Alcohol and disorientation-related responses. IV, Effects of different alcohol dosages and display illumination tracking performance during vestibular stimulation.

Details

• Creators:
  Gilson, Richard D. ; Schroeder, David J. ; Collins, William E. ; Guedry, Frederick E.
• Corporate Creators:
  Civil Aeromedical Institute
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Office of Aviation Medicine
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Alcohol use
  • Alcohol effects
  • Eye
  • Eye fixations
  • Eye location
  • Eye movements
  • Vision tests
  • Instrument displays
  • Instrument panels
  • Angular acceleration
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FAA-AM-71-34 ; DOT/FAA/AM-71/34
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Edition:
  OAM report.
• Corporate Publisher:
  Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
• Abstract:
  A previous CAMI laboratory investigation showed that alcohol impairs the ability of men to suppress vestibular nystagmus while visually fixating on a cockpit instrument, thus degrading visual tracking performance (eye-hand coordination) during angular acceleration. Reduced display illumination, independently, has also been shown to degrade tracking performance during vestibular stimulation. ; The present study investigated the way in which low and moderate dosages of alcohol and two levels of instrument-display illumination combined to affect tracking performance (a) in a static (no motion) environment, and (b) in a dynamic (whole-body motion) environment. Mean blood alcohol levels as low as .027 per cent significantly decreased (P<.05) tracking performance during whole-body motion, yet caused little change in performance in a stationary environment. Impairment was much more pronounced with dim display lighting (0.1 ft-L) than with bright lighting (1.0 ft.-L). ; These results suggest that serious problems may be encountered by the pilot who drinks even lightly and who considers flying, especially at night.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/20971/dot_20971_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 639.28 KB]
• Collection(s):
  FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute ; US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:51f16395239dc6d7c48cbc8950a64d43ce91b2fa0c6c97438122205bc10ea0c6ca6c769bf3758c345fad86174ed2647c1f8a3559c011b4e989ae72b9bddfeb3b