bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is User-Validation Necessary for a Spanish Translation of the Microsoft Product Reaction Cards Tool?
Authors: Hinkle Veronica , Chaparro Barbara
Published: October 2013

Current research on Hispanic consumers focuses on Hispanics as a market segment, not their user experience, usability preferences, or cultural differences. This study evaluated the effectiveness of three versions of the Microsoft Product Reaction Cards (MPRC) tool in Spanish when capturing user experience feedback from Hispanic consumers. Since the MPRC tool has never been used in Spanish there was a need to determine whether a user-validated translation can enhance user feedback from Hispanic Consumers better than a direct translation or a translator-validated translation of the same tool. The goal was to determine whether there were any differences in the feedback elicited from Hispanic participants based on the type of Spanish translation of the MPRC tool they were provided (direct translation, translator-validated, and user-validated). The direct translation of the MPRC was done by using the first choice provided in Spanish to the English word in Google Translate. The exact wording provided in Spanish was used as the direct translation for the English word. The translator-validated translation was created by one translator after revising the results from the direct translation. The user-validated translation was created based on an online study with 52 bilingual participants in English and Spanish. Results indicate that the participants in the direct-translation list and translator-validated list were not significantly more satisfied than the participants using the user-validated list. Furthermore, translation quality ratings were not significantly higher for the translator and user-validated translation conditions. Participants seemed resilient to translation quality perhaps due to their bilingualism. Future research should address the effects of bilingualism on reading comprehension of material with poor translation quality.
Gestural Workspaces for Computer Interaction
Authors: Young Justin , Lin Michael , Bick Alexander , Sarwar Ammar , Dennerlein Jack
Published: October 2013

While the hardware challenges facing integration of hand-gestural controls into mainstream computer interfaces appear to be shrinking, design challenges related to the physical and mental burden required of gesture interfaces remain. This study aims to determine the effect of the gestural workspace configuration (vertical, horizontal, and jointspace) and affordance of arm support on speed, accuracy, and performance when performing pointing tasks on a computer. Seventeen participants played a computer card game (Solitaire) and then completed Fitts’ serial clicking tasks to evaluate performance in five gestural workspace configurations implemented using a Microsoft Kinect®. Gestural input configurations were also compared to a traditional mouse input. A traditional mouse performed better than gestural controls in all aspects of performance. Among gestural workspaces, the vertical configuration performed significantly better in throughput and accuracy outcomes. Limitations of the gestural tracking system and large variation in individual performance may hinder establishment of generalized design recommendations at this point; however, gestural workspace configurations with direct mapping to onscreen movements and the presence of supporting surfaces appear to increase user performance and reduce perceived difficulty.
Discussion Panel Human Factors in Everyday Life
Authors: Sethumadhavan Arathi , McLaughlin Anne , Nichols Tim , Pak Richard , Smith Mac
Published: October 2013

Majority of the sessions at the human factors and ergonomics society conferences in the recent years have focused on the applications of human factors and ergonomics in safety-critical domains, be it studying handoffs in health care, next gen and air traffic control or supervisory control of unmanned aerial vehicles. While this work is certainly important, there appears to be fewer sessions focused on how human factors can be integrated into everyday living. On any given day, users interact with a myriad of technology, tools, and equipment: smartphone alarm systems, microwaves, washing machines, navigation systems, sports gears, and video games. Unfortunately, a lot of these systems may not be designed with the same amount of attention to the cognitive, perceptual, and physical limitations and capabilities of humans as with safety-critical systems. While the main premise behind the use of technology is to lower human errors and improve efficiency, technology can contribute to inefficiencies and dissatisfaction if not designed well. The goal of this panel is to discuss how human factors and ergonomics can be applied to design technology and systems that are used in everyday activities, including sports, video gaming, and personal computing. The panelists will share their experiences with the audience, focusing on challenges and successes involved in designing such products. The panel will invite the audience to discuss ways to address the challenges and increase the successes.
Invisible Factors
Authors: Brill J. Christopher , DeLucia Patricia R. , Flach John M. , Kaber David B. , Youmans Robert J.
Published: October 2013

The objective of this Education Technical Group (ETG) panel is to discuss the problem of recruiting students into the Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) discipline and to offer strategies and solutions for effectively increasing awareness of HF/E among undergraduate students in psychology and engineering. Each panelist was selected because of his or her experience with and commitment to HF/E education. Drs. J. Christopher Brill, Patricia DeLucia, John Flach, David Kaber, and Robert Youmans will participate in the discussion. Dr. Brill will provide an introduction to frame the discussion and will present effective strategies for increasing undergraduate enrollment in HF/E courses. Dr. DeLucia will provide her perspective on integrating human factors into an undergraduate psychology curriculum. Dr. Flach will discuss how exposing undergraduates to the tangible, design-related aspects of HF/E may increase student interest. Dr. Kaber will discuss the need for increased emphasis on graduate education in Industrial Systems Engineering. Dr. Youmans will present perspectives on how the realities of academia disincentivize faculty members from focusing upon undergraduate student development.
Curriculum Development for HF/E Graduate Students
Authors: Pickens Adam W. , Benden Mark E.
Published: October 2013

As a department, we were tasked with completely revising a HF/E and safety curriculum that had not been thoroughly revised or updated for years. We were producing students that could recite the same information all HF/E professionals know by heart and is the basis for our profession, but were having trouble finding gainful employment upon graduation. Our task was to update the curriculum in such a way as to still impart the knowledge and skills needed by HF/E professionals, but in a way that tailors that skill set and knowledge to something they can apply in an industry setting based on first-hand experience. Results three years post review shows students graduating with multiple job offers and advancing in their career paths at rates faster than their peers.
What can Training Researchers Gain from Examination of Methods for Active-Learning (PBL, TBL, and SBL)
Authors: Gabelica Catherine , Fiore Stephen M.
Published: October 2013

In this paper we examine three “active-learning” methods that have evolved out of learning research in a variety of disciplines - problem-based learning, team-based learning, and studio-based learning. Our goal is to review and contrast these methods to identify their unique and similar features. We additionally outline which of their features holds potential for improving learning in collaborative contexts. We consider their common instructional features and learning principles, to determine which are potentially indicative of effective active learning.
Eleven Tips to Find Course Materials When Time is Limited
Authors: Green Paul
Published: October 2013

New faculty and others have limited time to develop new courses and course lectures. Using a short course on human factors and nuclear power as a case study, the author identified tips for finding course-related online resources, which can accelerate the development of course materials. The 11 resources include (1 and 2) course syllabi in the education resources sections of society web sites or otherwise posted on the web, (3) lecture material linked to those syllabi, (4) lectures on the web found using the topic name and “.ppt” extension, (5) graphics found using the Google image tool, (6) books on Amazon.com sorted by relevance, (7) key articles found using Google Scholar, (8) key articles found using databases such as Web of Knowledge and Scopus, (9) reports on industry specific web sites (e.g., Electric Power Research Institute), (10) standards on the International Standards Organization web site listed under technical committee work programs, and (11) videos on YouTube.
Research Tools to Learn About the Needs of Children With Autism
Authors: Khare Rachna , Mullick Abir
Published: October 2013

Even after several years of disability acts and accessibility guidelines in the world, not much work is done for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. To be truly inclusive, this is one unexplored area that universal design needs to emphasize more. In buildings and spaces, the existing accessibility standards address physical access but children with cognitive limitations are often unrepresented. The major reason for this to remain untouched in design practice and research is unique ethical challenges associated with observing or involving people with such limitations. The present study uses research methods grounded in environmentbehavior and rehabilitation studies to establish enabling environments for children with autism in educational spaces. Though the research employs multidisciplinary, multilayered approach in multiple sequential stages, the current paper describes ethically-appropriate evidence-based research tools developed by the authors to uncover findings that are not yet known.
Space Planning for Multitouch Workspaces
Authors: Zhou Shuo , Feathers David
Published: October 2013

Shared multitouch workspaces offer interpersonal exchanges similar to whiteboards and chalkboards, with additional benefits such as distributed collaboration and longitudinal data capture. This research investigated the space needed for single person use and prospective multi-person collaborative work on a mock multitouch screen system. Sixteen participants performed simulated movements of multitouch tasks across three screen angles (horizontal/vertical/self-adjusted) and two scenarios of use (single person/mock two-person collaboration). Basic space planning needs were analyzed across screen angles and scenarios of use. Preferred screen tilt angles are discussed and two fixed screen angles are suggested.
Full Scale Models for Person-Environment Interaction
Authors: Mullick Abir
Published: October 2013

Full scale models are representational systems that can be experienced through touch, movement and operation. For designers and researchers, they are simulated designs to observe, interact, experience and study future systems. An important research tool, full scale models offer an efficient means to examine early design assumptions, evaluate problem definition and develop designed systems. This paper will provide an overview of using full-scale models by product and environmental designers for research, design and development. A bathroom case study that employs full scale models conduct accessibility research and validated design assumptions is presented. The findings of the research indicate that accessible bathrooms do not offer functional benefits to all users, mostly to users with disabilities. And yet, everyone likes accessible features and they want to have them. The results of the research were used to develop a universal bathroom. The paper concludes with recommendations for a new modeling system.
Sustainable and User-Centered
Authors: Sellers Brittany C. , Fiore Stephen M.
Published: October 2013

With climate change threatening the very existence of our species, it is imperative the scientific community collaborate to help solve environmental problems. Human factors professionals are uniquely qualified for addressing issues of climate change, particularly because the potential consequences represent the most human-centric of all concerns. That is, when designing for sustainability, and thus for the preservation of our species, we are designing with the human in mind.

However, without a user-centered design, many sustainable products and features may either fail to be adopted or may not be used in a way that maximizes performance, thus limiting their utility and potential benefits. One area of sustainable development that could greatly benefit from improvements in usability is the realm of “green” and LEED-certified building. However, in order to provide improvements in this area, there are a variety of issues and considerations that must be first addressed. In this paper, we provide an overview of each of these areas of concern within green building, describe what is currently being done to solve these issues, and provide human-factors-based solutions to increase usability, performance, and satisfaction within the realm of green building.
Observing the Urban Space
Authors: Gouvea Laura , Mont’Alvão Claudia
Published: October 2013

In wider research, in progress, a study was performed, using an Ergonomic approach, to understand the relationship between street furniture and its users and also the importance of its existence in a built space named “plaza”. This paper presents the first phase of an analysis focusing in physical aspects of some public plazas, where an observation protocol was developed. This tool was used in field research, and its results validate its utility in research in environmental design area.
Sophisticated User
Authors: Vredenburgh Alison G. , Spencer Daniel R.
Published: October 2013

This study evaluates the legal term “sophisticated user.” With increasing frequency, Defendants are relying on this defense to mitigate a failure-to-warn finding. It is the jury’s duty to determine which users are sophisticated, based on jury instructions given by the judge. This study evaluates the sophisticated user defense in terms of a recent Federal case finding, in which a jury found a failure to warn, along with finding that the user was sophisticated. The jury instructions in this case include several elements, any one of which may lead a jury to determine that a Plaintiff is sophisticated without any corroborating evidence; this study examines each element separately.
Evaluation of mobile eye tracking for forensic analysis of pedestrian falls
Authors: Kuzel Michael , Cohen H. Harvey , Rauschenberger Robert , Cohen Joseph
Published: October 2013

The forensic analysis of falls is most commonly reliant on the application of generalized non-case specific research to support whether a person would be likely to gaze in the direction or area of a hazard prior to a fall event. The recent developments of mobile eye tracking systems may allow for direct, on-site evaluations, to assess probability of detection of claimed hazardous conditions. Herein, an evaluation of a mobile eye tracking system is provided based on the application to a forensic case study that involved a transition from one space to another through a door. The results of the initial study were further evaluated in three other areas, with similar settings. The results of two studies demonstrate support for the hypothesis that a person would not look down at the landing area when stepping. However, in achieving these results, we found both support for the utility of the device as well as certain limitations for future use.
A Forensic Human Factors Analysis of a Playground Designated for Special Needs Children
Authors: Zackowitz Ilene B. , Vredenburgh Alison G.
Published: October 2013

Human factors research has long addressed the issue of hazard management and the adequacy and effectiveness of product design and labeling. One issue that most professionals in the field would likely agree on is that manufacturers typically have the most information about hazards associated with their products and that they are in the best position to pass that information along to consumers. This case study regards a manufacturer who chose to provide multiple and conflicting labels when supplying product information to customers. The manufacturer failed to apply the appropriate label to its product and left that task to the consumer. A human factors analysis evaluated the design, labeling and relevant standards of care for playgrounds.
An Efficient Method to Evaluate Skylight Hazard Conspicuity
Authors: Stephens Benjamin R. , Ramsey Allyson M. , Angeloff Gregory R. , Glaze Kiara S. , Stephens Justin T. , Wilson Zackrus Z. , Pearl George S.
Published: October 2013

We evaluated a skylight fall hazard using an “attention conspicuity” measure, in which observers detect and identify hazards in brief presentations of photographs taken from a skylight accident site. Hazard detection and object identification varied with the scene and indicated that the flat-panel warehouse skylights were not conspicuous. A second experiment replicated these results and demonstrated that longer viewing time (3 sec vs. 15 sec) did not improve detection of the skylight, but did increase detection of other hazards. These results suggest that assessment of conspicuity using a quick hazard detection technique may be valid and efficient.
Falling from Airstairs while Disembarking from a Commuter Plane
Authors: Vredenburgh Alison G. , Zackowitz Ilene B.
Published: October 2013

When performing forensic human factors analyses it is imperative to carefully evaluate plaintiff and defense claims to determine if they are consistent with theoretical research and science. This case study concerns a fall from airstairs by a woman who was disembarking an airplane. At face value, the circumstances seemed valid enough that the airline chose to settle with the plaintiff before any kind of expert evaluation was performed. However, when the plane manufacturer was countersued, it chose to hire a human factors expert. A human factors expert analysis revealed that the plaintiff’s description of the incident was inconsistent with the evidence. Also considered were safety factors of airstair and airplane design. This case highlights the importance of evaluating witness descriptions of an incident as part of a forensic human factors analysis.
Current Issues in Warnings
Authors: Kalsher Michael J. , Laughery Kenneth R. , Lenorovitz David R. , Leonard S. David , Wogalter Michael S. , Karnes Edward W. , Mayhorn Christopher B.
Published: October 2013

Warnings and warnings-related issues continue to be an important focal point of liti-gation in the U.S. Many personal injury cases, for example, revolve around questions associated with residual hazards in products, facilities, or user environments – and the steps the manufacturer of a product, or the parties responsible for the safe operation of a facility or environment have taken to mitigate people’s exposure to those hazards. If haz-ards are not eliminated through design and/or guarding, then warnings and other types of precautionary instructions are commonly used to alert, inform, and remind people about the hazard(s) and to tell them what they should do to avoid or at least minimize injury.

A significant body of published HFE / Warnings literature over the past several dec-ades has addressed a myriad of issues associated with the proper design, fabrication, and application of warnings and warning systems. However, the continuing stream of warn-ings-related cases being litigated in courts across the country, serves as an important re-minder that warnings issues are not merely abstract and theoretically interesting topics of discussion, but are rather items of concern that can have a significant, real-world impact on the conduct of our daily lives.

The four HFE forensic professionals in this panel discussion session provide different but related perspectives on warnings-related applications and case study examples drawn from their respective professional practices. These discussion topics help to provide greater insights into the ways in which warnings-related research and theoretical con-structs are translated into warnings experts’ opinions in actual court cases. The following are brief summary descriptions of each discussant’s presentation.
Human Factors in the Wild
Authors: Xiao Yan , Shanqing Yin , Fairbanks Rollin J (Terry) , Wolf Laurie , Chagpar Anjum , Probst C. Adam
Published: October 2013

This session will focus on lessons learned when teaching human factors (HF) to those working in the frontline in healthcare. HF education may help frontline professionals to appreciate the perspective to consider strengths and limitations of humans, to design robust solutions to counteract human limitations, and to test systems to understand how human users may interactwith the systems. Frontline professionals are often the “owner” of problems and key stakeholders.Their efforts to improve work systems are driven by solutions, as opposed to learning systematically about concepts and methodologies. Five human factors practitioners who work within healthcare systems will present their innovative approaches to teach HF methods and concepts to frontline professionals. The session will be designed to lead to a discussion about how to assess the impact of HF teaching approaches.
A Bottom-Up Approach to Understanding the Efficacy of Event-Analysis in Healthcare
Authors: Hegde Sudeep , Hettinger A. Zach , Fairbanks Rollin J. , Wreathall John , Lewis Vicky , Wears Robert , Bisantz Ann M.
Published: October 2013

Root Cause analysis (RCA) is a widely implemented event-analysis tool in healthcare, used to improve pa-tient safety. Several studies have assessed the effectiveness of RCA solutions and provided recommenda-tions for improving the approach; however few have suggested a systematic approach to align RCA-based interventions with the realities of work practice in healthcare. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with frontline healthcare staff (nurses, nurse managers and technicians) in order to assess their perspectives on the effectiveness and sustainability of RCA-based solutions in a large academic medical center. In general, preventive interventions such as physical environment or equipment changes were more effective and sustainable than reactive or passive measures such as reviews and compliance checks. A the-matic analysis of respondents’ narratives highlighted several issues related to the design and implementa-tion of various RCA-driven interventions. The analysis however, also revealed important facets of frontline medical practice, including the role played by staff in overcoming systemic hazards in order to increase pa-tient safety. These findings are discussed in the context of the emerging Resilience Engineering approach to safety in complex systems.
Tailoring Number Entry Interfaces To The Task of Programming Medical Infusion Pumps
Authors: Wiseman Sarah , Brumby Duncan P. , Cox Anna , Hennessy Orla
Published: October 2013

Medical devices are often used to administer medication to patients. This task usually requires a caregiver to enter specific numerical values into a device. In such safety-critical domains, it is vital that this task can be done quickly and accurately. We consider whether tailoring the interface to make it easier for commonly entered numbers to be inputted makes this task faster and less error-prone. To evaluate this idea we take data from infusion pumps programmed on the ward and make adaptations to three existing interfaces to make the task easier (by adding buttons or altering the effects of interaction). The results of a lab-based experiment show that tailoring the interface in this way can significantly reduce the number of key presses that are required to complete the task. We also present findings regarding the process of tailoring interfaces for more general device design.
The Value of Including a Picture of the Medicine on Pharmaceutical Labels
Authors: Herron Meghann , Vu Kim-Phuong L.
Published: October 2013

There are a number of adverse drug events that occur per year due to ingesting the wrong medication. The present study examined whether including a picture of the medicine on pharmaceutical labels increased the participants’ ability to identify the medicine that they should be taking. Participants were shown fake pharmaceutical labels that included either a picture or text description of the medicine’s appearance, and were asked to identify the medicine being depicted or answer questions about the information found on the label. Participants performed better on questions relating to the content on the label than on questions asking them to identify the medicine. However, if the depiction was a color picture of the medication, participants performed better on pill identification questions than if the depiction was a black-and-white picture or text description. Thus, a color picture may help patients identify their medicine and reduce the number of cases involving the ingestion of the wrong medication.
Evaluating Physician-to-Patient Communication
Authors: Turner T. Robert , Scerbo Mark W. , Gliva-McConvey Gayle A. , Wallace Amelia M.
Published: October 2013

Research has established that human patient simulators (i.e., standardized patients) are a highly beneficial component of modern medical education and training, but few studies have explored the cognitive factors that affect the ability of standardized patients to make clinical skills assessments during simulated patient encounters. This study examines the impact of multiple scenario evaluation points (as opposed to a single, postscenario evaluation) and serial position effects on the accuracy of verbal and nonverbal clinical performance evaluations. Results suggest that concurrent recall may result in better verbal and nonverbal recall accuracy for clinical skills assessment than the traditional retrospective framework. For formative clinical skills assessment, in which specificity for the purpose of professional development is critical, concurrent evaluation could be considered as a potential alternative to retrospective approaches.
Occupancy and Patient Care Quality Benefits of Private Room Designs for Five Different Children’s Hospital Intensive Care Units – A Human Factors Evaluation
Authors: Smith Thomas J.
Published: October 2013

This report summarizes findings from a human factors evaluation of private patient room (PR) designs for five different types of intensive care units (ICUs) in a children’s hospital, after conversion from multi-bed designs. The objective was to ascertain if PR designs benefit occupancy and patient care quality on these units. Past research has documented quality benefits of PR designs with NICUs, but possible PR design benefits for the other unit types have not previously been documented. Staff comments, task activity analysis observations, and responses to ranking questions on an occupancy and patient care quality perceptual response survey, were collected. For most PR quality attributes, quality rankings by CVCC staff are consistently lower than those by staff on the other four units. Staff perceptions of quality levels for most PR quality attributes are about the same, or lower than, those for multi-bed designs. This latter finding is aligned with comments by unit staff targeting numerous quality defects with the PR patient care environments. Collectively, the results suggest that the design, operation and management of the PR patient care environments on the five different units confront a challenge in realizing occupancy and patient care quality benefits that match experience with NICU PR designs in other contexts.
A Spatial Secondary Task for Measuring Laparoscopic Mental Workload
Authors: Scerbo Mark W. , Kennedy Rebecca A. , Montano Michael , Britt Rebecca C. , Davis Stephen S. , Stefanidis Dimitrios
Published: October 2013

The present study examined whether a spatial secondary task could distinguish among different levels of laparoscopic skill. Novices and surgeons with different levels of laparoscopic experience were asked to perform a peg transfer task on a laparoscopic simulator along with the secondary task. The results showed that novices performed more poorly than the surgeons on both the primary peg task and the secondary task. This pattern of results suggests that the primary task was more difficult for the novices leaving fewer attentional resources for the secondary task. Moreover, the results show that the spatial secondary task used in this study is sensitive to differences in mental resources required by individuals with different levels of laparoscopic surgical skill.
Nurses’ self-reported smartphone use during clinical care
Authors: Planitz Birgit , Sanderson Penelope , Kipps Tahli , Driver Charles
Published: October 2013

The Nursing Executive at a large tertiary hospital was concerned that nurses using smartphones on duty could be distracted and more vulnerable to clinical error. However, the nursing executive also recognized that smartphones could deliver on-the-job benefits. As a result, they were unsure how best to manage smartphone use. To guide policy, we designed a questionnaire study to survey nurse smartphone use and attitudes towards use at the hospital. Results showed that 57% of the 299 respondents did not carry their phones on duty. There were significant positive correlations between reported frequency of use and nurse unit manager (NUM) attitude, with most NUMs banning cell phones. Nurses found smartphones disruptive and inappropriate while delivering patient care. However, many nurses liked to be contactable by family/friends, and technically competent nurses used phones for work purposes. Age and technology acceptance were significantly negatively correlated, and use/technology acceptance was more prevalent among younger nurses than their older colleagues. The adoption of smartphones by younger nurses suggests that policy should be formulated around allowing phones.
How Do Older Adults Manage Osteoarthritis Pain? The Need for a Person-Centered Disease Model
Authors: Barg-Walkow Laura H. , McBride Sara E. , Morgan Michael J. , Mitzner Tracy L. , Knott Camilla C. , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: October 2013

In the United States, chronic pain affects at least 116 million Americans, differentially impacting older adults. One of the leading causes of pain for older adults is osteoarthritis. This disease affects approximately 14% of the United States population and can cause disability and mobility problems, in addition to having a high cost for the healthcare system. The methods individuals use to manage their pain are contingent upon their model of the disease (e.g., their beliefs about osteoarthritis pain management). The purpose of the present investigation was to: 1) understand what variables older adults with osteoarthritis believe impact pain, and 2) understand current approaches for self-management of osteoarthritis pain. We conducted structured interviews with eight older adults who have osteoarthritis. The interviews revealed current approaches in pain management, as well as gaps in knowledge. We propose an expansion of the idea of a general disease model for pain management that is patient-centered, allowing for personal customization of factors for reducing pain and increasing successful pain-management.
An Investigation of the Informational Needs of Ovarian Cancer Patients and Their Supporters
Authors: Madathil Kapil Chalil , Greenstein Joel S. , Juang Kevin A. , Neyens David M. , Gramopadhye Anand K.
Published: October 2013

Numerous Internet-based peer support groups exist to support the informational needs of patients with chronic illnesses. By analyzing the discussions available in the forum of a major ovarian cancer support group, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA), this study investigates the type of information that newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients and their supporters seek. Using content analysis, 206 publicly available discussion posts exchanged on OCNA were analyzed by two researchers. Each discussion point was classified into one of the three broad themes that emerged: ovarian cancer-specific, treatment-related, or coping information. The discussion points were further analyzed using a multinomial logit model to predict the type of the desired information based on the role of the person looking for the information, the disease phase in which the information was sought, the emotional status of the information seeker, and the stage of the cancer. The results suggest that there is a wide variety of information seekers with divergent goals. Treatment-related material was the most sought-after information by patients, while coping information was most sought by supporters. When forum posts were negative in tone, the information seekers were more likely to be looking for ovarian cancer-specific information than either treatment-related information or coping information. This suggests that the presentation of ovarian cancer-specific information should be particularly sensitive to the negative emotional state of the people seeking this information.
Assessing the distributed nature of home-based heart failure medication management in older adults
Authors: Mickelson Robin , Holden Richard
Published: October 2013

Non-adherence to medications in older adult chronic heart failure (CHF) patients suggests the difficulty these patients experience with medication management tasks. This qualitative study explored home-based medication management and how activities were distributed across persons, artifacts, time and space using a distributed cognition framework. Interviews with CHF patients (N = 27) and their informal caregivers (N=11) were content analyzed for cross-cutting themes about distributed task performance. Results illustrated problem areas within this distributed system such as representational discordance, communication difficulties, and lack of portability of information across environments. Implications for future design of interventions include the need for portability and exchange of information, portability of medications and reminder devices, and improved communication across the distributed system.
Predicting Task-related Properties of Mental Workload with ACT-R Cognitive Architecture
Authors: Park Sungjin , Myung Rohae
Published: October 2013

In this paper, a methodology with ACT-R cognitive architecture is proposed to quantitatively predict task-related properties that influence mental workload. A mathematical representation of task-related properties over time with respect to an activated time of each module from ACT-R is proposed in this paper. Experiments were performed on menu selection and visual-manual tasks, varied by task difficulty and time pressure. As a result, it was found that predicted values of each task-related property, consisting of physical demand, mental demand, and temporal demand of NASA-TLX achieved by the proposed method, were highly correlated with mean values of subjective rating from subjects.
Prediction of Perceived Workload From Task Performance and Heart Rate Measures
Authors: Splawn Joshua M. , Miller Michael E.
Published: October 2013

To improve operator efficiency and effectiveness, designers increasingly apply automation to allocate tasks once performed by human operators to the system. Unfortunately, these systems are often complex, potentially imposing increased mental task load on the operator, or placing the operator in a supervisory role where they can become overly dependent on automation. A proposed solution is adaptive automation, which increases automation when an operator is overloaded, and disabled as the operator has spare mental capacity. Changes in performance and physiological measures have shown promise in triggering changes in automation levels. However, the literature lacks well-documented or consistently supported measures for mental workload prediction. The present work sought to define a model which could predict perceived workload as a function of performance and heart rate measures by imposing various levels of task loading on a group of individuals while monitoring their performance, recording their heart rate information with an electrocardiogram and obtaining subjective estimates of mental workload. Heart rate (HR) and several heart rate variability (HRV) measurements where significantly affected by Task Load. This paper describes a linear regression model for predicting participants’ perceived workload as a function of a proposed summary performance metric and HR measures.
The Effect of Mild Motion Sickness and Soporific Symptoms on Multitasking Cognitive Strategy
Authors: Matsangas Panagiotis , McCauley Michael E.
Published: October 2013

We investigate how mild motion sickness and soporific symptoms affect cognitive strategy when performing in a multitasking environment. During two 1-hour sessions, subjects (N=39) performed four concurrent tasks (memory, arithmetic, visual, auditory). Analysis of the cognitive strategy is based on task dwell time, defined as the amount of time the screen cursor is in each task screen quadrant. Results show that the arithmetic task consistently suffers from the development of motion sickness symptoms, and increased drowsiness. Symptomatic individuals reduce the time allocated to the complex arithmetic task and increase time to the, simpler, visual task. Furthermore, symptomatic individuals demonstrate increased reaction time of correct responses in the arithmetic task, and decreased number of responses. Results provide evidence that motion sickness and soporific symptoms affect multitasking cognitive strategy with symptomatic individuals shifting focus from more complex to simpler tasks. We discuss a plausible explanation based on the performance-under-stress perspective.
The Effect of Continuous Wakefulness on Complex Cognitive Task Performance
Authors: Hutchins S.D. , Laux L. , Wickens C.D. , Sebok A.
Published: October 2013

In support of NASA’s modeling and simulation goals to predict the effects of operator fatigue on performance, research findings from the literature on the effect of acute sleep deprivation on performance of complex cognitive tasks were quantitatively synthesized. Regression models of performance over continuous hours of wakefulness demonstrated complex cognitive task performance decrements for both speed and accuracy, with the greater performance decrement on speed over continuous hours of wakefulness. Circadian effects were also examined and reveal a greater decrement to both speed and accuracy performance over continuous hours of wakefulness during the circadian night than circadian day.
Assessing Resource Utilization during Vigilance Using Transcranial Doppler
Authors: Nguyen Cynthia , Satterfield Kelly , Bellows Brooke , McKnight Patrick , Shaw Tyler H.
Published: October 2013

Although automated systems have decreased the information-processing load on workers and have increased productivity, studies have shown that automation can have serious drawbacks, such as reductions in operator vigilance that can lead to decreased detection of critical events. Transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) is a tool used to measure cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), and previous studies have shown that TCD can be used to examine attentional resource utilization and allocation during vigilance task performance. This study was designed to assess the attentional resource utilization of an individual difference measure that has shown to be associated with vigilance performance efficiency, extraversion. Twelve extraverts and thirteen introverts monitored a 60-min vigilance task for critical signals, which in this case, was the absence of a line on one of the five circles displayed on a computer monitor. CBFV and correct detections over six 10-min periods were used as the units of analysis. While a vigilance decrement was observed, there was no difference in detection efficiency between extraverts and introverts. The results pertaining to the CBFV measure reveal a significant hemisphere x personality interaction, such that the lateralization effect often present in vigilance was restricted to introverts. The results are interpreted in terms of findings suggesting that bilateral activation is a function of task difficulty: extraverts were recruiting mental resources from both the left and right cerebral hemispheres while introverts were using resources from only the right hemisphere. These findings suggest that the TCD measure is diagnostic of resource allocation associated with individual differences in vigilance.
Failure to Maintain Set
Authors: Figueroa Ivonne J. , Youmans Robert J.
Published: October 2013

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is a general behavioral assessment that contains a myriad of dependent variables, each contributing to the overall assessment of executive function. In this paper, the authors explore the underlying ability that is measured by the variable failure to maintain set (FMS). Two opposing theories, cognitive flexibility and distractibility, are presented to determine what cognitive processes underlie failures to maintain set, and two analyses of archival data are presented. In analysis one, we analyzed data from a study where the WCST predicted creativity in participant constructions of Haiku poetry, but the analysis was not able distinguish whether FMS was predicting cognitively flexibility or distractibility. In analysis two, we analyzed data from a separate study where the WCST was used to predict vigilance in a divided attention task, and we detected that FMS inversely predicted vigilant performance. Our overall analysis suggests that FMS is an assessment of distractibility, not cognitive flexibility. We end with a discussion of the implications of our findings, and directions for future research.
Using Neuro-physiological Data to Improve Feedback Timing
Authors: Vogel-Walcutt Jennifer J. , Abich Julian , Carper Teresa Marino
Published: October 2013

The learning efficiency of complex tasks is an area being widely investigated in the literature. Specifically, many different instructional strategies have been developed in an effort to improve efficiency, especially within automated systems. Of particular interest are application methodologies which provide individual-ized recommendations. In this paper we compared the impact of individualized feedback based on both performance and real-time workload levels to feedback based on performance alone. Our data suggest pa-per-based knowledge acquisition test scores were not impacted by the intervention timing assisted by neuro-physiological measures. However, scenario-based decision-making performance scores were signifi-cantly improved when utilizing EEG data to aid intervention timing but not with eye-tracking data.
The role of calmness in a high-Go target detection task
Authors: Head James , Wilson Kyle , Helton William S. , Kemp Simon
Published: October 2013

Individual differences (e.g., extroversion) have been noted to influence performance on sustained attention tasks (Davies & Parasuraman, 1982). It has been proposed that the sustained attention to response task (SART) is a valid measure of lapses in attention and has been extensively used in attention studies (Manly, Robertson, Galloway, & Hawkins, 1999; Robertson, Manly, Andrade, Baddeley, & Yiend, 1997). In the current investigation we test whether SART is a measure of sustained attention versus a measure of motor control. Additionally, we tested how individual differences using an abridged version of the Big Five personality traits scale related to SART performance. Two-hundred and ninety-six university students completed a SART and the Big Five scale. The behavioral results revealed a negative correlation between errors of commission and response time which is indicative of a speed-accuracy trade-off. The individual difference results revealed that those who report themselves higher on the calmness trait (non-neurotic) make less errors of commission (inappropriate response) and have slower response times. However, mediation regression analysis revealed that the relationship between the calmness individual difference and commission errors may be mediated by response time. Collectively, the SART may be a better measure of response inhibition than sustained attention and SART performance can be influenced by individual differences which influence the speed-accuracy trade-off.
The Relationship between Inattentional Insensitivity of Visual, Tactile, and Olfactory Stimuli
Authors: Dattel Andrew. R. , Battle Amanda N. , Kossuth Lisa , Bifano Martin , Decker Jennifer , Majdic Kristen , Miller Marissa C. , Stefonetti Matthew C. , Dever Daniel P. , Sheehan Chelsea C.
Published: October 2013

Thirty-six participants were tested on inattentional blindness (IB), inattentional insensitivity for tactile stimuli, and inattentional insensitivity for olfactory stimuli. Inattentional insensitivity (IIS) is the inability to detect the sensation of a salient stimulus while performing a task within a congruent sensory modality. The Invisible Gorilla video (Simons, 2003) was used to test IB. Half of the participants were tasked while engaged in each sensory condition, and half of the participants were not tasked. Chi square analyses showed that tasked participants displayed more IB than nontasked participants. In addition, tasked participants in the tactile condition displayed more IIS for a salient tactile stimulus than participants who were not tasked. No differences were found between groups for IIS in the olfactory condition. High working memory (WM) participants showed better performance than low WM participants in the tactile task. High WM participants also showed better performance during the visual condition (i.e., higher accuracy for basketball counts). Finally, results suggest a possible relationship between IIS with performance across different sensory modalities.
The Effects of Virtual Keyboard Key Sizes on Typing Productivity and Physical Exposures
Authors: Kim Jeong Ho , Aulck Lovenoor , Thamsuwan Ornwipa , Bartha Michael C , Johnson Peter W
Published: October 2013

With mobile devices including tablet PCs, gravitating towards smaller sizes, the keyboard key sizes on these devices often have to be smaller than recommended key sizes and spacing (18 to 20 mm) for notebook and desktop keyboards. Currently, there is limited research into how key sizes can affect typing proficiency and physical exposures during virtual keyboard use. Therefore, the present study investigated how different virtual keyboard key sizes affected muscle activity, wrist posture, and typing productivity. A total of 21 subjects (12 males and 9 females) participated in a repeated-measures laboratory experiment where typing speed, accuracy, muscle activity, wrist posture, and subjective discomfort were compared between four different virtual keyboards with key sizes (width x height) of 13x13, 16x16, 19x19, and 22x22 mm with a 2-mm gutter surrounding each key. The results showed that the keyboard with the 13x13 mm keys (15 mm center-to-center key spacing) had a 15% slower typing speed (p < 0.0001), higher static (10th %tile) shoulder muscle activity (2% MVC, p = 0.01), and greater wrist extension in both hands (2° - 3°, p’s < 0.01). The study findings indicate that 13x13 mm key size may not be optimal for touch typing on a virtual keyboard.