Abstract:

Virtual reality allows the assimilation of concepts with active learning, a review by Kavanagh et. al., (2017) highlights studies involving virtual reality that have shown an increase in motivation, enjoyment, increased time-on-task, deeper learning and long-term retention. Particularly in aviation, the first virtual reality-based flight simulation training device was recently approved, suggesting that in the future it will be a necessary tool for flight training.

On the other hand, there is a need for studying the improvement of virtual reality in education with respect to the conventional Flight Simulator Training Devices (FSTD) used nowadays: is virtual reality merely an attractive tool or it actually provides a similar training experience than the conventional simulator? Since “training experience” is a vast concept, we start in here with a more concrete question: do pilots perceive an increase of arousal in a virtual reality flight simulator in a similar level as they do in a standard FSTD?

High levels of arousal involve activation of the autonomic nervous system, and they are linked with attention and alertness. Nowadays, arousal can be objectively measured in real time with, for example, the wristband Empatica e4 that measures ElectroDermal Activity (EDA). This variable appears convenient for our study since it has been related with learning outcomes (Horvers et. al., 2021), and also because we have used it previously in flight simulators (Vallès, et. al., 2021).

In here we designed an experiment with student pilots performing an emergency landing while wearing the Empatica e4 wristband. The same students repeated the mission in a FSTD and under an Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality framework.

The mission consisted in three tasks:
(i) departure;
(ii) change heading to North, maintaining speed and altitude;
(iii) emergency landing after a non-expected engine failure.

We compared the EDA values during the emergency landing with the EDA values during its previous task regarding the change of heading. For comparison, we used a Man-Whitney U test.
- In the virtual reality simulation, we have found that 72.7% of students experienced higher EDA values during the emergency landing task than in the previous one.
- In the FSTD, we have found that 63.6% of students experienced higher EDA values during the emergency landing task than in the previous one.

Although the results are promising, more data must be gathered to confirm our hypothesis: while performing an emergency landing, pilot students in a VR flight simulator increase their arousal as they do in a conventional FSTD.

References:
[1] Horvers, A., Tombeng, N., Bosse, T., Lazonder, A. W., & Molenaar, I. (2021). Detecting Emotions through Electrodermal Activity in Learning Contexts: A Systematic Review. Sensors, 21(23).
[2] Kavanagh, S., Luxton-Reilly, A., Wuensche, B., & Plimmer, B. (2017). A systematic review of Virtual Reality in education. Themes in Science and Technology Education, 10(2), 85–119.
[3] Vallès-Català, T., Pedret, A., Ribes, D., Medina, D., & Traveria, M. (2021). Effects of Stress on Performance during Highly Demanding Tasks in Student Pilots. The International Journal of Aerospace Psychology, 31(1), 43–55.

Keywords:

Virtual reality, flight simulator training, wearable devices, electrodermal activity.