Advancing Human-Centric Technologies in Defence Aviation: EPIIC’s Latest Contributions

Over the past months, the EPIIC project has continued to demonstrate significant progress across research, experimentation, and community engagement—further solidifying its role as a key European initiative shaping next-generation fighter cockpit technologies. Recent activities span participation in high-profile events, peer-reviewed scientific output, and ongoing interaction with the broader defence and HMI communities.

Showcasing Pilot-Centric Research at TechDefense 2025

EPIIC had a strong presence at TechDefense 2025, where the project highlighted several advances in adaptive cockpit interaction and real-time pilot state monitoring. Demonstrations included emerging solutions in cognitive state inference, crew-sensor fusion, and multimodal interaction technologies supporting pilot workload management.

The event provided a platform for engagement with defense stakeholders, research organizations, and industry partners, reinforcing the project’s commitment to developing technologies grounded in operational needs and validated through collaboration with end users.

New Scientific Publication: Predicting Pilot Performance During Startle Events

A major research milestone was reached with the publication of the EPIIC paper "Predicting Pilot Performance During Startle Events" on IEEE Xplore.

The study proposes an innovative approach for modelling and predicting pilot behaviour under sudden, high-stress conditions—an area critical for mission success and safety in demanding air combat environments.

The work contributes new insights into human performance modelling and strengthens the scientific foundations for adaptive, context-aware cockpit systems capable of responding to pilot cognitive and physiological states.

EPIIC at CHIGreece 2025: AI-Powered Interaction in the Fighter Cockpit

At CHI Greece 2025, EPIIC presented research exploring how artificial intelligence, multimodal interaction, and advanced HCI methods can improve communication between pilots and complex airborne systems.

The showcased work demonstrated:

• AI-assisted cockpit decision support,
• Intelligent interaction pipelines for high-demand missions, and
• New concepts for making information more accessible and intuitive in fast-paced tactical operations.

This participation underscores the project’s strong connection with the broader HCI research community and its contribution to bridging academic innovation with defence application.

Driving Forward European Innovation in Human-Machine Teaming

Together, these activities highlight EPIIC’s continuous contribution to the evolution of adaptive pilot interfaces, cognitive state monitoring, and AI-enhanced cockpit technologies.

As the project advances into its final stretch, the consortium remains committed to delivering solutions that enhance safety, performance, and mission effectiveness for future European fighter aircraft.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.