CAUTION - LONG "Blather" I was impressed that someone has taken on the missing link of cockpit comms and crew information delivery. I think it is useful, and a great approach to get "eyes' back in the cockpit BUT only when needed. I hope I may offer my observations and that they are taken not as criticisms, but observations of similar systems/approaches from my experience and background. As a reminder - this will be lengthy.
A few years back I picked up a unit designed for home alerts to focus on a few emergency indications also. I wanted to just hit a few high points, like
Fire,
Oil,
Temp, and
Fuel. Except for
Fire, the others would be a call to look in the cockpit and see whats-what.
FIRE would be a call for very specific action! Each is easily added with sensors wired to the device, and then cable the headset. I was going to use my wife's voice on my system. When we we were living in NZ, she was chosen by a Kiwi developer to be the voice for a flight annunciator for "Top Dressers," or as we know them in the US -- Crop Dusters. She was appropriately dubbed, "Naggin' Nancy" by the developer.
I base my observations and suggestions from my experience as an AF fighter pilot in the Phantom. The only aural indicators we had for the longest time were; Angle of Attack, Sidewinder Missile Growl, Radar threat warning, two radios, and the other crew member over intercom, and jet noise. I can say when we finally got an aural warning system, it took a bit to get used to, but we really paid attention to "Bitchin' Betty." She is still heard in the FA-18 and other aircraft and is credited with numerous "saves." It really works. In the B-58, when the AF first implemented voice warning systems, they "proved" a female voice got the crew's attention faster and more often than a male voice. Please don't tell your wife/GF! So with that backdrop, I was disappointed to hear an MS-style "robot voice" -- but maybe it is still in Beta, and for that, I offer what follows.
If I may, I find the concept of the G-annunciator as more than "interesting," and offer a suggestion. We race in a 2-D world (mostly) and if we exceed GRIP we slide off track. In an aircraft when you exceed the limits - you fall from the sky. The closest similar announcement we had as an aural indicator, was the AOA - Angle of Attack, and if exceeded we'd approach stall, then stall. I think the implementation of similar (2-D) announcement might be very useful. Perhaps something other than a specific announcement of existing "G" (1.2, 1.3, etc) might be a better implementation.
I'll try and explain the AOA annunciator in a G indicator sense. When we are cornering and our grip is at the "sweet spot" it would be nice to have a steady tone. In the aircraft, the sweet spot was "on-speed." Not max G or AOA, but "optimum." At lower than optimum G (AOA), present a slow, lower paced tone that increases in frequency and pitch as you get nearer to the sweet spot. Then as the tires reach/near max grip the steady tone. And, just as you start to exceed the grip, a higher pitched faster frequency tone, and of course when you slide you don't need to hear about it!
For the lap timing, actual time may not be as important as other cues. I currently use a laptimer aural indicator, the
RaceCeiver, with an IR sensor. [I have yet to try out its integration with the transponder, but it is supposed to work.] For those not familiar, it takes your first laptime as a baseline, then if the next is faster, it announces, "Fast" and when you get one that is faster still, it announces "Faster" and resets timing based on that lap. Very clever, and the board must be very small as the device is about the size of a matchbox. Not suggesting pirating, reverse engineering, just what is possible. As a quick aside, I like the concept of a "Speed Announcement." Someone in my ear letting me know how fast I'm going, without using a HUD or dash mounted instrument, again keeps my eyes out and engaged. It could let me know how I am doing with my planned corner entry/exit speeds.
For all of these indicators, the option to set thresholds is important. Slicks vs street tires for G and Grip as an obvious example.
Pacing of the speed reference might be made adjustable to faster for high acceleration cars - or slower for mine.
I apologize for going on here a bit. Even though I was "bred" as an Aero-Engineer, and did MS work there too, I finished my MS in Human Factors. My main research topic was HF in Air to Air Combat, using a second-by second operational analysis approach. I recall documenting about nine (9) separate aural indicators/warnings during engagements, all while maneuvering in a high-g environment. It became clear as a user and researcher, each of these aural indicators provided valuable information, but were simultaneously "stressors;" and not always "heard" due to other factors. These missed cues, signals, etc, could influence the outcome of an engagement. The best example I can offer was from a F-1 race where one of the drivers told the crew on headset comms - "...don't bother me now -- I'm busy!"
Clearly, an off track excursion can ruin not only a great lap, but finishing position, or low oil pressure an engine, etc, and put you out of the race. But if we can "know" that these systems are being monitored, get appropriate feedback to maximize our lap, keep eyes out and on the engagement at hand, we are ahead of our competition.
As I conclude, I really like the approach and general implementation. With any new product there is always room for development/improvement. I hope you take these words as encouragement, and not any critique, suggesting a flawed product.
It is not. This is a niche that is ready to be filled, and I wish you a lot of success, and encourage your continued development and success.
Maybe my final request -- Keep the prices down! As a metric maybe like; Tires or Brakes, but not Engines!
For any other readers: If you've gotten this far, thank you-- I feel your pain. I warned at the outset it could be a bit of a blather. You ask the time - I build you a watch!
Cheers - Jim
STANDARD DISCLAIMER - not associated with any product mentioned here, just a user.