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

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

[Evaluation of operation ergonomics at high-temperature in the cockpit].

10 male subjects participated in the environmental simulation study to evaluate the operation ergonomics at high-temperature in the cockpit. Grip strength, perception, dexterity, reaction and intelligence were measured respectively during the tests at 40 degrees C and 45 degrees C, simulating the high-temperatures in a simulation cockpit chamber. Then the data obtained were compared to the combined index of heat stress (CIHS). The average values of each item of the subjects' performance at the two different temperatures are compared. The results indicated that CIHS exceeded the heat stress safety line after 45 min at 40 degrees C, grip strength decreased by 12%, and perception increased by 2.89 times. In contrast, at 45 degrees C, CIHS exceeded the safety line after 20 min, grip strength decreased by 3.2%, and perception increased by 4.36 times. However, Finger dexterity was less affected. Reaction ability was first accelerated, and then slowed down. The error rate in the intelligence test increased to a greater extent. At the high temperatures, the minimum perception was the most affected, followed by grip strength, reaction and finger dexterity were less affected, while the intelligence did not decline, but rise.