-01

In support of the Flight Trial (FT-2) of NASA's prototype of the Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) concept, observations were conducted at the air traffic facilities to identify and assess the main factors that affect the acceptability of pilot requests by air traffic controllers. Two observers shadowed air traffic controllers at the Atlanta (ZTL) and Jacksonville (ZJX) air traffic control centers as the test flight pilot made pre-scripted requests to invoke acceptability issues and then they interviewed the observed and other controllers voluntarily. Fifty controllers were interviewed with experience ranging from one to thirty-five years. All interviewed controllers were enthusiastic about the technology and accounting for sector boundaries in pilot requests, particularly if pilots can be made aware of high workload situations. All interviewed controllers accept more than fifty percent of pilot requests; forty percent of them reject less than ten percent of requests. The most common reason for rejecting requests is conflicting with traffic followed by violating letters of agreement (LOAs) and negatively impacting neighboring sector workload, major arrival and departure flows and flow restrictions. Thirty-six requests were made during the test, eight of which were rejected due to: the aircraft already handed off to another sector, violating LOA, opposing traffic, intruding into an active special use airspace (SUA), intruding into another center, weather, and unfamiliarity with the requested waypoint. Nine requests were accepted with delay mostly because the controller needed to locate unfamiliar waypoints or to coordinate with other controllers.

Production characteristics of lettuce Lactuca sativa L. in the frame of the first crop tests in the Higher Plant Chamber integrated into the MELiSSA Pilot Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirova, Natalia; Lawson, Jamie; Stasiak, Michael; Dixon, Mike; Paille, Christel; Peiro, Enrique; Fossen, Arnaud; Godia, Francesc

Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) is an artificial closed ecosystem that is considered a tool for the development of a bioregenerative life support system for manned space missions. One of the five compartments of MELiSSA loop -Higher Plant Chamber was recently integrated into the MELiSSA Pilot Plant facility at Universitat Aut`noma deo Barcelona. The main contributions expected by integration of this photosynthetic compartment are oxygen, water, vegetable food production and CO2 consumption. Production characteristics of Lactuca sativa L., as a MELiSSA candidate crop, were investigated in this work in the first crop experiments in the MELiSSA Pilot Plant facility. The plants were grown in batch culture and totaled 100 plants with a growing area 5 m long and 1 m wide in a sealed controlled environment. Several replicates of the experiments were carried out with varying duration. It was shown that after 46 days of lettuce cultivation dry edible biomass averaged 27, 2 g per plant. However accumulation of oxygen in the chamber, which required purging of the chamber, and decrease in the food value of the plants was observed. Reducing the duration of the tests allowed uninterrupted test without opening the system and also allowed estimation of the crop's carbon balance. Results of productivity, tissue composition, nutrient uptake and canopy photosynthesis of lettuce regardless of test duration are discussed in the paper.

A pilot study of serotonergic modulation after long-term administration of oxytocin in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Hirosawa, Tetsu; Kikuchi, Mitsuru; Ouchi, Yasuomi; Takahashi, Tetsuya; Yoshimura, Yuko; Kosaka, Hirotaka; Furutani, Naoki; Hiraishi, Hirotoshi; Fukai, Mina; Yokokura, Masamichi; Yoshikawa, Etsuji; Bunai, Tomoyasu; Minabe, Yoshio

2017-05-01

Oxytocin (OT) and the serotonergic system putatively play important roles in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) etiology and symptoms, but no direct neurobiological evidence exists for long-term OT administration effects on the brain's serotonergic system. This pilot study examined 10 male participants with ASD who were administered OT intranasally for 8-10 weeks in an open-label, single-arm, nonrandomized, and uncontrolled manner. Positron emission tomography (PET) with a radiotracer ( 11 C)-3-amino-4-(2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]phenylthio)benzonitrile ( 11 C-DASB) was used before and after OT treatment. The binding potential of serotonin transporter ( 11 C-DASB BP ND ) was then estimated. The main outcome measures were changes in 11 C-DASB BP ND and their correlation with changes in symptoms. ASD participants showed significantly elevated 11 C-DASB BP ND in the left inferior frontal gyrus extending to the left middle frontal gyrus. No significant correlation was found between the change in any clinical symptom and the change in 11 C-DASB BP ND . This report of a pilot study is the first describing long-term effects of OT on the brain's serotonin system in ASD. Additional randomized controlled studies must be conducted to confirm whether activation of the serotonergic system contributes to the prosocial effect of OT in people with ASD. Autism Res 2017, 10: 821-828. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pilot Examiner Program; Federal Aviation Administration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-10-22

The objective of this survey was to determine the effectiveness of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) procedures and controls over (i) training and designating pilot examiners, (ii) tracking pilot examiner performance, (iii) maintaining inte...

A queueing model of pilot decision making in a multi-task flight management situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walden, R. S.; Rouse, W. B.

1977-01-01

Allocation of decision making responsibility between pilot and computer is considered and a flight management task, designed for the study of pilot-computer interaction, is discussed. A queueing theory model of pilot decision making in this multi-task, control and monitoring situation is presented. An experimental investigation of pilot decision making and the resulting model parameters are discussed.

Predicting Loss-of-Control Boundaries Toward a Piloting Aid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barlow, Jonathan; Stepanyan, Vahram; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje

2012-01-01

This work presents an approach to predicting loss-of-control with the goal of providing the pilot a decision aid focused on maintaining the pilot's control action within predicted loss-of-control boundaries. The predictive architecture combines quantitative loss-of-control boundaries, a data-based predictive control boundary estimation algorithm and an adaptive prediction method to estimate Markov model parameters in real-time. The data-based loss-of-control boundary estimation algorithm estimates the boundary of a safe set of control inputs that will keep the aircraft within the loss-of-control boundaries for a specified time horizon. The adaptive prediction model generates estimates of the system Markov Parameters, which are used by the data-based loss-of-control boundary estimation algorithm. The combined algorithm is applied to a nonlinear generic transport aircraft to illustrate the features of the architecture.

The what, why, and how of born-open data.

PubMed

Rouder, Jeffrey N

2016-09-01

Although many researchers agree that scientific data should be open to scrutiny to ferret out poor analyses and outright fraud, most raw data sets are not available on demand. There are many reasons researchers do not open their data, and one is technical. It is often time consuming to prepare and archive data. In response, my laboratory has automated the process such that our data are archived the night they are created without any human approval or action. All data are versioned, logged, time stamped, and uploaded including aborted runs and data from pilot subjects. The archive is GitHub, github.com, the world's largest collection of open-source materials. Data archived in this manner are called born open. In this paper, I discuss the benefits of born-open data and provide a brief technical overview of the process. I also address some of the common concerns about opening data before publication.

Efficacy of botulinum toxin in treating myofascial pain in bruxers: a controlled placebo pilot study.

PubMed

Guarda-Nardini, Luca; Manfredini, Daniele; Salamone, Milena; Salmaso, Luigi; Tonello, Stefano; Ferronato, Giuseppe

2008-04-01

The present investigation is a preliminary double-blind, controlled placebo, randomized clinical trial with a six month follow-up period. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of type A botulinum toxin (Botox, Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA) to treat myofascial pain symptoms and to reduce muscle hyperactivity in bruxers. Twenty patients (ten males, ten females; age range 25-45) with a clinical diagnosis of bruxism and myofascial pain of the masticatory muscles were enrolled in a double-blind, controlled placebo, randomized clinical trial, with a treatment group (ten subjects treated with botulinum toxin injections- BTX-A) and a control group (ten subjects treated with saline placebo injections). A number of objective and subjective clinical parameters (pain at rest and during chewing; mastication efficiency; maximum nonassisted and assisted mouth opening, protrusive and laterotrusive movements; functional limitation during usual jaw movements; subjective efficacy of the treatment; tolerance of the treatment) were assessed at baseline time and at one week, one month, and six months follow-up appointments. Descriptive analysis showed that improvements in both objective (range of mandibular movements) and subjective (pain at rest; pain during chewing) clinical outcome variables were higher in the Botox treated group than in the placebo treated subjects. Patients treated with BTX-A had a higher subjective improvement in their perception of treatment efficacy than the placebo subjects. Differences were not significant in some cases due to the small sample size. Results from the present study supported the efficacy of BTX-A to reduce myofascial pain symptoms in bruxers, and provided pilot data which need to be confirmed by further research using larger samples.

Study of Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) and Velocity-vector Based Command Augmentation System (V-CAS) on Pilot Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Dahai; Goodrich, Ken; Peak, Bob

2006-01-01

This study investigated the effects of synthetic vision system (SVS) concepts and advanced flight controls on single pilot performance (SPP). Specifically, we evaluated the benefits and interactions of two levels of terrain portrayal, guidance symbology, and control-system response type on SPP in the context of lower-landing minima (LLM) approaches. Performance measures consisted of flight technical error (FTE) and pilot perceived workload. In this study, pilot rating, control type, and guidance symbology were not found to significantly affect FTE or workload. It is likely that transfer from prior experience, limited scope of the evaluation task, specific implementation limitations, and limited sample size were major factors in obtaining these results.

Visual scanning behavior and pilot workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, R. L., Sr.; Tole, J. R.; Stephens, A. T.; Ephrath, A. R.

1982-01-01

This paper describes an experimental paradigm and a set of results which demonstrate a relationship between the level of performance on a skilled man-machine control task, the skill of the operator, the level of mental difficulty induced by an additional task imposed on the basic control task, and visual scanning performance. During a constant, simulated piloting task, visual scanning of instruments was found to vary with the difficulty of a verbal mental loading task. The average dwell time of each fixation on the pilot's primary instrument increased with the estimated skill level of the pilots, with novices being affected by the loading task much more than experts. The results suggest that visual scanning of instruments in a controlled task may be an indicator of both workload and skill.

Human Factors Considerations for Safe Recovery from Faults In Flight Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pritchett, Amy; Belcastro, C. M. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

It is now possible - and important - to develop systems to help resolve Flight Control System (FCS) faults. From a human factors viewpoint, it is imperative that these systems take on roles, and provide functions, that are the most supportive to the pilot, given the stress, time pressure and workload they may experience following a FCS fault. FCS fault recovery systems may provide several different functions, including alerting, control assistance, and decision aiding. The biggest human factors questions are in the role suitable for the technology, and its specific functioning to achieve that role. Specifically, for these systems to be effective, they must meet the fundamental requirements that (1) they alert pilots to problems early enough that the pilot can reasonably resolve the fault and regain control of the aircraft and that (2) if the aircraft s handling qualities are severely degraded the HMS provide the appropriate stability augmentation to help the pilot stabilize and control the aircraft. This project undertook several research steps to develop such systems, focusing on the capabilities of pilots and on realistically attainable technologies. The ability to estimate which functions are the most valuable will help steer system development in the directions that can establish the highest safety levels.

Collaboration in Controller-Pilot Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrow, Daniel; Lebacqz, J. Victor (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Like other forms of dialogue, air traffic control (ATC) communication is an act of collaboration between two or more people. Collaboration progresses more or less smoothly depending on speaker and listener strategies. For example, we have found that the way controllers organize and deliver messages influences how easily pilots understand these messages, which in turn determines how much time and effort is needed to successfully complete the transaction. In this talk, I will introduce a collaborative framework for investigating controller-pilot communication and then describe a set of studies that investigate ATC communication from two complementary directions. First, we focused on the impact of ATC message factors (e.g., length, speech rate) on the cognitive processes involved in ATC: communication. Second, we examined pilot factors that influence the amount of cognitive resources available for these communication processes. These studies also illustrate how the collaborate framework can help analyze the impact of proposed visual data link systems on ATC communication. Examining the joint effects of communication medium, message factors, and pilot/controller factors on performance should help improve air safety and communication efficiency. Increased efficiency is important for meeting the growing demands on the National Air System.

Kangaroo care: research results, and practice implications and guidelines.

PubMed

Ludington-Hoe, S M; Thompson, C; Swinth, J; Hadeed, A J; Anderson, G C

1994-02-01

Results of two studies of the effects of 2 to 3 hours of kangaroo care (KC), one a randomized trial of 25 premature infants in open-air cribs and the other a pilot of 6 premature infants who were at least 24 hours postextubation, who were cared for in incubators are reviewed. Both studies incorporated a pretest/posttest control group design. Heart rate and abdominal skin temperature rose for KC infants during KC. Heat loss did not occur during KC, and infants slept more during KC. Kangaroo care had a comforting effect on infants and their mothers. Apnea and periodic breathing episodes dropped during KC for incubator infants. Suggestions and guidelines for selection of infants and practice based on these studies are presented.

Open-label pilot study of memantine in the treatment of compulsive buying.

PubMed

Grant, Jon E; Odlaug, Brian L; Mooney, Marc; O'Brien, Robert; Kim, Suck Won

2012-05-01

Although compulsive buying (CB) is relatively common, pharmacotherapy research for CB is limited. Memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, appears to reduce glutamate excitability and improve impulsive behaviors, suggesting it may help individuals with CB. Nine patients (8 females) with CB were enrolled in a 10-week open-label treatment study of memantine (dose ranging from 10 to 30 mg/d). Participants were enrolled from December 2008 until May 2010. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline to study endpoint on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Shopping Version (Y-BOCS-SV). Of the 9 participants, 8 (88.9%) completed the 10-week study. Y-BOCS-SV scores decreased from a mean of 22.0 ± 1.3 at baseline to 11.0 ± 5.3 at endpoint (P < .001). Hours spent shopping per week and money spent shopping both decreased significantly (P < .001). The mean effective dose of memantine was 23.4 ± 8.1 mg/d. Memantine treatment was associated with diminished impulsive buying and improvements on cognitive tasks of impulsivity. In addition, the medication was well-tolerated. These findings suggest that pharmacologic manipulation of the glutamate system may target the impulsive behavior underlying CB. Placebo-controlled, double-blind studies are warranted in order to confirm these preliminary findings in a controlled design.

Comprehension of confidence intervals - development and piloting of patient information materials for people with multiple sclerosis: qualitative study and pilot randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Rahn, Anne C; Backhus, Imke; Fuest, Franz; Riemann-Lorenz, Karin; Köpke, Sascha; van de Roemer, Adrianus; Mühlhauser, Ingrid; Heesen, Christoph

2016-09-20

Presentation of confidence intervals alongside information about treatment effects can support informed treatment choices in people with multiple sclerosis. We aimed to develop and pilot-test different written patient information materials explaining confidence intervals in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Further, a questionnaire on comprehension of confidence intervals was developed and piloted. We developed different patient information versions aiming to explain confidence intervals. We used an illustrative example to test three different approaches: (1) short version, (2) "average weight" version and (3) "worm prophylaxis" version. Interviews were conducted using think-aloud and teach-back approaches to test feasibility and analysed using qualitative content analysis. To assess comprehension of confidence intervals, a six-item multiple choice questionnaire was developed and tested in a pilot randomised controlled trial using the online survey software UNIPARK. Here, the average weight version (intervention group) was tested against a standard patient information version on confidence intervals (control group). People with multiple sclerosis were invited to take part using existing mailing-lists of people with multiple sclerosis in Germany and were randomised using the UNIPARK algorithm. Participants were blinded towards group allocation. Primary endpoint was comprehension of confidence intervals, assessed with the six-item multiple choice questionnaire with six points representing perfect knowledge. Feasibility of the patient information versions was tested with 16 people with multiple sclerosis. For the pilot randomised controlled trial, 64 people with multiple sclerosis were randomised (intervention group: n = 36; control group: n = 28). More questions were answered correctly in the intervention group compared to the control group (mean 4.8 vs 3.8, mean difference 1.1 (95 % CI 0.42-1.69), p = 0.002). The questionnaire's internal consistency was moderate (Cronbach's alpha = 0.56). The pilot-phase shows promising results concerning acceptability and feasibility. Pilot randomised controlled trial results indicate that the patient information is well understood and that knowledge gain on confidence intervals can be assessed with a set of six questions. German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00008561 . Registered 8th of June 2015.

Process and apparatus for igniting a burner in an inert atmosphere

DOEpatents

Coolidge, Dennis W.; Rinker, Franklin G.

1994-01-01

According to this invention there is provided a process and apparatus for the ignition of a pilot burner in an inert atmosphere without substantially contaminating the inert atmosphere. The process includes the steps of providing a controlled amount of combustion air for a predetermined interval of time to the combustor then substantially simultaneously providing a controlled mixture of fuel and air to the pilot burner and to a flame generator. The controlled mixture of fuel and air to the flame generator is then periodically energized to produce a secondary flame. With the secondary flame the controlled mixture of fuel and air to the pilot burner and the combustion air is ignited to produce a pilot burner flame. The pilot burner flame is then used to ignited a mixture of main fuel and combustion air to produce a main burner flame. The main burner flame then is used to ignite a mixture of process derived fuel and combustion air to produce products of combustion for use as an inert gas in a heat treatment process.

Instrument scanning and controlling: Using eye movement data to understand pilot behavior and strategies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dick, A. O.

1980-01-01

Eye movement data and other parameters including instrument readings, aircraft state and position variables, and control maneuvers were recorded while pilots flew ILS simulations in a B 737. The experiment itself employed seven airline pilots, each of whom flew approximately 40 approach/landing sequences. The simulator was equipped with a night visual scene but the scene was fogged out down to approximately 60 meters (200 ft). The instrument scanning appeared to follow aircraft parameters not physical position of instruments. One important implication of the results is: pilots look for categories or packets of information. Control inputs were tabulated according to throttle, wheel position, column, and pitch trim changes. Three seconds of eye movements before and after the control input were then obtained. Analysis of the eye movement data for the controlling periods showed clear patterns. The results suggest a set of miniscan patterns which are used according to the specific details of the situation. A model is developed which integrates scanning and controlling. Differentiations are made between monitoring and controlling scans.

An evaluation of automatic control system concepts for general aviation airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, E. C.; Ragsdale, W. A.; Wunschel, A. J.

1988-01-01

A piloted simulation study of automatic longitudinal control systems for general aviation airplanes has been conducted. These automatic control systems were designed to make the simulated airplane easy to fly for a beginning or infrequent pilot. Different control systems are presented and their characteristics are documented. In a conventional airplane control system each cockpit controller commands combinations of both the airspeed and the vertical speed. The best system in the present study decoupled the airspeed and vertical speed responses to cockpit throttle inputs. That is, the cockpit throttle lever commanded only airspeed responses, and the longitudinal wheel position commanded only vertical speed responses. This system significantly reduced the pilot workload throughout an entire mission of the airplane from takeoff to landing. An important feature of the automatic system was that neither changing flap position nor maneuvering in steeply banked turns affected either the airspeed or the vertical speed. All the pilots who flew the control system simulation were favorably impressed with the very low workload and the excellent handling qualities of the simulated airplane.

Fuel control for gas turbine with continuous pilot flame

DOEpatents

Swick, Robert M.

1983-01-01

An improved fuel control for a gas turbine engine having a continuous pilot flame and a fuel distribution system including a pump drawing fuel from a source and supplying a line to the main fuel nozzle of the engine, the improvement being a control loop between the pump outlet and the pump inlet to bypass fuel, an electronically controlled throttle valve to restrict flow in the control loop when main nozzle demand exists and to permit substantially unrestricted flow without main nozzle demand, a minimum flow valve in the control loop downstream of the throttle valve to maintain a minimum pressure in the loop ahead of the flow valve, a branch tube from the pilot flame nozzle to the control loop between the throttle valve and the minimum flow valve, an orifice in the branch tube, and a feedback tube from the branch tube downstream of the orifice to the minimum flow valve, the minimum flow valve being operative to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential across the orifice to maintain constant fuel flow to the pilot flame nozzle.

Pilot views of Montgomery County, Texas automated FSS services.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-08-01

The Federal Aviation Administration has seldom assessed the satisfaction of pilot "customers," with the services provided by its air traffic facilities. Most available information about pilots' satisfaction with Air Traffic Control (ATC) services is ...

Aircraft Engine-Monitoring System And Display

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, Terence S.; Person, Lee H., Jr.

1992-01-01

Proposed Engine Health Monitoring System and Display (EHMSD) provides enhanced means for pilot to control and monitor performances of engines. Processes raw sensor data into information meaningful to pilot. Provides graphical information about performance capabilities, current performance, and operational conditions in components or subsystems of engines. Provides means to control engine thrust directly and innovative means to monitor performance of engine system rapidly and reliably. Features reduce pilot workload and increase operational safety.

[Hemodynamics variation in hypertensive pilots of polar transport aviation on different flight phases].

PubMed

Solov'eva, K B; Dolbin, I V; Koroleva, E B

2013-01-01

The purpose was to study in-flight blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in polar transport aviation pilots afflicted with essential hypertension. A total of 30 pilots were distributed into 2 groups: hypertensive pilots and those who, though generally healthy were, because of some conditions and lifestyle, predisposed to the cardiovascular risk (CVR). The examination included establishment of personal CVR factors, electrocardiography, bicycle ergometry, echocardiography, off-duty 24-hour BP and HR monitoring, and in-flight BP and HR monitoring. Maximum BP and HR values were higher in hypertensive pilots as compared with the control group. In the first group, maximum systolic BP (sBP) on the rise measured 202 mm Hg vs. 179 mm Hg in the control group. The highest HR on the rise was also registered in the first group (164 beats/min vs. 127 beats/min in the control). At landing, maximum sBP and HR made up 253 and 163 mm Hg, 150 and 141 beats/min values in groups first and second, respectively. To summarize, in the harsh weather conditions of Far North hypertensive pilots experience particularly heavy hemodynamic stresses during flight and, consequently, must be allowed to fly only if their hypertension is under control.

Pilot Jerrie Cobb Trains in the Multi-Axis Space Test Inertia Facility

NASA Image and Video Library

1960-04-21

Jerrie Cobb prepares to operate the Multi-Axis Space Test Inertia Facility (MASTIF) inside the Altitude Wind Tunnel at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. The MASTIF was a three-axis rig with a pilot’s chair mounted in the center to train Project Mercury pilots to bring a spinning spacecraft under control. An astronaut was secured in a foam couch in the center of the rig. The rig was then spun on three axes from 2 to 50 rotations per minute. The pilots were tested on each of the three axis individually, then all three simultaneously. The two controllers in Cobb’s hands activated the small nitrogen gas thrusters that were used to bring the MASTIF under control. A makeshift spacecraft control panel was set up in front of the trainee’s face. Cobb was one of several female pilots who underwent the skill and endurance testing that paralleled that of the Project Mercury astronauts. In 1961 Jerrie Cobb was the first female to pass all three phases of the Mercury Astronaut Program. NASA rules, however, stipulated that only military test pilots could become astronauts and there were no female military test pilots. The seven Mercury astronauts had taken their turns on the MASTIF in February and March 1960.

Pilot Fullerton points Hasselblad camera out forward flight deck window W6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Pilot Fullerton, wearing communications kit assembly (ASSY) mini headset (HDST), points Hasselblad camera out forward flight deck pilots station window W6. Forward flight deck control panels F4, F8, and R1, flight mirror assy, Volume R5 Kit, and pilots ejection seat (S2) headrest appear in view.

Development of a high efficiency thin silicon solar cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storti, G.; Culik, J.; Wrigley, C.

1980-01-01

Significant improvements in open-circuit voltage and conversion efficiency, even on relatively high bulk resistivity silicon, were achieved by using a screen-printed aluminum paste back surface field. A 4 sq cm 50 micron m thick cell was fabricated from textured 10 omega-cm silicon which had an open-circuit voltage of 595 mV and AMO conversion efficiency at 25 C of 14.3%. The best 4 sq cm 50 micron thick cell (2 omega-cm silicon) produced had an open-circuit voltage of 607 mV and an AMO conversion efficiency of 15%. Processing modifications are described which resulted in better front contact integrity and reduced breakage. These modifications were utilized in the thin cell pilot line to fabricate 4 sq cm cells with an average AMO conversion efficiency at 25 C of better than 12.5% and with lot yields as great as 51% of starts; a production rate of 10,000 cells per month was demonstrated. A pilot line was operated which produced large area (25 cm) ultra-thin cells with an average AMO conversion efficiency at 25 deg of better than 11.5% and a lot yield as high as 17%.

A pilot randomized controlled trial of deprescribing.

PubMed

Beer, Christopher; Loh, Poh-Kooi; Peng, Yan Gee; Potter, Kathleen; Millar, Alasdair

2011-04-01

Polypharmacy and adverse drug reactions are frequent and important among older people. Few clinical trials have evaluated systematic withdrawal of medications among older people. This small, open, study was conducted to determine the feasibility of a randomized controlled deprescribing trial. Ten volunteers living in the community (recruited by media advertising) and 25 volunteers living in residential aged-care facilities (RCFs) were randomized to intervention or control groups. The intervention was gradual withdrawal of one target medication. The primary outcome was the number of intervention participants in whom medication withdrawal could be achieved. Other outcomes measures were quality of life, medication adherence, sleep quality, and cognitive impairment. Participants were aged 80 ± 11 years and were taking 9 ± 2 medications. Fifteen participants commenced medication withdrawal and all ceased or reduced the dose of their target medication. Two subjects withdrew; one was referred for clinical review, and one participant declined further dose reductions. A randomized controlled trial of deprescribing was acceptable to participants. Recruitment in RCFs is feasible. Definitive trials of deprescribing are required.

A model-based analysis of a display for helicopter landing approach. [control theoretical model of human pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.; Wheat, L. W.

1975-01-01

A control theoretic model of the human pilot was used to analyze a baseline electronic cockpit display in a helicopter landing approach task. The head down display was created on a stroke written cathode ray tube and the vehicle was a UH-1H helicopter. The landing approach task consisted of maintaining prescribed groundspeed and glideslope in the presence of random vertical and horizontal turbulence. The pilot model was also used to generate and evaluate display quickening laws designed to improve pilot vehicle performance. A simple fixed base simulation provided comparative tracking data.

Effects of Spatio-Temporal Aliasing on Pilot Performance in Active Control Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaal, Peter; Sweet, Barbara

2010-01-01

Spatio-temporal aliasing affects pilot performance and control behavior. For increasing refresh rates: 1) Significant change in control behavior: a) Increase in visual gain and neuromuscular frequency. b) Decrease in visual time delay. 2) Increase in tracking performance: a) Decrease in RMSe. b) Increase in crossover frequency.

Adaptive control of anaerobic digestion processes-a pilot-scale application.

PubMed

Renard, P; Dochain, D; Bastin, G; Naveau, H; Nyns, E J

1988-03-01

A simple adaptive control algorithm, for which theoretical stability and convergence properties had been previously demonstrated, has been successfully implemented on a biomethanation pilot reactor. The methane digester, operated in the CSTR mode was submitted to a shock load, and successfully computer controlled during the subsequent transitory state.

76 FR 13414 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-11

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): Pilot Longitudinal Data Collection To Inform Public Health--Fragile X Syndrome, DD11-007, Initial Review Notice of Cancellation: This...

Demonstrating Functional Equivalence of Pilot and Production Scale Freeze-Drying of BCG

PubMed Central

ten Have, R.; Reubsaet, K.; van Herpen, P.; Kersten, G.; Amorij, J.-P.

2016-01-01

Process analytical technology (PAT)-tools were used to monitor freeze-drying of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) at pilot and production scale. Among the evaluated PAT-tools, there is the novel use of the vacuum valve open/close frequency for determining the endpoint of primary drying at production scale. The duration of primary drying, the BCG survival rate, and the residual moisture content (RMC) were evaluated using two different freeze-drying protocols and were found to be independent of the freeze-dryer scale evidencing functional equivalence. The absence of an effect of the freeze-dryer scale on the process underlines the feasibility of the pilot scale freeze-dryer for further BCG freeze-drying process optimization which may be carried out using a medium without BCG. PMID:26981867

Demonstrating Functional Equivalence of Pilot and Production Scale Freeze-Drying of BCG.

PubMed

Ten Have, R; Reubsaet, K; van Herpen, P; Kersten, G; Amorij, J-P

2016-01-01

Process analytical technology (PAT)-tools were used to monitor freeze-drying of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) at pilot and production scale. Among the evaluated PAT-tools, there is the novel use of the vacuum valve open/close frequency for determining the endpoint of primary drying at production scale. The duration of primary drying, the BCG survival rate, and the residual moisture content (RMC) were evaluated using two different freeze-drying protocols and were found to be independent of the freeze-dryer scale evidencing functional equivalence. The absence of an effect of the freeze-dryer scale on the process underlines the feasibility of the pilot scale freeze-dryer for further BCG freeze-drying process optimization which may be carried out using a medium without BCG.

Preliminary Exploration of Adaptive State Predictor Based Human Operator Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Gregory, Irene M.

2012-01-01

Control-theoretic modeling of the human operator dynamic behavior in manual control tasks has a long and rich history. In the last two decades, there has been a renewed interest in modeling the human operator. There has also been significant work on techniques used to identify the pilot model of a given structure. The purpose of this research is to attempt to go beyond pilot identification based on collected experimental data and to develop a predictor of pilot behavior. An experiment was conducted to quantify the effects of changing aircraft dynamics on an operator s ability to track a signal in order to eventually model a pilot adapting to changing aircraft dynamics. A gradient descent estimator and a least squares estimator with exponential forgetting used these data to predict pilot stick input. The results indicate that individual pilot characteristics and vehicle dynamics did not affect the accuracy of either estimator method to estimate pilot stick input. These methods also were able to predict pilot stick input during changing aircraft dynamics and they may have the capability to detect a change in a subject due to workload, engagement, etc., or the effects of changes in vehicle dynamics on the pilot.

Early Maladaptive Schemas in a Sample of Airline Pilots seeking Residential Substance Use Treatment: An Initial Investigation

PubMed Central

Shorey, Ryan C.; Brasfield, Hope; Anderson, Scott; Stuart, Gregory L.

2014-01-01

Background Recent research has begun to examine the early maladaptive schemas of substance abusers, as it is believed that targeting these core beliefs in treatment may result in improved substance use outcomes. One special population that has received scant attention in the research literature, despite high levels of substance use, is airline pilots. Aims The current study examined the early maladaptive schemas of a sample of airline pilots (n = 64) who were seeking residential treatment for alcohol dependence and whether they differed in early maladaptive schemas from non-pilot substance abusers who were also seeking residential treatment for alcohol dependence (n = 45). Method Pre-existing medical records from patients of a residential substance abuse treatment facility were reviewed for the current study. Results Of the 18 early maladaptive schemas, results demonstrated that pilots scored higher than non-pilots on the early maladaptive schema of unrelenting standards (high internalized standards of behavior), whereas non-pilots scored higher on insufficient self-control (low frustration tolerance and self-control). Conclusions Early maladaptive schemas may be a relevant treatment target for substance abuse treatment seeking pilots and non-pilots. PMID:24701252

Flight Simulator Platform Motion and Air Transport Pilot Training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Alfred T.; Bussolari, Steven R.

1989-01-01

The influence of flight simulator platform motion on pilot training and performance was examined In two studies utilizing a B-727-200 aircraft simulator. The simulator, located at Ames Research Center, Is certified by the FAA for upgrade and transition training in air carrier operations. Subjective ratings and objective performance of experienced B-727 pilots did not reveal any reliable effects of wide variations In platform motion de- sign. Motion platform variations did, however, affect the acquisition of control skill by pilots with no prior heavy aircraft flying experience. The effect was limited to pitch attitude control inputs during the early phase of landing training. Implications for the definition of platform motion requirements in air transport pilot training are discussed.

Enhancing physical activity and reducing obesity through smartcare and financial incentives: A pilot randomized trial.

PubMed

Shin, Dong Wook; Yun, Jae Moon; Shin, Jung-Hyun; Kwon, Hyuktae; Min, Hye Yeon; Joh, Hee-Kyung; Chung, Won Joo; Park, Jin Ho; Jung, Kee-Taig; Cho, BeLong

2017-02-01

A pilot randomized trial assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention combining Smartcare (activity tracker with a smartphone application) and financial incentives. A three-arm, open-label randomized controlled trial design involving traditional education, Smartcare, and Smartcare with financial incentives was involved in this study. The latter group received financial incentives depending on the achievement of daily physical activity goals (process incentive) and weight loss targets (outcome incentive). Male university students (N = 105) with body mass index of ≥27 were enrolled. The average weight loss in the traditional education, Smartcare, and Smartcare with financial incentives groups was -0.4, -1.1, and -3.1 kg, respectively, with significantly greater weight loss in the third group (both Ps < 0.01). The final weight loss goal was achieved by 0, 2, and 10 participants in the traditional education, Smartcare, and Smartcare with financial incentives groups (odds ratio for the Smartcare with financial incentive vs. Smartcare = 7.27, 95% confidence interval: 1.45-36.47). Levels of physical activity were significantly higher in this group. The addition of financial incentives to Smartcare was effective in increasing physical activity and reducing obesity. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

[Emphasis on promotion of the adaptive technology is the sky point of improving of treatment and prevention level of glaucoma].

PubMed

Wang, Ning-li

2013-11-01

Promoting the control of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is most important prevention program of blindness in China. PACG has been incorporated into the prevention program of blindness in China based on the population-based screening studies. However, the clinical screening should be strengthened in POAG. The creation of a series of appropriate technologies suitable for glaucoma prevention and management has been achieved in China, especially for PACG. The technologies have been evaluated in the pilot areas and obtained very good results in China. It is recommended to develop new technology suitable for glaucoma management using the following workflow: research, development, and evaluation by large scale hospitals, and then clinical trial in the pilot areas. After a cost-benefit analysis is made, the new technology can be promoted and applied in clinical practice nationwide. We propose to gradually formed a strategical mode of "screening in township hospitals, intervention in county hospitals, and technical support and tackling in provincial hospitals" in order to improve the level of prevention and treatment of glaucoma and reduce the blindness incidence rate caused by glaucoma.

Comparison of 2 ultrafiltration systems for the concentration of seeded viruses from environmental waters.

PubMed

Olszewski, John; Winona, Linda; Oshima, Kevin H

2005-04-01

The use of ultrafiltration as a concentration method to recover viruses from environmental waters was investigated. Two ultrafiltration systems (hollow fiber and tangential flow) in a large- (100 L) and small-scale (2 L) configuration were able to recover greater than 50% of multiple viruses (bacteriophage PP7 and T1 and poliovirus type 2) from varying water turbidities (10-157 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)) simultaneously. Mean recoveries (n = 3) in ground and surface water by the large-scale hollow fiber ultrafiltration system (100 L) were comparable to recoveries observed in the small-scale system (2 L). Recovery of seeded viruses in highly turbid waters from small-scale tangential flow (2 L) (screen and open channel) and hollow fiber ultrafilters (2 L) (small pilot) were greater than 70%. Clogging occurred in the hollow fiber pencil module and when particulate concentrations exceeded 1.6 g/L and 5.5 g/L (dry mass) in the screen and open channel filters, respectively. The small pilot module was able to filter all concentrates without clogging. The small pilot hollow fiber ultrafilter was used to test recovery of seeded viruses from surface waters from different geographical regions in 10-L volumes. Recoveries >70% were observed from all locations.

14 CFR 23.901 - Installation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS... maintenance. (c) Engine cowls and nacelles must be easily removable or openable by the pilot to provide adequate access to and exposure of the engine compartment for preflight checks. (d) Each turbine engine...

14 CFR 23.901 - Installation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS... maintenance. (c) Engine cowls and nacelles must be easily removable or openable by the pilot to provide adequate access to and exposure of the engine compartment for preflight checks. (d) Each turbine engine...

14 CFR 23.901 - Installation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS... maintenance. (c) Engine cowls and nacelles must be easily removable or openable by the pilot to provide adequate access to and exposure of the engine compartment for preflight checks. (d) Each turbine engine...

14 CFR 23.901 - Installation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS... maintenance. (c) Engine cowls and nacelles must be easily removable or openable by the pilot to provide adequate access to and exposure of the engine compartment for preflight checks. (d) Each turbine engine...

14 CFR 23.901 - Installation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS... maintenance. (c) Engine cowls and nacelles must be easily removable or openable by the pilot to provide adequate access to and exposure of the engine compartment for preflight checks. (d) Each turbine engine...

Opening Plenary Presentations from the Agencies at the 5th ESA Workshop

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA and its federal partner held a two-day meeting that provided a forum for stakeholder suggestions for refining some of the interim scientific methods used in the recently released draft Biological Evaluations for three pilot chemicals

Analysis of Aircraft Control Performance using a Fuzzy Rule Base Representation of the Cooper-Harper Aircraft Handling Quality Rating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tseng, Chris; Gupta, Pramod; Schumann, Johann

2006-01-01

The Cooper-Harper rating of Aircraft Handling Qualities has been adopted as a standard for measuring the performance of aircraft since it was introduced in 1966. Aircraft performance, ability to control the aircraft, and the degree of pilot compensation needed are three major key factors used in deciding the aircraft handling qualities in the Cooper- Harper rating. We formulate the Cooper-Harper rating scheme as a fuzzy rule-based system and use it to analyze the effectiveness of the aircraft controller. The automatic estimate of the system-level handling quality provides valuable up-to-date information for diagnostics and vehicle health management. Analyzing the performance of a controller requires a set of concise design requirements and performance criteria. Ir, the case of control systems fm a piloted aircraft, generally applicable quantitative design criteria are difficult to obtain. The reason for this is that the ultimate evaluation of a human-operated control system is necessarily subjective and, with aircraft, the pilot evaluates the aircraft in different ways depending on the type of the aircraft and the phase of flight. In most aerospace applications (e.g., for flight control systems), performance assessment is carried out in terms of handling qualities. Handling qualities may be defined as those dynamic and static properties of a vehicle that permit the pilot to fully exploit its performance in a variety of missions and roles. Traditionally, handling quality is measured using the Cooper-Harper rating and done subjectively by the human pilot. In this work, we have formulated the rules of the Cooper-Harper rating scheme as fuzzy rules with performance, control, and compensation as the antecedents, and pilot rating as the consequent. Appropriate direct measurements on the controller are related to the fuzzy Cooper-Harper rating system: a stability measurement like the rate of change of the cost function can be used as an indicator if the aircraft is under control; the tracking error is a good measurement for performance needed in the rating scheme. Finally, the change of the control amount or the output of a confidence tool, which has been developed by the authors, can be used as an indication of pilot compensation. We use a number of known aircraft flight scenarios with known pilot ratings to calibrate our fuzzy membership functions. These include normal flight conditions and situations in which partial or complete failure of tail, aileron, engine, or throttle occurs.

Operator selection for unmanned aerial systems: comparing video game players and pilots.

PubMed

McKinley, R Andy; McIntire, Lindsey K; Funke, Margaret A

2011-06-01

Popular unmanned aerial system (UAS) platforms such as the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper have experienced accelerated operations tempos that have outpaced current operator training regimens, leading to a shortage of qualified UAS operators. To find a surrogate to replace pilots of manned aircraft as UAS operators, this study evaluated video game players (VGPs), pilots, and a control group on a set of UAS operation relevant cognitive tasks. There were 30 participants who volunteered for this study and were divided into 3 groups: experienced pilots (P), experienced VGPs, and a control group (C). Each was trained on eight cognitive performance tasks relevant to unmanned flight tasks. The results indicated that pilots significantly outperform the VGP and control groups on multi-attribute cognitive tasks (Tank mean: VGP = 465 +/- 1.046 vs. P = 203 +/- 0.237 vs. C = 351 +/- 0.601). However, the VGPs outperformed pilots on cognitive tests related to visually acquiring, identifying, and tracking targets (final score: VGP = 594.28 +/- 8.708 vs. P = 563.33 +/- 8.787 vs. C = 568.21 +/- 8.224). Likewise, both VGPs and pilots performed similarly on the UAS landing task, but outperformed the control group (glide slope: VGP = 40.982 +/- 3.244 vs. P = 30.461 +/- 2.251 vs. C = 57.060 +/- 4.407). Cognitive skills learned in video game play may transfer to novel environments and improve performance in UAS tasks over individuals with no video game experience.

Loss of controller-pilot voice communications in domestic en route airspace

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-10

With the planned implementation of ControllerPilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) in en route airspace, information on voice communication performance in this airspace can help to predict specific benefits associated with CPDLC, identify adjustm...

Piloted simulator investigation of helicopter control systems effects on handling qualities during instrument flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forrest, R. D.; Chen, R. T. N.; Gerdes, R. M.; Alderete, T. S.; Gee, D. R.

1979-01-01

An exploratory piloted simulation was conducted to investigate the effects of the characteristics of helicopter flight control systems on instrument flight handling qualities. This joint FAA/NASA study was motivated by the need to improve instrument flight capability. A near-term objective is to assist in updating the airworthiness criteria for helicopter instrument flight. The experiment consisted of variations of single-rotor helicopter types and levels of stability and control augmentation systems (SCAS). These configurations were evaluated during an omnirange approach task under visual and instrument flight conditions. The levels of SCAS design included a simple rate damping system, collective decoupling plus rate damping, and an attitude command system with collective decoupling. A limited evaluation of stick force versus airspeed stability was accomplished. Some problems were experienced with control system mechanization which had a detrimental effect on longitudinal stability. Pilot ratings, pilot commentary, and performance data related to the task are presented.

In-flight investigation of the effects of pilot location and control system design on airplane flying qualities for approach and landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weingarten, N. C.; Chalk, C. R.

1982-01-01

The handling qualities of large airplanes in the approach and landing flight phase were studied. The primary variables were relative pilot position with respect to center of rotation, command path time delays and phase shifts, augmentation schemes and levels of augmentation. It is indicated that the approach and landing task with large airplanes is a low bandwidth task. Low equivalent short period frequencies and relatively long time delays are tolerated only when the pilot is located at considerable distance forward of the center of rotation. The control problem experienced by the pilots, when seated behind the center of rotation, tended to occur at low altitude when they were using visual cues of rate of sink and altitude. A direct lift controller improved final flight path control of the shuttle like configurations.