Collins Sees Path To Spot Pilot Fatigue

Collins Aerospace and Seeing Machines have partnered to develop new fatigue-management solutions that detect pilot fatigue by measuring pilots’ eyes. Called the Pilot Support System (PSS), the new product aims to improve upon traditional—and burdensome—self-evaluation and reporting.

To develop the PSS, Collins is using Seeing Machines’ eye-tracking optics, embedded processing, and human factors and algorithm expertise. The pupil-tracking system algorithms can help “sense a pilot’s level of fatigue and alertness, visible in a pilot’s eyes, to better understand the impact of their workload,” according to Collins.

“As the aviation industry looks to the future of intelligent aircraft design, understanding the cognitive state of the pilot and crew is paramount,” said Christophe Blanc, v-p and general manager, business regional avionics for Collins Aerospace. “Pilot workload and wellbeing are key focus areas of our avionics design, and this collaboration will allow us to further support the pilots and their needs.” 

Collins plans to offer the PSS to aircraft manufacturers and operators for forward-fit and aftermarket installations, once the technology becomes available for commercial implementation.