EPITAXIAL FILM SCINTILLATORS FOR DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY

Not Available Foster-Miller proposes to develop an integrated tactile transduction garment for in-flight spatial orientation. Pilot disorientation is a disturbingly frequent phenomenon for military, commercial and civilian pilots. Pilot disorientation costs the U.S. military about 30 lives and over $300 million in lost aircraft annually. Speculation surrounding the recent crash of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Piper Saratoga aircraft has, again, attributed the tragedy to pilot disorientation. Pilot disorientation generally occurs when pilots incorrectly perceive attitude, altitude, and/or motion when visual information is compromised, either through temporary distractions, increased workload, or reduced visibility. Current research at the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory is focused on developing a Tactile Situational Awareness System (TSAS) which, when linked to the aircraft's instruments, will provide attitude and spatial orientation awareness to the pilot. TSAS will use a number of tactile transducers (tactors) that are placed in arrays surrounding the torso. To assist this development, Foster-Miller will develop a garment into which the tactor arrays will be incorporated. The garment will take the form of a full torso suit which will extend from the mid-thigh to the neck, including the upper arms. The tactor suit will be designed to conform to the human torso in a uniform manner.