Determining the influence of information overload due to augmented and virtual reality on the situation awareness of duty officers using navigation simulators.

The project ambitions to chart how information overload caused by virtual and augmented reality influences the decision making process of duty officers during a navigational watch on bridge simulators. How information overload arises has to be researched first. In a traditional bridge setting, with wellknown instruments and settings, information overload may occur during difficult navigational circumstances. This information overload might not be experienced in the same way by students or more experienced duty officers. Personality might also play a role in handling or encountering information overload. The question arises weather virtual and augmented reality help to prevent information overload from occurring. Will these new technologies contribute to a higher level of situation awareness in bridge simulators, or will it cause more stress and an overload in already very complex surroundings? Can virtual and augmented reality play a role in avoiding accidents at sea? Can the high level of human errors contributing to marine accidents be lowered by letting duty officers train with virtual and augmented reality? Can training centres contribute to a better acceptance by a ship's crew to these new technologies? Research on the role of virtual and augmented reality in increasing the safety of navigation at sea is currently ongoing at a partner institution in the Netherlands (Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz, Terschelling), but not specifically on how virtual and augmented reality may contribute to information overload.

Keywords:INFORMATION, VIRTUAL REALITY

Disciplines:Virtual reality and related simulation, Navigation and position fixing, Visual communication

Project type:Collaboration project