The development of a voice-interactive avionics system for the AV-8B Harrier II tactical jet aircraft

This research explored the feasibility of implementing a voice-interactive avionics system into the cockpit of current operational AV-8B Harrier tactical jet aircraft, in an attempt to reduce high pilot workload during tactical phases of flight. A review of Automatic Speech Recognition technology development and capabilities was conducted, as well as an overview of previous and on-going cockpit voice-interactive research projects. A Voice-Interactive System (VIS) for a TAV-8B testbed aircraft was developed in the Spring of 1990, and a VIS technology demonstration program was conducted throughout the following summer. A total of 12 evaluation flights were conducted by two test pilots experienced in Harrier tactical flight operations. Objective and subjective measures of VIS performance were documented through the use of cockpit recording equipment and pilot comments during flight and post-flight debriefings. Test results indicated that VIS technology demonstrated excellent potential to reduce pilot workload during critical phases of flight. VIS performance results were encouraging. The system demonstrated real-time recognition rates; recognition accuracy averaged 95.7%. A great deal of difficulty, however, was experienced with the keyword activation feature of the system, which was designed to alert the system to listen to pilot commands. (Voice activation of the VIS by the keyword was achieved only 51% of the time.) Both test pilots indicated a strong desire for a manually activated VIS switch, which would provide more reliable system activation. Overall, VIS technology demonstrated a level of performance and utility that warrants further development and implementation into the operational Harrier fleet as soon as possible.