The Human Factors Research Facility at the Beckman Institute houses an advanced Frasca 142 Flight Training Device used in a variety of research studies. This device is used for studies of navigation displays, eye-tracking, aural attention and input devices.

The Flight Training Device has a three-channel, computer-generated visual
simulation capability provided by three Evans and Sutherland SimFusion systems. The system is capable of projecting day, night, high and low visibility and reproducing various weather conditions.

Eye movement monitoring equipment from Applied Science Laboratories can record visual fixations across the instrument panel and outside scene. It is also possible to switch to a simple control system mounted to a laboratory chair or on a table. This has been used to test issues relating to head up displays, navigation and control of Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles.

Flight Simulation provides research that encompasses all senses. Research activities include aural cognition and user storage of information in ergonomically designed input devices.

Much of the research done at the Beckman Simulation Facility involves measuring the effectiveness of modern display technology. 3D navigation, traffic display, synthetic vision, and hazard displays are used to measure human performance on topics of display size, display effects on workload, display clutter, and spatial orientation.

The computer-generated visual scenes are projected onto a three wall, 135 degree screen. We use GIS data and ArcGIS from ESRI and TerraTools from TerraSim, Inc. to produce a variety of terrain databases for use with the simulations. These have included a database of landmarks around central Illinois and Yosemite National Park.

Multigen-Paradigm Creator, a 3D modeling program, is used to create objects and vehicles to populate the databases. Vega, another program from Multigen-Paradigm is used to display the visual scene in real-time.

The out-the-window visual system is integrated with a Frasca 142 flight simulator and glass-cockpit instrument panel capable of projecting advanced display concepts. In addition there is a touch-panel display in the cockpit to facilitate interaction with experimental subjects.