Large Angle Washout Algorithms for Flight Simulators

Abstract

This thesis presents modifications to classical washout algorithms to allow for large angular motion. This allows flight simulators with large angular motion envelopes to more effectively produce the motion cues for edge-of-envelope aircraft manoeuvres for pilot training. Classical washout is implemented and the implementation is validated using numeric metrics, normalized Pearson correlation, integral of the error, and maximum error; and plots of the modelled vestibular response. This implementation is then used as a performance baseline for two proposed modifications. Large-angle washout uses quaternions and eliminates the small-angle approximations present in classical washout. Unrestricted angular washout allows for unbounded rotation about all axes. For manoeuvres with small angular motion cues, the original classical washout algorithm designed for small angles performs best, and unrestricted angular washout has comparable performance. For manoeuvres with large angular motion cues, unbounded angular washout performs best.