bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Before I Forget: How Clinicians Cope with Uncertainty Through ICU Sign-Outs
Authors: Nemeth Christopher P. , Kowalsky Julie , Brandwijk Marian , Kahana Madelyn , Klock P. Allan , Cook Richard I.
Published: January 2012

Transitions between shifts in the intensive care unit (ICU) create potential gaps in the continuity of care, and practitioners necessarily rely on distributed cognition to prevent the formation of gaps during work-cycle shift changes. The complexity and uncertainty of each ICU patient's condition require efficient communication between practitioners during transfers between departments or when cycling work through shifts. This study observed twelve unit-level exchanges among six clinicians handing off a 33-bed PICU and step-down unit, then examined them using conversation analysis.

Our research shows that pediatric ICU fellow sign-outs demonstrate high context sensitivity, compact reference, gestures, and stylized expressions. We find that sign outs account for both what is known and what is not known about a patient's condition, and to assess expectations for the oncoming shift. Uncertainty about patient condition influences handoff content and form. Clinicians change the amount time that they allocate to handoffs based on other aspects of work load, such as rounds or procedures. Clinicians apportion time to discuss individual patients according to the perceived severity and stability of each patient's condition.

Expertise in hand-off communications depends on the ability to prioritize relevant information and to transfer insights effectively. Relevant, efficient hand-offs significantly affect the ability of clinicians to provide care at the unit level, within and between departments, and across specialties such as intensivists, nurse anesthetists, and anesthesia technicians. Even though they affect patient care quality and continuity, sign outs are not taught but are instead learned on the job. Formal study of, and training in, the conduct of sign outs may benefit both care providers and patients alike.
Modeling Surgical Resident Performance
Authors: Waxberg Sara , Cao Caroline G.L.
Published: January 2012

The goals of this work were to evaluate the methods used for assessing surgical residents and to model surgical resident performance. Currently, residents are evaluated by the attending surgeons using a one-page paper evaluation form after each rotation in a particular department. These subjective questionnaires require the evaluators to rate residents in competency areas that are thought to define a successful surgeon. An electronic database was created from resident performance records collected over the past 33 years from the Department of Surgery at the Tufts-NEMC. A usability study examined the effectiveness of the design of the evaluation form and the competency measures. Analysis showed nine changes in format between 1972 and 2005, varying in the competencies rated and rating scales used. Regression analysis was used to model the performance of surgical residents. Results showed that judgment ( p < 0.0001), initiative ( p < 0.0001), and reaction to stress ( p = 0.0206) were significant predictors of a successful outcome. This model may be used to predict the success of new residents and possibly target weaknesses in the surgical education curriculum.
Analysis of Human Postural Control during Spontaneous Sway Using an Optimal Control Model
Authors: Qu Xingda , Nussbaum Maury A. , Madigan Michael L.
Published: January 2012

Models of human postural control aid in understanding human capabilities and limitations, and may facilitate a reduction in injuries related to loss-of-balance. Such a model is presented here to simulate and interpret the postural control system during spontaneous sway. The human body was represented by a simple inverted pendulum, with the neural controller assumed to be an optimal controller that generates spontaneous sway according to a certain performance criterion. In order to accurately simulate existing experimental data, an optimization procedure was used to specify the set of model parameters. Ten independent simulations were performed for both young and older adults. Aging effects were then analyzed based on the simulation results. The results showed that this model was able to simulate some center-of-pressure measures reported in experimental studies, and indicated potential changes in postural control mechanisms caused by aging.
Towards the Shape of Mental Workload
Authors: Cassenti Daniel N. , Kelley Troy D.
Published: January 2012

Mental workload is a measure of how much mental effort a person devotes to one or more tasks. In two experiments, we investigated the effect of multiple identical tasks on human performance in terms of both accuracy and response time for a visuo-spatial task set and an auditory task set. The findings showed that participants performed linearly worse on some measures of performance when the number of tasks increased, while other measures showed two distinctive variations on this linear decrease in performance. We discuss these results in terms of their effect on the traditional linear representation of workload in IMPRINT (IMproved Performance Research INtegration Tool, Archer & Adkins, 1999), a task-based human performance modeling system.
Flight Crew Task Reconstruction for Flight Data Analysis Program
Authors: Muraoka Koji , Tsuda Hiroka
Published: January 2012

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has started development of a proactive flight crew operations safety analysis tool designed to be used within an air carrier's FDA (Flight Data Analysis) program. The tool reconstructs flight crew activities, both tasks which are directly detectable from an FDA dataset by changes of system parameters, and tasks which cannot be observed directly from the dataset by using an embedded rule-based human behavioral model. The model generates an estimated sequence of flight crew procedural activities as well as a workload time history. These outputs are used to assess potential problems in daily flight crew operations, such as deviations from Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or high workload situations, for the prevention of exceedances and incidents. As an initial step of the development, a prototype flight crew task reconstruction routine was constructed, and a numerical simulation experiment demonstrated the tool's potential capabilities.
Development of a Job Task Analysis Tool for Assessing the Work of Physicians in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Schultz Kara , Slagle Jason , Brown Roger , Douglas Steve , Frederick Brian , Lakhani Manisha , Scruggs Jesse , Slater Bruce , Weinger Matthew B. , Wood Kenneth E. , Carayon Pascale
Published: January 2012

This paper describes the development of a job task analysis tool for observing and recording physician tasks in the ICU. Real-time direct observations were conducted by outside observers using a computerized data collection tool developed to document the tasks performed by ICU physicians. The aim of the analysis was to quantify the tasks of the physicians, including measures of frequency, duration, and sequence for tasks. In this paper, we report on the development process, as well as the validity and reliability of the job task analysis tool. Initial results from our analyses provide support for the validity and reliability of the taxonomy developed for assessing work of ICU physicians.
Linguistic Analysis is Useful in Predicting Group Brainstorming Performance
Authors: Dzindolet Mary T. , Pierce Linda G.
Published: January 2012

Interactive brainstorming groups generate fewer ideas than the combined output of the same number of members working individually (cf., Mullen, Johnson, & Salas, 1991). However, even armed with this information, businesses and organizations often use groups to generate ideas. Being able to identify groups that brainstorm well would be beneficial to businesses and organizations. The transcripts of brainstorming groups from six separate studies were examined and results indicated that linguistic analysis, specifically, the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC), is useful in identifying high performing brainstorming groups. The more group members avoided the use of first person pronouns, negate words, inclusive and exclusive words, and discussions of cognitive and social mechanisms, the more ideas the groups tended to generate. The fact that the pattern appeared across studies that included brainstorming groups of differing size, working on different problems at different locations speaks to the generalizability of the finding.
Change Blindness in Teams: Are Three Pairs of Eyes Better than One?
Authors: Tollner Alison M. , Riley Michael A. , Nelson W. Todd , Shockley Kevin D. , Cummins-Sebree Sarah
Published: January 2012

Several studies have indicted that people often fail to detect changes in visual displays under a variety of conditions. More recent research has indicated that individual operators are susceptible to change blindness in military command and control environments. Change blindness has been studied extensively but only at the individual level. Very little research has explored change blindness in the context of team performance. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if teams were more or less susceptible to change blindness than individual observers in the context of a simulated military command and control situation display. Individuals and teams monitored flicker sequences of displays containing 6, 12, 24, or 48 icons for changes in icon position. Our results revealed a team advantage but this effect was more pronounced when teams communicated. Communicating teams outperformed both non-communicating teams and individuals. However, communicating teams were not immune to change blindness but team communication played a key role in reducing change blindness and the workload associated with the change detection task.
A Human Factors Analysis of Cardiopulmonary Bypass Machines and Associated Components and Procedures
Authors: Suther Thomas , Wiegmann Douglas , Sundt Thoralf , Phillips Brent
Published: January 2012

Cardiopulmonary bypass machines (CBM's), first developed in 1953, are commonly used during heart surgery to oxygenate blood and circulate it throughout the body while the heart is stopped. Although several advances have occurred in the engineering of perfusion pumps, the interface design of CBM's has not changed appreciably for several decades. The growing awareness of human error in medicine has highlighted the role that poorly designed medical devices can play in producing errors that cause patient harm. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to identify issues related to CBM design that may predispose surgical teams to make errors. The study utilized multiple research methods including observations, heuristic evaluations, structured interviews and usability assessments. Results revealed several fundamental design problems associated CBM displays, controls, alarms, and component integration, as well as communication and procedural issues. These data provide valuable information for redesigning CBM's to reduce errors and improve patient safety.
Evaluation of Interaction Devices for Ndi Training in Vr: Gamepad Vs. Joystick
Authors: Sadasivan Sajay , Vembar Deepak , Stringfellow Paris , Duchowski Andrew , Gramopadhye Anand
Published: January 2012

Recent advances have led to the development of a virtual simulator to be used for non-destructive inspection (NDI) training of aviation maintenance technicians. The simulator is distinctive in that it has been developed to simulate a general type of NDI job aiding tool (video borescope), as opposed to only simulating a precise model and make. By generating a simulator based on a generic model of the video borescope, the development process must face a common hurdle: determining the best interaction device for the task at hand. In the real world, video borescopes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, as do their interaction devices. In this case, the team must decide upon the best interaction device to be used while ensuring the retention of inspection information from training and facilitating interaction ease of use, all while not permanently engraining the skills that will be needed to control the actual devices when actually used. In short, the interaction device chosen for this simulator should facilitate the trainee's ability to learn NDI techniques without hardwiring simulator control techniques which can vary greatly in the real world. In an effort to determine the most applicable interaction device for this generic training simulator, a study was conducted using expert inspectors and two common interaction devices: a gamepad and a joystick. Performance measures were collected and subjective measures, by way of post-test questionnaires, were considered as well. This paper details the evaluation of a gamepad and a joystick as interaction devices when used with a virtual video borescope simulator for inspection training. Following the findings identified in the study, recommendations are provided for the implementation of such devices.
Multi-Dimensionality of Synthetic Vision Cockpit Displays: Prevention of Controlled-Flight-Into-Terrain
Authors: Prinzel Lawrence J. , Kramer Lynda J. , Arthur Jarvis J. , Bailey Randall E.
Published: January 2012

NASA's Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) project is developing technologies with practical applications that will help to eliminate low visibility conditions as a causal factor to civil aircraft accidents while replicating the operational benefits of clear day flight operations, regardless of the actual outside visibility condition. The paper describes experimental evaluation of a multi-mode 3–D exocentric synthetic vision navigation display concept for commercial aircraft. Experimental results showed the situation awareness benefits of 2–D and 3–D exocentric synthetic vision displays over traditional 2–D co-planar navigation and vertical situation displays. Conclusions and future research directions are discussed.
Effects of Tactical Navigation Display Modality on Navigation Performance, Situation Awareness, and Mental Workload
Authors: Davis Bradley M.
Published: January 2012

A tactical navigation task was performed in a virtual environment by 14 young male U.S. Army Soldiers using seven navigation display modalities to convey waypoint information. Among the seven experimental conditions were visual, aural, and tactile displays. Navigation performance, situation awareness, mental workload, and modality preference were measured for each participant in the within subjects design. Results indicate augmented visual displays reduced time to complete navigation, maintained situation awareness, and drastically reduced mental workload over the other display modalities.
How Does Usability Research Improve 21St Century Product Design?
Authors: Rosenbaum Stephanie , Kaasgaard Klaus , Kindlund Erika , Nieters Jim , Rohn Janice , Rohrer Christian
Published: January 2012

Usability research is dramatically affecting product design in the 21st century. Five user experience and research managers from cutting-edge Silicon Valley companies discuss the strategic relationship between user research and product design, organizational processes that succeed in helping user research and user experience design improve products, and what's different about user research and user experience design for Internet companies and Web sites.
Engineering Organizational Resilience to Enhance Safety: A Progress Report on the Emerging Field of Resilience Engineering
Authors: Woods David
Published: January 2012

Resilience Engineering is an emerging discipline (Hollnagel et al., 2006) which aims to enhance an organization's ability to target safety investments proactively in the face of ongoing production and economic pressures. Synthesizing across studies of successful and unsuccessful organizations reveals that failures emerge from breakdowns in the normal adaptive processes used to cope with complexity. Success belongs to organizations, groups and individuals who are resilient in the sense that they recognize, adapt to, and absorb variations, changes, disturbances, disruptions, and surprises – especially disruptions that fall outside of the set of disturbances the system is designed to handle (Rasmussen, 1990; Rochlin, 1999; Weick et al., 1999; Sutcliffe & Vogus, 2003; Cook and Rasmussen, 2005). Resilience Engineering seeks to measure and enhance an organizations ability to adapt to change and surprise. Resilience Engineering represents a paradigm shift for safety management. In a world of finite resources, of irreducible uncertainty, and of multiple conflicting goals, effective organizations create safety through proactive resilient processes rather than through reactive barriers and defenses. This paper presents some basic concepts related to resilience and some of the ongoing debates related to defining adaptive capacity. Monitoring and managing resilience, or its absence, brittleness, is concerned with understanding how a system adapts and to what kinds of disturbances in the environment it adapts to.
Brain Waves Suppressed by cell Phone Conversations
Authors: Strayer David L. , Martinez Mandi , Cooper Joel M. , Drews Frank A.
Published: January 2012

Our research examined the effects of hands-free cell phone conversations on the encoding of traffic-related information while operating a motor vehicle. We recorded event-related brain potentials (ERPs) time-locked to the onset of a lead vehicle's brake lights while participants drove in a high-fidelity driving simulator. Compared to single-task driving conditions, the amplitude of the P300 component of the ERP was reduced by 50% when participants were conversing on the cell phone and the peak latency of the P300 was also delayed for these cellphone drivers. These psychophysiological data provide support the inattention-blindness hypothesis in which cell phone conversations impair the processing of information necessary for the safe operation of a motor vehicle.
Queuing Network Modeling of Driver Workload and Performance
Authors: Wu Changxu , Liu Yili
Published: January 2012

Drivers overloaded with information significantly increase the chance of vehicle collisions. However, few existing computational models are able to simulate human performance and mental workload at the same time. We propose a new computational modeling approach—a queuing network approach based on queuing network theory of human performance (Liu, 1996, 1997) and neuroscience discoveries. This modeling approach is composed of a simulation model of a queuing network architecture and a set of mathematical equations implemented in the simulation model to quantify mental workload. It not only successfully models the mental workload measured by the six workload scales in NASA-TLX in terms of subnetwork utilization, but also simulates driving performance, reflecting mental workload from both subjective and performance-based measurements. In addition, this modeling approach allows us to visualize mental workload in driving in real-time. Further usage and implementation of the model in designing intelligent and adaptive in-vehicle systems are discussed.
Evaluation of Lane Departure Warnings for Drowsy Drivers
Authors: Kozak Ksenia , Pohl Jochen , Birk Wolfgang , Greenberg Jeff , Artz Bruce , Blommer Mike , Cathey Larry , Curry Reates
Published: January 2012

Lane departure warning (LDW) is a driver warning system designed to reduce the number of unintended lane departures. We addressed warning effectiveness and customer acceptance when the unintended lane departures are the result of drowsy driving. Thirty-two adults who were sleep deprived for 23 hours participated in the study and drove Ford's VIRTTEX driving simulator. Four Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) for LDW were evaluated: Steering Wheel Torque, Rumble Strip Sound, Steering Wheel Vibration and Head Up Display. A yaw deviation technique was used to produce controlled lane departures in the first two hours of the drive while for the last 20 minutes driver-initiated lane departures were analyzed. The Steering Wheel Vibration HMI, accompanied by Steering Wheel Torque, was found to be the most effective HMI for LDW in a group of drowsy drivers, with faster reaction times and smaller lane excursions. The Vibration HMI was also perceived by the drowsy drivers to be acceptable and helpful.
Pilot Identification of Proposed Electronic Symbols for Displays of Aeronautical Charting Information
Authors: Chandra Divya C. , Yeh Michelle , Donovan Colleen
Published: January 2012

Many electronic displays of aeronautical charting information currently use different symbols for common display elements, creating the risk of confusion and misinterpretation. The SAE International Aerospace Behavior and Technology (G-10) Aeronautical Charting Committee, an industry group of subject matter experts, is developing an updated recommendations document that would provide guidance on what symbols to use on these displays. This paper describes a study conducted to evaluate some of the symbology proposed by the committee. Instrument-rated pilots were asked to identify proposed electronic symbols, and to rate their confidence in their response. The goal of this task was to determine whether pilots could correctly identify the proposed symbols, even though they may not be familiar with some of the specific symbols. Most of the symbols were well recognized, but a few were problematic.
Impact of Visual Scene Field of View on F-16 Pilot Performance
Authors: Estock Jamie L. , Alexander Amy L. , Stelzer Emily M. , Baughman Kathryn
Published: January 2012

The tremendous expense and inherent dangers of training in the aircraft have led to the increased use of simulators for practicing and maintaining air combat skills; However, the advantages and disadvantages of using high or low-fidelity simulators for such training must be specified. An experiment was conducted to examine the in-simulator performance differences between pilots flying lower-fidelity simulators compared to higher-fidelity simulators. The primary difference between the two simulators is the visual scene field-of-view. Sixteen U.S. Air Force F-16 pilots flew standard training missions as an integrated team of four (a “four-ship”) with two pilots flying in the high-fidelity simulators and two pilots flying in the lower-fidelity simulators. Various subjective and objective measures were collected to assess the pilots' ability to maintain a briefed formation. Overall, the results suggest that pilots who practice four-ship employment in the lower-fidelity simulators can perform at the same level as those who practice in the high-fidelity simulators. Future analyses should be conducted to examine the impact of simulator fidelity on other air combat skills and on training effectiveness.
Developing a Methodology for Assessing Safety Programs Targeting Human Error in Aviation
Authors: Shappell Scott , Wiegmann Douglas
Published: January 2012

There is a need to develop an effective methodology for generating and evaluating interventions for reducing accidents due to human error. In this study, the Human Factors Intervention Matrix (HFIX) was used to evaluate current/proposed FAA safety programs to determine (1) the types of interventions typically proposed by this organization and (2) the types of human error these safety interventions target. Over 600 FAA safety recommendations were examined and categorized using the HFIX methodology. Results suggest that FAA safety programs primarily employ organizational/administrative, technological/engineering and human/operator-based interventions. Few approaches focus on either task or environmental changes. There is also a bias toward interventions aimed at pilot decision-making, rather than other common problems in aviation such as skill-based errors or violations. Further research is needed to develop HFIX as a tool for generating, rather than just evaluating, safety programs.
Modern Technology Failures, Cognitive Engineering Successes
Authors: Cooke Nancy J. , Durso Francis T.
Published: January 2012

This panel will focus on five stories in which cognitive engineering has resulted in a significant, measurable success. Five experts will revisit problems with human-technical systems that they helped to solve. In this way, the panel will provide an intimate look at the trials, tribulations, and thought processes of dedicated scientists and engineers who have had an impact on our use of modern technologies. The five stories were motivated by serious problems, but our focus is on the solution to those problems—the repair of the human-technical system. In the question and answer period we will elicit from the panelists insights about doing cognitive engineering, wisdom about becoming a cognitive engineer, and advice about being a cognitive engineer in today's society. The lessons learned from these cognitive engineering successes will be of value to all human factors researchers.
Guiding Visual Attention by Exploiting Crossmodal Spatial Links: An Application in Air Traffic Control
Authors: Hameed Shameem , Jayaraman Swapnaa , Ballard Melissa , Sarter Nadine
Published: January 2012

Recent research on multimodal information processing has provided evidence for the existence of crossmodal links in spatial attention between vision, audition, and touch. The present study examined whether these links can be exploited to support attention allocation in workplaces that involve competing task demands and the potential for visual data overload. In particular, the effectiveness of tactile cues for guiding visual attention to the location of a critical event was tested in the context of an air traffic control simulation. Participants monitored a display depicting the flight paths of 40 aircraft and were presented with tactile cues indicating either just the occurrence, or both the occurrence and display location, of an event requiring a participant response. Tactile cuing, especially when combined with location information, resulted in significantly higher detection rates and faster response times to these events. These findings indicate that tactile cuing is a promising means of directing visual attention in a data-driven manner.
Lessons Learned from the Design of the Decision Support System Used in the Hurricane Katrina Evacuation Decision
Authors: Kirlik Alex
Published: January 2012

Computer-based decision support systems are increasingly used to aid human decision makers in dynamic, uncertain, time-stressed and high-stakes contexts. The decision of whether, and if so, when to evacuate New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina approached landfall is a prime example. An evaluation of the “HURREVAC” decision support system (DSS) used during Katrina is presented. The evaluation is based on real-time screen-shots of the graphical and numerical information displayed to emergency response managers and other users. While the system is clearly an improvement over methods used prior to advances in information technology and realtime networking, design deficiencies were identified as well. The most crucial of these concern insufficient resources provided by the design to support users in reasoning effectively about uncertainty, and about the interactions among uncertainty and other aspects of the decision situation. The paper concludes by providing lessons learned and by identifying needs for cognitive engineering research to improve future DSS design in operational contexts.
High Velocity Human Factors: Human Factors of Mission Critical Domains in Nonequilibrium
Authors: Rahman Moin
Published: January 2012

Mission critical domains (MCDs), such as fire fighting, military combat, etc., experience periods of nonequilibrium. This typically occurs when extended periods of low grade activity are punctuated by intense, high stakes actions unfolding at high velocities (e.g., fighting a fire, engaging in combat, etc.). These periods of nonequilibrium are typically characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Human agents operating under these conditions experience a variety of reactions, such as emotional modulation of cognition, recognition primed decision making, among others. To study this phenomenon a construct named High Velocity Human Factors (HVHF) is defined and described. On the practical side, the HVHF framework will be used to analyze demands placed on personnel operating in MCDs and inform the design of systems and solutions.
Gravity Mouse Design and Evaluation: Effects of Distracters and Taget Size
Authors: Pastel Robert , Himes Paul , Harper Mathew , Helton William S.
Published: January 2012

Gravity mouse is a mouse interface that accelerates the cursor towards potential targets. Its design is based on the premise that as the cursor approaches a potential selection the system can be more certain of the selection. Usability studies with multiple buttons, target and distracter buttons, demonstrate a 100 ms reduction in selection time for 52×41 px buttons and a 130 ms reduction for 19×15 px buttons. Analysis of the results suggests that users resist the full benefit of gravity mouse. Gravity mouse's influence is adaptive and the paper discusses its potential application in intelligent user interfaces.
Use of the Tablet PC for Human Factors Instruction
Authors: Freivalds Andris
Published: January 2012

Tablet PCs are laptop computers that allow the instructor to use a special stylus to write digital ink on the screen which then can be saved to an electronic file. This offers human factors courses several nice features: 1) cleaner, better, more interactive lectures; 2) quicker and more effective student feedback; 3) the ability to save and make available complete lecture materials to students; 4) audio and video integration; 5) more collaborative team work; and 6) eventually, a paper-less classroom. In addition, the tablet PC is a natural start to the development of on-line courses. Student surveys indicated a very high satisfaction with the use of the tablet PC.
When Communication Failure Contributes to an Injury: A Case Study of Para-Transportation for Wheelchair Users
Authors: Zackowitz Ilene B. , Vredenburgh Alison G.
Published: January 2012

Our firm was retained to investigate an injury sustained by an elderly woman who was confined to a wheelchair at the time of the incident. The woman was utilizing a public para-transportation service for people with disabilities when the van she was riding stopped short. As a result, she slid out of her wheelchair and suffered a compound fracture of the leg. This case went to trial with the seatbelt manufacturer and transportation entity as defendants. Looking beyond the obvious issues of seatbelt failure and driver training, this paper will examine communication as a necessary part of the safety system. Communication involves the sharing of information in a complex system where users are not domain experts. In this case, communication as part of a public para-transportation safety system is evaluated.
Effects of Scanner Height on Fingerprint Capture
Authors: Stanton Brian , Theofanos Mary , Orandi Shahram , Micheals Ross , Zhang Nien-Fan
Published: January 2012

Although the deployment of biometric technologies such as fingerprints is becoming more widespread, little attention is being paid to the human-computer interaction that such technologies involve. Most biometric systems employ both hardware and software measures to maximize the capture quality of the biometric data. The physical presentation of the biometric data by the participant to the system involves many anthropometric and ergonomic factors that have been largely ignored. This study examined the effect of the height of the sensor on the quality and the time required to collect fingerprints. User performance, both fingerprint quality and timing, was impacted by scanner height.
Human Factors Contributes to Queuing Theory: Parkinson's Law and Security Screening
Authors: Marin Clara V. , Drury Colin G. , Batta Rajan , Lin Li
Published: January 2012

It is the thesis of this paper that queuing theory should take into account not just the behavior of customers in queues, but also the behavior of servers. Servers may change their behavior in response to queue length, which has implications for service quality as well as for customer waiting time. Parkinson's Law would be one explanation of any speed-up effect as queue length increases. We provide empirical evidence for this assertion in one queuing situation with high visibility and high error consequence: security screening at an airport.
Initial Construct Validation of a Laparoscopic Surgical Simulator
Authors: Mathis Kellie L. , Wiegmann Douglas A.
Published: January 2012

Objectives: To determine if the METI laparoscopic surgical simulator can discriminate between novices and experts and to assess learning curves among novices. Methods: Twenty novices and 5 experts performed five repetitions on the following modules: place arrow, retract, dissect, and traverse tube. For each module, median baseline performance was calculated. Novices performed 35 additional repetitions to assess learning with practice. Results: Experts out-performed novices at baseline for completion time of the dissect, place arrow, and traverse tube modules, as well as for error frequency on the traverse tube and retract modules. Novices' performance times improved significantly with practice, approaching the experts' baseline in all modules. Conclusion: The METI simulator exhibits construct validity on three of four basic-skills modules when considering completion time and on two modules when considering error frequency. Among novices, learning occurred with additional repetitions. Whether acquired skills transfer to the actual surgical environment has yet to be determined.
Beyond See-One, Do-One, Teach-One: Applying HF to Clinical Training and Education
Authors: Blike George , Guerlain Stephanie , Patterson Emily S. , Cao Caroline , Mackenzie Colin , Seagull F. Jacob , Christoffersen Klaus
Published: January 2012

While HF is enjoying a growing profile within the medical community, the role of HF with respect to clinical training and education in particular has not been clearly defined. The purpose of this panel is to explore the intersection of HF and clinical training, and to delineate some of the opportunities and challenges that exist. The panel will discuss a number of current examples of how HF techniques are being applied to develop and implement clinical education initiatives.
The Relationship between Hand Force Direction and Posture during Two-Handed Pushing Tasks
Authors: Hoffman Suzanne G. , Reed Matthew P. , Chaffin Don B.
Published: January 2012

Posture and external loads such as hand forces have a dominant effect on ergonomic analysis outcomes. Accurate job analyses require accurate representation of working postures and knowledge of external loads. The effects of hand force location, magnitude, and direction on whole-body posture for standing tasks were quantified in a motion-capture study of 20 men and women with widely varying body size. A subset of the data was analyzed to study the relationship between hand force direction and posture during two-handed pushing tasks performed with and without a constraint on hand force direction. Analyses demonstrated that force direction is a significant determinant of posture, and that pushing postures are consistent with several biomechanical principles.
An Evaluation of Self-Checkout Systems
Authors: Mendat Christina C. , Mayhorn Christopher B.
Published: January 2012

The number of self-checkout systems in stores has increased exponentially in the past 5 years becoming a common way for consumers to complete their purchases. Little research has been conducted in this pervasive area, however, other than market research studies. An online survey found that although individuals use self-checkout systems a great deal, there are a number of issues and concerns with these systems. The most cited difficulties that arise when using self-checkout systems included the barcode not scanning as well as slow customers ahead in the line. These findings including others noted throughout this paper highlight a number of opportunities for human factors professionals to make the design of self-checkout systems more user-friendly.
Robustness of the a b Signal Detection Theory Model of Decision Making
Authors: Bustamante Ernesto A. , Anderson Brittany L. , Thompson Amy R. , Bliss James P. , Scerbo Mark W.
Published: January 2012

Bustamante, Fallon, and Bliss (2006) showed that the a b Signal Detection Theory (SDT) model was more parsimonious, generalizable, and applicable than the classical SDT model. Additionally, they demonstrated that both models provided statistically equivalent and uncorrelated measures of sensitivity and bias under ideal conditions. The purpose of this research was to show the robustness of the a b model for handling extreme responses. We conducted an empirical evaluation of operators' decision-making and two Monte Carlo simulations. Results from the empirical study showed that the a b model provided equivalent yet independent measures of decision-making accuracy and bias, whereas the classical model failed to provide independent measures in the presence of extreme responses. The Monte Carlo simulations showed a similar trend for the superiority of the a b model. Results from this research provide evidence to support the use of the a b model instead of the classical model.
Dynamic Frequencies and Perceptual Binding in a Combined Auditory-Tactile Task
Authors: Terrence Peter I. , Morgan Justin F. , Gilson Richard D.
Published: January 2012

Two experiments examined the potential effect of perceptual binding in the auditory and tactile modalities for one stimulus parameter: dynamic frequency sweeps versus static frequencies. Experiment 1 established baseline performance for identifying a single stimulus presentation. Experiment 2 examined the effects of presenting simultaneous auditory and tactile signals while attempting to focus on a single sensory channel. Experiment 1 demonstrates that identifying the frequency sweep or static signal is relatively easy in both modalities. Experiment 2 shows the unidirectional domination of auditory signals over tactile, irrespective of sensory focus modality. Overall findings and the implications for design and directions for future research are discussed.
HFES 51st Annual Meeting: Assessing Safety Climate and Organizational Risk
Authors: Ciavarelli Anthony P.
Published: January 2012

Research conducted at the Navy Postgraduate School, over the past 10 years, has focused on key organizational factors that may influence the likelihood of an accident or organizational failure. The concept of “high-reliability-organizations”, originated by Dr. Karlene Roberts and her colleagues at UC Berkeley, California, and was used as a point of departure for understanding how different organizations manage the risk of accidents and other organizational failures. High-reliability organizations are those that are very successful at reducing the risks of operational hazards that typically underlie accidents and organizational disasters, such as the Challenger and Columbia Shuttle accidents. Included in the concept of high-reliability organizations are factors related to the safety culture of the organization. The author and his colleagues at the Naval Postgraduate School and UC Berkeley have developed and validated a web-based safety climate assessment and feedback system now in use in Naval Aviation and in other aviation, aerospace, and medical applications. This paper reviews recent findings in the application of safety climate and culture assessments conducted in naval aviation and US hospitals.
A Guide to Successful HF/E Career Preparation: The Ultimate “Not-To-Do” List
Authors: Shapiro Ronald G. , Andre Anthony D. , Lund Arnold (Arnie) M. , Waxberg Sara
Published: January 2012

Welcome to the Fourteenth Annual Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Student Career Panel. While our typical career panel emphasizes what one should do to prepare for a career, avoiding various misconstrued approaches to career preparation is as important as carrying out known beneficial approaches. Thus, this year's paper emphasizes what one should “not do” in the process of preparing for one's professional career. Following the recommendations provided in this paper will enhance the graduate school experience, the post-graduate job search process and success in the job itself. Tried and tested techniques as well as new ideas towards preparing for and finding the ideal career path and position will be presented.
Empirical Examination of Trust in Automation Across Multiple Agents in a Search and Rescue Operation
Authors: Ross Jennifer M. , Szalma James L. , Hancock Peter A.
Published: January 2012

Automation has become increasingly prevalent in modern day society. With this progress, the shift from operators serving as active controllers (directly involved with the system) to supervisory controllers (indirect management of a system) has become more common. Accompanying this evolution of the operator from their original role, there is a need to explore the components that influence effective cooperation between operators and semi-autonomous agents. Two key factors moderating this relationship are operator trust in the agent and the complexity of the task itself (i.e., number of agents an operator monitors). This work examines trust and automation theory as it applies to an operator monitoring a complex, two agent, simulated search-and-rescue task. The effect of source characteristics of the two automated systems will be evaluated across reliability conditions for their impact upon reliance and perceived trust of automation. The purpose of this research is to extend knowledge in the theory of human-agent trust interaction and offers potential applied benefits in leveraging the aspects of system design that lead to optimizing human-agent interaction in a complex and possibly imperfect system.
Visual Search Strategies of Older Drivers at Rural Expressway Intersections
Authors: Bao Shan , Boyle Linda Ng
Published: January 2012

Studies show that older drivers are at a greater risk for crashes at unsignalized intersections. The objective of this study is to examine the visual search pattern of older drivers as they begin one of three drive maneuvers (i.e., left turn, right turn, and straight across) at two different rural expressway intersections (i.e., high and low crash areas). Twenty drivers participated in this study with 10 older drivers (65–80 years old) and 10 middle-aged drivers (35–55 years old) used as a comparison group. Results show that older drivers used significantly less search time to get ready for all maneuvers when compared to middle-aged drivers. There was also an interaction effect with older drivers taking significantly less search time during higher traffic volumes. Middle-aged drivers would search for potential hazards and wait for an appropriate gap distance before entering into the intersection.
Human Factors Evaluation of Restraint Systems for Military Vehicles
Authors: Joganich Tim , Sicher Larry , Nicholson Kristen , Whitman Gary , Butch Frank , Nichols Craig
Published: January 2012

Three configurations of occupant restraint systems were evaluated for use in military vehicles. Restraint configurations consisted of a 23 (lap and two shoulder belts), 3+2 (standard 3-point lap/shoulder belt plus secondary shoulder belt) and 5-point (two shoulder, two lap, and one crotch belt). All systems had a single point release feature. Human factors evaluation entailed assessing ingress/egress, functional operation (control reach) and accommodation (fit). Testing included with and without full gear. Eleven soldiers with military vehicle driving experience participated in the evaluation. Results for egress testing showed that the 5-point was slightly faster than the 3+2 and the 23. Results for the ingress testing showed that ingress time was directly related to the number of connections with the 3+2, 23 and the 5-point reflecting fastest to slowest times. Wearing full gear significantly increased ingress time but had minimal effects on egress times. No major accommodation issues were noted.
The Evaluation of a Distributed Online Simulation during a Battalion Staff Exercise
Authors: Singer Michael J.
Published: January 2012

A distributed simulation being developed by the U.S. Army using online gaming technology was evaluated during a Battalion staff exercise. The staff worked through a pre-deployment Stability and Support Operation (SASO) exercise to a hypothetical Middle-Eastern country, in which they acquired information about the local situation relevant to their assigned mission, then developed deployment and contingency plans for that mission. These plans were then evaluated by the Battalion Commander, and the staff was evaluated on their performance. Questionnaire information was collected from the staff about the effectiveness of the simulation, and interviews with the command staff and the commander provided opinion-based evidence of the value of the simulation system and simulated exercises of this kind. The results indicate considerable potential for systems of this nature to expand training and evaluation opportunities as well as meet new asymmetric training needs while optimizing Soldiers' training time.
Issues That Precipitate Errors in Airline Maintenance
Authors: Geibel William D. , von Thaden Terry L. , Suzuki Takahiro
Published: January 2012

Human factors in Federal Aviation Regulation Part 121 aircraft maintenance operations as they relate to technician performance are important factors that play a significant role in the public safety of air transportation systems. This paper reports on the results of an analysis of one thousand National Aeronautical and Space Administration “Aviation Safety Reporting System” incident reports for aircraft maintenance related issues. This paper identifies aircraft types, including systems, and compares events that precipitate human errors. Five high profile performance based error categories were selected for this paper. They include: technician qualifications, inspections, parts installation, contract maintenance, and log book documentation issues.
Performance Consequences of Automated Aids in Supervisory Control: The Impact of Function Allocation
Authors: Manzey Dietrich , Reichenbach Juliane , Onnasch Linda
Published: January 2012

The present study investigates effects of automated decision aids in terms of expected performance benefits of automation support and possible negative performance consequences. The negative consequences include the possible effects of automation bias and performance decrements when returning to manual performance in case of automation failure. Three automated aids that support fault identification and management are compared in a simulated supervisory control task. Results show that primary and secondary task performance improved with automated support compared to manual performance, with effects directly dependent on the level of automation (LOA). Effects of automation bias emerged independent of LOA. For return-to-manual performance, weak indications of an automation-induced skill loss were only found in the highest LOA. These arose in manual fault management, but not in fault identification performance.
Understanding Social and Organizational Aspects of the Work Domain Using Techniques and Technologies from Intelligence Analysis
Authors: Pfautz Stacy Lovell , Pfautz Jonathan
Published: January 2012

Methods for the analysis of social and organizational aspects of the work domain are increasingly relevant as new technologies enable users to collect, process, and study entities and their relationships to design support systems. Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) practitioners can leverage analytic methods and tools from military intelligence analysis to address the need to understand complex organizations and interactions. These communities are increasingly integrating Social Science methods with computational tools to navigate and understand the network of human related data. This paper provides a brief overview of how CWA tools could be used in conjunction with intelligence analysis techniques and technologies for the analysis of social and organizational aspects of the work domain.