bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective Practices in Deploying Mobile Computing Devices for Field Operations in Process Industries
Authors: Hajdukiewicz John , Reising Dal Vernon
Published: January 2012

The deployment of mobile devices in process industries promises greater efficiencies in operations and more effective uses of limited plant resources, compared with current practices. Yet, the adoption and use of these devices has been limited. This paper reports effective practices, applications, and lessons learned from deploying mobile devices for field operations in the refining and petrochemicals industries. Six petrochemical production facilities participated in the study. We interviewed various stakeholders at these facilities on their culture, business drivers, field operations, current use of mobile devices, infrastructure and platforms in place, current applications, and potential needs. Four general areas were identified as critical to the success of deployment: 1) Organizations, Policies and Processes, 2) Applications, 3) Infrastructure, Hardware and Software, and 4) Training.
Teaching and Learning Design: Commonalty and Diversity in Ergonomics, HCI and Architecture Design Education
Authors: Halstead-Nussloch Rich , Carpenter William
Published: January 2012

For four years we have been developing a design pedagogy that merges significant aspects of our disciplines (architecture and HCI). This has culminated in a joint design course where we bridged between design-build courses in architecture and user-interaction engineering. In this paper we cover lessons learned, based on our experience. Using the pedagogy developed for the Bauhaus, we have identified five goals for design education. Primary among these is education that combines designing artifacts with building them. We report commonalties and differences between our professions that have a significant impact on design education. Our work points to three recommendations for cross-disciplinary design education. Primary among them is to focus on design studios to keep within practical and manageable bounds.
The Impact of Dispositional Optimism and Pessimism on Stress as a Function of Psychophysical Task Characteristics
Authors: Ross J. M. , Szalma J. L. , Hancock P. A.
Published: January 2012

In this study we tested the effect of individual differences in dispositional optimism and pessimism on target detection. Following proximal task dimensions set out by the Model of Maximal Adaptability, three tasks were employed in the current study, varying in their spatial and temporal emphasis. Performance as measured by self report of stress was examined in light of individual differences in attentional narrowing across the three task levels. Prior research indicates that optimism predicts increased Task-Engagement, but in this study there was a novel finding that higher levels of optimism predicted decreased Task-Engagement in spatial-dominant tasks. Optimism was also found to predict increased levels of post-task Worry in temporal-dominant tasks. However, expected relations between pessimism as post-task stress state were not observed. Although the results of the current study did not confirm the hypotheses regarding joint resource capacities for spatial and temporal task components, results did indicate that dispositional optimism does impact Task-Engagement, signifying a need for further research on the relation between this trait and participant stress. The results extend prior findings that the relationship between these traits and stress states may depend on the psychophysical characteristics of the target detection task employed.
Mental Models of Computers as a Function of Sex and Perceived Trust
Authors: Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Durrance Lisa M. , Johnson Cheryl I.
Published: January 2012

Participants completed a measure of computer trust and generated responses to the question, “What is like a computer?” These responses were coded as one of seven types ranging from being perceptually similar to sharing similar functions to being cognitively similar. Computer trust scores were associated with generating more responses, particularly of a functional nature. However, further analyses showed that participant sex moderated this effect, with computer trust associated with functional analogies for males, but perceptual analogies for females. The results suggest that computer trust and mental models may develop together and should be considered as important variables in the design and training for future technology.
Bridging the Gap between Reduced Training Time and Maintained Operational Demands
Authors: Jander N. G. Hans , Borgvall T. A. Jonathan
Published: January 2012

As a consequence of decreased defense budgets, the training time of conscript combat boat 90 operators has recently been reduced. The effect has been an increased number of drop–outs, detachments, and accidents during the training. The need to improve this precarious situation is urgent. This encouraged a study with the purpose of measuring abilities identified as important for being successful in the training, and hence a high-performing and safe combat boat 90 operator. The objective was to improve the selection process in order to minimize drop–outs, detachments, and accidents during the training. The test battery consisted of psychometric tests measuring spatial and verbal working memory, problem solving ability, risk willingness, and social capacity. The results of the psychometric tests were compared with instructor ratings of performance during the training. The only test that showed to reliably predict a successful combat boat 90 operator was the test that measured verbal working memory.
Nonlinear Behavior of Muscle Responses for Four Static Postures Observed at Work
Authors: Rodrick David , Karwowski Waldemar
Published: January 2012

The primary objective of the study was to explore the nonlinear characteristics of surface myoelectrical activity of the biceps muscle during four static postures observed on the assembly line. The results showed significant differences in the largest Lyapunov exponents between four postures. The surface EMG of the biceps brachii was more chaotic under the maximum loading in MVC posture with elbow fully extended (180 degrees) and static posture with 180 degrees shoulder flexion compared to two other static postures. Based on the Kaplan-Yorke dimension, it was found that dimensional complexity was higher for MVC posture than for posture with 135 degrees shoulder flexion, posture with 180 degrees shoulder flexion, and posture with 90 degrees shoulder flexion and abduction. Interaction effects of posture and trial with respect to the largest Lyapunov exponents and Kaplan-Yorke dimension characteristics of the EMG signals showed higher levels of chaos and complexity patterns in MVC postures compared to other static postures.
Evaluation of Handle Diameter in Maximum Horizontal and Vertical Torque Tasks
Authors: Kong Yong-Ku , Lowe Brian D.
Published: January 2012

The effects of handle diameter (25∼50mm) and handle orientation (horizontal and vertical) on the subjective comfort, maximum torque performance, total finger force, and efficiency of flexor and extensor muscle activity were evaluated in this study. A force glove system containing 16 force sensors was used to measure finger forces, and surface electromyography was used to investigate muscle activities during torque tasks. Overall 35∼45mm diameter handles were rated as most comfortable. The average torque outputs were highest with the 45 and 50mm diameter handles in both orientations. Torque output exhibited a positive non-linear correlation with handle diameter, whereas total finger force showed an inverse relationship with handle diameter. The positive non-linear correlation between torque and handle diameter was explained by the relationship between handle diameter, total finger force, and coefficient of friction. Muscle activities and efficiencies of flexor and extensor muscles were also investigated in this study.
Characterization of Hand Postures Employed by Industrial Workers during Hose Installation Tasks
Authors: Grieshaber D. Christian , Armstrong Thomas J.
Published: January 2012

Hand posture prediction is an important means of assessing specific task designs prior to subject user trials or actual production. The objective of this study was to estimate the effect of a set of task variables on the observation of hand actions during hose installation tasks in automotive assembly operations. From video recordings of 51 jobs, 124 hand actions were identified. Of these, 50 grasping postures, 70 pinching postures and four non-prehensile postures were observed as the dependent variables. Chi-Square tests revealed significance (p<0.0001) for posture by hose size and posture by hand force (p=0.0007). The use of grasping postures increased significantly when force levels exceeded 40% of maximum. The results support the idea that hand posture is primarily influenced by the size of the object being handled and the amount of force required for performing the task. The results are necessary to further develop taxonomies of grip for predicting hand posture.
Implications of Dynamic Touch for Human Factors/Ergonomics: Contributions from Ecological Psychology
Authors: Dainoff Marvin , Wagman Jeffrey B.
Published: January 2012

The goal of this symposium is to illustrate how research findings from dynamic touch research (i.e., hefting and wielding of objects) within the framework of ecological psychology can have direct and valuable contributions to the field of HF/E. Ecological psychology, as developed by James J. Gibson, shares with HF/E a critical focus on the mutual relationship between person and environment, embodied in Gibson's concept of affordance (i.e., opportunity for behavior). Research in dynamic touch has shown that perceived affordances of hand-held objects are constrained by variables relevant to the task-specific control of the hand-plus-object system. Work on perception of limb position and properties of hand-held objects as well as perception by means of hand-held objects has potential applications in areas such as the design of prosthetics and hand-held tools, remote-controlled or virtual tool use, navigational/perceptual aids for the visually or somatosensory impaired, materials handling, and the design of interfaces.
Human Factors Implications of Controlling User-Tool-Environment Interfaces
Authors: Wagman Jeffrey B.
Published: January 2012

When a person grasps an object, they create a hand-plus-object system. In perceiving properties of hand-held objects (including hand-held tools), people seem to show sensitivity to inertial variables relevant to the control of that object. Tool users demonstrate sensitivity to such variables in perceiving (1) whether a hand-held object could be used as a striking implement, (2) where an implement should be brought into contact with another object, and (3) where a hand-held object should be grasped so that object would be most effective as a striking implement. Importantly, tool users show task-specific sensitivity to inertial variables in each case depending on the functional constraints of the striking task (i.e., whether it emphasizes precision over power or vice versa). These findings may be relevant not only to the design of hand-held tools but also to the design of interfaces that allow the remote use of tools (e.g., telesurgery).
Evaluation of Laparoscopic Tools for Usability and Comfort
Authors: Doné Kathryn , DiMartino Allison , Judkins Timothy , Hallbeck Susan , Oleynikov Dmitry
Published: January 2012

Many problems have been associated with current laparoscopic surgical tools, and work is being done to improve the design of many the tools and devices, but little improvement has resulted. The IDEA Lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has designed a comfortable and intuitive tool with added function as a result of questionnaire responses from student and expert surgeons. Surgeons were asked to respond to a questionnaire asking about pain and discomfort experienced from use of conventional laparoscopic grasper tools. Analysis of the results shows that more than 25% of all respondents experience problems during or after surgery in the following areas: neck pain and stiffness, shoulder/arm pain and stiffness, hand/wrist pain and stiffness, back pain and stiffness, mental fatigue, awkward manipulation of instruments, and performing precise movements. Eleven out of eighteen surgeons reported experiencing painful areas of the hand during or after laparoscopic surgery, including but not limited to, numbness of the thumb and soreness of the fingers. These results make it clear that the redesigns of the new laparoscopic grasper tool were needed. Further testing will be conducted to compare the new design to conventional tools and determine if all of the needs of surgeons have been met.
Abdominal Belts and Low Back Position Sense
Authors: Briant Kelley D. , Wilson Sara E.
Published: January 2012

Abdominal belts are sometimes used as a low-cost, low back injury prevention measure in industry. Claims for the effectiveness have suggested that such belts may enhance proprioception and therefore improve low back stability. In this study, this claim was examined by using a previously established low back reposition sense protocol to assess the change in position sense with use of an elastic back belt in both an upright and a flexed posture. The results of this study demonstrate no overall improvement of position sense with back belt. However, significant improvement was observed at a torso flexion angle of 45 degrees. While future studies in other conditions are suggested, this study suggest that back belts may be useful only when highly flexed postures are required for manual materials handling.
Quantitative Representation of Alternative Movement Techniques and Motion Variability
Authors: Park Woojin , Chaffin Don B. , Martin Bernard J. , Genaidy Ashraf M.
Published: January 2012

In an attempt to objectively represent and differentiate movement techniques, and further understand the variability in human motion behavior, this study presents a quantitative index termed Joint Contribution Vector (JCV) representing a motion in terms of contributions of individual joint degrees-of-freedom to the achievement of the task goal. Given a set of uncharacterized motions, the JCV index and statistical visualization and clustering methods enable identification of alternative movement techniques and graphical representation of motion variability. A motion data analysis was conducted to demonstrate the utility of the JCV index.
Physical Load Estimation of Flight Attendant Work by Direct Observation and Accelerometry
Authors: MacDonald LA , Deddens J , Whelan EA , Grajewski B
Published: January 2012

Occupational groups with variable work tasks pose unique methodological challenges to ergonomists who need valid measures of physical job demands for occupational health research. In this study data on flight attendants' physical job demands were collected during five round-trip commercial passenger flights using direct observation and accelerometry. Thirty-five flight attendants (88% participation) each were observed inflight and equipped with two accelerometers (positioned on the leg and waist). Correlational analyses were performed to examine concordance between measures obtained by each method. Agreement was moderate to high between direct observation and accelerometry for measures of standing, lifting (leg), and overall physical effort level. Agreement was poor for back posture and push/pull activities. These findings suggest that accelerometry may provide an acceptable alternative to the labor-intensive but established observational approach when evaluating some physical job demands in occupational groups with variable work. However, supplementation of accelerometry with descriptive data from other methodologies (e.g., exposure diary, questionnaire, focus groups) is warranted to provide important information regarding the nature of workers' exposure to postural loading, exertion demands and task activity.
The Influence of an Inclined Surface on Flat Surface Postural Control
Authors: Wade Lloyd R. , Weimar Wendi H. , Davis Jerry
Published: January 2012

An epidemiological study conducted by the NTOF surveillance system of the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH), analyzed 15 years of data (1980–1994) to identify work settings in which fatal falls were likely to occur, and the risk factors that contributed to those falls. Eight thousand one hundred and two (8,102) workers were reported to have died as a result of falls from elevations during the 15-year period. The construction industry accounted for 4,044 of those deaths, or roughly 50% of all fatal falls from elevations. Within the construction industry sub-group (NAICS 23611), the NTOF identified general contracting and roofing as the work setting with the highest risk factors for a fall from elevation, with 205 and 147 falls respectively. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect that locomotion on an inclined surface has on flat surface postural stability. All subjects who volunteered as participants (n=20; males,) were tested under two walking conditions: flat surface and inclined walking on a 12 times 15' pitched roof segment to determine if there was a difference in sway velocity following exposure. Data were collected over four, ten-second trials, under eyes open and eyes closed conditions. Performance was measured using the recordings made by the NeuroCom Balance Master® System. Balance was recorded in sway velocity (degrees/second), where the value was representative of the change in center of gravity (COG) in the anterior, posterior, medial, or lateral directions. The angular change of the COG per unit time was summed and divided by ten-seconds to achieve an average sway velocity of the COG. These data were evaluated using a 2 (pre/post) × 2 (eyes) × 2 (flat walking, inclined walking) within-subjects repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), with the dependent variable being sway velocity (deg/sec). Paired sample t-tests served as post hoc analysis. The analysis concluded that the average sway velocity of the COG resulted in a significant main effect following the inclined walking task: p ≤ .001. The findings have practical implications when dealing with the construction industry. On a daily basis, roofers ascend and conduct roofing related tasks for prolonged periods of time. Following exposure to the pitched roof setting, roofers must move from the roof to scaffolding or a ladder to descend. These findings suggest that there is a significant decrement in postural stability due to exposure to inclination. Postural stability is critical in ascending and descending ladders and scaffolding on flat surfaces. Possible areas of future research that might impact postural stability could potentially involve roof jacks, work boot design, and work rest cycles.
Age-Related Differences in Shoulder Isometric Endurance, Fatigue, and Recovery
Authors: Yassierli  , Nussbaum Maury A. , Iridiastadi Hardianto
Published: January 2012

Despite projections of a substantial increase of older adults in the working population, studies addressing the effects of age on muscular performance are still limited. The purpose of this study was to examine age-related differences in muscular endurance, fatigue, and recovery during prolonged static exertions. Groups of 24 younger and 16 older participants performed isometric arm abductions until exhaustion at 30, 50 and 70% of individual strength. Recovery was determined over 15-minutes following the end of the exercise. Electromyographic signals obtained from the middle deltoid muscle were used to evaluate fatigue progression during the exercise. Compared to the younger participants, the older individuals exhibited lower muscular strength, longer endurance time, slower fatigue progressions, less reduction in muscle strength, and shorter recovery periods. This study suggests that fatigue-related differences exist between age groups, and the results may be used to better design task for older workers.
Cell-Phone Voting: An Interface and Concept Evaluation
Authors: Pai Shantanu , Panjwani Gulshan
Published: January 2012

Currently, voters must physically go to voting booths to participate in civic elections. Among others, a busy lifestyle and inability to make it to the voting booths has been cited as one of reasons for a low voter turnout. This has prompted research concentrating on the use of Internet for voting. Internet has its limitations in availability and mobility. We propose a cell-phone based voting system that could potentially overcome these limitations. A within-subject usability study compared a prototype cell phone based UI with a PC based UI. Eight participants completed the task of casting a vote using the two interfaces and rated them on various dimensions. Results indicate that the concept although acceptable, has social and security concerns. With the cellphone interface, limited information displayed and global navigation were identified as prime drawbacks. Research on explicit CHI patterns for cell interfaces may address the CHI issues identified.
Design and Management Techniques for Creating Web-Based Applications
Authors: Racine Sam , Curtin John P.
Published: January 2012

The Web environment produces new challenges for Human Factor specialists who are transitioning their development organizations and clients from traditional software media to Web-based applications. While the Web offers new potential for deployment, its technical capabilities often limit techniques for user interaction and data manipulation PC-based GUIs offer. Conventions for operation of web applications are still ill-formed; concepts for website design rarely translate well to the design of task-based, enterprise-level applications; and stakeholders often mistake their own, idiosyncratic operation of websites as premises for effective design. This paper teaches practitioners techniques for creating or migrating software applications from traditional media to the Web, based on a case study of creating a web-access cargo management system. Discussion includes dealing with unrealistic visions of an application's operation in relation to the user population who will be operating it, developing alternatives to traditional forms of personnel training, and creating new controls and interaction schema.
User-Centered Design of a Customized Intranet Portal for a Large Public University
Authors: Resnick Marc L. , Bakar Walid , Castellanos Mauricio , Haghighi Reza , Monsalve Andrea
Published: January 2012

Intranet portals can provide a centralized source of company information, web applications, and external links that are customized for the needs of each employee, increasing employee productivity and effectiveness. However, they are only effective when they support user needs in an effective and usable fashion. In 2003, Florida International University (FIU) began the process of creating an intranet portal for use by its 34,000 students. The portal would provide web-based email functionality along with profile-driven University information and preference-based external links. This is expected to increase student use of the FIU email system, facilitate dissemination of FIU information to students, improve achievement of educational goals, streamline university processes such as registration, provide cost savings to the university, and increase student satisfaction. This paper describes the user-centered design process that was used to create the MyFIU portal and provides guidance for the development of Intranet portals.
Work Environment and Quality of Working Life among the Cambodian Workforce: A Pilot Study
Authors: Brunette Maria J.
Published: January 2012

The first Cambodian families arrived in Lowell (Massachusetts) in the early 80s, most of them as refugees, victims of a brutal regime. Since then, the city has grown into the second largest Cambodian-American population in the U.S., behind only Long Beach, California. Cambodian workers are employed in labor-intensive jobs as well as in the service industry in the Lowell area and its surroundings. As many other immigrant groups in the U.S., they face several work and non-work related problems above and beyond their various language and culture barriers. In this paper the author presents results of a pilot study aimed at exploring Cambodian workers' perceptions of their conditions of work and the impact of such conditions in their quality of working life.
Designing a Supervisory Training Program to Optimize Injury Response: A Macroergonomics Approach
Authors: Robertson Michelle M. , Shaw William S. , Pransky Glenn , McLellan Robert K.
Published: January 2012

The role of supervisors to aid injured workers by accessing health care and providing reasonable accommodations has been suggested as a means to prevent prolonged disability among workers experiencing musculoskeletal pain and discomfort. Based on a macroergonomic approach, a 4-hour supervisor training workshop was designed to optimize supervisors' responses to work injuries through improved communication and accommodation. Supervisors from two industries provided high ratings of the workshop, and showed post-training improvements in injury-related attitudes and perceived ability to communicate with and accommodate injured workers effectively. Workers' compensation claims data in the 7 months before and after the workshop showed a 47% reduction in new claims and an 18% reduction in active lost-time claims versus 27% and 7% respectively, in the control group. Improving the response of frontline supervisors to employees' work-related health and safety concerns may produce sustainable reduction in injury claims and disability costs.
Patient Safety Climate (PSC) in Outpatient Surgery Centers
Authors: Alvarado Carla J. , Carayon Pascale , Hundt Ann Schoofs
Published: January 2012

We examined perceptions of safety climate from health care professionals involved in the “Systems Engineering Intervention in Outpatient Surgery - a Collaborative Community Perspective” study currently underway at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Surveys were conducted in five outpatient surgery centers. The objectives of this study were to examine patient safety climate across various outpatient surgery centers and to address the relationship between patient safety climate and job categories, individual outpatient centers and the respondents' Quality of Working Life (QWL). Our results indicate that four safety climate scales (1) Top management commitment to patient safety, (2) General patent safety climate, (3) Employee commitment to patient safety, and (4) Change in patient safety can be created from the 12-item questionnaire and they may be a useful measure of an outpatient surgery center's patient safety climate. The four patient safety climate scales are also significantly associated with the outpatient surgery centers employees' QWL.
Laparoscopic Surgery: Are Multiple Viewing Perspectives Better than one?
Authors: DeLucia Patricia R. , Hoskins Melody L. , Griswold John A.
Published: January 2012

Imaging systems are used increasingly in surgical procedures such as laparoscopy. Depth perception is degraded compared with open surgery because the image provided by a laparoscopic camera is two-dimensional and represents a single viewing perspective. One way to compensate for this loss of depth information is with multiple cameras, each providing a different perspective. We measured performance of a pick-and-place task when observers viewed the task environment with three cameras concurrently (top, front, side views) or with one camera. Performance was slower with camera viewing compared with direct viewing and slowest with the side view. Although concurrent presentation of three camera views did not improve performance, observers looked almost exclusively at one of these views (top). Future research should determine whether observers can be trained to use depth information provided by multiple cameras. It is important to determine how to configure imaging systems so that surgical procedures can be optimized.
Human Factors Considerations in the Migration of Medical Devices from Clinical to Homecare Settings
Authors: Turieo Melanie J. , Devine Marlene A. , Hasler Rodney , Kaye Ronald , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: January 2012

To accommodate the increased number of patients receiving care at home, more and more medical devices are being taken out of the controlled clinical setting and are being used by lay caregivers in a home environment, thereby posing risks for misuse, malfunction and error. It has therefore become critical to examine the environment of medical devices being used in the home and to ensure that products intended for home healthcare use are being designed so that lay users can learn, operate, and maintain them with greater safety, satisfaction, accuracy, and comfort. This panel brings together representatives of four stakeholder groups associated with this issue – regulatory agencies, human factors professionals, the user population, and medical device developers. Panelist presentations and the ensuing discussion will focus on the concerns, issues, problems, and/or liabilities associated with medical devices migrating into the home, from each of these groups' perspectives.
Effects of Viewing Angle, Spatial Abilty, and Sight of Own Hand on Accuracy of Movements Performed Under Simulated Laparoscopic Conditions
Authors: Keehner Madeleine , Wong Diana , Tendick Frank
Published: January 2012

We examined performance on a maze-drawing task under conditions designed to simulate hand-assisted laparoscopy (a form of minimally invasive surgery in which the surgeon's non-dominant hand is inserted into the patient's abdominal cavity through an enlarged incision). The task was completed without direct vision, with participants relying solely on the image from a laparoscopic camera to guide their movements. On half the trials, participants held their non-dominant hand in view of the camera. We varied camera angle (offset in azimuth by 0°, 90°, 180°, or 270°), and measured spatial visualization ability. Both camera angle and spatial ability affected overall performance, and these two factors interacted. At 90°, having the hand in view significantly improved performance for all participants, but at 270° it impaired low spatial participants. At 0°, 90°, and 180°, the performance of high and low spatial participants differed significantly only when the hand was in view. Correlations supported the interpretation that hand-in-view accentuated, rather than attenuated, the relationship between spatial ability and performance. The findings have potential implications for surgeons using hand-assisted laparoscopic techniques in minimally invasive procedures.
Challenges with the Performance of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis in Healthcare Organizations: An IV Medication Administration HFMEA™
Authors: Wetterneck Tosha B. , Skibinski Kathleen , Schroeder Mark , Roberts Tanita L. , Carayon Pascale
Published: January 2012

The value of performing prospective analysis before technology implementation is well known to the chemical, nuclear and aviation industries. The performance of a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is now required by healthcare organizations accredited by JCAHO as part of their patient safety standards. However, most healthcare organizations have little experience with applying human factors engineering techniques to process or technology evaluation and the procedure of how and when healthcare organizations should perform FMEA is not well described. This paper describes the method and challenges of performing a process and design FMEA to prepare for the implementation of a new intravenous infusion pump at a University Hospital. Recommendations are made for the performance of a process and design FMEA for new technology implementation in healthcare organizations.
An Analysis of Home and Hospital Medical Device Incidents in the MAUDE Database
Authors: Al-Tarawneh Ibraheem S. , Stevens Walter J. , Arndt Steven R.
Published: January 2012

A review of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience Database (MAUDE) was performed to identify medical device incident trends relating to the type of device involved, incident location, injury severity, the nature and/or cause of the event, and human factors issues involved. A total of 317,931 medical device incident reports submitted by manufacturers between the years 1997 and 2002 were reviewed. The analysis revealed that 203,021 (64%) of these reports did not contain useful event location information. Of the remaining reports, 102,303 (89%) incidents occurred in hospitals, 6,153 (5%) incidents occurred in outpatient treatment facilities, 2,511 (2%) incidents occurred in ambulatory surgical facilities, and 3,157 (3%) incidents occurred at home. The majority of the incidents that occurred at home involved blood glucose meters (42%), defibrillators (10%), ventilators (8%), and wheelchairs (5%). Home incidents resulted in 108 fatalities and 776 injuries. The majority of the fatalities were associated with defibrillators (32%), ventilators (19%), oximeters (8%), and hemodialysis devices (6%). Seven of the 21 fatal home ventilator-related incidents were attributed to low, delayed, or non-sounding alarms. Hospital incidents comprised 102,303 records, with 2,046 incidents resulting in fatalities. A large share of the fatal hospital incidents were related to defibrillators (11%), catheters (11%), heart valves (10%), pacemakers (5%), and ventilators (4%). Six fatal hospital ventilator-related incidents were attributed in part to delayed, silenced, or non-sounding alarms.
Assessing People's Knowledge and Beliefs About Dietary Supplements
Authors: Kalsher Michael J. , Wogalter Michael S. , Laughery Kenneth R.
Published: January 2012

Many Americans have turned to dietary supplements for help in losing weight despite the significant health risks associated with their use. This study examines what people know and believe about dietary supplements. Results showed that participants were generally knowledgeable about dietary supplements, including their purpose, where they are sold, and the possibility that some dietary supplements can have unhealthy side effects. However, participants' knowledge and beliefs differed significantly as a function of gender, educational status, and whether they had ever taken dietary supplements. Users tended to perceive dietary supplements as less risky than participants who had never used them. Both male and student participants held more optimistic perceptions about the expected benefits and risks of dietary supplements, but were less likely to read the labels on these products. These results indicate that individual differences need to be taken into account when developing risk communications to accompany dietary supplements. Future research should address how knowledge gaps about dietary supplements can be addressed by educational and warning materials to influence knowledge and beliefs with the goal of providing needed information to make informed healthful decisions.
From Specific Information Extraction to Inferences: A Hierarchical Framework of Graph Comprehension
Authors: Ratwani Raj M. , Trafton J. Gregory , Boehm-Davis Deborah A.
Published: January 2012

We examined how graph readers extracted specific information, integrated information and made inferences from choropleth graphs. We present a hierarchical framework of graph comprehension suggesting how graph readers extract these different types of information. Our framework suggests the cognitive operations required to extract these different types of information build in a hierarchical fashion as the complexity of the type of extraction increases. Empirical data gathered in our laboratory is reviewed in support of our hierarchical framework and implications are discussed.
Designing Sonification for Effective Attentional Control in Complex Work Domains
Authors: Anderson Janet , Sanderson Penelope
Published: January 2012

Complex safety-critical work domains such as anesthesia require human operators to direct their attention appropriately. A sonification is a possible method for directing attention to relevant changes while still allowing monitoring under divided attention conditions. However, there is currently little information to guide the design of sonification. Two experiments investigated the effect of the number of auditory streams on ability to detect changes (Experiment 1), and the effect of the number of auditory streams under different attention conditions (Experiment 2). When monitoring with selective attention, participants noted changes more accurately with three streams than with one or two streams, but when there were also distracter changes participants noted changes more accurately in multiple streams. Overall, accuracy was lower when attention was divided than when it was selective, but accuracy was especially low in the three-stream configuration. Distracter changes increased divided attention accuracy. The results suggest that the number of streams should be minimized if operators' attention will be divided between monitoring and other tasks.
Effects of Training and Auditory Context on Performance of a Point Estimation Sonification Task
Authors: Smith Daniel R. , Walker Bruce N.
Published: January 2012

Research on auditory graphs has investigated mappings, scalings, and polarities (Walker, 2002), as well as the addition of some contextual design features (Bonebright, Nees, Connerley, & McCain, 2001; Flowers, Buhman, & Turnage, 1997), in order to improve performance. However, little has been done to quantify the performance effects of such features, or to investigate effects of training in specific sonification tasks such as point estimation. Smith and Walker (2002) took a step towards quantifying and comparing the effects of adding several contextual design features. Presented here are selected results from a comprehensive follow-on study comparing effects of adding auditory context, either with or without training. The overall results indicate that some kinds of auditory context improved performance, while others did not. Training improved performance, and an interaction was discovered between type of auditory context and type of training (Smith, 2003). Implications are discussed.
Local Density Guides Visual Search: Sparse Groups are First and Faster
Authors: Halverson Tim , Hornof Anthony J.
Published: January 2012

Visual search in an important aspect of many tasks, but it not well understood how layout design affects visual search. This research uses reaction time data, eye movement data, and computational cognitive modeling to investigate the effect of local density on the visual search of structured layouts of words. Layouts were all-sparse, all-dense, or mixed. Participants found targets in sparse groups faster, and searched sparse groups before dense groups. Participants made slightly more fixations per word in sparse groups, but these were much shorter fixations. The modeling suggests that participants may have attempted to process words within a consistent visual angle regardless of density, but that they were more likely to miss the target if the target was in a dense group. Furthermore, it was found that the participants tended to search sparse groups before dense groups. When combining densities in a layout, it may be beneficial to place important information in sparse groups.
The Effects of Task Load on Performance and Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity in a Working Memory and a Visuomotor Task
Authors: Zinni Marla , Parasuraman Raja
Published: January 2012

This study examined the use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) as a tool to measure mental effort (as indexed by cerebral blood flow velocity) with increases in task load. Two tasks were chosen for this study based on their applicability to the task of piloting, a working memory (digit span) task and a visuo-motor tracking task. Based on previous findings of a possible relationship between mental workload and cerebral blood flow velocity it was hypothesized that both tasks would exhibit an increase in cerebral blood flow velocity in relation to baseline and that blood flow velocity would increase with increases in task demand. Although performance and subjective measures of mental workload indicated increased levels of effort to perform the digit span and tracking tasks as a function of task load, no systematic change in blood flow velocity was found with task demand in either task. Future work is needed to validate the use of TCD as a workload measurement tool.
Investigation of the Figure Superiority Effect in Sustained Attention
Authors: Proctor Christina A. , Ungar Nathaniel R. , Warm Joel S. , Matthews Gerald , Dember William N. , Shaw Tyler
Published: January 2012

This study examined whether enhanced perceptual discrimination for targets presented on figural than on ground elements, namely the figure superiority effect, extends to performance on vigilance or sustained attention tasks. In the experimental condition, targets requiring discriminations of line orientation were presented on figure-ground displays that could be organized as a face, a seahorse, and a pineapple, respectively, against a uniform black or white background. A control condition was also employed in which the same targets were presented on a bipartite black/white field. Figure-ground organization did not differentially effect signal detection in the experimental condition. However, perceptual sensitivity was significantly greater for signals appearing in the meaningful figure-ground display than in the control display, which lacked a meaningful figure-ground segregation. Consequently, meaningful figure-ground organization can be a critical psychophysical factor in controlling sustained attention.
Workload and Performance: A Field Evaluation in a Police Shooting Range
Authors: Greenwood-Ericksen Adams , Oron-Gilad Tal , Szalma James L. , Stafford Shawn , Hancock Peter A.
Published: January 2012

One vital responsibility of all law enforcement officers lies in their obligation to defend themselves and those around them in the event of a violent threat. The best tool available to them to perform this duty is their sidearm and their skill in using it. To evaluate the efficiency of this tool use, seventy-one police officers participated in a field study examining the relationship between workload and shooting performance. Use of linear regression analysis produced evidence linking higher reported workload on the mental subscale of the NASA-TLX while completing a shooting task to poorer shooting performance when controlling for marksmanship skill. This finding is discussed in the context of previous work in the areas of workload and attentional allocation.
A Survey of Operational Fatigue Risk Factors among Commercial Transportation Operators
Authors: McCallum Marvin C. , Sanquist Thomas F.
Published: January 2012

Operator fatigue is a critical issue that applies to all modes of commercial transportation. Managing the fatigue of commercial transportation operators requires an understanding of the practical challenges faced by operators in managing alertness. A survey of risk factors was conducted among twenty-five commercial transportation operators to help the broader commercial transportation industry understand the relevance of fatigue problems to their operations. A number of factors associated with operator fatigue were found to be common across the airline, rail, maritime, and trucking operations studied. Findings pertaining to eight factors that were found to have a major influence upon operator fatigue are presented. When these factors are present, they can be addressed through comprehensive fatigue management programs that address the systemic causes of fatigue; as well as through countermeasures that may provide long-term or temporary relief to operators.
Suicide by General Aviation Aircraft: Is Public Safety at Risk?
Authors: Mortimer Rudolf G. , Scott William E.
Published: January 2012

Analyses of the National Transportation Safety Board's aviation accident data were made for 1983–1998 to discern those caused by suicide during flight in general aviation and to determine if the public is placed at risk by them. It was found that suicides were about 0.06% of the accidents and that about 1.4 occurred per year. The characteristics and predisposing circumstances of the crashes are described. Most crashes were into mountains, hillsides or bodies of water. Public property was rarely damaged and no injuries to the public were recorded. Based on these data the public is at little risk from suicides in general aviation aircraft.
Misunderstanding Homeland Security Symbols
Authors: Mayhorn Christopher B. , Wogalter Michael S. , Bell Jennifer L.
Published: January 2012

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently unveiled a public education framework titled ”Preparing Makes Sense. Get Ready Now” designed to inform citizens how to respond during national emergencies such as nuclear, chemical, and biological terrorist attacks. Within the framework, pictorial safety symbols are used to communicate the nature of the hazards and the behavior necessary to avoid injury. Fifty-seven participants were tested for their comprehension of 24 DHS symbols. Given the ANSI Z535.3 (2001) criterion of 85% correct, 19 of the 24 DHS pictorial safety symbols are unacceptable for communicating hazard-related information. ANSI Z535.3 (2001) also recommends that acceptable symbols have no more than 5% critical confusions, defined as incorrect answers opposite to the intended meaning. Of the 24 symbols tested here, 16 symbols had critical confusion levels above 5%. The use of human factors methodologies is discussed as a means to improve symbol design and comprehension.
Applying Safety Analysis Methods to Elementary Education
Authors: Artis Sharnnia , Bertmaring Ian , Jónsdóttir Sigrún , Guy Sébastien
Published: January 2012

System safety methods are traditionally used in manufacturing environments. Applying traditional safety analysis methods in a non-traditional way to the classroom environment were used to conduct a safety and ergonomic assessment at an elementary school located near the Virginia border in northeastern North Carolina. The purpose of the study was to use safety analysis methods to an elementary school environment. For this study, three safety analysis methods, an ergonomic checklist, a classroom ergonomic analysis, and a task analysis were used to determine whether teachers and students were practicing ergonomically safe methods. Twelve classrooms in grades kindergarten through fifth grade were evaluated. Based upon the evaluations, several classrooms utilized adjustable furniture to ”fit the task to the person,” but not all adjustable furniture was properly used. In a number of classrooms, children practiced bad posture which can lead to future musculoskeletal disorders.
The Relationship between Safety and Quality Management in Construction
Authors: Loushine Todd William , Hoonakker Peter , Carayon Pascale , Smith Michael J.
Published: January 2012

Construction companies are constantly dealing with project safety and quality issues. Research indicates that characteristics of successful safety management are similar to those of successful quality management. A survey of construction contractors in Wisconsin was conducted to investigate what they think and do in regards to safety and quality management. Results indicate that management commitment, employee involvement, training, and communication were perceived as the most effective characteristics of safety and quality management. Perceived benefits of safety management were reduced claims and workers compensation premiums. Perceived benefits of quality management were more repeat customers and reduced rework. Barriers to safety were costs associated with training and enforcement, and barriers to quality were lack of skilled workers and the low-bid contract award process. Contractors who reported the use of ”hard measures” for safety performance, such as inspections/audits, process for collecting safety measures, and a ”near-miss” reporting, had significantly better self-reported safety outcome measures.