bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Diagrammatic Procedural Instructions for Performing Complex One-Time Tasks
Authors: Rodriguez Michael A.
Published: January 2012

This study provides evidence that pictures and diagrams can help as well as hinder performance depending on the nature of the task and the skill level of the user. Results suggest that diagrammatic instructions for performing one-time mechanical manipulation tasks are superior to equivalent instructions presented as a combination of text and diagrams. Tasks were completed quicker with fewer errors. One major factor is that these types of tasks do not require learning or memorization. The goal for the instruction designer is to create diagrammatic instructions in accordance with Carroll's minimalist principles (1990) as well as verifying that each step occurs in either an internal or external representation (Zhang, 1997). Contrary to what is presented in the literature, this series of experiments provides evidence that if the diagrams are well designed they can be perceived, understood, and performed quicker than the same information in a text and diagram format.
Determination of Critical Design Variables Based on the Characteristics of Product Image/Impression: Case Study of Office Chair Design
Authors: Yun Myung H. , Han Sung H. , Ryu Taebeum , Yoo Keumsun
Published: January 2012

Based on the assumption that the characteristics of product image/impression can be estimated by consumer preference rating, this study performed an image/impression evaluation of various office chair designs. The purpose of this study was to specify the design variables significantly affecting customer preference of the product. Sixty subjects evaluated fifty different office chair designs on thirteen aspects of product image/impression categories using the modified magnitude estimation method. At the same time, forty-eight design variables were selected and analyzed from the same set of office chairs. Multiple linear regression modeling technique was used to model the relationship between the image/impression scores and the design variables. The range of customer response on image/impression categories, the sensitivity of the customer response, and the degree of customer satisfaction on the products were further analyzed using a 3-dimensional portfolio plotting. The result showed that the product image/impression were closely related to the degree of customer satisfaction on the product. The result also showed that the design of office chairs can be improved by focusing on the design variables specified from the 3-D portfolio plot.
Using Sequential Data Analyses to Determine the Optimum Layout for an Alternative Keyboard
Authors: Jentsch Florian , McAlindon Peter
Published: January 2012

The standard QWERTY keyboard was developed over a hundred years ago. It is suspected to be involved in repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). To reduce and eliminate many of the movements that are suspected to contribute to CTS, a new type of alphanumeric input based on the chording concept was designed. This AID-CTS keyboard is an alphanumeric input system that uses a pair of devices each comprised of an inverted dome upon which the hands rest. As a chordal device, the AID-CTS keyboard typing methodology entails creating a keystroke via a combination of positions of the two domes. The purpose of the current study was to determine a new character layout that would reduce the ergonomic impact of typing further. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1, we analyzed two-letter sequences using sequential, multi-way frequency analyses and established a listing of the most important two-letter transitions. In Study 2, we created a number of competing character layouts and analyzed them regarding their ergonomic impact. The studies resulted in an optimum layout that minimizes arm and wrist movements.
Testbed for Evaluating Tactical Situation Awareness and Decision Making
Authors: Guerlain Stephanie , Willis Rob , Besselman Julie , Logsden Meredith , Whisnant Brian , Yewcic Timothy
Published: January 2012

The next generation cruise missile, the Tactical Tomahawk, improves upon current versions by its ability to be retargeted in flight against targets of opportunity. We have developed a testbed for evaluating alternative display concepts and decision support features on the effect of an operator's ability to maintain situation awareness and make appropriate time-critical decisions. This user interface design was based on an analysis of critical operator tasks, and the concepts of representation aiding and limited workspace management. The testbed was developed with Macromedia Director, allowing it to be run cross-platform (Windows, Macintosh, and the Internet). One set of studies has been conducted so far with this system, to compare alternative display features on the effect of subject situation awareness and decision making.
Storm-LK: A Human-Centered Knowledge Model for Weather Forecasting
Authors: Hoffman Robert R. , Coffey John W. , Ford Kenneth M. , Carnot Mary Jo
Published: January 2012

STORM-LK (System To Organize Representations in Meteorology-Local Knowledge) is a Human-Centered system that used the CMap Tools© software to represent the knowledge and reasoning of expert forecasters. It demonstrates the feasibility of using Concept-Mapping to generate large-scale multi-media knowledge models. STORM-LK can support knowledge preservation, distance learning and collaboration, and navigation through the data that are used in weather forecasting.
A Mentoring Program: What Do Students Want and What can Working Professionals Provide?
Authors: Bernard Tracey M.
Published: January 2012

Mentoring programs have been experiencing a rebirth in attempts to achieve a variety of goals, one of which is career preparation. Traditional course work and laboratory training offered by universities ensure that students obtain the technical skills necessary to practice in their profession. To better assist students with career preparation, a mentoring program that matches students with practicing professionals is under consideration at one university. Students and working professionals were surveyed via questionnaires to determine their interest in and willingness to commit to participating in a mentoring program, and their ability and willingness to serve as mentors, respectively. Overall, 95% of the students surveyed indicated that they would like to participate in a mentoring program, while nearly 82% of the working professionals who returned questionnaires indicated their willingness to serve as mentors. Parameters of the proposed program, desired mentor characteristics, and expected benefits will be discussed.
A Case Study in the Participatory Evaluation of an Elementary Classroom Workstation
Authors: McCreary Faith , Ehrich Roger , Nussbaum Maury , Lisanti Melissa
Published: January 2012

Using the PCs for Families project as a case study, this paper discusses design issues for shared computer workstations in the classroom. Information was elicited from students, parents, and teachers using participatory methods, with participants developing low-tech prototypes and usage scenarios for shared student workstations. The participatory sessions identified important differences between students, parents, and teachers, both with respect to their concerns and their designs. Children were interested in gaining greater control over the workstation, both in terms of individual technology and adjustability of furniture. Parents, however, focused on improving the richness of an individual student's workspace and de-emphasized collaborative work. Teacher opinions diverged more than other groups and reflected their underlying pedagogic differences.
Trends in Federally Mandated Warning Labels for Consumer Products
Authors: Diedrich Frederick J. , Wood Christine T. , Ayres Thomas J.
Published: January 2012

Consumer products currently sold in the United States often come with extensive safety information, but the presentation of large amounts of such material was not always the case. We reviewed federally mandated hazard labeling as it evolved during the 20th century by documenting changes in labeling requirements for home-use products prescribed by federal statutes. Our review indicated that during the course of the 20th century, there was a dramatic change in the presence, prevalence and specificity of hazard warning requirements. In the early years, Congress concentrated on truth in labeling of contents and quality. This labeling identified hazardous agents in some products. However, as the century progressed, Congress gradually added requirements that could include descriptions of the mechanisms, consequences, and means for avoidance of such hazards. Moreover, the 1960's and especially the 1970's brought a dramatic expansion in the number and types of products required to bear hazard labels.
Validation of Recruiter Personality Traits for Stress Resiliency
Authors: Mullins Linda L. , Fatkin Linda T.
Published: January 2012

Recent research conducted with Army recruiters has classified recruiting as a high-risk occupation that includes consistently high levels of stress (Mullins & Fatkin, 2000). Research found that recruiters with high neuroticism scores perceived higher levels of job-related stress. The objective of the present study was to validate these previous findings and identify recruiter characteristics that contribute to recruiter stress and performance.

Participants for the study included 55 recruiters. The Zuckerman Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire III-Revised (ZKPQ) was used to measure personality. The Multiple Affect Adjective CheckList - Revised (MAACL-R), Subjective Stress Scale, and Specific Rating of Events Scale were used to measure state levels of stress.

A cluster analysis was performed with the five subscale measures of the ZKPQ resulting in a four-cluster solution: High Impulsivity-High Neuroticism, Low Impulsivity-High Neuroticism, Low Impulsivity-Low Neuroticism, and High Impulsivity-Low Neuroticism. Separate ANOVAs were computed between personality clusters and recruiter performance and stress measures. Research findings partially supported previous results. Consistent with previous findings (Mullins & Fatkin, 2000), differences in personality did not result in mission performance differences. MAACL-R results indicate that individuals in the high Neuroticism groups perceive higher levels of stress. However, findings for the Subjective Stress Scale and Specific Rating of Events Scale were not significantly related to trait personality clusters.
Extremely Long Flights: An In-Flight Survey of Passenger and Flight Attendant Comfort, Activities and Non-Stop Preferences
Authors: Dresel K. Michael , Boutros Ramzy
Published: January 2012

Existing commercial airplanes are capable of 16 hour non-stop flights, and the duration of near-term airplanes will be 20+ hours. The capability to conduct extremely long flights can be very advantageous for the airlines and the passengers. However, it is also important to include the user requirements in the design. This study represents the early steps in assessing novel requirements for extremely long flights. In-flight surveys were distributed on long flights (minimum 9 hours), to all passengers and flight attendants willing to participate. Surveys were distributed after takeoff, at mid-flight and before landing, to allow analysis of changes in comfort and preferences as the flight progressed. Surprisingly, neither passengers nor flight attendants reported much discomfort, and the change during the flight, while statistically significant, was slight. Analysis of the passengers' non-stop preferences, and task analysis and reported health symptom results for both the passengers and flight attendants are also presented.
A Descriptive Framework for the Evaluation of Stress Effects on Operator Performance
Authors: Hancock P.A. , Ganey H.C.N. , Mouloua M. , Salas E. , Gilson R. , Greenwood-Ericksen A. , Parasuraman R. , Harris W. , Leon A. , Smith K.
Published: January 2012

In this paper we provide a general descriptive framework that relates the action of stress on operator performance capacity. The key advantage of our approach is that it allows us to capture simultaneously the influences of both physical and cognitive forms of stress and their singular and interactive effects on response efficiency. This is accomplished within the model since we propose that response processes to physiological challenge and psychological challenge are fundamentally identical in their mode of operation. By considering the commonalities of brain function with the response processes of other organs of the body, we can now use the extensive existing body of physiological insight to provide us with guiding principles to explore undoubtedly more complex cognitive responses to stress. This descriptive framework represents the foundation upon which a fully articulated theory of stress and performance is being erected.
Creating Human Figure Models for Ergonomic Analysis from Whole-Body Scan Data
Authors: Reed Matthew P. , Dowell William R.
Published: January 2012

Advances in surface scanning technology have made possible the large-scale collection of body shape data. This paper describes methods for creating whole-body human figure models from the 3D scan data using a semi-automated process. Body surface landmark data are used to calculate joint locations and to segment the point cloud. A surface polygon mesh is fit to the point-cloud data for each segment. The model accuracy with respect to the original scan data can be made arbitrarily high by increasing the polygon model resolution. NURBS surfaces are then fit to the polygon mesh for rendering in CAD systems. The result of this process, which typically requires about five minutes, is a whole-body, articulated model that represents the body shape captured in a whole-body scan. The model posture can be adjusted dynamically in a CAD environment for application to a wide variety of ergonomic analyses.
NIOSH, the Proposed National Exposure at Work Survey (NEWS), Work Factors, and Ergonomics
Authors: Boiano James , Piaciatelli Greg , Bernard Bruce
Published: January 2012

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is currently planning an ongoing, systematic effort to collect, analyze, interpret, and disseminate data on potential exposures faced by workers in the United States, including physical workplace risk factors. This effort will provide estimates of the number of workers potentially exposed to workplace physical hazards by occupation, process, and industry. It will also describe the nature and distribution of exposure controls, as well as the extent of specific safety and health or specific ergonomic program components. The survey will include approximately 8,000 establishments, representing facilities in all major industry sectors having five or more employees. The Health Services sector (SIC 80) will be surveyed in the first year. Stakeholder meetings will be held in early 2002 to assist NIOSH in identifying health and safety issues, topics of concern, and occupational groups for inclusion in the national survey of Health Services.
Ergonomic Uses of a Web-Based Job Information System
Authors: Streilein Kristin , Armstrong Thomas , Ulin Sheryl
Published: January 2012

Designing and evaluating jobs and workers is easier when there is accurate and precise job documentation available. A web-based job information system has been developed to provide job documentation (including detailed task analyses), quantitative ergonomic ratings, and job videos. This web-based job information system can be used in many different ways such as facilitating tool design, work method analysis, job accommodation, return-to-work decisions, and justification of ergonomic evaluations. Details on how the data are being collected and the database is designed are discussed as well as numerous examples of how jobs in the database can be used by ergonomists and human factors professionals.
Can a Back Belt Effect Working Posture: Laboratory Evaluation of a New Design
Authors: Dainoff Marvin , Mark Leonard , Oates Shawn , Smith Dean
Published: January 2012

This study investigated the impact of a new back belt design on postural transitions during reaching. That is, an object close to the operator can be reached by just extending the arm; however, at some point, the operator must change postures by flexing the trunk. Previous work in our laboratory has determined that these transition points occur closer than the maximum distance set by the subject's anthropometry. Such transition points may reflect a user-generated margin of safety; protecting against extremes of ranges of motion. The current study compared back belt with no back belt reaching in a simulated pick and place task at various distances. Results indicate that when subjects wore the belt while reaching, they tended to have transition points closer to their bodies, than while not reaching. Hence, the belt seems to act to preserve a greater margin of safety-keeping the user from extreme ranges of motion.
Evaluation of the Finger and Phalange Froce Distributions in Pulling Task
Authors: Kong Yong-Ku , Freivalds Andris
Published: January 2012

The pulling finger/phalange force distributions were investigated with various handles. Generally, oval handles required higher forces than double frustum handles in pulling task. The finger force distributions of the pulling task were similar to those of the gripping task. Middle (28%) and index (27.2%) were the strongest and little (20.8%) showed the lowest, followed by ring (23.9%). However, the phalange force distributions of the pulling task were different from the gripping task. Proximal (37.6%) produced the largest and middle (33.6%) also exerted more forces than distal (28.8%) phalanges. As the handle size increased, the forces of index and middle fingers showed increasing trends while ring and little fingers had decreasing trends. The phalange force was being moved more on distal phalanges than on proximal and middle phalanges. The understanding of force distributions may help to develop biomechanical finger models and to design hand tools for reducing related hand injuries.
Kinematic Evaluation of Snow Shoveling
Authors: Huang Chia-te , Paquet Victor
Published: January 2012

The objective of this study was to determine how different shovel designs affect trunk motion during snow shoveling. A shovel having a straight shaft and a shovel having a bent shaft were evaluated across three levels of task asymmetry. The primary dependent variables were measures of lumbar position and kinematics in three directions with respect to the spine recorded with a lumbar motion monitor. Ratings of perceived discomfort were also collected. Twelve participants simulated snow shoveling in three different directions with each shovel in a laboratory experiment. Results showed that the bent shovel significantly reduced the lumbar velocity and acceleration in the sagittal plane without affecting motion in the rotational or frontal planes. Most sagittal and rotational motion parameters increased with increasing task asymmetry. The discomfort ratings indicated that the low back, arms and wrist were the body regions most severely affected by the task.
Field Investigation of the Usability of the Revised Niosh Lifting Equation
Authors: Dempsey Patrick G.
Published: January 2012

Following the revision of the 1981 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting equation, research needs related to the revised equation were outlined. The need to obtain information on the usability of the revised NIOSH equation in actual work environments was expressed. This paper reports on extensive experiences with training users, and application of the equation in varied work settings. Qualitative results from training sessions indicated that frequency, asymmetry, and duration are the parameters that should be given relatively longer instruction periods and resulted in the most questions. Field applications indicated that the variable nature of lifting/lowering demands found in many jobs resulted in difficulty applying the equation. Approximately 35% of 1103 lifting and lowering tasks had at least one parameter outside of acceptable ranges, while a majority of workers (62.8%) reported other manual handling tasks that are counter to assumptions made in the development of the equation. The practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Do Workplace Ergonomic Interventions to Control Musculoskeletal Disorders Really Work?
Authors: Karsh Ben-Tzion , Moro Francisco B. P. , Smith Michael J.
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of ergonomic field interventions to control work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This paper is an extension of the one written for the 1998 National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council steering committee to examine the scientific literature relevant to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Over 600 papers were read, and 98 were found that met the selection criteria. Eighty-four percent of all of the studies found some positive results, although the majority had mixed results. The most effective interventions were those that utilized multiple components. Only 31% of the studies used experimental or quasi-experimental designs. The implications for the conduct of ergonomic interventions and federal regulations are discussed.
Mental Representations of Hypermedia: An Evaluation of the Spatial Assumption
Authors: Farris J. Shawn , Jones Keith S. , Elgin Peter D.
Published: January 2012

This study attempts to clarify some ambiguities in the literature that deal with users' mental representations of hypermedia. It is frequently assumed that users form a spatial representation (cognitive map) of the website while navigating hypermedia. However, it is not clear how cognitive maps can be acquired from hypermedia, which is inherently non-spatial. Unfortunately, there has been little research addressing this assumption. Toward that end, the current study examined the cognitive maps acquired while using hypermedia by systematically varying the depth of a website and holding the information constant. Analyses of 40 participants' drawings of the hypermedia's structure indicate that drawings largely reflected a conceptual (i.e., semantic) structure, and not a connection-structure. In light of the current research, it is suggested that we 1) reevaluate the conjecture that hypermedia is mentally represented in ways similar to the physical world and 2) place more emphasis on other aspects of hypermedia from which users form mental representations.
Acquisition Speed with Targets on the Edge of the Screen: An Application of Fitts' Law to Commonly Used Web Browser Controls
Authors: Farris J. Shawn , Jones Keith S. , Anders Brent A.
Published: January 2012

According to Fitts' law, the time to acquire a target can be reduced by either reducing the target's distance or increasing its size. Tognazzini (1999) proposed that the time to acquire a target on graphical user interfaces could be reduced further by moving targets to the edge of the screen (i.e., edge targets). Two studies tested these predictions with a web browser interface's back-button (Experiment 1) and scroll bar (Experiment 2). Results support the aforementioned hypotheses. Edge targets were always faster to acquire than targets placed one pixel from the edge of the screen. However, within the constraints of the current studies, this speed advantage is maximal at approximately 393 ms for target heights ≥ 2.00 cm and target distances ≥ 11.75 cm. Design recommendations and a cost/benefit analysis are given.
How to Construct Web Contents Systematically
Authors: Yamaoka Toshiki , Tsunoda Tomoyuki , Yamashita Kiyomi , Matsunobe Takuo , Hashiya Yuji , Nishiyama Yasufumi , Takahashi Kyoko
Published: January 2012

The method for constructing web contents was considered. The construction procedure is as follows.

Elicit “user requirement” to find out the user demands and the web management side needs to clarify the “purpose” of what they want to solicit. Mark a check where each line and row corresponds to clarify the relation between both in the matrix by which user requirements and the purposes are arranged in lines and rows. To understand the systematic feature of the website itself, “grasping information” and “structuring information” are necessary. Finally, the structured web concept is created from the acquired information mentioned earlier, and this method of designing each page on the website based on the concept can be applied not only to the web contents but also to product planning as well. Finally, the website of a theatrical company was actually constructed using this method.
Designing for Spatial Orientation in Endoscopic Environments
Authors: Cao Caroline G.L.
Published: January 2012

Disorientation or “getting lost” in colonoscopy is common experience even for expert endoscopists. This paper describes a new navigational aid display concept for colonoscopy and presents results of an experiment conducted to evaluate the usefulness of various types of spatial information for supporting navigation and spatial orientation in colonoscopy. Six combinations of 1) direction, 2) location, and 3) shape information were tested. Results show that even though the new navigational aid display concept did not improve navigation performance, spatial orientation error and workload were reduced significantly. This new navigational aid display which provides shape combined with location and direction information in a perspective view and in real time is a useful tool for colonoscopy.
Tarvip, a PC-Based Visibility Model for Normal and Ultra-Violet Activated Pavement Markings
Authors: Aktan Fuat , Schnell Thomas
Published: January 2012

Development of TarVIP 1.0, a computer model for predicting the detection distances of normal and UV activated pavement markings was recently completed at the Operator Performance Laboratory (OPL). Two Sherwin-Williams UV activated pavement marking samples, four UV headlamp units (Ultralux, Visteon, Cibio and Labino brands), and the UV filter covering the Labino UV headlamp unit were characterized in terms of their fluorescence coefficients, spectral emissions, and spectral transmissivity, respectively. The TarVIP model properly accounts for a complete three-dimensional representation of the roadway-headlamp-driver geometry. Veiling luminance due to fog is modeled using the Mie Scattering theory. The model consists of physical and human performance subsystems. Besides the aforementioned physical subsystem items, the human performance subsystem uses an extensive human visibility contrast threshold database to represent the human capabilities and limitations of pavement marking detection. The model was used to obtain the visibility distances under various levels of fog density, UV activated pavement marking and UV headlamp efficiencies. The resulting visibility distances show some potential benefits and some inadequacies of the UV headlamps and UV activated pavement markings.
Effects of Transformed Visual-Motor Spatial Mappings and Droplines on 3-D Target Acquisition Strategy and Performance
Authors: Liao Min-Ju , Johnson Walter W.
Published: January 2012

This study investigated effects of transformed visual-motor mappings and a depth cue dropline on a 3-D target acquisition task. A cursor and target were displayed within a 3-D reference framework “Box” and participants were instructed to move the cursor into the target as quickly and accurately as possible by manipulating a 3-D input device called a “Spaceball.” The Box was presented with several lateral orientations. By tying the Spaceball movements to the frame of reference defined by the Box, the visual-motor mapping was transformed. Additionally, a depth cue dropline was manipulated. With the transformed mappings, movement times and path lengths to acquire the targets increased as the Box rotation angle increased. Droplines reduced movement times and path lengths. Participants' general acquisition strategy was to sequentially acquire the azimuth, elevation, and then range dimensions of the target, i.e., first visually overlapping the target with the cursor, and then acquiring the target along the line of the sight.
When is Less More? Attention and Workload in Auditory, Visual, and Redundant Patient-Monitoring Conditions
Authors: Seagull F. Jacob , Wickens Christopher D. , Loeb Robert G.
Published: January 2012

Auditory signals can take the form of “auditory displays” that communicate information redundant to visual displays. These redundant displays may allow offloading some visual workload to the auditory channel. The current study examines the effect of visual, auditory and redundant displays on the performance of a dual-task simulation of patient monitoring. Subjects performed manual compensatory tracking task while monitoring six vital signs of a simulated patient, detecting deviations from normal levels. Monitoring was presented in three display conditions: auditory only, visual only, and redundant. Results indicate that the detection of deviations in visual and redundant conditions were not significantly different, but faster than the auditory display. However, performance in the tracking task was degraded least in the auditory condition, and the redundant display resulted in poorest performance—an example of a negative redundancy-gain. Reasons for this finding are examined through data from eye-movement recordings. This negative redundancy gain is also discussed.
Age Differences in Perceptual Judgments about Potential Collision and Implications for Driving
Authors: DeLucia Patricia R.
Published: January 2012

To travel safely, drivers must detect and identify conditions that precipitate collisions. Previous results suggest that judgments about collision are influenced by scene parameters, task constraints, and age. Such studies typically focussed on judgments about when a collision would occur (time to contact). Results indicated that older observers underestimated time to contact more than younger observers; they thought that collisions would occur relatively sooner (Hancock & Manser, 1997; Schiff et al., 1992). However, biases toward underestimation would decrease the risk for accidents (Scialfa et al., 1987). Therefore, the age difference in judgments about time to contact does not seem to be a good candidate to account for the higher accident rate in older drivers. Alternatively, age differences in judgments about whether a collision would occur (potential collision; DeLucia, 1995) may contribute to differential accident rates. Therefore, age differences in such judgments were measured with computer simulations of three-dimensional scenes. When participants reported whether two moving objects would collide with each other, older adults (51-76 years) responded less accurately and more quickly than younger adults (18-23 years). When participants reported whether an approaching object would hit them, mean thresholds were greater for older females compared with younger females. The results indicate that the ability to detect collisions is an important factor to consider in an account of age differences in accident rates. Further research is warranted to determine whether less effective judgments about whether a collision would occur contribute more to the higher rate of traffic accidents and convictions in older drivers than to (mis)estimates of when a collision would occur.
Allocating Blame for Airbag Deployment Injuries: Separating Manufacturers' Blame from Personal Responsibility
Authors: Kalsher Michael J. , Williams Kevin J. , Denio Sarah M.
Published: January 2012

This study examined how people allocate blame for injuries sustained from the deployment of a driver-side airbag. Participants read one of several versions of a fictitious scenario in which the driver of an automobile is injured by a deploying airbag after a driver swerves into oncoming traffic to avoid striking a child who has run into the road. The scenarios depicted a driver sitting within the airbag's deployment zone and varied in the following ways: the stature of the injured driver (small or large); severity of the injury resulting from the deployment of the airbag (permanent blindness in one eye versus quadriplegia); vehicle speed at impact (15 m.p.h. above versus driving at the posted speed limit); and the safety-worthiness of the vehicle (an elaborate system of safety features versus the absence of these features). When assigning blame for the injuries sustained in the crash, participants appeared sensitive to both the quality of the vehicle's safety system and the driving behavior of the injured party. The manufacturer of the “safe” vehicle was held significantly less responsible than the manufacturer of the vehicle lacking these safety features. However, driver behavior also exerted a significant effect on allocation of blame. Injured drivers depicted as traveling significantly above the speed limit were assigned significantly more blame than their counterparts depicted as driving at the speed limit. This finding suggests that people take other factors into account, including personal responsibility, when assigning blame. Perhaps the most important finding of this research, and one that supports previous research on this topic, is that safety pays. When companies are perceived as making a good faith attempt to look out for the safety of their customers, their customers, in return, may be less likely to hold them responsible when injuries do occur.
Understanding of Prescription Medical Labels as a Function of Age, Culture, and Language
Authors: Navai M. , Guo X. , Caird J.K. , Dewar R.E.
Published: January 2012

Symbols are used to convey how and when to take medication and a number of dangers with use that should be avoided. Symbols also have the potential to convey important information to people despite differences in culture and language. This study evaluated 10 prescription medication labels under consideration for use in the Canadian medical system. The sample of 238 participants was composed of a number of subgroups; namely, from a university, a Chinese student association, English as a second language (ESL) courses, low literacy classes, and a senior citizens centre. Symbols that conveyed time or multiple concepts, such as how often to take a drug each day or over the course of a week, were poorly understood. Elderly, ESL, and Chinese groups had the lowest levels of comprehension. Other pictorials such as “do not take with alcohol” and “shake well before using” achieved ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) recommended comprehension levels (i.e., 67%). Discussion centers on comprehension difficulties with certain labels, group differences, and the importance of heterogenous sampling.
Designing a Human Factors Investigation Tool to Improve the Quality of Safety Reporting
Authors: Gordon Rachael , Flin Rhona , Mearns Kathryn
Published: January 2012

Engineers in the UK offshore oil industry endeavour to analyse the causes of accidents with regard to the human and organisational factors. However, their expertise tends to lie in the analysis of the technical failures. In an attempt to improve the investigation of the human factors causes of accidents, a human factors investigation system was developed for the UK Health and Safety Executive and five oil companies. The development and evaluation of two previous reporting systems provides the background to this current study, where both systems were found to increase the quantity of human factors information collected. The Human Factors Investigation Tool (HFIT) improves on these two systems, where it collects four types of human factors information including (i) the observable errors occurring immediately prior to the incident, (ii) the error recovery process, (iii) the information processing stage at which the error occurred and (iv) the underlying causes.
The 2001 Hfes Membership Survey: Development and Demographics
Authors: Linegang Michael P. , Williams Heather L. , Moroney William F.
Published: January 2012

The 2001 HFES Membership Survey was designed to provide data for the executive council in several key areas. This case study examines the survey development processes used in creating the questionnaire and collecting the data. An examination of the demographic characteristics of survey respondents and the existing membership revealed reasonable similarity between the groups. Interestingly, the response rate for the pilot study was surprisingly greater than the response rate for the actual survey. The authors examine some of the issues that may have contributed to the discrepancy.
A Further Examination of the Influence of Spatial Abilities on Computer Task Performance in Younger and Older Adults
Authors: Pak Richard
Published: January 2012

An important finding in the field human-computer interaction and psychology is that differences in spatial ability may be responsible for individual differences in performance on computer-based tasks. However, methodological issues plague many studies examining spatial abilities and computer-based task performance. This presentation reports two studies that are being conducted. The first study was designed to resolve two main issues important for understanding spatial abilities and computer-based task performance. In this study, spatial ability and spatial demand of the task are manipulated. The study was designed to examine the relationship between spatial ability and computer-based task performance in older adults. The second study explicitly examines older adults' performance in a computer task and how it is related to spatial ability.
Using the Cocktail Party Effect as Driver Attention Control
Authors: Almén Lisbeth
Published: January 2012

In the current driving simulator experiment, two different alerting devices, presented to the audio and tactile sense modality respectively, were used to study the effects on driver attention control. The experiment was carried out at VTI, (Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute). While driving, the participants were distracted by a secondary task. An alerting device was then used to make the driver aware of the fact that he was distracted and to make his focus of attention switch back to the main task of driving. The hypothesis was that the audio device, in form of a voice calling out the driver's own name, would produce a more rapid switch of attention than the tactile device, in form of vibrations in the car cockpit. The study can be of use when designing a potential device for controlling driver's attention while driving to reduce car accidents.
An On-Road Investigation of Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Self Assessment of Fatigue as an Indicator of Driver Fatigue
Authors: Belz Steven M. , Robinson Gary S. , Casali John G.
Published: January 2012

This on-road field investigation employed, for the first time, a completely automated, trigger-based data collection system capable of evaluating driver performance in an extended duration real-world motor vehicle environment. The portion of the study reported herein examined the use of self-assessment of fatigue (Karolinska Sleep Scale) as an indicator of driver fatigue. Without exception, the regression analyses for the self-assessment of fatigue yielded models low in predictive ability and were not found to be a suitable indicator of driver fatigue in a real-world commercial driving environment. Various reasons for the failure of self-rating of fatigue as a valid measure are discussed.
Visual Demand of Driving and the Execution of Display-Intensive in-Vehicle Tasks
Authors: Tsimhoni Omer , Green Paul
Published: January 2012

To gain insight as to when telematics can be distracting, 16 participants drove a simulator on roads with long curves of several different radii. Participants read electronic maps displayed in the center console while both parked and driving. In separate trials, the visual demand/workload of the same straight and curved sections was measured using the visual occlusion technique. Visual demand was correlated with inverse curve radius.

As visual demand increased, driving performance declined. Participants made shorter glances at the display, made more of them, but waited longer between glances. Overall, task completion time increased when the task was performed while driving (versus while parked), except for short duration tasks (a single glance or under 3 seconds timed while parked), where task time decreased. While driving, task completion times were relatively unaffected by the driving workload.
Evaluating New Technologies to Enhance Night Vision by Looking at Detection and Recognition Distances of Non-Motorists and Objects
Authors: Blanco Myra , Hankey Jonathan M. , Dingus Thomas A.
Published: January 2012

This empirical research aims to identify how new technologies are able to enhance night vision. This research provides empirical data on 12 vision enhancement systems taking into consideration factors such as driver age and type of objects on the roadway (i.e., static and dynamic objects). The results of this study are presented in terms of detection and recognition distances. When the detection distance of different objects were analyzed, the Infrared Thermal Imaging System resulted in the longest detection and recognition distance followed by the halogen low beam headlamps combined with high-output, medium-output, and hybrid ultraviolet headlamps. There was no significant difference, in terms of detection and recognition distances, among the halogen low beam (baseline) and when the ultraviolet headlamps are used. However, there was a significant difference among halogen low beam and high intensity discharge (HID), where halogen allowed drivers to detect and recognize objects at farther distance.
Effects of Multiple Auditory Alerts for in-Vehicle Information Systems on Driver Attitudes and Performance
Authors: Wiese Emily , Lee John D.
Published: January 2012

In-vehicle information systems might introduce a variety of sounds to alert drivers to situations ranging from imminent collisions to the arrival of email. This study examined the effects of auditory alerts on driver performance and attitudes. Sixteen participants drove eight driving scenarios over a period of two days in which they were exposed to email alerts and collision avoidance warnings. In each scenario, four email alert tones sounded, one occurring 300 ms before a collision avoidance tone. Two collision avoidance tones sounded in each scenario, one associated with a braking lead vehicle and the other a false alarm. The results show that annoyance is an important sound characteristic that can affect workload. The results also indicate that urgency is a sound characteristic that affects driving performance. In addition, the strong effect of sound parameters on annoyance suggest that Edworthy's urgency mapping principle should be complemented by an annoyance tradeoff principle.
Performance Differences in a Navigation Task among Users Presented with a North-Up versus Track-Up Orientation Map Display
Authors: Cuevas Haydee M. , Huthmann Andre , Knudsen Atle , Wei Chien
Published: January 2012

The principal objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the orientation of the presented map on a navigation display (i.e., north-up vs. track-up) would influence performance in a computer-based navigation task. In addition, it was believed that the user's level of spatial ability would interact with the nature of the display. Results indicated that neither display led to more accurate or faster performance. However, the track-up group reported finding the task more difficult (higher workload) and rated the map display less helpful. The north-up group also reported such a display as potentially being more helpful in real world driving. Results indicated a significant correlation between spatial ability and performance accuracy, with high spatial ability scores associated with better performance on the navigation task. Implications for the design of navigation devices, such as those currently marketed for automobiles, will be discussed as well as areas warranting further research.
Effects of Advanced Warning Flashers on Driver Interaction with Signalized Intersections
Authors: Smith Thomas J. , Harney Randy
Published: January 2012

This study carried out a human factors analysis of the effects of advanced warning flashers (AWFs) on simulated driving performance, during interaction by drivers with simulated signalized intersections, as they traversed one of four different simulated driving task environments (SDTEs) that featured: (1) a total distance of 11.3 mi; (2) AWFs present (test) or not present (control) at every intersection; (3) low (50 mph - LSL) or high (65 mph - HSL) speed limit; (4) 10 intersections per SDTE; (5) 2 intersections per SDTE assigned to one of 5 vehicle-proximity-to-yellow (VPTY) levels: all green, and 0, 2, 3.5, and 5 sec. Results indicate that AWFs tend to slow vehicle speeds and acceleration, and increase braking, for test compared with control trials, effects more pronounced for LSL compared with HSL trials. Results also point to two groups of Ss with distinctly different driving behaviors during test trials, with Ss in one group showing more cautious, and those in the other more risktaking, behavior during interaction with AWF intersections. This finding suggests that it may be unrealistic to expect AWFs to influence the behavior of all drivers in a consistently beneficial way during driver-signal interactions.
Modeling Mental Workload and Task Performance for Indirect Vision Driving
Authors: Smyth Christopher C.
Published: January 2012

Cognitive workload and task performance are modeled for indirect vision driving with fixed flat panel displays. The model is derived from the results of a field study in which eight participants negotiated a driving course in a military vehicle with natural and indirect vision. For the latter, the vehicle was driven with fixed flat panel, liquid crystal displays in the cab and a forward viewing monocular camera array mounted on the front roof of the vehicle and tilted slightly downward. In addition to recording driving performance, the study collected test battery ratings of the mental workload measures of attention allocation, perceived workload, situational awareness, motion sickness, perceived stress, and cognitive performance. As a result of the study, a mathematical model of road speed was derived for indirect vision driving as a function of the camera's field of view. The model considers the effects of scene compression on the informational needs of the driver in a self-paced task. Concurrently, a task analysis mental workload model was derived for indirect vision driving by mapping the cognitive and mental workload measures to a “skills-rules-knowledge” model of information processing. The model successfully explains apparently conflicting results for indirect vision driving from different experiments that examined on-board and teleoperations from the different camera lens used in the studies.
The Multiple Resources Questionnaire (MRQ)
Authors: Boles David B. , Adair Lindsey P.
Published: January 2012

The Multiple Resources Questionnaire (MRQ) is an easily-administered 17-item measure for subjective workload assessment. It is based on an expansion of Multiple Resource Theory as guided by factor analytic studies of lateralized processes, and aims to provide high diagnosticity by identifying the load on specific resources. Here the full questionnaire is reproduced and reliability data from two studies are reported. Across a number of computer-based games and laboratory tasks, interrater reliabilities (r) are found to range from +.57 to +.83, with reliabilities expected to approximate 0.9 when data are aggregated over 8 or more raters. Validity data are reported in a companion article.