bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Exploration of Robot Builders’ Emotional Responses to Their Tournament Robots
Authors: Huang Lixiao , Gillan Douglas
Published: October 2014

Our exploratory study about robot builders‟ attachment to their LEGO robots found that college level participants showed strong affection for their robots, but the relationship was different from human-human or human-pet attachment in terms of lack of separation related anxiety and enjoyment of companion. Whether the relationship should be named attachment is now pending. The present research investigated further in three aspects: 1) revised the emotion questionnaire based on a newly developed emotional response model; 2) expanded the participants to middle school and high school students who participate in robotics competition tournaments; 3) examined additional factors that might influence their emotional responses to the robot, including: participation in tournaments, team dependency, time/effect input, performance expectation, and features of the robot. The revised emotion response questionnaire showed high reliability and significantly positive correlations with the overall affection for robot. Time/effort input and features of the robot were found significantly contribute to their emotional responses to the robot. This study will help robotics educators better understand students‟ emotions, and adjust accordingly to increase students‟ learning effectiveness and well-being.
Correlations among self-reported driving characteristics and simulated driving performance measures
Authors: Stahl Patrick , Donmez Birsen , Jamieson Greg A.
Published: October 2014

Following a driving simulator experiment investigating anticipatory competence in driving, participants were asked to rate themselves on driving characteristics that are potentially relevant to anticipatory competence. Significant correlations were found among multiple of these characteristics. Furthermore, all participants also completed the Manchester Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ), so that correlations between these subjective driving characteristics and DBQ categories could also be investigated. Findings showed that both subjective measures were generally aligned in that the DBQ categories correlated with the subjective characteristics describing them. However, no evidence could be found that participants judging themselves as safe drivers kept longer headways and larger times to collision, and no significant correlations were observed between subjective ratings of fuel-efficiency and fuel-consumption observed in the simulated drive. These findings suggest that caution should be taken when using self-reported driving characteristics to predict actual performance, and future research should further investigate the relation between self-reported measures and simulator performance measures.
Driving by the Seat of Your Pants
Authors: Eisert Jesse L. , Baldwin Carryl L.
Published: October 2014

Vibrotactile navigation systems can provide drivers with directional information while reducing annoyance from a voice that interrupts on-going music and conversations. However, little is currently known regarding the working memory processes involved in utilizing vibrotactile navigation. Prior research has demonstrated that individuals differ in their sense of direction and ability to navigate and the working memory resources used to carry out the navigation task. Recent research has shown that vibrotactile cues can be used effectively to facilitate navigation while potentially reducing workload. The aim of this study is to examine impact of vibrotactile navigation systems on working memory. Specifically, the aim is to examine how they may differentially impact individuals based upon their sense of direction. It is predicted that the location based information provided by the vibrotactile navigation system may facilitate performance among individuals with a poor sense of direction – because it is not expected to rely on their verbal working memory. Conversely, vibrotactile systems are expected to hinder the performance of individuals with a good sense of direction since they may overload the visuospatial working memory processes. The results of this research will help in better understanding the differences between these individuals and help improve navigation system design to better navigational performance.
Transfer of Computer-Based Training to Simulated Driving In Older Adults
Authors: Cassavaugh Nicholas D. , Kramer Arthur F.
Published: October 2014

We evaluated the transfer of training on computer-based tasks that were specifically designed to tap cognitive abilities that are presumed to be used while driving, namely divided attention, visual monitoring and working memory. In particular, as older adults have been shown to suffer declines in cognitive abilities with advancing age, we asked whether some of these declines could be remediated with training. Using a driving simulator, participants’ driving performance was evaluated in several complex scenarios. Both computer-based training and driving tasks were presented individually and in combination with manual control tasks. We used regression analysis to examine the effects of the training on driving performance. Results revealed limited transfer of training from the computer-based training system to driving.
Effects of Oncoming Vehicle Size on Overtaking Judgments
Authors: Levulis Samuel J. , DeLucia Patricia R. , Jupe Jason
Published: October 2014

In 2011, 89,000 accidents in the United States involved a vehicle passing another vehicle, which resulted in 740 deaths and 19,000 injuries (NHTSA, 2011). When passing a vehicle on a two-way highway (overtaking), a driver often must temporarily cross into the opposite lane of traffic, and may face oncoming vehicles. To avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle, the overtaking driver must estimate the time remaining until a collision would occur with the vehicle. Although information about an oncoming vehicle’s time-to-collision is theoretically available in the optical invariant tau (Lee, 1976), it is below threshold during high-speed overtaking maneuvers, which require a large passing distance. Under such conditions, we expect drivers to rely on the oncoming vehicle’s apparent distance and velocity, and thus depth cues such as relative size. We used a driving simulator to determine whether overtaking judgments are influenced by an oncoming vehicle’s size, and on whether such judgments differ between active driving and passive viewing. Twenty-four participants viewed computer-generated scenes in which they were following a lead vehicle on a straight, two-lane, two-way highway. At the start of each scene an oncoming vehicle (motorcycle, car, delivery truck) was visible in the opposite lane. Seven seconds after the scene an auditory tone signaled participants to make an overtaking decision. Participants in the active condition passed the lead vehicle if they thought it was safe to do so. Participants in the passive condition indicated whether it was safe to pass by pressing buttons on the steering wheel. We manipulated the participant’s (and lead vehicle’s) speed (48.28 km/h, 64.37 km/h, 80.47 km/h) and the oncoming vehicle’s speed (72.42 km/h, 88.51 km/h, 104.61 km/h) and distance when the tone occurred (457.20 m, 609.60 m). This resulted in 9 safe and 9 unsafe temporal gaps based on an equation generated from analyses of actual overtaking performance (Gordon & Mast, 1970). Results indicated more accepted gaps and more false alarms (accepted gap when unsafe) in front of motorcycles than larger cars or trucks. The judgments made by participants in the active and passive conditions did not differ. Analyses of signal detection theory measures of sensitivity (d-prime) and response bias (beta) suggested that the effect of vehicle size was due to shifts in response bias rather than sensitivity. Results have implications for traffic safety and for the potential role of driver-assistance technologies.
Relationship between frustration justification and vehicle control behaviors – A simulator study
Authors: Lee Yi-Ching , LaVoie Noelle
Published: October 2014

Aggressive driving remains a common safety issue in most industrialized countries. Age and environmental factors play a role in the prevalence of aggressive driving. Congested traffic, in particular, has been associated with increased aggressive driving, suggesting that interactions with other road users as well as interpretations of others’ intentions may contribute to elevated aggression. The current study was designed to examine the effect of justification of frustrating situations on vehicle control behaviors. It was hypothesized that younger drivers would show more aggressive behaviors and would interpret intentions more negatively when compared to older drivers. Results showed that as driving experience increases, drivers were less likely to believe traffic delays were caused by others’ bad intentions. The more strongly drivers felt about traffic delays, the faster they tried to make up the lost time. When given opportunities to ‘act out’ both younger and older drivers showed a larger range of accelerating and braking magnitudes. Overall, our results suggest that mitigating aggressive driving will require cultivating a balance between time pressure and safety as well as encouraging a more positive approach to interpreting other drivers’ intentions.
Drivers’ response to dynamic gap assistance signs at simulated rural unsignalised T-intersections
Authors: Lenné Michael G , Mitsopoulos-Rubens Eve , Candappa Nimmi , Beanland Vanessa
Published: October 2014

A high proportion of road crashes occur at intersections. Poor gap selection by drivers at intersections is implicated as a key contributory factor in intersection crashes and thus recent research has explored various forms of dynamic signage to improve gap selection by drivers at rural intersections. In this study 29 drivers encountered two distinct forms of dynamic signage, in a driving simulator, designed to support safe gap selection at unsignalised T-intersections. The key difference between the signs was the level of information provided regarding the direction and proximity of oncoming traffic. The sign presenting the most detailed information to the driver encouraged conservative gap selection at the more safety-critical short time gap, but did not affect gap selection decisions at medium or long gaps. The implications for safety at rural intersections are discussed.
Active Traffic Management Signs and Drivers’ Speed Selection in a Driving Simulator
Authors: Perez William A. , Jeffers Mary Anne B. , Philips Brian H.
Published: October 2014

Active traffic management (ATM) incorporates a collection of strategies allowing the dynamic management of recurrent and non-recurrent congestion, based on prevailing traffic conditions. These strategies help to increase peak capacity, smooth traffic flows, and increase safety on busy, major highways. Studies were conducted in a driving simulator to examine driver behavior in response to a variety of scenarios using ATM signs. The present research focuses on the use of variable speed limit (VSL) signs that are shown over each lane on a highway. The studies showed compliance with the VSL signs. Issues with respect to sign design, operational implementation, and driver speed selection, are discussed.
Automation and Inattentional Blindness in a Simulated Flight Task
Authors: Kennedy Kellie D. , Stephens Chad L. , Williams Ralph A. , Schutte Paul C.
Published: October 2014

The study reported herein is a subset of a larger investigation on the role of automation in the context of single pilot aviation operations. This portion of the study focused on the relationship between automation and inattentional blindness (IB) occurrences for a runway incursion. The runway incursion critical stimulus was directly relevant to primary task performance. Participants performed the final five minutes of a landing scenario in one of three automation conditions (autopilot, autothrottle, and manual). Sixty non-pilot participants completed this study and 70% (42 of 60) failed to detect the runway incursion critical stimulus. Participants in the partial automation condition were significantly more likely to detect the runway incursion when compared to those in the full automation condition. The odds of participant detection in the full automation condition did not significantly vary from the manual condition. Participants that detected the runway incursion did not have significantly higher scores on any component of the NASA-TLX compared to those who failed to detect. The relationship demonstrated between automation condition and IB occurrence indicates the role of automation in operational attention detriment.
How Traffic Situations and Non-Driving Related Tasks Affect the Take-Over Quality in Highly Automated Driving
Authors: Radlmayr Jonas , Gold Christian , Lorenz Lutz , Farid Mehdi , Bengler Klaus
Published: October 2014

Highly automated driving constitutes a temporary transfer of the primary driving task from the driver to the automated vehicle. In case of system limits, drivers take back control of the vehicle. This study investigates the effect of varying traffic situations and non-driving related tasks on the take-over process and quality. The experiment is conducted in a high-fidelity driving simulator. The standardized visual Surrogate Reference Task (SuRT) and the cognitive n-back Task are used to simulate the non-driving related tasks. Participants experience four different traffic situations. Results of this experiment show a strong influence of the traffic situations on the take-over quality in a highway setting, if the traffic density is high. The non-driving related tasks SuRT and the n-back Task show similar effects on the take-over process with a higher total number of collisions by the SuRT in the high density traffic situation.
Assessing drivers’ performance when automated driver support systems fail with different levels of automation
Authors: Shen Sijun , Neyens David M.
Published: October 2014

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems and lane keeping (LK) systems are two automated driver support systems that serve as convenience systems by changing the role of the driver from a controller to an automation supervisor. These higher levels of automation might impair drivers’ performance when the automated systems fail. This study examined how drivers’ performance differed when an automated system fails in two different levels of automation; with only LK engaged (lower level automation) and with both ACC and LK engaged (higher level automation). Drivers’ performance in conjunction with automated driving was compared in different road conditions (i.e., straight lane, curve lane, and in traffic). In addition, it was expected that drivers’ characteristics and attitudes towards automation, such as their automation complacency, interpersonal trust, acceptance of the LK, and trust of the LK would also influence driving performance. Results showed that participants had significantly longer response times to a system failure with a higher level of automation than with a lower level of automation. The higher level automation also led to significantly larger maximum lane deviation when a system failed. In addition, participants with higher level of interpersonal trust had significantly larger maximum lane deviation than participants with lower level of interpersonal trust. Thus, these results suggest that failures of higher levels of automation may lead to poorer driving performance during the detection and recovery from the failure and drivers’ level of interpersonal trust affects their detection and recovery from system failures.
The Effect of Lead Time of Collision Warning Messages on Driver Performance
Authors: Wan Jingyan , Wu Changxu , Zhang Yiqi
Published: October 2014

Collision warning systems (CWSs) are in development in the intelligent transportation system domain to reduce collision accidents. The lead time of warning messages is a crucial factor in determining system effectiveness in the prevention of accidents. The present experiment studied the effects of controlled lead time at 16 levels (predetermined time headway from the subject vehicle to the collision location when the warning message was issued) and lead vehicle conditions (without vs. with lead vehicle) on driving behaviors in various collision scenarios. The results indicated the controlled lead time and lead vehicle conditions significantly affected driver performance. Maximum effectiveness of warning messages was achieved when the controlled lead time was within the range of 4.5s to 6s. When the warning messages were relatively late, the existence of a lead vehicle brought greater safety benefits and more abrupt deceleration. Potential applications of the results in designing of CWSs are further discussed.
Assessing Response Time Effects of Forward Collision Warning HMIs with Central Tendency, Variance, and Dominance Tests
Authors: Tijerina Louis , Curry Reates
Published: October 2014

Reaction times (RTs) to driver warning system human-machine interface (HMI) designs are often used to assess their impact on driver detection performance. This paper introduces three different ways to statistically compare alternative HMIs in terms of RTs. The most commonly reported way is to compare central tendencies such as RT means or medians. A second approach, less commonly used, compares the variability in RT distributions associated with different HMIs as an assessment of the consistency of response effects elicited by an HMI across participants. The third method is to compare the RT distributions from alternative HMIs by means of ordinal dominance statistics. This assessment directly addresses the question: “Do people tend to respond faster with HMI A than HMI B (or vice versa)?” These alternative assessments are applied to RT data from a simulator study of several alternative forward collision warning (FCW) HMIs and the insights provided by each are discussed.
An Evaluation of Drivers Using an Ignition Interlock Device
Authors: Sawyer Ben D. , Hancock P.A.
Published: October 2014

The threat of drunk drivers on our nation’s highways has led to the proliferation of court-mandated ignition interlock devices (IIDs), which test the driver for alcohol consumption before ignition and during operation of the vehicle. Previous research has already demonstrated the distraction potential of IIDs. Litigation has suggested that this difficulty is particularly severe for individuals with small lung capacity, such as women and smokers. The current research sought to augment the previous distraction finding while also comparing men and women in terms of their ability to successfully use a Lifesafer FC-100 interlock device. Results showed that women had significantly less success in providing adequate breath samples to successfully operate the interlock device while driving, and supported previous distraction findings. Implications as well as suggestions for and challenges of further research are provided.
A Looming Crisis
Authors: Liang Yulan , Lee John D. , Horrey William J.
Published: October 2014

Long glances away from the road present a significant risk to driving safety. The tail of the distribution for in-vehicle glance duration has been proposed to be more relevant to crash risk than the mean of the distribution. Using data collected in the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study (Dingus et al., 2006), this study examined the changes in the distribution of driver off-road glance duration, as well as in the frequency of such glances, at different time points before crash/near-crash events and compared with baseline (i.e., normal) driving. The results showed that the shape of the distribution of off-road glance duration at the onset of the precipitating factor of crashes/near-crashes was similar to the distribution in epochs during the preceding 25 seconds; nonetheless, the frequency of off-road glances increased in the approach to crashes/near-crash events. Compared with baseline epochs, drivers in crashes/near-crash events tended to look away from the forward road more often and with longer duration (i.e., with thicker tail end of the distributions; exceeding 1.7 seconds as observed in the distributions). It suggests that frequent off-road glances longer than 1.7 seconds present a high-risk glance pattern in the seconds preceding a safety- critical event and that the 2.0 second-threshold that is frequently cited in defining dangerously long off-road glances might be a liberal estimation.
Analysis of Temperature and Precipitation Data in Naturalistic Motorcycle Study
Authors: McCall Robert , McLaughlin Shane , Williams Sherry , Buche Tim
Published: October 2014

This paper explores differences in the temperature and precipitation in which individuals were found to ride within a large naturalistic riding data set. The data included in this analysis describe approximately 363,000 miles of riding by 98 participants. Trips include travel in over 40 states, as individuals rode for both transportation and pleasure. GPS location data from the motorcycles, combined with historic weather information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration databases, permitted the investigation of gender, motorcycle type, and installation locations, and their relationship to observed weather conditions during rides. Analyses showed motorcyclists prefer to ride in temperatures between 48°F and 82°F and under dry conditions when possible. If one lives in an area that experiences those temperatures year-round, then it can be expected that trips will continue year-round. If a rider lives in an area with distinctive seasons, those months where the temperature stays within that average range will contain the most rides.
The Role of Technology Domestication on Texting While Driving
Authors: Grego-Nagel Anne C. , Rys Malgorzata
Published: October 2014

Texting while driving has been researched from numerous disciplines including psychology and safety. This current study examines texting while driving through the lens of technology studies. Rather than look at the behavior and its effect on task performance, the technology of the cell phone and its relationship with the owner is explored. While youth is often associated with texting while driving, this study found that age was not significantly different between those who text while driving and those who don’t. Using the domestication approach that was developed in technology studies, our research finds that earlier domestication of a technology (cell phone) affects the behavior of the user when they attempt to use another technology. Drivers who text while driving adopted the cell phone technology younger and often before the age of 16, the traditional age to begin driving. This research highlights the role of technology domestication in task behavior.
Psychometric Examination and Validation of the Aggressive Driving Scale (ADS)
Authors: Zhang Yiqi , Houston Rebecca , Wu Changxu
Published: October 2014

Aggressive driving behavior is an important cause of traffic accidents and injuries. The Aggressive Driving Scale (ADS) analyzed in the present study consists of 24 items. A sample of 276 participants was analyzed to obtain the factor structure and reliability of the ADS and 67 of them participated in the behavioral experiment to validate the scale. Results indicated a three-factor structure (Interference with other drivers, Violations/Risk taking, and Anger/Aggression expression) with high item loadings. Reliability analysis reported excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Construct validity was established as the ADS subscale scores correlated significantly with trait measures of anger and aggression. Predictive validity of the ADS was verified through multiple regression analyses as the ADS is a significant predictor of behavioral measures in the simulated environment and self-report measures of real world violations. These results suggest that the ADS is a reliable and valid tool in evaluating aggressive driving behaviors.
Progression of hazard perception knowledge, licensure status and driving experience among teen drivers
Authors: Bonfiglio Dana J. , Lee Yi-Ching , LaVoie Noelle , Parker James
Published: October 2014

Inexperience contributes to the elevated crash risk among novice teen drivers. Hazard perception is considered a kind of experiential knowledge that is acquired slowly over time. We proposed a process for better understanding and identifying the progression for hazard perception knowledge and its relation to driving experience among novice teen drivers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit teen drivers’ perception of hazards, and then combinations of hazards were used to compose two representative driving scenarios. A written survey was subsequently used to further explore teens’ perspective on hazards contextualized in the two scenarios and their level of experience with each hazard. Results show that there was a progression of experience which contributes to their development of driving tacit knowledge over time. With more experience and more advancement in their licensure status, teens with an unrestricted license reasoned about the driving hazards more holistically, took into account environmental characteristics, and drove to more variety of places. These findings can be used in designing learning activities and interventions for teen drivers, and the progression of experience can be included for tailoring activities to individual experience level.
Covert Texting During Simulated Driving Maneuvers
Authors: Schieber Frank , White Samuel
Published: October 2014

The deleterious effects of distracted driving are pushing lawmakers to enact legal prohibitions against the use of text messaging services while operating a motor vehicle. However, in states where such prohibitions have been enacted the crash rate has actually increased. One possible explanation of this paradox is that prohibition laws may cause many drivers to conceal their text messaging behavior rather than eliminate it. Holding a cell phone out-of-sight to conceal texting behavior may be accompanied by prolonged loss of visual contact with the road resulting in a concomitant reduction in driving performance. An exploratory study was conducted to assess the effects of text messaging upon simulated driving performance. Sixteen participants performed the Lane Change Task (LCT) in a driving simulator under three experimental conditions: (1) baseline driving without texting, (2) texting while holding the cell phone at steering wheel level (head-up condition) and (3) texting while holding the cell phone out-of-view from other drivers (head-down condition). The efficiency of the required lane change maneuvers was significantly degraded while participants were engaged in text messaging behavior relative to the baseline driving condition. However, no evidence was found to support the hypothesis that attempts to conceal text messaging behavior (head-down condition) resulted in greater decrements to driving performance than texting without attempts at concealment (head-up condition). An important limitation of this study was that driving behavior was assessed only in terms of the efficiency of steering maneuvers. More sophisticated simulation protocols that assess hazard detection and avoidance behaviors may be more sensitive to the loss of situation awareness hypothesized to accompany attempts to conceal text messaging behavior while driving.
Mutual Interferences of Driving and Texting Performance
Authors: He Jibo , Chaparro Alex , Crandall Joseph , Turner Colton , Turner Kirsten , Ellis Jake
Published: October 2014

Despite legislative and social campaigns to reduce texting while driving, drivers continue to text behind the wheel. There is abundant evidence demonstrating that texting while driving impairs driving performance. While past driver distraction research has focused on how texting influences driving, the influence of driving on texting behaviors is often ignored. This study used a classic Lane Change Task and a smartphone texting application to study the mutual influences of driving and texting. Results showed that concurrent texting impaired driving by increasing variability in lane position. Meanwhile, driving impaired texting by increasing the texting task completion time and texting errors, and reduced texting key entry speed. The finding of mutual interferences of driving and texting provides new knowledge for social campaigns, which intend to persuade drivers not to drive while texting, and importantly provides a scientific basis for the development of smartphone-based technology to reduce the risky behavior of driving while texting.
Comparing the Demands of Destination Entry using Google Glass and the Samsung Galaxy S4
Authors: Beckers Niek , Schreiner Sam , Bertrand Pierre , Reimer Bryan , Mehler Bruce , Munger Daniel , Dobres Jonathan
Published: October 2014

A driving simulation study assessed the impact of vocally entering an alpha numeric destination into Google Glass relative to voice and touch-entry methods using a handheld Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. Driving performance (standard deviation of lateral lane position and longitudinal velocity) and reaction to a light detection response task (DRT) were recorded for a gender-balanced sample of 24 young adult drivers. Task completion time and subjective workload ratings were also measured. Using Google Glass for destination entry had a statistically higher miss rate than using the Samsung Galaxy S4 voice interface, the Google Glass method took less time to complete, and the two methods were given comparable workload ratings by participants. In agreement with previous work, both voice interfaces performed significantly better than touch entry; this was seen in workload ratings, task duration, lateral lane control, and DRT metrics. Finally, irrespective of device or modality, destination entry significantly decreased responsiveness to events in the forward scene (as measured by the DRT reaction time) as compared to the baseline driving.
Effects of Mobile Technology Use on Walking
Authors: Perlmutter Sam , Cades David M. , Heller Michelle F. , Giachetti Robert , Arndt Steven R. , Sala Joseph B.
Published: October 2014

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combining cognitive and kinematic measurements to study the effects of mobile technology use on walking. Background: It has previously been shown that being distracted by a cell phone, or other mobile technology, can have a negative impact on activities such as crossing a street and may also alter gait patterns. While the negative effects of cell phone use on driving have been extensively studied, research into the distracted pedestrian is lacking.

Method: Twelve adults walked down an office corridor without using a cell phone (BASELINE) and while performing a secondary cognitive task under two conditions. The secondary task involved answering simple multiplication problems through either text messaging (TEXT) or while talking on the phone (VOICE). Participants’ gait patterns were measured using a GAITRite gait pad LEGSys wearable wireless sensors. Results: In the TEXT condition, participants walked more slowly and had shorter strides. There was no significant difference between the VOICE and BASELINE condition. Participants answered more multiplication problems per trial in the VOICE condition as compared to the TEXT condition. Excluding typos, error rates for the multiplication problems were not significantly different between the TEXT and VOICE conditions. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the effect of reading and responding to text messages on gait was able to be detected utilizing methods that do not require strictly sterile laboratory settings. This serves as a proof of concept for researchers to bring the study and evaluation of distracted walking into the naturalistic environments in which it actually occurs. Application: This proof of concept will serve as a roadmap towards moving the study of gait and distraction from simple observational studies in naturalistic environments to specific quantitative analysis of people performing real world tasks in real world settings.
Truck Driving Distractions
Authors: Sollins Brandon , Chen Dar-Wei , Reinerman-Jones Lauren , Tarr Ron
Published: October 2014

Distracted driving is becoming more prevalent as automobile use is commonplace and technology use grows in pervasiveness. The present study investigated the impact of cell phone, touch MP3, and external environmental distractions on commercial truck driving performance. Commercial truck drivers’ performance and physiological responses were monitored while they drove a simulated cab through various control and distraction scenarios. The results support previous findings that distractions, particularly the phone and touch MP3, reduce driving performance and increase cognitive resource allocation in truck drivers.
The Impact of Auditory Task Complexity on Primary Task Performance in Military Land Vehicle Crew
Authors: Lenné Michael G , Hoggan Benjamin L , Fidock Justin , Stuart Geoff , Aidman Eugene
Published: October 2014

Military land vehicles are becoming more technologically advanced, offering much greater capabilities for command and control on the move. The capabilities afforded by these modern vehicles are likely to place greater cognitive demands on the vehicle operators, and an increased requirement for vehicle crews to communicate effectively. This study explored the influence of a secondary task load on both individual and crew performance. Eight driver/co-driver crews operated a driving simulator over two days, during which the complexity of an auditory secondary task, which incorporated a crew-based communication component, was manipulated. The impact of this manipulation on both individual and crew performance was assessed. The results suggest that participants prioritized and protected performance on their primary task when the complexity of the secondary task was increased, at the cost of declines in their secondary task performance. Implications for the use of modern land vehicles in defense fleets are discussed, along with our research program aimed at further exploring the impact of varying cognitive load on crew performance.
Collecting Non-Experimental Driving Behaviors
Authors: Page Lenore T. , Velazquez Maria , Claudio David
Published: October 2014

Human factors research in transportation safety has not clearly demonstrated how experimental behaviors are related to public driving behaviors. The appropriateness of determining external validity measures has been debated, and it is known that external validity is not a necessary component in research if those findings do not need to transfer outside of that context; however, results in the transportation safety community are frequently generalized, if improperly, to a stated risk in public driving situations. Few studies have validated driving behavior between experimental and non-experimental (observed behavior in public) settings. Proposed is an empirical method to establish a baseline of non-experimental driving behaviors to compare with experimental driving behaviors. This method involves video recording public driving behaviors during the same time interval that data collection occurs in the real world (instrumented vehicle) and virtual world (driving simulator). These video recorded non-experimental driving behaviors at locations along an experimental route can then be compared to experimental driving behaviors in instrumented vehicles and driving simulator scenarios (if developed) to establish empirical differences and potentially contribute to measures of external validity. This method introduces collecting non-experimental driving behavior in order to establish methods that will generalize experimental results as they relate to public driving situations.
Evaluation of the Visual Demands of Digital Billboards Using a Hybrid Driving Simulator
Authors: Schieber Frank , Limrick Kevin , McCall Robert , Beck Andrew
Published: October 2014

Digital billboards (DBBs) are designed to present a virtually limitless stream of information intended to acquire the attention of passing motorists. Unfortunately, very little published research has been conducted to examine how much information drivers can extract during these epochs, or how the acquisition of this information impacts driving performance. Large-format signs are difficult to study using conventional driving simulators because their displays lack the spatial resolution needed to adequately render signs at distances greater than 100-ft. The current study used a hybrid video/mechanical driving simulator to overcome such limitations. Lane keeping, eye gaze position and reading performance were monitored while participants read digital billboards displaying 4, 8 and 12 words while traveling at 25 and 50 MPH. Results indicated that drivers gradually drift away from the centerline during the DBB inspection interval, and then execute large / sudden compensatory steering inputs to re-establish their position in the center of the lane after the billboard had been overtaken. Conditions leading to visual processing overload are iden-tified and some preliminary guidelines for the design and placement of roadside DBBs are proposed.
Human Factors Engineering at the Transportation Security Administration
Authors: Greene Frances , Kudrick Bonnie , Muse Katherine
Published: October 2014

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has three engineering psychologists within the Office of Security Capabilities (OSC) who address the human element for the Agency. While many activities and programs cannot be elaborated upon due to security restrictions, a few human factors activities will be reviewed. The human factors team is tasked with writing and reviewing acquisition documents, as well as participating in acquisition milestones that span the Acquisition Lifecycle Framework. The team also works to improve operational efficiency, training effectiveness and data mining efforts by examining how human factors and interactions can be optimized for various processes and procedures.

The Office has several ongoing research efforts with a number of different performers to investigate a range of human-centered issues. For example, through the Risk-Based Security Workforce Transformation Group, hypotheses were presented regarding the specialization of Officers at the checkpoint: image analysis, passenger interface, and effective interaction. Industrial/Organizational psychologists match job task analysis competencies with batteries of assessments to test for attitudes, attributes and aptitudes that would be predictive of these competencies on the job. Additional human-centered efforts will be discussed throughout this paper.
Static and Adaptable Automation in Simulated Submarine Track Management
Authors: Chen Stephanie , Loft Shayne , Huf Sam , Braithwaite Janelle , Visser Troy
Published: October 2014

Automation that supports lower order information processing levels can potentially reduce the loss of situation awareness associated with static automation, but remains to be tested. Adaptable automation has promised the benefits of adaptive automation without the associated reorienting costs. In the current study, 38 participants completed a simulated submarine track management task with varying taskload under conditions of no automation, static automation, and adaptable automation (where participants decided when to use automation). Static automation reduced workload and improved performance with no cost to situation awareness (compared to no automation). This suggests that low levels of static automation can support performance under varying taskload, however a stronger test of situation awareness is recommended for future studies. Adaptable automation was used during periods of high taskload but was not utilized fully by participants. Adaptable automation maintained situation awareness and lowered workload but provided minimal performance improvements (compared to no automation).
Human Factors Design, Verification, and Validation for Two Types of Control Room Upgrades at a Nuclear Power Plant
Authors: Boring Ronald Laurids
Published: October 2014

This paper describes the NUREG-0711 based human factors engineering (HFE) phases and associated elements required to support design, verification and validation (V&V), and implementation of a new plant process computer (PPC) and turbine control system (TCS) at a representative nuclear power plant. This paper reviews ways to take a human-system interface (HSI) specification and use it when migrating legacy PPC displays or designing displays with new functionality. These displays undergo iterative usability testing during the design phase and then undergo an integrated system validation (ISV) in a full scope control room training simulator. Following the successful demonstration of operator performance with the systems during the ISV, the new system is implemented at the plant, first in the training simulator and then in the main control room.
Comprehension of Newly Introduced Water-Sport Prohibitive Signs in Korea by Westerners
Authors: Siswandari Yohana , Kim Woojoo , Xiong Shuping
Published: October 2014

The use of pictogram for prohibitive warning signs has become prevalent during the last decades since it allows international communication, and is substantial to avoid unsafe situations in public places. Although in reality these pictograms are often accompanied by text or messages to prevent people from misunderstanding the intended meaning of the symbols, there are a lot of risks of poorly designed signs being misunderstood by their intended users, especially those who are not natives. This study was aimed to examine how well a group of newly introduced water-sport prohibitive signs by MKE of Korea could be comprehended by foreigners who reside in Korea. To address this issue, an experimental study was conducted with forty Westerners. Fourteen newly introduced water sport safety signs were used as stimuli. Guessability scores were collected during the experiment, together with five cognitive sign features and detailed participants’ feedback for each sign. The results showed that out of fourteen signs, only three signs conform to both ISO and ANSI requirements for safety symbols. Among five cognitive sign features, meaningfulness was found to be the best predictor for guessability score, followed by semantic closeness. Finally, by utilizing ergonomic design principles and feedback from participants, poorly comprehended signs were redesigned.
An Integrated Modular On-line Experiment Platform Proposal for Simulation-Based Experiments with Domain Experts as Participants
Authors: Lien Samuel , Histon Jonathan
Published: October 2014

Researchers face difficulty in accessing subject-matter-experts as participants in lab settings for many common human factor research studies. Delivering such experiments online would allow researchers access to a much broader population of subject-matter-experts; however, currently, there appears to be a lack of demonstrated techniques to design and deliver complex research studies on the web. This is particularly the case for experiments involving communication between multiple participants, simulated dynamic task envi-ronments, and participant screening for domain expertise. This paper describes and demonstrates a novel technique of integrating current online video-sharing technology, web-site templating and embedding third-party technologies to create a re-usable, customizable, on-line experiment delivery platform. This allows researchers to include a broader population of subject-matter-experts in a time and cost efficient manner.
Impact of Instructional Strategies on Motivation and Engagement for Simulation-Based Training of Robot-Aided ISR Tasks
Authors: Salcedo Julie N. , Lackey Stephanie J. , Maraj Crystal , Reinerman-Jones Lauren E.
Published: October 2014

The U.S. Army projects a considerable increase in the number of operational Unmanned Ground Systems (UGS) within the next ten years. There is a need to enhance UGS capabilities to support remote Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) operations involving the identification of High-Value Individuals (HVI). Emerging UGS capability requirements will inevitably result in new or revised training requirements. The U.S. Army identifies Simulation-Based Training (SBT) as a required training platform for robot-aided ISR tasks utilizing UGSs. In order to implement an effective SBT system, there are several factors to consider related to training systems design and trainee needs. Factors addressed in this study include the selection of effective SBT instructional strategies and the impact on trainee motivation and engagement. Results from this study contribute to design and future research recommendations regarding SBT for robot-aided ISR tasks.
Cue Utilization and Skill Acquisition for a Line of Sight UAV
Authors: Davies Joel , Wiggins Mark W.
Published: October 2014

This study was designed to establish whether a composite measure of driving-related cue utilization would predict learning performance in a line of sight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) simulator. The participants comprised 50 first year university students, all of whom were current drivers and lacked any prior UAV experience. Participants initially completed the driving version of the EXPERT Intensive Skills Evaluation (EXPERTise) to assess their level of cue utilization. They then engaged in two, 15 minute training blocks during which they were asked to practice respectively the take-off and landing phases of operation a UAV simulator. The number of trials to reach criterion (three successful trials in succession) and the proportion of successful trials within the 15 minute blocks comprised the dependent variables. The results indicated that cue utilization four measures of UAV skill acquisition. The implications of the study are discussed in the context of training and selection for line of sight UAV operators in the future.
The Effects of Reliability and Criticality on an IED Interrogation Task
Authors: Hanson Julie A. , Bliss James P. , Harden John W. , Papelis Yiannis
Published: October 2014

Controlling and monitoring unmanned vehicles is a cognitively demanding task, particularly when searching environments for potential improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Due to the diversity of methods used to construct IEDs, unreliable information about the potential for harm may be provided to operators. Also, warfighters may search environments that are sparsely or heavily populated. Few researchers have manipulated information reliability and task criticality jointly, though these constructs often co-vary in real task situations such as IED search. Sixteen undergraduate students navigated an unmanned ground vehicle around a demarcated course and made object investigation decisions. Participants searched the environment under conditions of low and high criticality and encountered objects accompanied by low or high reliability warnings. Results showed that criticality and reliability individually and jointly impacted reaction time and navigation errors. The reported findings generally support our hypotheses and suggest additional work is necessary to replicate such effects with active duty personnel.