bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taxonomy of Group Chat: A Basis for Understanding and Design
Authors: Ockerman Jennifer , Koterba Nathan
Published: January 2012

Instant messaging, or online chat, has existed for almost a decade. Today, more individuals are using chat in the work place as organizations increasingly acknowledge chat as a useful collaborative tool, particularly in distributed work environments. One organization where chat has seen overwhelming adoption is the military. Chat is ideally suited for military domains as it consumes low-bandwidth and provides nearly synchronous communication. In addition, military chat users can simultaneously monitor multiple group conversations, making chat an important situation awareness tool. Despite its extensive use, little research exists on chat use in the workplace, particularly the military, and almost none is devoted to making the chat environment more attuned to user needs. Before extensive studies on and possible improvements to chat environments can occur, an understanding of the different chat environments is needed. This paper provides an initial classification scheme for different types of chat.
Anthropomorphism of Textured “Faces”
Authors: Barber Daniel , Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Velie Matthew , Sushil David J. , Pepe Aaron A. , Ellis Linda U. , Shumaker Randall , Finkelstein Neal
Published: January 2012

Participants rated machine “faces” which varied in terms of facial feature shape, face shape, and eight facial background textures. Ratings were made for aggression, friendliness, intelligence, trustworthiness, and degree of animation. In addition, reaction time was collected for all ratings. Rough metal and blank facial backgrounds were perceived most trustworthy. Rough metal also had the highest mean friendliness. However, across ratings, face shape and feature shape proved to have more predictive validity than did the materials making up the face. It is likely that when faced with ambiguous objects, such as the front of a novel military vehicle, people project anthropomorphic features and then make judgments accordingly.
Management of Multiple Uavs with Imperfect Automation
Authors: Levinthal Brian R. , Wickens Christopher D.
Published: January 2012

Forty-two participants manipulated two or four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) while monitoring an adjacent display for camouflaged tanks. They were sometimes supported in the tank-detection task by an automated target recognition system that operated at either a reliability of .9 with a threshold designed to provide an equal number of false-alarms and misses, .6 with a low threshold producing more automation false alarms, or .6 with a high threshold producing more automation misses. As taskload doubled, performance on the UAV task was significantly reduced. The effect was not mediated by the presence of automated aids, though the aids did influence performance in the tank-detection task. Tank detection was improved by both the highly-reliable aid and (to a lesser extent) by the miss-prone aid, but was not improved (and sometimes hurt) by the false-alarm prone condition. The results support the independence model of reliance and compliance proposed by Meyer (2001).
A Human Error Analysis of U.S. Fatal Highway Crashes 1990–2004
Authors: Iden Rebecca , Shappell Scott A.
Published: January 2012

For decades, motor vehicle crashes have consistently been one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Historically, few attempts to address this problem have focused on human error. Even fewer have incorporated an analysis of human error when assessing possible preventative measures. The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) is an established framework for investigating and analyzing human error associated with accidents in other transportation modes such as aviation and rail. This study seeks to extend the application of HFACS to driver error in fatal motor vehicle crashes. Preliminary HFACS results suggest skill-based errors and violations are prevalent in fatal motor vehicle crashes. Relationships between driver error, lighting conditions, and States were also observed. Further investigations will be aimed at identifying the fundamental areas of human error relative to real world driving to identify data-driven interventions.
An Initial Model of Driver-Vehicle Performance in Recovery from Skids on ICY Roads
Authors: Caldenfors Dag , Dekker Sidney , Smith Kip
Published: January 2012

Closed-loop instability caused by excess phase lag has been studied widely in aviation. Here we develop and test a model of its counterpart in vehicle-driver-coupling, where participants were asked to recover from a skid on a slippery road. We model the damping effect of successful recovery as viscoelastic behavior. Oscillation number is the predictor variable; steering wheel angle is the response variable. We tested the model using a motion-based simulator that abruptly repositioned the rear end of the vehicle to start the skid. Five levels of time-delay (0, 40, 80, 120, 160 msec) simulated increasing phase lag (iciness). Regression analysis supports the model. The model reveals that successful recovery is insensitive to phase lag and confirms our instructors' mantra that maximum control actions should be not be taken at the onset of a skid. The fact that the model oversimplifies the driver-vehicle system does not detract from its predictive ability.
Prospects for Bicycle Safety Education
Authors: Ayres T. J.
Published: January 2012

A rationale is presented for why bicycle safety education may be more effective at reducing injuries than was the case for driver training. In contrast to the licensing exams and widespread knowledge that make driver training generally redundant, there are no requirements and little general knowledge for cycling; bicycle safety education programs can improve the skills and knowledge of cyclists. The results of an observational study of middle school children and a questionnaire study of adults are consistent with previous suggestions that cycle safety classes can change cyclist behavior and reduce crash risk.
Toward the Development of a Performance Model of Railroad Dispatching
Authors: Reinach Stephen J.
Published: January 2012

Railroad dispatchers shoulder more responsibilities today than ever before due to changes in technology, operating practices and the economy. This paper reviews literature on the job of railroad dispatching and summarizes research conducted to identify and document railroad dispatcher tasks and activities. An initial set of dispatcher tasks was generated. Then two questionnaires were developed to expand the list, identify other factors that affect dispatcher taskload, and determine how challenging it is to collect data on these tasks. Questionnaires were sent to representatives from Federal Railroad Administration regional offices, railroad officers, and railroad dispatchers. Sixty-seven different dispatcher tasks were identified and organized into six top-level task categories. Questionnaire results suggest there is no single, efficient mechanism to collect dispatcher taskload data. The literature review and questionnaire data highlight the importance of the cognitive aspects of dispatching. Based on the results, a preliminary, but comprehensive, model of railroad dispatching performance is proposed.
Factors Affecting Emotional Responses in Mobile Phone Design Evaluation
Authors: Seva Rosemary R. , Duh Henry Been-Lirn , Helander Martin G.
Published: January 2012

Emotion is elicited by products upon closer inspection before purchase. The pre-purchase situation is very important because it is at this stage that consumers make a decision to buy a product. This study identified the relationship between mobile phone attributes and pre-purchase emotion. The moderating effect of selected purchase criteria to the relationship between attributes and emotion was also be investigated. Forty two participants voluntarily took part in this field survey. Results of the study suggested that phone attributes related to dimension and form can predict pre-purchase emotion. The size of the navigation button was found to be a significant predictor of all pre-purchase emotion except excitement. Larger navigation buttons elicited greater intensities of positive emotion. Other phone attributes were also found to be significant predictors of some emotions. Design preference moderated the relationship between the size of the navigation button and feelings of encouragement to buy.
Risk Assessment of Panelized Wall Systems in Residential Construction Using Critical Incident Technique
Authors: Kim Hyung N. , Nussbaum Maury A. , Seol Hyang , Kim Sunwook , Smith-Jackson Tonya L.
Published: January 2012

Panelized wall systems are now extensively utilized in residential construction, which is recognized as a high-risk industry. A considerable number of construction injuries are reported every year. According to Occupational Safety & Health Administration (2005), 38,000 construction injuries occur each year. Safety on construction sites may not have the highest priority, as emphases of the construction industry are more on speed, efficiency, and economy. Furthermore, panelized wall systems have not been investigated in terms of hazard analysis. The primary purpose of the study was to identify the hazards related to panelized wall systems and to provide recommendations to improve the construction work environment. A critical incident technique was used to identify hazards through video-based observation, and the identified hazards were classified into five categories with twelve subcategories. Recommendations were provided for the hazards in each category. Based on the outcomes of the critical incident technique, risks associated with panelized wall systems were assessed using the MIL-STD-882B Risk Assessment Matrix.
Virtual Card Deck for Introductory Human Factors Experiments and Demonstrations
Authors: Woodcock Kathryn , Harrison Laurie
Published: January 2012

Most introductory courses in ergonomics introduce basic concepts of reaction time, Fitts' Law and Hick-Hyman equation. As well, performance effects of such differences as input device choice, environmental factors, signal to noise ratio, and individual differences, fatigue and intoxication may be covered. Various methods of demonstrating these concepts may be used, ranging from card decks and stopwatches to tachistoscopes. A core module for a learning object has been developed by Ryerson University Digital Media Projects in support of the School of Occupational and Public Health introductory ergonomics courses. The learning object runs on the online course server and can be used in both classroom courses and distance courses by accessing the online module. This paper describes the features of the learning object and ways that it can be incorporated into an introductory course or student project.
Conex — A Web-Based Community System for Constructing and Conducting Experiments
Authors: Hildebrandt Michael , Polkehn Knut
Published: January 2012

This paper introduces conex, a comprehensive web-based experiment management system, and discusses the requirements that motivated its development. Its strengths are the flexible, modular control flow editor, its powerful capabilities for importing and re-using a wide range of experiment templates, its data storage and retrieval features, and its groupware support. The system is targeted at behavioral researchers conducting empirical studies with web-compatible material and will realize its full potential when used by a community of researchers and for long-term experimental projects. The system is non-commercial and can be installed on any web server with Perl and MySQL access. An online demo is available at www.microworld.org .
Past to Present with the Presidents
Authors: Hornick Richard J. , Hendrick Hal W.
Published: January 2012

This is a special session for the purpose of personalizing some of the history of HFES by presenting former and current presidents in a casual atmosphere. Presidents will be introduced in chronological order; each will make a few remarks. An opportunity to meet and mingle with them socially will occur after their remarks.
Preparing for Your Career: Learn from the past 50 Years as You Prepare for the Next 50
Authors: Shapiro Ronald G. , Andre Anthony D. , Beith Barry H. , Endsley Mica R. , Naga Julie T. B.
Published: January 2012

Welcome to the Thirteenth Annual Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Student Career Panel. This year's paper emphasizes the importance of career planning and preparation throughout the graduate school experience. It addresses tried and tested techniques as well as new ideas for finding the ideal career path and position. Early career preparation (or even taking remedial action) both enhances the graduate school experience and helps to secure the ideal job. Beyond the position statements found below, the panel itself will address questions from the audience about career preparation. A second paper will be produced, based upon the panel presentations and discussion, and will be available upon request to session attendees and included alongside this paper in the 2007 edition of the Career Resource Guide.
The Influence of Footwear Sole Hardness on Slip Initiation in Young Adults
Authors: Tsai Yi-Ju , Powers Christopher
Published: January 2012

Introduction: Based on mechanical testing, harder soled shoes have been shown to provide less slip resistance than softer soled shoes. Whether or not wearing shoes with a hard sole leads to increased slip probability has not been examined. Methods: Forty healthy adults participated. Each was randomized into a hard (N=20) or a soft sole shoe group (N=20). Subjects were tested under both non-slippery (high-pressure laminate) and slippery floor conditions (dry Teflon). A fall arresting harness was used for all trials. Slip events during the slippery floor trials were documented using a motion analysis system. Slip probability was compared between conditions using a Chi-square test. Results: The proportion of slip events in the hard sole group (35%) was statistically greater than the proportion of slip events in the soft sole group (0%; X2 = 8.485, P = 0.008). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that slip probability is influenced by sole hardness, which suggest that shoe sole hardness should be considered when designing footwear aimed at decreasing slip risk.
The Effect of Target Color and Contrast on Movement Times in Aimed Movement Tasks
Authors: Murphy Robert C.
Published: January 2012

Today's use of various devices and software requires pointing, clicking or touching within a variety of graphic user interfaces. Understanding the effect of the potential variety of interface elements on these interactions or aimed movements will assist in optimizing performance within these interfaces. This study addresses the potential effect of color and contrast of targets on performance in aimed movement tasks through a pointing and clicking task on the computer. Target size, color, contrast, and movement direction were manipulated, measuring any effect on movement time and errors. Size had an effect on movement time, as predicted by Fitts' law, with a decrease in performance as size decreased. Color had no significant effect on movement time or errors. Target contrast interacted with size in both movement time and error analysis; as size decreased, high contrast targets were hit faster and produced more errors than low contrast targets. Direction had an effect on movement time, with faster movements to the left.
An Examination of the Yardmaster's Role in Railroad Yard Safety
Authors: Reinach Stephen J. , Viale Alex F.
Published: January 2012

The rate of U.S. railroad yard switching accidents is more than 10 times the rate of accidents on other-than-yard track. Railroad safety and accident prevention has traditionally focused on the crews that operate on-track equipment, yet accidents usually have multiple contributing factors, including supervisory and organizational factors. This paper describes the results of focus groups with 56 railroad yardmasters to identify yardmaster-related factors that have the potential to affect yard safety. Yardmasters are the frontline supervisors of railroad yards: they plan, control, and manage track use in switching yards and are responsible for the operating crews in the yard. Focus group questions fell into five major topic groupings: training and experience; communications and information flow; stressors, distractions, workload, and difficult aspects of the job; fatigue, staffing, and work schedules; and best practices and lessons learned. Results illuminate a number of areas that, if corrected, may result in improved yard safety and operations.
Using Machine Learning Techniques to Reduce Data Annotation Time
Authors: Schreiner Christopher , Torkkola Kari , Gardner Mike , Zhang Keshu
Published: January 2012

Manually annotating large databases in any domain is costly and time-consuming. We present a semi-automatic annotation tool for this purpose that uses Random Forests as bootstrapped classifiers. We describe an application of this tool on a large database of simulated driving data. The tool enables the user to verify automatically generated annotations, rather than annotating from scratch. This tool reduced the amount of time required to annotate one minute of video by a factor of six, down to approximately thirty-five seconds of annotation time per minute of video for a database of simulated driving data. The tool is limited in that its effectiveness is dependent upon the types of data collected, and the statistical boundaries between the different annotations.
Pedestrian Detection with Night Vision Systems Enhanced by Automatic Warnings
Authors: Tsimhoni Omer , Flannagan Michael
Published: January 2012

Pedestrian detection using far-infrared (FIR) and near-infrared (NIR) night vision systems was compared in this experiment, combined with automatic warnings at one of two distances (150 m and 75 m) or no warning at all. Sixteen subjects (eight younger than 30 years and eight older than 60 years) pressed a button as soon as they saw a pedestrian on a night vision system in the center console of a vehicle simulator. In addition, they performed a concurrent simulated steering task that required almost continuous viewing of the forward scene, similar to real driving. The automatic visual warning was a blue rectangle that zoomed in on the pedestrian in the video display. When the warning was presented 150 m ahead of the pedestrian, detection distance and accuracy for both night vision systems increased, but the effects were more prominent for the NIR system. In the 75 m condition, automatic warnings improved performance with NIR but worsened performance with FIR, possibly because in some trials subjects waited for the automatic warning before responding. Overall, automatic visual warnings based on image processing were effective in increasing accuracy and detection distance for pedestrians except when short-distance warnings were used with the FIR system.
Using Glance Behaviour to Evaluate ACC Driver Controls in a Driving Simulator
Authors: Thompson Laura K. , Tönnis Marcus , Lange Christian
Published: January 2012

This paper examines the glance behaviour of drivers while interacting with two different driver-vehicle interface concepts for an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system. With the integrated concept, the speed and following distance controls were located on the steering wheel whereas with the divided concept the speed control was moved to the dashboard. A virtual Head-Up Display (HUD) was used to show the ACC settings and current speed. Twelve subjects (19 to 53 years old) drove a rural road course in a fixed-base driving simulator while being verbally instructed to adjust the speed and/or following distance of the ACC system. Dividing the controls between the steering wheel and dashboard caused significantly larger mean and maximum glance times and a lower glance frequency to the displays and controls. The percent glance time “off-road” furthermore increased significantly during task completion. Other significant results were observed between the task type and task length.
Executable Requirements for Visualization Design
Authors: Hale Christopher R.
Published: January 2012

We describe a methodology that integrates Cognitive System Engineering (CSE) and system development processes. The methodology is designed to result in a tight integration of CSE into the overall system development process; in contrast to other methods in which CSE is treated as a separate, but directive, activity of system development. The centerpiece of our methodology is the development of executable requirements. This involves explicitly relating cognitive and perceptual work elements to system requirements, modeling the work needed to satisfy each requirement and then basing visualization concepts on these hybrid requirements. The methodology currently is being used to define a visualization system for assessment within Air and Space Operations Centers.
Human-Automation Collaboration in Dynamic Mission Planning: A Challenge Requiring an Ecological Approach
Authors: Linegang Michael P. , Stoner Heather A. , Patterson Michael J. , Seppelt Bobbie D. , Hoffman Joshua D. , Crittendon Zachariah B. , Lee John D.
Published: January 2012

The US Navy is funding the development of advanced automation systems to plan and execute unmanned vehicles missions, pushing towards a higher level of autonomy for automated planning systems. With effective systems, the human could play a role of mission manager and automation systems could perform mission planning and execution tasks with limited human involvement. Evaluations of the automation systems currently under development are identifying critical conflicts between human operator expectations and automated planning results. This paper presents a model of this human-automation interaction system and summarizes the resulting system design effort. This model provides a theory explaining the source of conflict between human and automation, and predicts that an ecological approach to display design would reduce that conflict. Based on that prediction, the paper describes initial results of an ecological approach to system analysis and design, intended to improve human-automation interaction for these types of advanced automation systems.
A Method to Determine Optimal Simulator Training Time: Examining Performance Improvement Across the Learning Curve
Authors: Champney Roberto , Milham Laura , Carroll Meredith Bell , Stanney Kay M. , Cohn Joseph
Published: January 2012

Training simulators have become an integral part of training programs across both military and non military domains. A pressing issue, however, is when and how the systems should be integrated into an existing training curriculum. Currently, time spent in simulator training is usually driven by availability of the simulator or the planned class curriculum, rather than by any type of systematic evaluation of the incremental learning that occurs across time. One reason for this may be the lack of methodologies for evaluating the optimal training time spent in simulators. To address this, a methodology is presented which utilizes a continuous evaluation of performance across trials to identify a “plateau” in learning improvements as represented by a learning curve.
Enhancing Spatial Awareness with Tactile cues in a Virtual Environment
Authors: Hale Kelly S. , Stanney Kay M.
Published: January 2012

Situation awareness is a critical component to many complex military tasks, where operators must be aware of the situation around them as it unfolds in real-time. Warfighters involved in military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) operate in a dynamic, highly stressful environment, where specific knowledge, such as spatial awareness of potential enemy location within a given space is required. Virtual training systems are one method that may be used to train soldiers, as they offer multimodal displays that expose trainees to situations/conditions that are otherwise expensive and dangerous for repeated live training (e.g., live bullets; injuries). This study examined the benefits of incorporating haptic cues into a VE training environment to enhance spatial awareness across successive training to examine learning effects associated with haptic training cues.
The Effects of Lens Focus When Viewing Stereoscopic Micro-Display Images
Authors: Wong W. S. , Yip Romeo , So Richard , Huang H.C. , Lam Andrew
Published: January 2012

In a typical Head Mounted Display (HMD), the distance between the lens and the display screen is fixed. When viewing stereoscopic images presented on a HMD with different binocular disparities, viewers are forced to perform vergence without appropriate eye accommodation. This posts an un-natural demand on viewers' eyes. This paper reports the successful development of a HMD with computer-controlled lens focuses and the results of an experiment conducted to study the benefits of appropriate lens focus adjustment on the time taken for viewers to converge a pair of left and right binocular images into a single stereoscopic image. 3D letters were presented with binocular disparities appropriate to a virtual depth of 40cm. Two lens focus adjustments were used: 40cm and infinity. The order of presenting the two lens focus conditions was randomized. Data from ten participants with five repetitions indicate that the participants took significantly less time to converge the left and right images when the lens focus matched with the virtual depth of the images ( p < 0.0001, ANOVA). The effects of repetitions, participants, and their interactions with the main effects of lens focus are presented.
Driving Performance of Novice and Experienced Drivers in Lane-Change Scenarios
Authors: Yang Guihua , Jaeger Beverly , Mourant Ronald R.
Published: January 2012

Using a virtual reality driving simulator, the behavior of 12 novice and 12 experienced drivers was recorded during three right-to-left lane-change scenarios. The first scenario had no vehicles in the left lane, the second had one rear-approaching vehicle in the left lane, and the third had three vehicles approaching from the rear left lane. Each lane-change maneuver was composed of 1) a preparatory period, 2) the actual steering initiative from the right lane to the left lane, and 3) a post-lane change period and was to be accomplished while maintaining a specified highway velocity. Lane deviation data showed that novice drivers had significantly more variance in lane position during the preparatory and post-lane change periods than experienced drivers. Novice drivers also spend significantly less time looking at the vehicle's speedometer and mirrors. This study suggests that virtual reality driving simulators may be useful in helping novice drivers acquire the skills necessary for safe lane change maneuvers.
Reliance on Automation as a Function of Expectation of Reliability, Cost of Verification, and Age
Authors: Ezer Neta , Fisk Arthur D. , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: January 2012

The influence of trust on automation reliance has been examined during interaction with the automation, but little attention has been paid to individuals' initial expectation of automation reliability as it affects future reliance, especially when the cost of not relying on automation is known in advance. Additionally, whereas automation may help to improve the lives of older adults, their expectations of automation reliability have not been thoroughly considered. In this study, 16 older adults and 16 younger adults were asked about their expectation of the reliability of an automated counting aid and half were told that they would lose points for verifying the automation. Subsequent reliance on the decision aid was recorded. The results indicated that neither age nor the cost of verification appears to have an effect on reliability expectancy. Furthermore, predictions of reliability had a negative correlation to reliance. The findings suggest that individuals develop expectations of automation over the course of experience and interaction with automation.
Error Extensions to GOMS Modeling: Age-Related Predictions of Error in a Mobile Phone Task
Authors: Jastrzembski Tiffany S. , Charness Neil
Published: January 2012

Human error is pervasive (Kirwan, 1994), and its consequences are often costly (e.g. time, money) or even deadly (e.g. Neumann, 1995). Yet, many types of human fallibility are not anomalous occurrences, but instead flow from psychological processes that normally produce correct behavior (Mach, 1905). It is therefore reasonable to argue that some types of errors may be predictable (so long as situational demands and human capabilities/limitations are properly taken into consideration) and subsequently, amenable to computational modeling techniques. This research seeks to incorporate and implement psychological theory of human error in GOMS models of human performance by first classifying errors under a simplified GEMS schematic (Reason, 1990), then extracting observed error probabilities from simpler mobile phone tasks, and validating model predictions in a more complex, mobile phone task. Results revealed no differences between model predictions and human production of error across all types of error classification, and models accurately predicted error rates for younger and older users based upon previously validated, age-informed processing parameters included in each age-sensitive model.
“Picture-in-Picture” Augmentation of UAV Workstation Video Display
Authors: Calhoun Gloria , Ruff Heath , Lefebvre Austen , Draper Mark , Ayala Antonio
Published: January 2012

Research at the Air Force Research Laboratory has focused on determining the value of combining computer-generated information with live camera video presented on an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) station display. In a previous study, a picture-in-picture (PIP) concept (where video imagery is surrounded by synthetic-generated terrain imagery, increasing the operator's instantaneous field-of-view) was found to reduce landmark search time and enhance operator situation awareness. The present study examined whether PIP display size and symbology overlay registration error impacts performance. Results confirmed that performance on a landmark search task is better when a PIP display was used, particularly with the more compressed video imagery, reducing average designation time by 60%. Also, the registration error between the virtual flags and landmarks was less critical with the PIP capability enabled. This research has potential application to a variety of teleoperated control applications.
Temporal Effects in a Security Inspection Task: Breakdown of Performance Components
Authors: Ghylin K. M. , Drury C. G. , Batta R , Lin L.
Published: January 2012

Data from certified screeners performing an x-ray inspection task for 4 hours, or 1000 images, were analyzed to identify the nature of the vigilance decrement. The expected vigilance decrement was found, with performance measured by probability of detection (PoD) and probability of false alarm [P(FA)] decreasing from hour 1 to hour 4. Correlations between PoD and P(FA) indicate that sensitivity between hours remained the same, however a shift in criterion (Beta) occurred. Significant decreases in both detection and stopping time were found from the first hour to the second, third, and fourth hour. Evidence of changes in the search component of the time per item was found to account for part of the vigilance decrement. As the task continued, participants spent less time actively searching the image, as opposed to other activities. Evidence is provided for truncation of active search as security inspection continues.
A Metric for the Shared Interpretation of Commander's Intent
Authors: Winner Jennifer L. , Freeman Jared T. , Cooke Nancy J. , Goodwin Gerald F.
Published: January 2012

An enduring challenge in management and in military command is ensuring that subordinates select actions as their leader would, particularly when circumstances change unexpectedly. An experiment was conducted to test a measure of shared interpretation of commander's intent and its effects on the adaptability of subordinates. Performance was measured in the context of a simulated law enforcement task. A course of action ranking procedure was used as a measure of interpretation of intent with rank order correlation reflecting shared interpretation. The study validates a measure of shared interpretation of commander's intent and supports the hypothesis that making values explicit enhances shared interpretation and adaptability. The findings indicate that when missions change in unexpected ways, a commander's intent statement that presents the values by which actions are to be prioritized produces greater agreement between commander and subordinates on action preferences than do intent statements that prescribe command preference for specific actions.
Effects of Long Audio Communication Delays on Team Performance
Authors: Armstead Adam G. , Henning Robert A.
Published: January 2012

Mediated communication in sociotechnical systems is quite common but the effects of long audio delays remain unexplored. In the current study, two-person teams (N=67) completed a modified NASA Multi-Attribute Task Battery with closed-loop audio communication delays 0 to 16 seconds in length. In addition to a joint fuel management task, each team member had simultaneous responsibility for either a compensatory tracking or a system monitoring task. As communication delay increased, performance on the joint task degraded in a cubic fashion while individual tasks were unaffected. These results imply that audio communication delay degrades team performance in a non-linear fashion while simultaneous tasks not requiring communication are unaffected. Implications for the design of sociotechnical systems with long audio communication delays are discussed.
Does Multimodal Presentation Encourage Integration of Multimedia Materials? A Pilot Study
Authors: Zolna Jesse S.
Published: January 2012

Presenting instructional materials with a mixture of media increases the likelihood that people will learn the information. The hypothesis of this study is that these learning benefits are primarily the result of multimedia supporting the integration of instructional materials. For instance, replacing text with narrations improves learning (the modality effect) by taking advantage of humans' ability to perceive visual and auditory inputs simultaneously, allowing faster processing and aiding efficient integration of multimedia instructional materials. To test this hypothesis, study time will be manipulated to see if it influences the modality effect when verbal materials accompany visual images. This paper outlines results of a pilot study, study results will be presented at the conference.
An Evaluation of Real-Time Cognitive State Classification in a Harsh Operational Environment
Authors: Dorneich Michael C. , Mathan Santosh , Ververs Patricia May , Whitlow Stephen D.
Published: January 2012

This paper describes an evaluation conducted with a full platoon of 32 Soldiers at Aberdeen Proving Grounds' MOUT site in Aberdeen, MD. The objective was to assess the cognitive workload classification techniques driven by neuro-physiological (EEG) and physiological (ECG) sensors. In a first ever evaluation of real-time cognitive monitoring in the harsh operational environment, the assessment culminated in a three phase, 24-hour mission consisting of a coordinated Route Reconnaissance, a Cordon and Search of a village, and a Hasty Defense operation. Task load levels were manipulated by introducing unexpected and unplanned events requiring re-planning and extensive coordination by the leadership (high task load) as well as lulls in the activity in which part missions were executed flawlessly with little variations on the preplanned, well versed drill (low task load). Four leaders (Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant, Squad Leader 1, and Squad Leader 2) were equipped with sensors to measure and output cognitive state in real-time. The fused EEG and ECG workload classification approach reached 95% accuracy depending on the individual and the amount of data used to train the classifier. This level of success implies that Augmented Cognition workload assessment tools enable the ability to move beyond subjective workload rating scales, such as NASA TLX and Cooper Harper ratings, to more objective measurements of real-time cognitive state metrics in almost any conceivable operational environment.
Applying Coherent Design to Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Operations and Control Stations
Authors: Castro Luis N. Gonzalez , Pritchett Amy R. , Bruneau Daniel P.J. , Johnson Eric N.
Published: January 2012

This paper addresses principles of coherent design in the design of operational procedures, control systems and ground control stations for uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs). Creating a coherent set of operating procedures, automatic functions and Ground Control Stations (GCS) requires a systematic design approach that creates a consistent conceptual thread between these elements. Following this approach, Cognitive Work Analysis was used to develop procedures, automatic functions and ground control stations for continuous target surveillance using a UAV. The importance of the coherence was subsequently analyzed through human-in-the-loop simulation. The results indicate that UAV controllers, using coherent designs, achieve significantly higher mission performance and experience lower workloads than those using incoherently matched procedures, automatic functions and GCS.
More is Less: The Effect of Single and Multiple Interleaved Interruptions on Task Resumption
Authors: Kidd David G. , Monk Christopher A.
Published: January 2012

People experience and handle interruptions on a daily basis. One strategy that people use to manage interruptions is to interleave an interrupting task with a primary task. Past interruptions research has mostly looked at the effects of a single interruption on primary task performance. This study sought to expand on past research by examining primary task performance during a period of interleaved interruptions. In this study, participants experienced either a single interruption or a series of interruptions that increased or decreased in duration. Task resumption in both interleaved interruption conditions was significantly faster than in the single interruption condition. The findings suggest that interleaving interruptions leads to more efficient task resumption than resuming after a single interruption.
Cross-National Comparison of Team Competency Values
Authors: Sieck Winston R. , Smith Jennifer L. , McHugh Anna P.
Published: January 2012

The current study examined cultural differences in beliefs about the competencies required for effective team functioning. Participants (n = 163) with professional experience from four nations completed a web-based survey about team competencies. Overall, the results indicated that notions of competent team behavior rooted in Western scholarship are valued across a diverse set of countries. Surprisingly, these differences held even for team-focused competencies that would appear to run counter to Western independence and individualism, such as putting team goals before personal goals. Implications are discussed.
The Cost of Knowledge Recovery: A Challenge for the Application of Concept Mapping
Authors: Hoffman Robert R. , Feltovich Paul J. , Eccles David W.
Published: January 2012

Whereas knowledge management relies on processes of knowledge elicitation, there is also a process in which knowledge is “recovered,” typically from archived documents. We conducted a knowledge recovery (KR) effort, going from documents to a structured set of propositions concerning expert knowledge about terrain analysis, discussing landforms, soils, rock types, etc. Assertions and feature associations were recast as over 3,000 propositions. When contrasted with results from previous evaluations of methods of knowledge elicitation, KR was costly in terms of time and effort, suggesting that knowledge-based organizations should make knowledge capture an on-going aspect of work, rather than finding themselves in the “catch-up mode” to recover lost expertise. For both knowledge elicitation and recovery, the knowledge has to be represented in a form that is usable and useful (e.g., instantiation in knowledge bases). We created from the propositions a navigable knowledge model based on over 150 Concept Maps, which were hyperlinked together and to dozens of resources (aerial photos, maps, diagrams, etc.). Such knowledge models are intended to make the “expertise of the past” more useful and usable in training and in performance support.
Development and Evaluation of an Intuitive Operations Planning Process for the Canadian Forces
Authors: Martin L. Bruyn , Rehak L. , Lamoureux T. , Bryant David , Vokac B.
Published: January 2012

This paper describes the development and evaluation of an intuitive planning process as an alternative to the Canadian Forces Operational Planning Process (CFOPP), a formal planning procedure based on analytical decision theory. The Intuitive Operations Planning Process (IOPP) is an iterative planning procedure, developed for this project, in which a single course of action is continually evaluated and refined. An experimental evaluation of the IOPP was conducted in which two planning teams performed two simulated planning tasks, once with the CFOPP and once with the IOPP. Results show that the IOPP outperformed the CFOPP in terms of efficiency, quality of planning products, usability, operational effectiveness, and workload, but was rated inferior in terms of trust and reliability, and the potential to lead to errors. It appears that the IOPP may be able to provide benefits to operational planning in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness and its use should therefore be further examined.
Macrocognition Metrics: Meaningful Measures for Complex Processes
Authors: Salas Eduardo , Fiore Stephen M.
Published: January 2012

Increasingly we see business functions and military operations engaging systems that are interconnected and interdependent with an even greater degree of cognitive work distributed among people and machines. From this we will see an increased need to understand how individuals and teams in these environments are able to work together to plan, think, decide, solve problems, and take action as integrated units. This panel brings together leading researchers from the burgeoning field of macrocognition to discuss their research. In cognitive engineering and related scientific disciplines the term macrocognition has been contrasted with microcognition to illustrate differing types of cognitive processes. What complicates the issue is that these distinctions consider not only the realization of cognition in the real world but also a level of analysis. Panel members will discuss issues arising out of research to understand complex and collaborative activities in vivo and in situ and in the development of the appropriate metrics to measure dynamic cognitive processes in such environments.
Effects of Key Size and Spacing on the Completion Time and Accuracy of Input Tasks on Soft Keypads Using Trackball and Touch Input
Authors: Schedlbauer Martin
Published: January 2012

Simulated keyboards on touch screens are becoming the norm for data entry on mobile and kiosk systems. Since onscreen keyboards compete with other user interface elements for limited screen space, it is essential that soft keyboard designs are optimally laid out. This paper describes an experiment in which the performance and accuracy of data input on soft keyboards with square keys of two different widths (10 and 15 mm) and two inter-key gap distances (1.5 and 4.5 mm) were evaluated. Three methods of input were studied: finger, stylus, and trackball. Entry times were the shortest and most accurate for stylus touch, although trackball input was the most accurate for the smallest key size. The spacing between keys did not exhibit a significant effect regardless of key size and input method. A key size of 15 mm appears to be sufficiently large to provide acceptable accuracy for touch input, although a key size of 10 mm was equally acceptable for trackball input.
Evaluation of Semantic Fisheye Zooming to Provide Focus+Context
Authors: Afram Andrew J. , Briedis John , Fujiwara Daisuke , Jacob Robert J.K. , Cao Caroline G.L. , Kahle David
Published: January 2012

A concept map is a diagram that consists of nodes that contain individual concepts or pieces of information. These nodes are connected by lines that represent relationships between the information. Large concept maps are difficult to explore and navigate using current digital display interfaces. As users zoom in on a desired node, connections between the node of interest and surrounding nodes become hidden from the user. A combination of fisheye zooming and semantic zooming mechanisms to maintain the visual connections between the nodes was implemented, and a user study to determine whether this technique helps users learn from the map was conducted. The user study revealed that participants were able to recall more information presented in a concept map, with practically no difference in the amount of time spent using the map, despite the novelty of the semantic fisheye interface.
An Interactive Planning Prototype for Task Force Air Defense
Authors: Lintern Gavan
Published: January 2012

This work reports development of an interactive prototype of a military planning workspace, implemented in Macromedia Flash. The interface was structured to support the natural reasoning strategies that are encouraged by a functional structure based on an Abstraction-Decomposition Space. A scenario involving planning for naval task force air defence is used to illustrate the use of the system. The prototype demonstrates a pictorially rich information workspace for planning and also the flexibility of Macromedia Flash for developing a prototype that permits interactive exploration of an information work system.
How can we Enhance the Impact of HFE on the World? Presidential Forum Position Paper
Authors: Dainoff Marvin J.
Published: January 2012

A core value of HFES has been the translation of scientific knowledge into information that can be used to improve the design and effectiveness of the systems and equipment used by people. The extent to which HFE knowledge has, in fact, had an impact on the world needs to be systematically and analytically explored. This is necessary for the continued growth of the HFE field. This forum will explore this issue. Three key questions are: (a) In the process of translation from research to practice, to what extent is practice evidence-based? (b) Should the HFE field be constrained in the service of quality control or purely entrepreneurial in style? (c) Can we reframe the benefits of our contributions to conform more closely with the key goals and objectives of customer organizations?
The Observational Teamwork Assessment for Surgery (OTAS): Development, Feasibility and Reliability
Authors: Undre Shabnam , Healey Andrew , Sevdalis Nick , Koutantji Maria , Vincent Charles
Published: January 2012

Surgery depends on inter-professional teamwork, which is becoming increasingly specialized. If surgery is to become a highly reliable system, it must adapt and professionals must learn from, and share, tested models of inter-professional teamwork. Trainers also need valid measures of teamwork to assess individual and team performance. However, measurement and assessment of inter-professional teamwork is lacking and inter-professional team training is scarce in the surgical domain. The presentation will address the complexity of measuring inter-professional teamwork in the operating theatre. It will focus mainly on the design and properties of observational assessment tools and will describe in some detail the “Observational Teamwork Assessment for Surgery” (OTAS) that our group has developed. We aim to inform the researcher or clinician of the issues to consider when designing or choosing from alternative measures of team performance for training or assessment.