Module overview
What the test trains
This module focuses on eye-hand-foot coordination, continuous control, bilateral motor integration and precision. It is designed to make the underlying process easier to recognise, repeat and review before you add more speed or workload.
Task profile
What the task looks like
What it involves
- Control two axes of movement with separate inputs.
- Use joystick and foot-pedal controls to move a target toward a crosshair.
- Read the size and direction of error on screen.
- Damp the target’s movement as it approaches centre rather than overshooting.
Practice screen example
These screenshots show CBAT Academy’s independent practice version of the task.
Interface briefing
Controls and test flow
Controls
Keep a moving element aligned continuously using the mouse or a calibrated gamepad — this is a continuous tracking task rather than a series of discrete questions.
How the Academy version works
CBAT Academy presents an independently developed browser exercise with its own questions, graphics, timing and scoring. The instruction screen explains the current workload before launch; it does not claim to reproduce an official assessment screen or confidential question set.
Performance briefing
Difficulty and scoring
Difficulty and settings
Target speed rises from 60 to 150 while the reaction window you have to correct drift narrows from 1.5 seconds to under 1.
How scoring works
The result reflects performance in this Academy module. Accuracy is the main signal for decision tasks, while timing, missed targets, false responses or control error can also contribute where the task requires them. Assessment mode is more suitable for trend comparisons than adjustable practice runs.
Read how practice scores and estimates work →Training plan
Build a method that holds up under pressure
Why this becomes difficult
- Hand and foot inputs must be coordinated simultaneously.
- A large correction on one axis can cause the other axis to be neglected.
- Control sensitivity makes abrupt inputs costly.
- Poor seating or pedal position reduces precision.
- Candidates may watch the controls instead of reading the target-crosshair error.
Preparation tips
- Set up seating and controls so joystick and pedals are comfortable.
- Correct the larger axis error first.
- Use proportional input: large error deserves larger correction and small error deserves gentle input.
- Return controls toward neutral before the target crosses the centreline.
- Practise hand and foot movements separately before combining them.
Common mistakes
- Holding a correction too long and overshooting.
- Trying to fix both axes with equally large movements.
- Looking down at pedals or joystick.
- Using a tense posture that limits fine motor control.
- Making repeated full-scale corrections instead of damping movement.
Useful practice drills
- Joystick centring tasks with variable sensitivity.
- Use one hand for vertical cursor control and foot cues for horizontal control.
- Bring a moving cursor smoothly to centre without crossing it.
- Run short coordination blocks with deliberate attention to relaxation and neutral control.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as an official Sensory Motor Apparatus test?
No. It trains related skills with an independently developed task. Rules, controls, timing, visuals and scoring can differ from an official assessment.
What's the most common mistake on this task?
Holding a correction too long and overshooting.
What actually helps here?
Set up seating and controls so joystick and pedals are comfortable.
Transparency
Sources and information status
Task guidance on this page describes CBAT Academy’s own software. Broad aptitude context is checked against the public references in the source register. Details not established by an official source are treated as independent training methodology.
This guide describes CBAT Academy’s independently developed practice modules. It is not an exact specification of any current RAF, Canadian Forces or Ministry of Defence assessment. Official content, timings, scoring and administration may differ.
Continue the briefing
Turn the method into repeatable performance.
Launch the interactive trainer, begin with accuracy and review the pattern behind each mistake before increasing pace.