Question Crazy idea on controling vehicles

[Pilot7893]

You are all aware how easy it is to walk up to someone, and perfectly match their speed and direction, right? And how dificult formation flight is in real life? Well, I believe this is because of a disruption of signal from brain to movement. With walking, the signal goes directly from the brain, to the legs, to movement. With a plane, the signal goes from the brain, to the hands/legs, to the controls, to movement. I believe this complication of signal transfer disrupts the accuracy of the movements. I thought, "Why not have a way to let a person control the vehicle, just like they control their hands or legs? The technology DOES exist to wire neros to mechanics and have our mind control a machine. Why not just make it a new style of driving your car? We might actually see a major reduction in accidents.

 

[unussapiens]

I believe it is to do with practice. An experienced pilot finds it much easier to fly in formation than a student, and an adult finds it much easier to match someone walking speed than a toddler.

Still, it's a cool idea.

 

[KosmoKen]

Why not just make it a new style of driving your car? We might actually see a major reduction in accidents.

I can see it now; one hot babe crosses the intersection and there's a 5 car pile-up

 

[T.Neo]

An experienced pilot finds it much easier to fly in formation than a student

Maybe that's because their brains have learned the delays and quirks of the control system.

 

[Pilot7893]

Plus, with this, we woulnd't need big, complicated control panels.

 

[garyw]

Plus, with this, we woulnd't need big, complicated control panels.

I've never found a car dashboard big or complicated. I did borrow a car once that had no rev counter and I found that more disconcerting that having a rev counter and speedometer in front of me.

Wiring the brain to a car is a bad idea. The brain has too many random thoughts and other impulses to be able to control a car safely.

For example, When I drive I'm looking out for the next possible problem, a car swerving in front of me or someone running out in front of me as well as whats coming up next - what manouver do I need to do next?
So, if I think "At the next junction I turn right" - How does the car know to NOT turn right at this very moment?

 

[Pilot7893]

Are you saying you move your arm by thinking the words "Move Arm"? No. I meant you control it by thinking the command "Move Arm". And I was talking about airplanes when mentioning the control panels.

 

[The Aviator]

All this seems something seen in Ace Combat 3 (Japanese version) ;-)

 

[Ark]

Judging by how often I drop things or forget to watch where I'm going, this seems like a BAD idea. :lol:

 

[mjessick]

You have trouble because the vehicle can't react as fast as you want it to. Airplanes are massive with lots of rotational inertia and they have to physically rotate their attitude to change appreciably the level of aerodynamic forces they generate. Control systems delays aren't helpful, but vehicles are naturally slow to respond. The control system could be instantaneous and the vehicle would still be slow to respond.

 

[Andy44]

Also, there is the OODA loop:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_Loop

Developed by USAF Col. John Boyd it describes the decision and reaction process of a fighter pilot in air to air combat, but it applies to any situation in which a person is continuously trying to process information and react to it. The sluggishness of your aircraft due to inertia and control system delay as described by mjessick is part of it, but so is your ability to see and react to the lead aircraft.

You can't make your plane and it's systems go any faster, but you can speed yourself up by practice, which makes reacting to the lead aircraft's motion almost second nature. You also to need to train your attention span and endurance limit, since this kind of flying is fatiguing.