Modeling Operator Performance in Low Task Load Supervisory Domains

Modeling Operator Performance in Low Task Load Supervisory Domains PDF Author: Armen A. Mkrtchyan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 156

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Book Description
Currently, numerous automated systems need constant monitoring but require little to no operator interaction for prolonged periods, such as unmanned aerial systems, nuclear power plants, and air traffic management systems. This combination can potentially lower operators' workload to dangerously low levels, causing boredom, lack of vigilance, fatigue, and performance decrements. As more systems are automated and placed under human supervision, this problem will become more prevalent in the future. To mitigate the problem through predicting operator performance in low task load supervisory domains, a queuing-based discrete event simulation model has been developed. To test the validity and robustness of this model, a testbed for single operator decentralized control of unmanned vehicles was utilized, simulating a low workload human supervisory control (HSC) environment. Using this testbed, operators engaged in a four-hour mission to search, track, and destroy simulated targets. Also, a design intervention in the form of cyclical auditory alerts was implemented to help operators sustain directed attention during low task load environments. The results indicate that the model is able to accurately predict operators' workload. Also, the model predicts operators' performance reasonably well. However, the inability of the model to account for operator error is a limiting factor that lowers model's accuracy. The results also show that the design intervention is not useful for operators who do not have difficulties sustaining attention for prolonged periods. The participants of this study were exceptional performers, since most of them had very high performance scores. Further research will investigate the possibility of conducting another low task load, long duration study with a more diverse set of participants to assess the impact of the design intervention and to extract personality traits that may affect system performance. Also, the model needs to be revised to take into account operator errors, which can significantly affect performance of HSC systems.

Modeling Operator Performance in Low Task Load Supervisory Domains

Modeling Operator Performance in Low Task Load Supervisory Domains PDF Author: Armen A. Mkrtchyan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 156

Get Book Here

Book Description
Currently, numerous automated systems need constant monitoring but require little to no operator interaction for prolonged periods, such as unmanned aerial systems, nuclear power plants, and air traffic management systems. This combination can potentially lower operators' workload to dangerously low levels, causing boredom, lack of vigilance, fatigue, and performance decrements. As more systems are automated and placed under human supervision, this problem will become more prevalent in the future. To mitigate the problem through predicting operator performance in low task load supervisory domains, a queuing-based discrete event simulation model has been developed. To test the validity and robustness of this model, a testbed for single operator decentralized control of unmanned vehicles was utilized, simulating a low workload human supervisory control (HSC) environment. Using this testbed, operators engaged in a four-hour mission to search, track, and destroy simulated targets. Also, a design intervention in the form of cyclical auditory alerts was implemented to help operators sustain directed attention during low task load environments. The results indicate that the model is able to accurately predict operators' workload. Also, the model predicts operators' performance reasonably well. However, the inability of the model to account for operator error is a limiting factor that lowers model's accuracy. The results also show that the design intervention is not useful for operators who do not have difficulties sustaining attention for prolonged periods. The participants of this study were exceptional performers, since most of them had very high performance scores. Further research will investigate the possibility of conducting another low task load, long duration study with a more diverse set of participants to assess the impact of the design intervention and to extract personality traits that may affect system performance. Also, the model needs to be revised to take into account operator errors, which can significantly affect performance of HSC systems.

Modeling Human Attention and Performance in Automated Environments with Low Task Loading

Modeling Human Attention and Performance in Automated Environments with Low Task Loading PDF Author: Fei Gao (Ph. D.)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
Automation has the benefit of reducing human operators' workload. By leveraging the power of computers and information technology, the work of human operators is becoming easier. However, when the workload is too low but the human is required to be present either by regulation or due to limitations of automation, human performance can be negatively affected. Negative consequences such as distraction, mind wandering, and inattention have been reported across many high risk settings including unmanned aerial vehicle operation, process control plant supervision, train engineers, and anesthesiologists. Because of the move towards more automated systems in the future, a better understanding is needed to enable intervention and mitigation of possible negative impacts. The objectives of this research are to systematically investigate the attention and performance of human operators when they interact with automated systems under low task load, build a dynamic model and use it to facilitate system design. A systems-based framework, called the Boredom Influence Diagram, was proposed to better understand the relationships between the various influences and outcomes of low task loading. A System Dynamics model, named the Performance and Attention with Low-task-loading (PAL) Model, was built based on this framework. The PAL model captures the dynamic changes of task load, attention, and performance over time in long duration low task loading automated environments. In order to evaluate the replication and prediction capability of the model, three dynamic hypotheses were proposed and tested using data from three experiments. The first hypothesis stated that attention decreases under low task load. This was supported by comparing model outputs with data from an experiment of target searching using unmanned vehicles. Building on Hypothesis 1, the second and third hypotheses examined the impact of decreased attention on performance in responding to an emergency event. Hypothesis 2 was examined by comparing model outputs with data from an experiment of accident response in nuclear power plant monitoring. Results showed that performance is worse with lower attention levels. Hypothesis 3 was tested by comparing model outputs with data from an experiment of defensive target tracking. The results showed that the impact of decreased attention on performance was larger when the task was difficult. The process of testing these three hypotheses shows that the PAL model is a generalized theory that could explain behaviors under low task load in different supervisory control settings. Finally, benefits, limitations, generalizability and applications of the PAL model were evaluated. Further research is needed to improve and extend the PAL model, investigate individual differences to facilitate personnel selection, and develop system and task designs to mitigate negative consequences.

Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics

Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics PDF Author: Gavriel Salvendy
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118129083
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 1754

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Book Description
The fourth edition of the Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics has been completely revised and updated. This includes all existing third edition chapters plus new chapters written to cover new areas. These include the following subjects: Managing low-back disorder risk in the workplace Online interactivity Neuroergonomics Office ergonomics Social networking HF&E in motor vehicle transportation User requirements Human factors and ergonomics in aviation Human factors in ambient intelligent environments As with the earlier editions, the main purpose of this handbook is to serve the needs of the human factors and ergonomics researchers, practitioners, and graduate students. Each chapter has a strong theory and scientific base, but is heavily focused on real world applications. As such, a significant number of case studies, examples, figures, and tables are included to aid in the understanding and application of the material covered.

Sixth International Conference on Cognitive Modeling

Sixth International Conference on Cognitive Modeling PDF Author: Marsha C. Lovett
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1135603138
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 438

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Book Description
The International Conference on Cognitive Modeling brings together researchers who develop computational models to explain and predict cognitive data. The core theme of the 2004 conference was "Integrating Computational Models," encompassing an integration of diverse data through models of coherent phenomena; integration across modeling approaches; and integration of teaching and modeling. This text presents the proceedings of that conference. The International Conference on Cognitive Modeling 2004 sought to grow the discipline of computational cognitive modeling by providing a sophisticated modeling audience for cutting-edge researchers, in addition to offering a forum for integrating insights across alternative modeling approaches in both basic research and applied settings, and a venue for planning the future growth of the discipline. The meeting included a careful peer-review process of 6-page paper submissions; poster-abstracts to include late-breaking work in the area; prizes for best papers; a doctoral consortium; and competitive modeling symposia that compare and contrast different approaches to the same phenomena.

Sixth International Conference on Cognitive Modeling - ICCM - 2004

Sixth International Conference on Cognitive Modeling - ICCM - 2004 PDF Author: Marsha C. Lovett
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 0805854266
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 438

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Book Description
The International Conference on Cognitive Modeling brings together researchers who develop computational models that explain and predict cognitive data. The 2004 conference encompassed an integration of diverse data through models of coherent phenomena;

Towards a New Cognitive Neuroscience: Modeling Natural Brain Dynamics

Towards a New Cognitive Neuroscience: Modeling Natural Brain Dynamics PDF Author: Klaus Gramann
Publisher: Frontiers E-books
ISBN: 2889192717
Category : Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Languages : en
Pages : 167

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Book Description
Decades of brain imaging experiments have revealed important insights into the architecture of the human brain and the detailed anatomic basis for the neural dynamics supporting human cognition. However, technical restrictions of traditional brain imaging approaches including functional magnetic resonance tomography (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetoencephalography (MEG) severely limit participants’ movements during experiments. As a consequence, our knowledge of the neural basis of human cognition is rooted in a dissociation of human cognition from what is arguably its foremost, and certainly its evolutionarily most determinant function, organizing our behavior so as to optimize its consequences in our complex, multi-scale, and ever-changing environment. The concept of natural cognition, therefore, should not be separated from our fundamental experience and role as embodied agents acting in a complex, partly unpredictable world. To gain new insights into the brain dynamics supporting natural cognition, we must overcome restrictions of traditional brain imaging technology. First, the sensors used must be lightweight and mobile to allow monitoring of brain activity during free participant movements. New hardware technology for electroencephalography (EEG) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allows recording electrical and hemodynamic brain activity while participants are freely moving. New data-driven analysis approaches must allow separation of signals arriving at the sensors from the brain and from non-brain sources (neck muscles, eyes, heart, the electrical environment, etc.). Independent component analysis (ICA) and related blind source separation methods allow separation of brain activity from non-brain activity from data recorded during experimental paradigms that stimulate natural cognition. Imaging the precisely timed, distributed brain dynamics that support all forms of our motivated actions and interactions in both laboratory and real-world settings requires new modes of data capture and of data processing. Synchronously recording participants’ motor behavior, brain activity, and other physiology, as well as their physical environment and external events may be termed mobile brain/body imaging ('MoBI'). Joint multi-stream analysis of recorded MoBI data is a major conceptual, mathematical, and data processing challenge. This Research Topic is one result of the first international MoBI meeting in Delmenhorst Germany in September 2013. During an intense workshop researchers from all over the world presented their projects and discussed new technological developments and challenges of this new imaging approach. Several of the presentations are compiled in this Research Topic that we hope may inspire new research using the MoBI paradigm to investigate natural cognition by recording and analyzing the brain dynamics and behavior of participants performing a wide range of naturally motivated actions and interactions.

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality PDF Author: Randall Shumaker
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 331921067X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 553

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Book Description
This volume constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality, VAMR 2015, held as part of the 17th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCI 2015, held in Los Angeles, CA, USA, in August 2015. The total of 1462 papers and 246 posters presented at the HCII 2015 conferences was carefully reviewed and selected from 4843 submissions. These papers address the latest research and development efforts and highlight the human aspects of design and use of computing systems. The papers thoroughly cover the entire field of human-computer interaction, addressing major advances in knowledge and effective use of computers in a variety of application areas. The 54 papers included in this volume are organized in the following topical sections: user experience in virtual and augmented environments; developing virtual and augmented environments; agents and robots in virtual environments; VR for learning and training; VR in Health and Culture; industrial and military applications.

Driver Distraction and Inattention

Driver Distraction and Inattention PDF Author: John D. Lee
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 131714788X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 464

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Book Description
It is estimated that, in the United States, around 20 percent of all Police-reported road crashes involve driver distraction as a contributing factor. This figure increases if other forms of inattention are considered. Evidence (reviewed in this volume) suggests that the situation is similar in other countries and that driver distraction and inattention are even more dangerous as contributing factors in crashes than drug and alcohol intoxication. Having a solid evidence-base from which to develop injury countermeasures is a cornerstone of road-safety management. This book adds to the accumulating evidence-base on driver distraction and inattention. With 24 chapters by 52 authors from more than 10 countries, it provides important new perspectives on the definition and meaning of driver distraction and inattention, the mechanisms that characterize them, the measurement of their effects, strategies for mitigating their effects, and recommendations for further research. The goal of this book is to inspire further research and countermeasure development to prevent and mitigate the potentially adverse effects of driver distraction and driver inattention, and, in doing so, to save lives.

Proceedings of the Ninth Symposium

Proceedings of the Ninth Symposium PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Psychology, Military
Languages : en
Pages : 754

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Book Description


Use of Services for Family Planning and Infertility, United States, 1982

Use of Services for Family Planning and Infertility, United States, 1982 PDF Author: Gerry E. Hendershot
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780840602220
Category : Birth control
Languages : en
Pages : 982

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Book Description
The 1982 statistics on the use of family planning and infertility services presented in this report are preliminary results from Cycle III of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Data were collected through personal interviews with a multistage area probability sample of 7969 women aged 15-44. A detailed series of questions was asked to obtain relatively complete estimates of the extent and type of family planning services received. Statistics on family planning services are limited to women who were able to conceive 3 years before the interview date. Overall, 79% of currently mrried nonsterile women reported using some type of family planning service during the previous 3 years. There were no statistically significant differences between white (79%), black (75%) or Hispanic (77%) wives, or between the 2 income groups. The 1982 survey questions were more comprehensive than those of earlier cycles of the survey. The annual rate of visits for family planning services in 1982 was 1077 visits /1000 women. Teenagers had the highest annual visit rate (1581/1000) of any age group for all sources of family planning services combined. Visit rates declined sharply with age from 1447 at ages 15-24 to 479 at ages 35-44. Similar declines with age also were found in the visit rates for white and black women separately. Nevertheless, the annual visit rate for black women (1334/1000) was significantly higher than that for white women (1033). The highest overall visit rate was for black women 15-19 years of age (1867/1000). Nearly 2/3 of all family planning visits were to private medical sources. Teenagers of all races had higher family planning service visit rates to clinics than to private medical sources, as did black women age 15-24. White women age 20 and older had higher visit rates to private medical services than to clinics. Never married women had higher visit rates to clinics than currently or formerly married women. Data were also collected in 1982 on use of medical services for infertility by women who had difficulty in conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to term. About 1 million ever married women had 1 or more infertility visits in the 12 months before the interview. During the 3 years before interview, about 1.9 million women had infertility visits. For all ever married women, as well as for white and black women separately, infertility services were more likely to be secured from private medical sources than from clinics. The survey design, reliability of the estimates and the terms used are explained in the technical notes.