bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Preliminary ACT-R Model of a Continuous Motor Task
Authors: Byrne Michael D. , O'malley Marcia K. , Gallagher Melissa A. , Purkayastha Sagar N. , Howie Nicole , Huegel Joel C.
Published: January 2012

Cognitive architectures such as ACT-R and EPIC are being applied to human factors research problems with increasing frequency. However, it is unclear whether such systems can model continuous motor tasks that were once staples in the field but have since been largely displaced by more cognitively-oriented problems. Recent research on a challenging continuous motor control task has revealed interesting patterns in skill acquisition that appear compatible with the learning mechanisms present in ACT-R. However, what was not clear was whether ACT-R could model expert performance in a high-frequency motor control task. Unmodified, ACT-R could not. However, by making some small changes in ACT-R's motor system and capitalizing on ACT-R's ability to imagine visual objects, ACT-R was able to achieve expert-level performance in this task. Whether ACT-R will be able to mirror the skill acquisition data is still an open question.
Hfe and Service Industries: New Directions for Ietg?
Authors: Drury Colin G.
Published: January 2012

The service sector of enterprise is increasing in size compared to manufacturing. To properly serve enterprises and individuals, Human Factors/Ergonomics (HFE) needs to be ahead of this trend rather than catching up. The IETG has a long history of theory and intervention endeavors in manufacturing and also in service industries. This paper provides data on the importance of service industries, and how a broader practice of industrial ergonomics can provide more impact on the enterprise and its workforce.
Use of MRI to Investigate Lumbar Muscle Inflammation as a Potential Cause of Low Back Pain
Authors: Kotowski Susan , Davis Kermit , Lemen Lisa
Published: January 2012

Understanding of how back pain manifests has been the focus of a considerable amount of research. Although there are several pathologies known to cause low back pain, a significant number of individuals still fail to receive a definitive diagnosis as to the cause of their pain. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the level of muscle inflammation measured using MRI and perceived pain ratings. A lifting task was performed to achieve lumbar musculature fatigue, and induce muscle pain. Prior to, immediately following, and 24-hours post lifting, pain levels were recorded and MRI scans were conducted to document inflammation levels in the lumbar muscles. All of the participants elicited significant fatigue during the lifting task that resulted in considerable pain immediately following and 24-hrs after the fatiguing exertions. Inflammation levels varied by time-period, decreasing unexpectedly immediately following the lifting task, but increasing 24-hrs following the lifting task. Although the results were not definitive in establishing whether lumbar muscle inflammation is a cause of low back pain, the results provided several interesting findings warranting further investigation. Future work will need to focus on the temporal patterns of muscular information and pain development.
Biomechanical risk factors for knee disorders in Carpenters
Authors: Fulmer Scott , Jing Xiaolu , Yuan Lu , Dasgupta Priyadarshini Sengupta , Schugardt Brad , Dale Ann Marie , Punnett Laura , Buchholz Bryan
Published: January 2012

Years of occupational health research in construction indicated that more information was needed to help bring proper attention to specific suffering by certain construction trades. In this study, knee disorders in Carpenter specialties were examined by observation and expert opinion in order to rank specific factors of exposure. Ergonomic profiles for an exhaustive taxonomy of their work were found. A comparison of validated methods of exposure assessment was useful in identifying key factors of exposure, and to strengthen the epidemiologic link between the task-exposure matrix and outcomes of knee disorder.
The Influence of Aesthetic and Usability Web Design Elements on Viewing Patterns and User Response: An Eye-tracking Study
Authors: Pavlas Davin , Lum Heather , Salas Eduardo
Published: January 2012

The merging of usability and aesthetics is one of the more promising contemporary trends in user interface research. This focus on total user experience rather than a subset of user interaction necessitates more holistic examinations of web interfaces and user response. To this end, a study examining user response to a variety of usability and aesthetic web interface elements was conducted. Eye tracking was used to measure participant fixation on individual interface elements. These data were examined in order to expand the field's understanding of how usability and aesthetics influence user response to web sites. Significant effects were found for specific usability and aesthetic elements, including use-oriented elements such as search boxes and more abstract elements such as expressive aesthetic items. Based on these results, implications for future research and theory are offered.
Management Perspectives on Creating and Building User Experience Departments: A Panel Discussion
Authors: Turner Carl W. , Adapathya Ravi S. , Hoffman Mark S. , Lund Arnold M. , Tudor Leslie G. , Shapiro Ronald G.
Published: January 2012

Building a new user experience department requires skills in management, team development, organizational design, and strategy. There are few published resources specifically targeted at human factors analysts who have accepted the challenge of creating a UX department. All of the panelists have successfully developed UX departments in large organizations, and will discuss their lessons learned in the process of building their teams.
Healthcare Recovery: How the Science of Human Factors is Challenging Healthcare to Move Patient Safety Forward
Authors: Weaver Sallie J. , DiazGranados Deborah , Wears Robert L. , Patterson Emily S. , Rosen Michael A. , Flin Rhona , Gorman Paul
Published: January 2012

The current panel brings together a variety of expertise to bear on two critical questions: (1) How is the science of Human Factors challenging healthcare to move patient safety forward and (2) How will this role evolve given recent calls and mandates for healthcare reform? Specifically panelists will discuss issues related to healthcare informatics, team-centric approaches to care, and human-system integration factors related to medical error and care quality.
Safety Climate in Agricultre
Authors: Schwatka N. , Ermann E. , Hoffmeister K. , Rosecrance J.
Published: January 2012

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in terms of occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Agricultural safety training, injury prevention programs, and safety regulations lag behind other comparable industries. The present study involved a macro-ergonomic approach to understand and improve safety climate on Colorado farms. Safety climate was defined as the perceptions of employees regarding the way safety was managed, and the subsequent safety behaviors that employees tend to engage in. Using a sample of Colorado corn farmers, the first two phases of this study utilized survey and interview data to establish that safety climate was important and valued, but required better safety training implementation. The study's final phase developed, implemented, and evaluated an educational safety seminar focusing on the application of safety climate. By integrating macro-ergonomic methods with the psychological construct of safety climate, this study cultivated safer work practices in agriculture.
Learning from Small Devices: Deficits in Problem Solving Performance but not Factual Recall
Authors: Sanchez Christopher A. , Branaghan Russell J. , Goolsbee James Z.
Published: January 2012

Given the increasing use of small screen devices to gather and provide important information, a critical question is how learning and problem solving performance is impacted by collecting data on a small device. This study investigates how learning and application of information differs when it is gathered using a small screen device versus a normal size desktop display. Results indicate that while factual recall is equivalent across interfaces, small screen devices appear to reduce how well participants apply these rules towards correct solutions. Further, it appears that solution time is also increased by using a small screen device. These results suggest that while these small technologies are convenient for fact gathering and other simple uses, there is a potential tradeoff when this learned information must be used in complex and appropriate ways.
Slip Sliding Away II - Slip Resistance of Dress Socks on Indoor Flooring
Authors: Mathias Anne , Curry David G. , Donnelly Conor , Drendel Luke
Published: January 2012

Laboratory testing was conducted to assess the slip resistance of men's dress socks on typical household flooring surfaces under wet and dry conditions. This study was conducted as a follow-up to a previous work on the slip resistance of athletic socks. Both of these studies attempt to fill the void of published data regarding the coefficient of friction between an indoor walking surface and the foot of a pedestrian wearing socks (rather than shoes). Eight different dress socks as well as a Neolite “shoe” were tested on wood and textured vinyl floors under both wet and dry conditions.

The results in this study indicated that in terms of slip resistance, it makes little practical difference to a walker wearing loose-weave, non-nylon dress socks whether the flooring is wet or dry. Socks with tighter weaves, such as nylon socks, are significantly less slip-resistant on wet floors than under dry conditions.
Evaluating the Benefits and Potential Costs of Automation Delegation for Supervisory Control of Multiple UAVs
Authors: Shaw Tyler , Emfield Adam , Garcia Andre , de Visser Ewart , Miller Chris , Parasuraman Raja , Fern Lisa
Published: January 2012

Previous studies have begun exploring the possibility that “adaptable” automation, in which tasks are delegated to intelligent automation by the user, can preserve the benefits of automation while minimizing its costs. One approach to adaptable automation is the Playbook®interface, which has been used in previous research and has shown performance enhancements as compared to other automation approaches. However, additional investigations are warranted to evaluate both benefits and potential costs of adaptable automation. The present study incorporated a delegation interface into a new display and simulation system, the multiple unmanned aerial vehicle simulator (MUSIM), to allow for flexible control over three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at three levels of delegation abstraction. Task load was manipulated by increasing the frequency of primary and secondary task events. Additionally, participants experienced an unanticipated event that was not a good fit for the higher levels of delegation abstraction. Treatment of this poor “automation fit” event, termed a “Non-Optimal Play Environment” event (NOPE event), required the use of manual control. Results showed advantages when access to the highest levels of delegation abstraction was provided and as long as operators also had the flexibility to revert to manual control. Performance was better across the two task load conditions and reaction time to respond to the NOPE event was fastest in this condition. The results extend previous findings showing benefits of flexible delegation of tasks to automation using the Playbook interface and suggest that Playbook remains robust even in the face of poor “automation-fit” events.
Differential Effects of Likelihood Alarm Technology and False-Alarm vs. Miss-Prone Automation on Decision-Making Accuracy and Bias
Authors: Clark Rylan M. , Ingebritsen Aana M. , Bustamante Ernesto A.
Published: January 2012

Alarms are implemented into automated systems to focus human operators' attention on potentially problematic conditions. Some automated alarm systems are false-alarm prone (FP) and others are missprone (MP) due to the nature of their setting and designer-imposed parameters. Binary alarm technology (BAT) and likelihood alarm technology (LAT) represent two methods of alarm implementation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differential effects of LAT combined with FP vs. MP automation on human decision-making accuracy and bias. This study utilized a 2 times 2 between-groups experimental design. Alarm technology (BAT vs. LAT) and type of automation (FP vs. MP) were systematically manipulated as independent variables. Decision-making accuracy and bias served as dependent measures. This experiment provides evidence for the advantages of LAT used in FP automation over alternative alarm configurations. Results supported hypotheses regarding a predicted interaction of alarm technology and type of automation for both decision-making accuracy and bias. FP automation with LAT elicits urgency-based responses that reduce bias toward false alarms and significantly increase overall decision making accuracy. This alarm configuration may best be applied to similar diagnostic tasks performed with unmanned aerial vehicle displays and aircraft flight decks.
Measuring Drivers' Frustration in a Driving Simulator
Authors: Lee Yi-Ching
Published: January 2012

The objective of the current study was to measure the effect of frustration on drivers' performance and scanning efficiency in a driving simulator. We hypothesized that unsafe driving would be elicited by a combination of manipulating frustrating events in the external driving environment while inducing a sense of time pressure within the driver. Two age groups of drivers drove through several frustrating situations on the road while trying to reach a destination within a limited time. The induced frustration decreased drivers' awareness of potential distractions, mental state, and potential danger in driving environment. When compared to younger drivers, older drivers had a more efficient scanning routine and safer vehicle control. This study speaks to the need for emotionally engaging simulated driving scenarios to produce more realistic driver performance.
Gender Differences in Simulator Sickness in Fixed- versus Rotating-Base Driving Simulator
Authors: Garcia Andre , Baldwin Carryl , Dworsky Matt
Published: January 2012

This experiment compared simulator sickness between males and females as a function of fixed-base versus rotating base platforms. Eight males and eight females drove through two routes in a driving simulator. One route was presented in fixed-base mode and another was presented in motion-base with a .5 to 1 ratio of motion (physical world to virtual world). Routes and fixed versus motion mode were presented in counter- balanced order. Measures of simulator sickness on the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (Kennedy et al., 1993) were obtained after each route. As predicted, males reported lower levels of simulator sickness than females. A nonsignificant trend for this gender effect to be diminished in the rotating versus stationary condition was observed. Results warrant additional investigation into the potential for motion-based platforms to reduce the incidence and severity of simulator sickness in populations at greater risk of experiencing these negative consequences (i.e., females and older adults).
Creation of User-Centered Reports for Patients and Medical Professionals
Authors: Beeco R. F. W. , Brooks J. O. , Logan W. , Cress M. E. , Hirth V. , Gomer J. A. , Smolentzov L. F.
Published: January 2012

Systematic approaches for presenting medical information to seniors have not been widely explored and published. Prior to incorporating a mobility and physical functioning measure into clinical practice, meaningful and understandable reporting formats were needed for patients. It was important for seniors with varying educational and cognitive levels to understand the information.

Testing was conducted in three phases with 28 participants in the final phase. Volunteers included seniors with a broad range of physical functioning. Focus groups and interviews evaluated prototype reports using several presentation styles, graph orientations, and levels of detail/abstraction. Ease of incorporation into both paper and electronic medical records was also considered. The final product reflects the preferences of the older participants as well as design constraints and consideration for how the reports would be presented in paper and electronic format. To maximize health literacy, all medical reports would benefit from user-centered design.
Evaluation of an Ambient Color Coded Display to Communicate Changes in the Patient's Condition to ICU Nurses and Improve the Therapeutic Environment
Authors: Koch S. H. , Görges M. , Weir C.
Published: January 2012

PROBLEM STATEMENT: For Intensive Care Units (ICUs) patients frequent noise, confusing patient monitors and loud alarms decrease the quality of stay, and may event extend its length. Nurses frequently enter the patient's room to check the patient monitor to become aware of changes, potentially disturbing patients and family. Ambient displays can communicate changes by subtly changing the environment, and have been shown to be unobtrusive and not disturbing to its users. An ambient display, visible from the doorway, would allow nurses to be aware of patient changes before alarms occur.

OBJECTIVE: Our hypothesis is that color coded ambient displays using the standard vital sign colors are intuitively understood by clinicians and can communicate deviations in patient state.

METHODS: We designed an ambient display, which communicates changes in patient's vital signs by changing its background color. A heuristic evaluation was performed, followed by an intrusive questionnaire of nurse without prior explanation of the color-coding.

RESULTS: The results of the heuristic evaluation indicated that simultaneous changes could not be displayed. In the intrusive evaluation nurses correctly identified patient changes 73% of the time. Additionally, nurses correctly recalled 92% of vital sign colors used on their current patient monitor.

DISCUSSION: Our findings confirm that color coded ambient displays using the standard vital sign colors are intuitively understood by clinicians and can communicate deviations in patient state. Future research needs to evaluate ambient displays in real ICU environments and identify nurses, patients' and families' reactions to such displays.
The Home Care Work Environment for Personal Assistance Service Workers
Authors: Faucett J. , Newcomer R. , Kang T. , Eversley R.
Published: January 2012

Occupational injury is a prevalent problem in long-term care. However, there is a noticeable lack of research related to workers providing Personal Assistance Services (PAS) – the personal care and housekeeping tasks that enable elderly and other disabled adults to live in community settings. We conducted a statewide computer assisted telephone survey of PAS providers (n=855) from California's In Home Supportive Services program to describe the homecare environment and its impact on the worker's health and ability to provide care. PAS providers reported on a variety of household and personal care tasks, including client lifting and transfers, as well as on barriers to care delivery. A total of 262 providers (31%) reported musculoskeletal symptoms or acute injuries causing at least moderate pain (defined as ‘prominent’ problems) that had occurred in the prior 12 months; 25% of that group (n=65) reported 12 or more episodes in the previous 12 months of probable work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. Because of these prominent problems, 26 workers missed work, 54 changed their work duties, and 12 had to drop work hours or clients.
Does Teaming up Make You Less Vulnerable to Task Interruption?
Authors: Tremblay Sébastien , Vachon François , Lafond Daniel , Hodgetts Helen M.
Published: January 2012

Omnipresent in everyday multitasking environments task interruptions are usually detrimental to individual performance. Here, we examined whether teaming up renders an individual less vulnerable to interruptions in complex and dynamic situations. We employed a microworld to simulate command and control in a crisis management situation and to examine the relative impact of interruptions on operators working in a functional dyad versus operators working alone. While task interruption was detrimental to efficacy in supervisory control of both single and team interrupted operators, the latter were less vulnerable than the former. However, teaming up did not translate into faster resumption time, a consequence of the overhead attributable to coordination and communication requirements of collaborative work. These findings suggest that in complex and dynamic environments working in a small team confers more resistance to task interruption than working alone and speed of interruption recovery is no guarantee of quality of recovery.
Attentional Locus and Ground Dominance in Control of Speed during Low Altitude Flight
Authors: Adamic Eric J. , Behre Joseph , Dyre Brian P.
Published: January 2012

During simulated low-altitude flight, participants' control of speed is based on the optical flow rate projected by the ground, even when changes in altitude make this information unreliable and other sources of speed information, such as the flow rate of a cloud layer above the flight path, could help to provide more valid information (Wotring, 2008). This study examined whether this ground bias in perceiving speed could be overcome by using a secondary visual search task to manipulate the attentional focus away from the ground. A task requiring participants to visually scan for potentially-colliding planes either above or below the horizon was coupled with a speed maintenance task similar to the task used by Bennett, Flach, McEwen & Russell (2006) and Wotring, Dyre, & Behre (2008). We found that altitude disturbances induced inappropriate speed control in a similar manner independent of whether the secondary task required the attentional focus to be directed above or below the horizon. These results suggest that ground bias in speed control is robust even when attention is directed above the horizon by a secondary visual task.
Team Member Personality, Performance and Stress in a RoboFlag Synthetic Task Environment
Authors: Guznov Svyatoslav , Matthews Gerald , Warm Joel
Published: January 2012

Effective teamwork is an important component in the control of multiple unmanned vehicles (UVs). Personality traits of individual team members may be a factor influencing overall team performance and individual levels of perceived workload and stress. In this study, a multiple UV environment was simulated by use of the RoboFlag game. Participants played the RoboFlag game individually or in two-person teams and were presented with this sequence of task-phases: RoboFlag alone, RoboFlag with a secondary task, RoboFlag alone. It was predicted that the RoboFlag performance would relate to ‘Big Five’ personality traits. It was also expected that Neuroticism would relate to higher workload and stress, especially in more demanding task conditions. The results suggested that the influence of personality is generally limited, but may sometimes be important. Specifically, high Neuroticism individuals showed higher workload and stress in a team player condition, which may impose social as well as task demands.
Aiding Complex Decision Making Through Augmented Reality
Authors: Juhnke Joseph , Delaney Dan , Wheeler Tracey , Johnson Brian R. , Cohn Joseph
Published: January 2012

Military personnel must perform in complex contested environments, where the challenges of decision making under fatigue or duress are common. An increased situational awareness will support individual and team decision making; however, current technological aids often obstruct real-world views and provide limited shared situational awareness. To overcome these difficulties, we are currently developing an Intelligent Augmented Reality Model (iARM) framework that will include: 1) an open source operating system that supports geolocation/triangulation, 2) data services that integrate voice, video, and images for facial/object recognition and pattern analysis, and 3) a hardware platform that integrates a computer processor, encrypted wireless, camera/video, and visor display. iARM will address various issues confronting soldiers today. Currently, access to information may be slow and inaccurate, information may be context-ignorant, systems do not learn over time, and handheld devices may distract from environmental information. iARM's primary goals are to improve decision making through increased situational awareness and reduced cognitive load during duress. Functioning as part of the human-machine system, iARM would provide military support across multiple domains. For example, iARM could present a flee path or create a model to enhance collective memory from a historical perspective by sensing environmental cues. This support would be presented via a naturalistic and unintrusive information display, augmenting the field environment.
Cognitive Chrono-Ethnography: A Method for Studying Behavioral Selections in Daily Activities
Authors: Kitajima Muneo , Nakajima Masato , Toyota Makoto
Published: January 2012

As human beings, we select our next behavior that should maximize our satisfaction by making use of the meme of our past experiences and by processing input from the environment and individual intrinsic state by appropriately allocating available cognitive resources. The underlying processes have been simulated by the Model Human Processor with Real-Time Constraints (MHP/RT) (Toyota and Kitajima, 2010). Based on MHP/RT, this paper proposes Cognitive Chrono-Ethnography (CCE), a new study method for understanding human behavior selections in daily life. When a study field is specified, CCE defines critical parameters by conducting qualitative MHP/RT simulations, and then designs ethnographical field observations and recordings of elite monitors' behavior in the space defined by the critical parameters. Structured interviews follow in order to obtain the participants' history of behavioral development. Analysis of the interview results aid in developing models of present behavior selections and chronological changes. A case study of CCE that deals with spectators' repetitive visits to a ballpark is presented in this paper.
Revised GOMS Operator for Drag and Drop
Authors: Jeo Young Joo
Published: January 2012

This article briefly discussed ways to overcome the limitations of existing GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection) models and primarily focused on the human processing of cognition and perception which was widely discussed yet a moot issue. Regarding mouse activities, especially drag-drop, the experiment demonstrates a significant difference between the predicted and empirical results in terms of time. The reason was found to be the following: in empirical testing, participants were swift in executing dragging behavior, whereas in NGOMSL modeling, not penetrated parameters of internal/external operators become sequential components that cause the metrics (e.g., movement time) to be computed serially. Based on other studies on mouse activity, the operator of the original NGOMSL is revised to include accurate cognitive process. In the validation, by implementing the revised GOMS operator, differences between the model execution time and the empirical duration, as measured when certain software is used, are evaluated. As a result, the revised GOMS model with new operators is proven to be effective and provides an estimate that deviates from the empirical value by at most 7%.
User-Centered Methods for new Product Concept Development
Authors: Hoonhout H.C.M. (Jettie) , Caplan Stanley , Green William , Watts-Perotti Jennifer , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: January 2012

When developing a successor of an existing product, it is relatively easy to involve consumers in the early stages of the process – one could for example observe them using the current products, and discuss with them what could be improved. However, when creating products from ‘scratch’, consumers might find it difficult to articulate future needs, to appreciate the potential and limitations of new technologies, or think about possible applications. So, consumer “co-creation” in the early creative phase will require alternative approaches towards user requirements definition, concept development, and concept feedback. A range of different approaches to include the consumer perspective early in the development process will be presented. Furthermore, implications from a Human Factors perspective will be discussed.
Consumers' Interpretation of the Statement: “Do not leave [insert product here] unattended”
Authors: Lim Raymond W. , Vigilante William J.
Published: January 2012

Consumer's interpretation and understanding of the commonly encountered instruction/warning “do not leave unattended” with respect to three different types of consumer products were examined. Two hundred and eleven respondents were surveyed in the Los Angeles, CA area. The majority of the participants interpreted the phrase differently than how the warning designer intended. The results were also affected by the type of consumer product, for example: battery charger v. cooking appliance v. open flame. The results offer interesting insight into the varying understandings that consumers possess of statements similar to “do not leave [product] unattended” with respect to different types of consumer products. The consequences of the misunderstandings are significant if the warning designer's is relying upon the instruction to ensure the safety of the products and the end user. The results also highlight the necessity of using explicit and specific information when providing consumer instructions and warnings to ensure that the intent of the warning is adequately communicated and the importance of testing warning text to ensure product users understand the intended meaning of the warning.
Evaluation of Management Practices as a Result of an Implementation of a Participatory Ergonomics Program in a Poultry Processing Plant
Authors: Boone Christie P. , MacKinnon Scott N.
Published: January 2012

This project was initiated when a poultry processing plant contacted a university-based research alliance requesting a participatory ergonomics (PE) program be implemented in their plant to address the incidence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). This program implementation provided a research opportunity to observe changes in management practices as a result of the implementation. Management practices observed were related to communication, networking, and leadership factors surrounding the PE program. Results suggest that upper management made a financial commitment to the PE program but did not engage at all levels and did not promote accountability from project stakeholders. As a result, the program did not engage sufficient participation and support at all stakeholder levels. Project activities were primarily driven by an Ergo-Team (ET) middle management member who coordinated most ET activities and made many unilateral ET-related decisions. Due to poor decision-making and lack of quality interactions and participation between levels of management, much of the knowledge and skills obtained through training and program participation remained within middle management. Opportunities for quality social exchanges and knowledge transfer were not availed upon. As a result, the PE program exists at a superficial level within the organization and the program did not create changes in management practices. The capacity within the organization to sustain a PE program over time may be at risk.
A Proposed Methodology for the Theory-Based Prediction of Mental Workload with a Cognitive Architecture
Authors: Jo Seongsik , Myung Rohae , Yoon Daesub
Published: January 2012

In the early stage of system development, a prototype that is adequate for testing will be unavailable; then, it would be difficult to empirically predict mental workload through various measures. For this reason, task analytic methods based on task analysis probably have been the most popular for predicting mental workload though they are somewhat task-specific. A theory-based cognitive architecture could directly represent an operator's cognitive processes and make predictions for cognitive activity in general situations at the sub-second scale. In this study, a methodology to predict the mental workload with a cognitive architecture is proposed. In empirical results, subjective measures of the mental workload with NASA-TLX were well matched with model predictions. It is suggested that the proposed method could be generally applied to predict mental workload in an early design phase.
Training Users to Counteract Phishing
Authors: Nyeste Patrick G , Mayhorn Christopher B
Published: January 2012

Phishing is becoming more prevalent year to year with escalating costs and risks to society. The present study attempts to show a relationship between established anti-phishing training techniques and individual differences that include cognitive abilities and personality factors which could affect the probability of getting phished. At present, a subset of the data from a proposed factorial design has been collected from twenty participants. Preliminary results from a computerized assessment of phishing susceptibility are described using signal detection terminology.
Effects of Individual Differences on Visual Search Task Performance
Authors: Tsai Yi-Fang D. , Kang Songhee , Peterson Matthew S.
Published: January 2012

Working memory capacity (WMC) is generally referred to as a quantitative measure of the ability to maintain relevant information while performing unrelated tasks (Delaney & Sahakyan, 2007). Although studies have shown that WMC can vary by individual (Engle et al., 1992; Just, 1992), performance can be taxed by varying degrees of subjective workload depending on the task parameters. Most studies have shown task performance benefits for individuals with high working memory capacity, with some exceptions for individuals with low working memory capacity (Barrett, Tugade, & Engle, 2004; Kane et al, 2001; Beilock et al, 2005). Kane and colleagues (2006) tested the relationship of WMC and executive attention control and found no relationship with individual differences in WMC and performance on visual search tasks, namely on feature-absence, conjunction, and spatial configuration search tasks. However, other studies have found that loading working memory interferes with search (Peterson, Beck & Wong, 2008; Han & Kim, 2004; He & McCarley, 2010). To explore how WMC affects visual search performance, a study is proposed to test whether the use of a complex visual search task can demonstrate a relationship between WMC and visual search performance. It is hypothesized that a visual search task aimed at engaging the control of attention and limiting automatic forms of information processing will be performed better by high WMC individuals compared to low WMC individuals. The implications of this proposal would help in designing for cockpit operation, driving, or other operations that require effortful control where the contributions and limitations of an individual's working memory capacity should be considered.
Investigating Dynamics of Dark Focus of the Human Eye in Young Adults
Authors: Yodpijit Nantakrit , Lockhart Thurmon E.
Published: January 2012

Although the static behavior of accommodation in foveal vision has been well documented, the dynamic aspect of the resting state (dark focus) of accommodation is still unknown. In the present study, the accommodative dynamics of dark focus at the fovea is assessed objectively from a total of ten participants (five males and five females, aged 21–38 years) using the modified Shin-Nippon SRW-5000 autorefractor, a newly developed method to continuously monitor the accommodation process. Actual and potential applications of this study including specifications for designs are also discussed.
A Biomechanical Study on the Effects of Hatha Yoga Basic Poses on Muscle Activities
Authors: Chun Young J.
Published: January 2012

Since people have been more concerned about health and well-being, Yoga has become one of the most popular activities in modern society. However, there are only a few studies which focus on effects of yoga from a biomechanical perspective. The objective of this study is to examine how yoga poses affect muscle activities. Four body muscles (biceps brachii, triceps brachii, quadriceps femoris, and gastrocnemius), and five of the most common, basic Yoga postures (‘Tree pose’, ‘Eagle pose’, ‘Extended side-angle stretch pose’, ‘Wide stance forward bend pose’, and ‘Dancer pose’) were included to identify the effects of Yoga postures on each muscle. Electromyography (EMG) was used to record the muscle activity. In this study, it was found that there was no significant effect of Yoga postures on muscle activity.
The Impact of Systematic Variation of Cognitive Demand on Drivers' Visual Attention across Multiple Age Groups
Authors: Reimer Bryan , Mehler Bruce , Wang Ying , Coughlin Joseph F.
Published: January 2012

Recordings of drivers' gaze under three levels of cognitive demand were captured under actual driving conditions in individuals in their 20's, 40's and 60's. Changes in the allocation of visual attention between single-task driving and the three levels of cognitive secondary tasks are summarized. Under the conditions studied here, gaze centralization varies by task difficulty and appears predominantly in the horizontal plane. The degree of horizontal gaze centralization with added cognitive workload is not related to age in the relatively healthy individuals studied.
Intersection Crashes among Drivers in their 60s, 70s and 80s
Authors: Sifrit Kathy J. , Stutts Jane , Staplin Loren , Martell Carol
Published: January 2012

Analyses of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and National Automotive Sampling System (NASS)/General Estimates System (GES) data from 2002–2006 revealed specific performance errors and combinations of driver, vehicle, and roadway/environmental characteristics associated with older drivers' crashes at intersections. For subsets of the two-vehicle crash data within each national database, crash involvement ratios based on comparisons of at-fault to not-at-fault drivers within groups of drivers aged <20 to 80+, segregated in 10-year cohorts, provide exposure-adjusted estimates of the magnitude of particular risk factors. While FARS and GES data show elevated crash risk for older drivers, the effect was more pronounced in the FARS data. This exaggeration likely reflects increased frailty with increasing age; young and middle-aged drivers may have survived crashes that were fatal to the oldest drivers. While the data are consistent with the literature in that more complex driving tasks pose the most risk for older drivers, these data also provide information about the scale of the increased risk.
Dissociating Eye Movements and Workload on Lateral Lane Position Variability
Authors: Medeiros-Ward Nathan , Seegmiller Janelle , Cooper Joel , Strayer David
Published: January 2012

Recent research suggests that performing a secondary, non-visual task while driving may lead to a reduction in lateral vehicle movement. A plausible explanation for this counterintuitive pattern involves the joint findings that (1) increased cognitive load disrupts eye movements, and (2) eye movements often precipitate steering input. However, a partial dissociation of these factors by Cooper et al. (2009) found that increases in workload and eye movements (at a constant eccentricity) both reduce lateral lane variability. This follow-up study examines the contribution of eye movement eccentricity, under varying workload, on lateral lane position variability. Thirty-two participants drove nine, five minute scenarios in a fixed based driving simulator under varying eye movement and workload conditions. Consistent with previous finding, increased workload led to a decrease in lateral vehicle movement. Interestingly, an effect of visual eccentricity on eye movements was only observed in one of the driving measures. This research suggests that the impact of eye movements on lateral vehicle movement is much smaller than previously hypothesized and that impact of workload is much greater even after accounting for lateral shifts in eye movements.
The Effects of Repeated Exposures to Collision Warnings on Drivers' Willingness to Engage in a Distracting Secondary Task
Authors: Kidd David G. , Nelson Erik T. , Baldwin Carryl L.
Published: January 2012

Collision warnings aid drivers in responding to a collision threat. They have been identified as one solution to mitigate the effects of distractions by helping distracted drivers respond to a hazardous situation. In addition to hazard response, collision warnings have been shown to benefit general driving performance (i.e., headway distance) and may also influence how drivers engage in distracting activities. In this study, participants completed 9 driving scenarios over the course of 3 days while performing a visual-manual secondary task. Participants responded to a total of 9 forward collision events in the presence of a collision warning system. Driving and secondary task performance before and after participants' first and fourth exposure to the collision warning were examined. Results indicate that drivers were less willing to engage in the secondary task and were more conservative in their interactions following a collision warning and that adoption of this safer dual-task strategy increased over time.
A Rapid Methodology for Rank Ordering of Ergonomic Preferences: Application to Input Device Selection
Authors: Golenberg Lavie Pinchas , Ellis Richard Darin , Witus Gary
Published: January 2012

This paper presents an ergonomic application of a popular decision-making framework, the Analytic Hierarchy Process, in the context of an input-device selection decision. The literature is reviewed with respect to the use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process in human factors and systems engineering contexts. A case-study example is provided demonstrating the use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process methodology in the systems engineering task of selecting among commercial off-the-shelf alternatives, taking into account human factors engineering considerations. The strengths and weaknesses of the methodology are discussed, and conclusions for the applicability of the method for human-centered systems development are provided.
Mapping Complexity Sources in Nuclear Power Plant Domains
Authors: Sasangohar Farzan , Thornburg Kristopher , Cummings M. L. , D'Agostino Amy
Published: January 2012

Understanding the sources of complexity in advanced Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) control rooms and their effects on human reliability is critical for ensuring safe performance of both operators and the entire system. New generation control rooms will rely more heavily on automation and computerized Human-System Interfaces (HSI). Without proper management, information representation and required operator-system interaction could challenge operator information processing capabilities. This paper provides an initial step in assessing the sources of complexity in the NPP control rooms and introduces a systems-theoretic descriptive model of these sources of complexity leveraging network theory.
Human Systems Integration in the Federal Government
Authors: Jones Patricia M. , Graves Gaye L. , Allard Terry , Blackhurst Jack , Fitts David J. , Peters Sean , Piccione Dino , Shattuck Lawrence G.
Published: January 2012

Human Systems Integration principles and methods can be used to help integrate people, technology, and organizations in an effective and efficient manner. Over the past decade, a wide range of tools, techniques, and technologies have been developed by federal agencies to achieve significant cost and performance benefits. In this discussion, we will explore trends in military human systems integration and learn about the critical role being played by human performance and effectiveness research. We will also examine case studies on the planning and design of future human space flight vehicles, the national air space system and the first nuclear reactors to be built in the United States in over 30 years. And with an eye toward sustaining the discipline's principles and methods, we'll take a look at educating and training the next generation of human systems integration practitioners.
Opportunities for Human Factors Measures in Military Operational Test and Evaluation
Authors: Ockerman Jennifer , Roberts David , Sciarretta Albert A. , Folds Dennis , McKee Susana , Reynolds Reta Morgan , Grier Rebecca
Published: January 2012

Military Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) is conducted under operationally realistic conditions across a full spectrum of military operations to determine the readiness of a system to be fielded. OT&E seeks to assess the operational effectiveness and suitability of the system under test. Operational effectiveness measures the overall ability of a system to enable mission accomplishment when used by warfighters in a representative operational environment. Operational effectiveness seeks to evaluate organization, doctrine, and tactics. Operational suitability measures the overall ability of a system to be placed in field use. Operational suitability assesses reliability, availability, and human factors.

To date, little effort has been placed on evaluating the warfighters' performance as part of the overall ability of the system to enable mission accomplishment. In fact, any warfighter performance issues are normally reported by exception, which means that it is not evaluated unless a problem is identified during testing (i.e., there is no formal plan to evaluate the warfighter performance component of overall system performance). Most analysis focused on the human factor has been done through the use of opinion surveys. Although, opinion surveys can provide insight into how well a warfighter likes a new system, they do not provide information on the new system's impacts on the warfighters' cognitive capabilities and ultimate performance, nor on the impact on the performance of a team of warfighters.

Over many years, the human factors domain has developed measures of cognition (mental workload, situation awareness, decision making, etc.) and teamwork (collaboration, coordination, shared SA, social network analysis, etc.) that should be applied during military OT&E. These types of human factor measures can be used to evaluate both operational effectiveness and suitability, providing a method of analyzing the human component in mission effectiveness and the impact of the system under test on the human component. Without objectively evaluating the human component of the overall system, it is impossible to truly evaluate operational effectiveness and suitability.

This panel will present the need for more objective, comprehensive, and automatically-collected human performance measurements in military OT&E, and earlier in the development and testing, especially in relation to command and control (C2) systems, as well as touch upon the potentially useful human factor measures currently available and how to select the correct ones to use.