Auditory alerts: An Intelligent alert presentation system for civil aircraft

The principal role of the auditory interface on civil aircraft is to inform pilots of dangerous or potentially dangerous system states. Efficient alerts provide information that is uniquely identifiable with one aspect of the aircraft’s behavior and do not form a nuisance by being too intrusive and overly persistent. It is known that excessive auditory alert intensity can impair human performance; however, simply lowering alert intensity is not sufficient because there is a need to ensure detection and safety are not compromised. In an attempt to address this problem, an automated alert system, the Intelligent Alert Presentation system, was constructed. The system analyzes flight deck noise in real time, and alerts are then presented at a fixed ratio above the noise (+10 dBA). The system has alert muting capabilities that can be activated following detection. The intensity is attenuated to –5 dBA below the noise level, where the signal is partially masked but remains detectable and comprehensive, according to the findings of 2 experiments reported here. It is suggested that this would provide the pilot with a more suitable environment for carrying out higher order cognitive, more demanding tasks.