Abstract
Traditionally, search and rescue (SAR) technicians have conducted search by directly viewing the terrain below the aircraft. Defence R&D Canada is developing a multi-sensor imaging system for SAR that would replace direct inspection under low visibility conditions. The operators may orient the sensors in any direction, which combined with a narrow field-of-view may induce disorientation. In addition to detecting and discriminating objects within the sensor's field-of-view, an operator is responsible for moving the sensor in such a way as to ensure that this detection and discrimination may be carried out with similar effectiveness across the entire area that needs to be searched. The present study reports the development of a metric of coverage effectiveness, and its application to two simulation experiments. The results demonstrate a trade-off between the availability of a moving-map display necessary to preserve operator orientation, and the effectiveness of an operator's sensor coverage over a specific region. That is, sensor control effectiveness was compromised by the addition of a moving-map to the display, likely due to operators' inability to simultaneously inspect the map and move the sensor appropriately. The coverage effectiveness metric reported here would be a useful tool in the development and evaluation of “smart” automation of this sensor sweep function.
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