Empirical studies of general aviation (GA) pilot performance are lacking, especially with respect to envisioned future requirements. Two research studies were conducted to evaluate human performance using new technologies. In the first study, ten participants completed the Modified Rhyme Test (MRT) in an effort to compare the intelligibility of two text-to-speech (TTS) engines (DECtalk and AT&T's Natural Voices) as presented in 85 dB(A) aircraft cockpit engine noise. Results indicated significant differences in intelligibility (p £ 0.05) between the two speech synthesizers across the tested speech-to-noise ratios (S/N) (i.e., −5 dB, -8 dB, and −11 dB S/N) with the AT&T engine resulting in superior intelligibility in all of the S/N. The AT&T product was therefore selected as the TTS engine for the second study. In the second study, 16 visual flight rules (VFR) rated pilots were evaluated for their data link performance using a flight simulator (ELITE i-GATE) equipped with a mixed-modality simulated data link within one of two flight conditions. Data link modalities included textual, synthesized speech, digitized speech, and synthesized speech/textual combination. Flight conditions included VFR (unlimited ceiling, visibility) or marginal VFR (MVFR) flight conditions (clouds 2800 feet above ground level [AGL], three miles visibility). Evaluation focused on the time required accessing, understanding, and executing data link commands. Additional data were gathered to evaluate workload, situation awareness, and subjective preference. Results indicated significant differences in pilot performance, mental workload, and situation awareness across the data link modalities and between flight conditions. Textual data link resulted in decreased performance while the other three data link conditions did not differ in performance. Workload evaluation indicated increased workload in the textual data link condition. Situation awareness (SA) measures indicated differences in perceived SA between flight conditions while objective SA measures differed across data link conditions. Actual or potential applications of this research include guidance in the development of flight performance objectives for future GA systems. Other applications include guidance in the integration of automated voice technologies in the cockpit and/or in similar systems that present elevated levels of background noise during normal communications and auditory display operations. / Ph. D.

No

The effect of added head mass during pilot ejection from an aircraft is currently being studied at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. The Articulated Total Body model, a FORTRAN computer program capable of simulating three-dimensional human body motion using rigid body dynamics, has been chosen to simulate the response of the head and neck to an ejection-like acceleration. The present Viscoelastic configuration of the head/neck model, which is capable of head rotation and axial neck deformation, was validated with experimental head acceleration data from live human volunteers subjected to a 10G_Z deceleration in the Vertical Deceleration Tower at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Experimental head z-direction acceleration data from a first subject, L7, was reproduced accurately using the ATB model. However, Simulated head z-direction acceleration profiles for a second subject, B9, could not match experimental data for this subject, even after numerous variations of parameters controlling the head/neck response of the ATB model. Two of these parameters were determined to be time-varying for subject B9, and regression equations were developed describing the parameters as functions of time. Because the current ATB program does not allow time-varying parameters, the program code was modified to include two new subroutines in which the values of the parameters are calculated with each time increment. Modifications to the ATB model resulted in an improved simulated head z-direction acceleration profile for subject B9 when compared with previous simulations using constant value parameters. / Master of Science

Yes / The increasing prevalence and associated cost of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unsustainable, and focus is needed on self-management and prevention of hospital admissions. Telehealth monitoring of patients’ vital signs allows clinicians to prioritise their workload and enables patients to take more responsibility for their health. This paper reports the results of a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) of Telehealth-supported care within a community-based COPD supported-discharge service. Methods: A two-arm pragmatic pilot RCT was conducted comparing the standard service with a Telehealth-supported service and assessed the potential for progressing into a full RCT. The co-primary outcome measures were the proportion of COPD patients readmitted to hospital and changes in patients’ self-reported quality of life. The objectives were to assess the suitability of the methodology, produce a sample size calculation for a full RCT, and to give an indication of cost-effectiveness for both pathways. Results: Sixty three participants were recruited (n = 31 Standard; n = 32 Telehealth); 15 participants were excluded from analysis due to inadequate data completion or withdrawal from the Telehealth arm. Recruitment was slow with significant gaps in data collection, due predominantly to an unanticipated 60% reduction of staff capacity within the clinical team. The sample size calculation was guided by estimates of clinically important effects and COPD readmission rates derived from the literature. Descriptive analyses showed that the standard service group had a lower proportion of patients with hospital readmissions and a greater increase in self-reported quality of life compared to the Telehealth-supported group. Telehealth was cost-effective only if hospital admissions data were excluded. Conclusions: Slow recruitment rates and service reconfigurations prevented progression to a full RCT. Although there are advantages to conducting an RCT with data collection conducted by a frontline clinical team, in this case, challenges arose when resources within the team were reduced by external events. Gaps in data collection were resolved by recruiting a research nurse. This study reinforces previous findings regarding the difficulty of undertaking evaluation of complex interventions, and provides recommendations for the introduction and evaluation of complex interventions within clinical settings, such as prioritisation of research within the clinical remit.

Yes / Pilot studies can play an important role in qualitative studies. Methodological and practical issues can be shaped and refined by undertaking pilots. Personal development and researchers’ competence are enhanced and lessons learned can inform the development and quality of the main study. However, pilot studies are rarely published, despite their potential to improve knowledge and understanding of the research. Aim To present the main lessons learned from undertaking a pilot in a qualitative PhD study. Discussion This paper draws together lessons learned when undertaking a pilot as part of a qualitative research project. Important methodological and practical issues identified during the pilot study are discussed including access, recruitment, data collection and the personal development of the researcher. The resulting changes to the final study are also highlighted. Conclusion Sharing experiences of and lessons learned in a pilot study enhances personal development, improves researchers’ confidence and competence, and contributes to the understanding of research.

In the large-scale production of <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> (baker's yeast), oxygen transfer, which is one of the major limiting factors, is improved by using high agitation rates. However, high agitation rates subject the microorganisms to high shear stress and caused high power consumption. A microbubble dispersion (MBD) method was investigated to improve oxygen transfer at low agitation rates and thus reduce power consumption and shear stress on the microorganisms. The experiments were conducted at the 1-liter level and subsequently scaled-up to 50-liters using a constant volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (<i>k_La</i>) method for scaling. In comparison to a conventional air-sparged fermentation, the MBD method considerably improved the cell mass yield, growth rate and power consumption in the 50-liter fermentor. Cell mass production in the MBD system at agitation rate of 150 rpm was about the same as those obtained for a conventional air-sparged system agitatid at 500 rpm. Power consumption in the conventional air-sparged system was three-fold that required for the same biomass yield in the MBD system. However, at the 1-liter scale, the MBD system did not show any significant advantage over the air-sparged system because of the high power consumption. / Master of Science

Yes / The performance of a batch reverse osmosis (RO) desalination process in terms of permeate quantity and salinity as a function of feed pressure and feed salinity is evaluated by using laboratory experiments and process modelling. Special attention is paid to the water and salt permeability constants (Kw, Ks) which affect the permeate and salt flux across the membrane. Kw and Ks are found to be strongly pressure-dependent for the batch system which is in-line with earlier observations for continuous RO systems. However, the most important findings of this work are the dependence of Kw and Ks on feed salinity, something that have never been observed or reported in the literature. In order to better qualify these observations, further experiments with the batch system are conducted with a constant feed salinity so that the operating condition resembles that of a continuous RO process.

No / Petroleum contributes significantly to our lives and will continue do so for many years to come. Petroleum derivatives supply more than 50% of the world's total supply of energy (Jarullah, 2011). Traditionally crude oil goes though fractional distillation to produce different grades of fuel such as gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, etc. providing fuel for automobiles, tractors, trucks, aircraft, and ships. Catalytic hydrotreating (HDT) is used to detoxify the oil fractions produced by fractional distillation in the petroleum refining industries which involve removal of pollutants such as sulfur, nitrogen, metals, and asphaltene in trickle bed reactors. Recently Jarullah and co-workers proposed detoxification of whole crude oil a priori before the crude oil enters further processing in a fractionating column. This chapter highlights this new technology.

This dissertation investigates the application of Genetic Algorithms (GA) and Simulated Annealing (SA) based search techniques to the problem of deriving an auto-pilot that can emulate a human operator or other controller flying a Small unmanned Helicopter (SH). A Helicopter is a type of Vertical Take Off and Landing Vehicle (VTOL). The maneuvers are none aggressive, mild maneuvers, that include u-turns, ascending spirals and other none extreme flight paths. The pilot of the helicopter is a Fuzzy logic Controller (FC) pilot; it is assumed that the pilot executes the maneuvers with skill and precision. The FC pilot is given set- points (points in space) that represent a path/flight maneuver and is expected to follow them as closely as possible. Input/Output data is then collected from the FC pilot executing maneuvers in real time. The collected data include control signals from the FC pilot to the SH and the resulting output signals from the SH that include time, x, y, z coordinates and yaw (the angle of the SH relative to the x, y axis). The Genetic Algorithm/Simulated Annealing based search algorithm attempts to generate a set of mathematical formulas that best map the collected data. The search algorithm presented in this dissertation was implemented in Java and has a JSP (Java Server Pages) graphical user interface. The results obtained show that the search technique developed; termed Genetic Algorithm / Simulated Annealing controller or (GA/SA) controller allows for the derivation of accurate SH control equations. The results include performance quantification of the algorithm in the derivation phase and the testing phase. Graphs are included; they demonstrate the accuracy and path data of the GA/SA controller as compared to the FC pilot and other controllers. The final results showing the formulas found are also included. A technique was also developed during this dissertation to encode the genetic strings that represent the candidate formulas during the search. This technique allowed the combination of strings to yield new formulas that are valid. The results can be used by other investigators to expand the complexity of the formulas generated during the search. The technique has advantages such as the ability to operate in open-loop conditions and is able to fly the SH without the need for set-point data and without the need for GPS or some other location determination technology. The technique may be used as a backup controller that can take over control of a helicopter in case the main controller is unable to function due to a GPS malfunction or another situation where accurate positioning data cannot be obtained.

<p>1946 infördes en ny befattning i flygvapnet – Fältflygare. Dessa korttidsanställda piloter utbildades fram till och med 1982, året innan den Nya Befälsordningen infördes i försvarsmakten vilken innefattade alla officerare i en och samma kategori – yrkesofficerare. År 2008 reviderades dock befälsordningen, och sedan dess delas försvarsmaktens officerare in i två kategorier: specialistofficer respektive officer. Blivande stridspiloter rekryteras idag till den senare kategorin och anställs som officerare. Denna uppsats syftar till att belysa de argument som var bidragande till införandet av fältflygare och testa dessas validitet som argument för en applicering av tvåbefälssystemet på flygvapnets piloter idag. Uppsatsen utreder fältflygarsystemets framväxt, utformning, genomförande och avslutande samt jämför förutsättningarna mellan 1946 och 2010 inom områdena säkerhetspolitik, uppgifter samt ekonomi. Dessutom jämförs det svenska flygvapnets personalfördelning med ett antal andra länder. Genom att sätta de funna argumenten i dagens kontext, försöker validiteten av dessa avgöras. Uppsatsen avslutas med en diskussion rörande resultatet samt behovet av framtida forskning inom området. Resultatet i uppsatsen pekar på ett antal huvudsakliga argument för införandet av fältflygarsystemet, vilka samtliga kan härledas till flygvapnets expansiva fas under 30- och 40-talet. Uppsatsen visar att inget av dem är giltigt som ett argument för ett införande av ett tvåbefälssystem för flygvapnets piloter idag. Detta är främst på grund av skillnader mellan 1946 och idag rörande den säkerhetspolitiska situationen samt flygvapnets uppgifter. Det huvudsakliga syftet med fältflygarsystemet, att rekrytera en stor mängd individer till ett flygvapen under uppbyggnad, speglar inte dagens situation. Vidare är försvarsmaktens uppgifter idag betydligt fler än de som fältflygarna utbildades för att lösa: försvar av landet i händelse av krig.</p> / <p>In 1946, the Swedish Air Force (SwAF) introduced a new position open for pilot applicants. These pilots were trained and hired as non-commissioned officers and served in during a limited period of time. Influenced by the British RAF system with short service personnel, this system was in use until 1982. That year, it was decided that the Swedish Armed Forces would consist only of commissioned officers. However, in 2008, the non-commissioned officers were re-introduced into service. Today, the officers of the Armed Forces serve either as non-commissioned officers (“specialistofficerare) or commissioned officers (“officerare”). Aspirants who are applying to figher pilot training within the SwAF go through a three-year-long academic education in order to become commissioned officers. This essay aims to elucidate the key arguments used to introduce the system of non-commissioned fighter pilot officers and to test the validity of these arguments for applying the “new” system of officer ranks/other. The essay investigates the evolution, shaping, implementation and termination of the Fältflygare-system. It also compares 1946 and 2010 on three different aspects: the air force’s economic situation and tasks as well as the security policy-situation of the country. Also, a comparison of how officers are organised is made, between the SwAF and the air force of five other countries. The end of the essay consists of a discussion of the results. The result of the essay shows that none of the previous arguments are valid for implementing a system of non-commissioned fighter pilot officers for the SwAF pilots today. The main reasons for this are major differences in the tasks given to the armed forces and the differences of the security policy-situation. The main purpose of the Fältflygare-system, to recruit and train a large quantity of pilots for an air force that was being developed, does not reflect the situation today. Furthermore, the armed forces and air force today must be ready to solve a wider range of tasks today than before, particularly when it comes to peace keeping and peace enforcement missions. The older system trained for a more specific task - defending the Swedish country’s borders in case of a war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.</p>