bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How (and When) to Make Hardware Design Changes in Released Products
Authors: Rodriguez Michael A.
Published: October 2012

Occasionally, perhaps more often than we’d like to admit, less-than-optimal product designs are released to the public and result in usability problems. There are several ways this can happen such as obtaining vendor products, expedited time to market, unforeseeable misuse, etc. The way to address field issues such as these is to develop a solution that solves the problem and is economically feasible to implement. This paper describes the use of cost-benefit analysis and provides guidelines to minimize solution-development costs in order to increase the probability that the solution can be implemented efficiently.
Hand Actuation Strength: A Preliminary Evaluation of Physical Demand in a Nontraditional Lawn Mowing Control System
Authors: Lowndes Bethany R. , Thrailkill Elizabeth A. , Hallbeck M. Susan
Published: October 2012

Many jobs and tasks involve hand control requiring large forces, awkward positions and/or high repetition rates which may lead to upper limb injury or illness. The operation of commercial lawn mowing machines involves a combination of these factors for actuation of hand controls and therefore may pose a safety concern for the operators. A nontraditional control system currently implemented on a commercially-available lawn mower may reduce some of the precursors for upper limb illness or injury due to hand and body positioning. This preliminary study compared maximum grip strength in nine different orientations (combinations of 3 different grip spans and 3 different positions). The results showed that there was a difference between the three different grip spans (p < 0.0001) and a difference between positions (p < 0.0001). The position of the nontraditional control system and the smallest grip span (6.3cm) facilitated the highest grip forces. Further investigation is required to better understand the impact on users of repetitive actuation in these orientations specifically while mowing.
Physiological Impact of Hospital Cleaning Carts on Cleaning Staff
Authors: Irwin Curt B. , Farfan Rafael A. , Conner Craig P.
Published: October 2012

Cleaning is a physiologically taxing profession and many cleaners suffer from chronic injuries. One aspect of a professional cleaner’s duties is cleaning floors. Different methods exist for cleaning floors and cleaning carts may be specifically designed to cater to a particular method. The goal of this study was to investigate the physiological impact of the cleaning method and cart on six professional cleaners preparing to clean floors. Although this study only examined the user actions required to prepare different carts and mops for floor cleaning, results indicate that carts which use a correctly pre-wet microfiber mop head require less overall muscle effort to prepare the mop than do carts which either use braided mops or incorrectly wetted microfiber mop heads. When extrapolated to the effort required during an entire cleaning shift, some carts and their associated cleaning methods required uses to exert between 357% and 1005% more muscle effort than the best performing cart. Future research should be conducted to evaluate if these physiological effect trends also are present during the act of floor cleaning. Additionally, it is presently unknown if all methods of floor cleaning result in equivalent levels of floor cleaning efficacy.
Product Design and Emotion: Frameworks, Methods, and Case Studies
Authors: McLoone Hugh , Jacobson Melissa , Goonetilleke Ravindra S. , Kleiss James , Liu Yili , McLoone Hugh , Schütte Simon
Published: October 2012

Successful product design meets or exceeds the emotional needs of users, beyond utility and quality. Likewise, successful product design applies the knowledge of aesthetics, beyond technologies, features, and ease of use. This Discussion Panel will offer three topics by each speaker to the audience:

1) Framework: What framework(s) describe the world of affective or emotional design of products? 2) Method: What design research method(s) are used to measure emotional reactions to designs? 3) Case Study: What product design(s) exemplify the frameworks, methods, and/or otherwise highlight a successful product design?

At the end of the session, attendees will have at least five frameworks, five research methods, and five case studies of exemplary products for inspiration in their work and research.
Measuring the Emotional Impacts of Multimedia eHealth
Authors: Lottridge Danielle , Yu Catherine , Chignell Mark
Published: October 2012

Emotion is critical to how health-related information is perceived and acted upon. This paper shares empirical and methodological insights from an eHealth multimedia usability study involving participants with type 2 diabetes, using a typical sample size for usability studies: n=10. Skin conductance sensors and a slider were used to assess emotional responses toward videos on disease complications. The videos featuring peers elicited trends of stronger emotional responses compared to the other video formats, for both emotion measures. Clustering was used to investigate patterns in slider usage; participants clustered into types characterized as: ‘responsive’, ‘judging’, and ‘unresponsive’. We examined slider and arousal data to estimate immersion and found that half of participants who moved the slider minimally experienced skin conductance spikes, indicating high immersion. We discuss implications for understanding high-impact eHealth multimedia and for measuring immersion and emotions using small samples common in usability studies.
Use of Participatory Design to Enhance Accessibility of Slate-Type Devices
Authors: Dhillon Gurjot S. , El-Glaly Yasmine N. , Holbach William H. , Smith-Jackson Tonya L. , Quek Francis
Published: October 2012

Individuals with Blindness or Severe Visual Impairment (IBSVI) have not had equivalent access to reading materials, especially for slate-type devices. Features such as highlighting and note taking are essential for active reading and engagement. The purpose of this project is to iteratively design a software system for slate type devices (e.g., iPad) to provide IBSVIs with equivalent reading experience as to sighted users. A participatory design (PD) approach is being adopted throughout the project by designing ‘with’ IBSVI users. The first PD session aimed to explore and obtain feedback on the different layouts of the overlays (tactile pattern over iPad to guide reading), different text densities, sonification, and navigation through the STAAR (Spatial Touch Audio Annotator and Reader) system. IBSVI consultants gave significant feedback and design inputs. Consultants also brainstormed with researchers for ideas to improve the features of the system.
Integrating Aesthetic and Usability Factors in the Design of Mobile Phones
Authors: Nathan-Roberts Dan , Liu Yili
Published: October 2012

Modern society has come to rely on mobile phones, devices of great functional value and aesthetic importance. Interactive Genetic Algorithms (IGAs) have previously been used to allow individuals to design mobile phones based on aesthetic preference. Here, a multi-objective ergonomic “teammate”, in the form of a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is added to the IGA. GAs and IGAs mimic evolution by iteratively refining a design by having users select designs they find most aesthetically pleasing (IGAs), or using a physical ergonomics model to select ergonomic designs (GAs), and using the selections to create a new generation of designs in a manner similar to natural selection. The web-based experiment had 32 participants, varying button spacing, screen size, and radius of phones over 10 trials (5 with an IGA alone, 5 with an IGA and a GA). The presence of a GA significantly improved the physical ergonomic rating of the final designs, but did not negatively impact the rated aesthetics. IGAs combined with GAs show promise as a tool for designers.
Developing a Framework of Guiding Interface Design for Older Adults
Authors: Liu Siwen , Joines Sharon
Published: October 2012

Many design recommendations have been provided for designing user interfaces for older adults. Existing design recommendations over the last twenty years were reviewed. Most of the design recommendations focused on older adults’ age-related changes in physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities, from an aging perspective or aging-oriented approach. Few design recommendations have been generated focusing on older adults’ prior knowledge and experience from a generation perspective or generation-oriented approach. The comparison of the two approaches is provided and the significance of taking into account both approaches during the design process is discussed. A framework guiding interface design for older adults systematically combining both the aging-oriented approach and the generation-oriented approach is proposed. This paper describes the framework which aims to assist developing user interfaces for maximum usability and accessibility for older adults.
He Says, She Says: Does Voice Affect Usability?
Authors: Edwards Rochelle , Kortum Philip
Published: October 2012

Interactive voice response systems (IVRs) are ubiquitous user interfaces that allow customers to gather information and execute transactions. Because the entire user interaction is auditory-based, the voice used in the IVR is of high importance. Entities that field IVRs go to great lengths to select appropriate voices, usually on the basis of aesthetics of the voice, or on branding considerations. While much has been written on the usability of these IVR systems from the perspective of navigation, the impact of the voice on the usability of IVRs has not been well explored. Towards this end, we investigated the impact of voice personality and speaker gender on the usability of an interactive voice response system. Results suggest that voice characteristics can have an impact on the perceived usability of the system, with male voices resulting in higher usability metrics than female voices.
Being Aware that You’re Nice or Nasty Won’t Make You Write Friendlier E-Mail
Authors: Hor Daniel , Dolgov Igor , Fretwell Amanda
Published: October 2012

E-mail communication is fraught with problems of inaccurate encoding and decoding of information due to the relative lack of emotional cues. In our experiment, we investigated whether having e-mail senders rate the intended friendliness levels of their own messages before they write them would make them generate replies that were indeed friendlier. This manipulation was intended to make the senders more aware of their decision to write friendly or unfriendly e-mail messages and subsequently compel them to follow through with their friendly intention, or to make them question their decision to be unfriendly. However, our results show no significant main effect of our manipulation. Instead, the tone of the original e-mail stimulus and the context surrounding the e-mail message were much stronger influences in determining the friendliness of the e-mail reply that people generate.
Examining the Role of Gender in Video Game Usage, Preference, and Behavior
Authors: Phan Mikki H. , Jardina Jo R. , Hoyle Sloane , Chaparro Barbara S.
Published: October 2012

Since coming into mainstream culture in the 1970s, video games have become increasingly popular. While both men and women play video games, game companies have begun developing games specifically for women that, unfortunately, adhere to stereotypes about females (i.e., pink, fashion, and shopping). This study aims to help game developers better understand the gaming patterns of gamers, both male and female, through a questionnaire which asks questions about video game usage, preferences, behaviors, and spending habits. Results reveal that men overwhelmingly played more violent video games than women. However, women tend to play both violent and non-violent almost equally. Male gamers were more likely than female gamers to be drawn to games from the Strategy, Role Playing, Action, and Fighting genres whereas female gamers were more likely than male gamers to play games from the Social, Puzzle/Card, Music/Dance, Educational/Edutainment, and Simulation genres. Overall, more men than women treated playing video game as their primary hobby, while women were more likely to regard playing video games as a less important hobby after other more important hobbies such as watching television.
Development of an Electronic Patient Record
Authors: Resnick Marc L.
Published: October 2012

Selecting an effective electronic patient record (EPR) system is a challenge for both large and small medical organizations. As a result, significant investments are often wasted or fail to meet expectations. This paper presents the ecological design of an evaluation tool that healthcare providers can use to determine how well an EPR matches its workflow, functional requirements, and performance expectations. Five stages were conducted. First, the academic and applied literatures were reviewed for issues of importance in the selection process. Existing EPR systems were benchmarked to identify baseline levels of functionality and performance and identify gaps with the expectations found in the literature. A prototype survey instrument was developed to articulate the design. Contextual interviews were conducted with administrators, doctors, nurses, and health IT experts to review the design concept and scope. Finally, the prototype instrument was revised to reflect the results of the interviews. The result is the architecture for a tool that medical organizations can use to select and customize an EPR tailored to their specific needs.
A new International Standard for the design of an environmental survey for the assessment of integrated environments
Authors: Hodder Simon , Parsons Ken
Published: October 2012

A new International Standard has been developed and published for the design and administration of an environmental survey. It provides a practical framework for Ergonomists and Occupational Hygienists who are required to conduct assessments of the physical environment. It gives guidance on objective, subjective and behavioural assessments. It also details a structured framework for the presentation and interpretation of results.
Mental Demand, Asymmetries, and Tympanic Membrane Temperature (TMT)
Authors: Craig Curtis , Klein Martina I.
Published: October 2012

Previous research has indicated that tympanic membrane temperature (TMT) is inversely correlated with cerebral blood flow and change in cerebral blood flow is a neurological measure of mental workload. We investigated whether TMT changed as a function of time on task and type of picture exposure (nature vs. urban) when participants performed two sessions of the original Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART: Robertson et al., 1997) that were separated by exposure to the pictures. Tympanic membrane temperature was recorded for both ears before and after each SART. We found a trend for declining temperature with time in the left ear and not the right ear. This finding is inconsistent with previous research that associated right-hemisphere dominance for vigilance tasks and suggested that SART is not a vigilance task. Further, the temperature asymmetries correlated with SART performance, which is in accordance with research by Helton (2010).
Individual Differences in Multimodal Waypoint Navigation
Authors: Garcia Andre , Finomore Victor , Burnett Gregory , Baldwin Carryl , Brill Christopher
Published: October 2012

Waypoint navigation is a critical task for dismounted soldiers, especially when navigating through novel environments with potential threats. In these dangerous environments, the soldiers should have their “eyes-up” and “ears-out” scanning the environment for critical signals. Current practices for dismounted soldiers include the use of a compass and map or small wearable computer in order to navigate. In this experiment, we compared several modalities and multiple combinations of these modalities in waypoint navigation performance. These modalities include two visual (an egocentric and a geocentric map), 3D spatialized audio, tactile, and the multimodal combinations of each. We also examined individual differences in sense of direction as a potential moderator of display usage. Results provide preliminary evidence that localized 3D audio and haptics navigation aids are an intuitive, efficient, and effective means of waypoint navigation, regardless of sense of direction.
Classification of Robot Form: Factors Predicting Perceived Trustworthiness
Authors: Schaefer Kristin E. , Sanders Tracy L. , Yordon Ryan E. , Billings Deborah R. , Hancock P.A.
Published: October 2012

Many factors influence perceived usability of robots, including attributes of the human user, the environment, and the robot itself. Traditionally, the primary focus of research has been on performance-based characteristics of the robot for the purposes of classification, design, and understanding human-robot trust. In this work, we examine the human perceptions of the aesthetic dimensions of a variety of robot domains to gain insight into the impact of physical form on perceived trustworthiness that occurs prior to human-robot interaction. Results show that the physical form does matter when predicting initial trustworthiness of a robot, primarily through the perceived intelligence and classification of the robot.
Human-animal teams as an analog for future human-robot teams
Authors: Phillips Elizabeth , Ososky Scott , Swigert Brittany , Jentsch Florian
Published: October 2012

Current military robotics research aims to transition the robot from tool to teammate, one that is more autonomous and acts with limited supervision within a highly complex and demanding environment. Investigating likely analogs to the human-robot team can provide guidance an inspiration into the simultaneous development of robot design and human training. Human-animal teams are one such metaphor that can provide insight into the capabilities of near-future robotic teammates. This paper explores the human-animal team metaphor, and describes a continuum of relevant human–animal team capabilities that can inform and guide the design of next-generation human–robot teams.
Measurement Equivalence of Trucking Industry- Specific Safety Climate Scales
Authors: Lee J , Huang Y. H. , Murphy L. A. , Jeffries S. , Robertson M. M. , Garabet A.
Published: October 2012

Precise measurement and understanding of employees’ safety climate perception is critical in promotion of a safe environment in an organization. The current study aimed at testing measurement equivalence (ME) of trucking industry-specific safety climate scales. ME refers to whether a psychological assessment system has consistent wording, scaling, and construct scoring across different measurement conditions and consequently can measure the same attributes. For both organization- and group-level safety climate scales, ME was supported to the configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance levels. The findings suggest that the safety climate scales’ measurement structure holds consistent meaning across different trucking companies and the scale scores can be used for comparison of safety climate across different companies and safety climate interventions.
Assessing the Impact of a Dynamic Intervention within a Perceptual Discrimination Training Module
Authors: Rivera Javier , Curtis Michael T. , Jentsch Florian , Quevedo Jose
Published: October 2012

The use of multimedia training methods for improving learning outcomes has been examined in recent years. Commonly, two types of multimedia training (static media and dynamic media) have been utilized for learning facilitation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact that both dynamic image training and static image training has on perceptual skill augmentation and performance on a visual approach aviation task. The results indicated that there were no significant differences between the two types of training on accuracy on a visual approach task. However, a significant difference was found between the static training group and the control group. The results suggest that although the visual approach is a dynamic maneuver, using static images during training is a practical method for visual skill refinement and learning differences between glide slope angles.
The Effect of Feedback Specificity in a Virtual Training Environment
Authors: Johnson Cheryl I. , Priest-Walker Heather A. , Durlach Paula J. , Serge Stephen R.
Published: October 2012

Feedback clearly contributes to performance improvement; however, the most effective ways to provide feedback in virtual training environments has not been established. In the present experiment we investigated the effect of feedback specificity. Participants practiced applying search procedures during multiple search missions in a virtual environment. All conditions received a performance score after each mission. The control group received no additional feedback, whereas the detailed group received feedback at the enabling learning objective level, and the general feedback group received feedback at the terminal learning objective level. The detailed group showed the most rapid performance improvement; however, participants in the general group showed equally rapid acquisition if they consulted supplementary materials two or three times. Those who did not performed no better than the control condition. The results suggest that easily accessible detailed feedback produces faster acquisition, compared to when the same information is less easy to access.
Effects of Cross-Training on Team Performance, Communication, and Workload in Simulated Air Battle Management
Authors: Strang Adam J. , Funke Gregory J. , Knott Benjamin A. , Galster Scott M. , Russell Sheldon M.
Published: October 2012

Team cross-training is used to improve team interpositional knowledge (IPK). IPK is thought to promote adaptability, allowing teams to maintain coordination and performance when faced with challenges, such as increased task demands and role reconfiguration. The current experiment examined the effects of experiential cross-training, a form of training where teammates practice each other’s tasks and duties, in 5-person teams performing a command and control (C2) air battle management (ABM) simulation over a 5-day training period. Results indicated that under some conditions, cross-training resulted in slightly diminished team performance relative to control teams. Cross-trained teams also reported higher levels of workload throughout training. However, teams who underwent cross-training were better able to maintain team communication when faced with increased task demands.
Evaluating Vigilance in a Dynamic Environment: Methodological Issues and Proposals
Authors: Teo Grace W. , Szalma James L. , Schmidt Tarah N. , Hancock Gabriella M. , Hancock Peter A.
Published: October 2012

Decades of vigilance research have contributed much to our understanding of the factors affecting sustained attention. However most of what we know about vigilance has been from studies employing tasks that involve relatively static stimuli presented on relatively uncluttered backgrounds. This bears little resemblance to many modern day vigilance tasks. The present study discusses the challenges and issues in applying the vigilance paradigm and methodology to a dynamic task requiring vigilance in an IED detection task.
Shape Writing on Tablets: Better Performance or Better Experience?
Authors: Nguyen Harry , Bartha Michael C.
Published: October 2012

Shape writing is a technology for text input that involves „drawing‟ the desired word with your finger or a stylus in one continuous motion on the virtual keyboard. Swype, initially introduced to smart phones, is a shape writing application that is advertised as being faster than traditional methods of keying on a virtual keyboard. This technology is relatively new to the market, and to date there is little available research on the performance of Swype on smart phones, and none on the even newer tablet devices, such as a Samsung Galaxy Tab. The present study investigated the performance (words per minute/average errors per word) and preference associated with the use of Swype for text input compared to keying on the virtual keyboard. The effect of keyboard sizes within landscape and portrait orientations was also examined. In the current implementation, the keying method did not have the benefit of a prediction algorithm, therefore prediction was turned off for Swype condition as well. No significant difference was found in typing speed between the two input methods, however, an effect of keyboard viewing orientation on typing speed was found. For average errors per word, the only significant effect was an interaction between input method and keyboard viewing orientation. Additionally, Swype was rated significantly better than keying on four out of five preference measures. Findings show that despite Swype not operating at its fullest ability, it performs just as well as keying and provides a better experience for users.
Differences in Muscle Activity for 4 Touch Devices
Authors: Ritchey Paul , Peres S. Camille , Duffield Timothy John
Published: October 2012

The use of touch devices has become pervasive in businesses, coffee shops, homes, and schools. These devices are used for a myriad of different tasks for extended periods of time. However, there is little known about the effects on user’s muscles when these devices are used for extended periods of time. As part of a larger project, we present here results about the differing levels of muscle exertion degree of dynamic activity for muscles when people use four different touch devices—an iPod touch, iPad, touch screen desktop and a touch screen laptop. Participants completed four separate tasks with the devices and there were surprising and interesting differences found by device for the different muscles and tasks.
Where’s My Web Page? How Aesthetic Changes Affect User Performance When Critical Navigation Links Change
Authors: Kortum Philip , Scharff Lauren F. V.
Published: October 2012

This paper reports the results of a study that examined the impact of aesthetic changes to a web site on user performance when a single critical link in the main navigation of the page also changed. 102 participants performed 4 search tasks on a web site. They were then redirected back to the site immediately or waited approximately 14 days to perform the first search task again. Half the participants had the critical navigation link on the first set of tasks, while the other half did not. On their second visit, the presence or absence of the link was either consistent, or was the opposite of what they had encountered on their first visit. In all cases, participants saw a web site with one aesthetic look on their first visit, and this aesthetic was changed for their second visit. Results showed that, while users generally noticed changes to the site after an aesthetic change, they were not particularly good at determining exactly what changed. Further, their ability detect and describe these differences decreased as the time between recurrent visits increased, and for the most part, the changes did not adversely impact objective performance measures.
Gender Differences in First Impressions of Web Pages: The Role of Attractiveness, Complexity, and Brightness on Perceived Design Quality
Authors: Jardina Jo R. , Phan Mikki , Nguyen Duy , Chaparro Barbara S.
Published: October 2012

First impressions of a web page are important since users can form a lasting impression of a site in as little as 50ms (Lindgaard et al, 2006; Lindgaard et al, 2011). This study examined gender differences of initial impressions of 50 e-commerce web pages. Participants rated each page on five attributes: masculinity/femininity, brightness, attractiveness, complexity, and design quality. Results from a multiple linear regression showed that user perceptions of attractiveness and complexity were predictive of whether a web page was rated as well-designed. When examined by gender, it was found that this same finding was true of females but not for males, who did not report the same relationship between complexity and design quality. Sample pages which resulted in gender rating differences are discussed.
Adopting Network Analysis Methods for Contextual Inquiry: the Keyword Structure Representation of a Web Behavior
Authors: Kim Ga-Won , Lim Jihyoun , Choi Hyosun , Yun Myung-Hwan
Published: October 2012

This study employed network analysis to understand core values teenagers seek, in use of the Internet. Data had been collected through in-depth interview using contextual inquiries about teens’ usage of the Internet. Interview data was converted into a list of grouped words based on their similarity. A relation matrix was generated based on the frequency of connections between words. Network visualization and analysis were performed using UCINET 6.0 on the relation matrix. In this study, ‘joy’ appeared as the key value teenagers pursuing and, ‘beauty’ and ‘managing relationships’ were also identified as words with high centrality in their use of the Internet. This study has demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing non-hierarchical network approach as a tool to understanding the value structure, which allows researcher to utilize natural description on users’ experience toward a given product, service or system.
Design and Evaluation of a Differential Speedometer
Authors: Szczerba Joseph , Hersberger Roger , Riegelman Alex
Published: October 2012

Differential speedometers are gauges that continually display real-time over/under vehicle speed relative to the current speed limit. Use of these gauges may increase situation awareness and reduce driver workload. The design of such a gauge, however, is critical to its usability and its effect on driver performance. Thirty differential speedometer designs were brainstormed and subsequently down-selected to nine gauges using a heuristic assessment. The selected gauges were then tested for usability in a desktop study. Participants answered questions regarding vehicle speed with respect to the current speed limit using information presented on the gauges. Understanding was assessed by measuring the response time and accuracy of the participants’ response. Subjective ratings of usability and overall gauge preference were also obtained. Results were used to select three gauge designs for future study in a vehicle simulator for the purpose of selecting an optimal design of a differential speedometer.
Missing Critical Auditory Alarms in Aeronautics: Evidence for Inattentional Deafness?
Authors: Dehais Frédéric , Causse Mickaël , Régis Nicolas , Menant Eric , Labedan Patrice , Vachon François , Tremblay Sébastien
Published: October 2012

The inability of pilots to detect unexpected changes in the environment (e.g., auditory alarms) is a critical problem in aeronautics. The lack of response to alarms is not thought to be a perceptual/attentional issue, but rather that pilots choose to ignore such warnings due to cognitive biases. In the current paper we consider an alternative explanation, by extending the phenomenon of inattentional deafness to aeronautics. Fourteen pilots equipped with an eye tracker and an electrocardiogram performed landings in a flight simulator. During the critical landing, an auditory landing gear alarm was triggered while the volunteers also faced a windshear. Eight out of 14 pilots did not report the occurrence of the critical alarm during the debriefing. Interestingly, all but one of these ‘deaf’ pilots failed to perform the adequate go-around behavior. These findings establish inattentional deafness as a cognitive phenomenon that is critical for air safety.
A comparison of "on-thigh" vibrotactile, combined visual-vibrotactile, and visual-only alerting systems for the cockpit under visually demanding conditions
Authors: Salzer Yael , Oron-Gilad Tal
Published: October 2012

In the cockpit, performance is prone to break down. Conveying crucial information through the tactile modality, which requires little to no additional effort, has been previously examined as means to improve performance and safety. Previously, we demonstrated the ability of the on-thigh vibrotactile alerting display to convey directional cues in the vertical plane. We hypothesized that tactile directional alerting cues would be beneficial in a visually loaded multi-tasking environment. In the current study, two tasks were introduced simultaneously: a directional task where participants respond to directional cues (visual, tactile, or combination of both), and a visual-memory recall task where participants identify, count and recall objects embedded in flight movies. Response time, accuracy and subjective workload were evaluated. Performance in the memory recall task and subjective workload were in favor of the combined tactile & visual configuration. No performance difference was found between visual and tactile & visual in the directional task. We conclude that the tactile & visual configuration may allow operators to choose a strategy in which perceptual and cognitive resources are better utilized.
Evaluation of Spatial Audio for Improving Change Detection on Large Screen Displays
Authors: Castle Courtney , Finomore Victor , Simpson Brian , Satterfield Kelly , Davis Susan
Published: October 2012

In the context of military command and control operations, operators are under an incredible amount of pressure to perform time-sensitive tasks in a rapidly changing environment. When the task involves a large screen display, it is easy to miss a critical event due to the overabundance of information present. In the current task, we investigated the potential of a spatial auditory cue for improving performance on a command and control monitoring task. We found that for a change detection task on a large screen display, a localized auditory cue can provide a useful and salient method of alerting operators to a change on the display. Additionally, because a spatial audio cue contains information about the location off an event on the screen, it gives the operator a better chance of detecting and responding to relevant events as they occur. Since a spatialized cue alerts the operator to the location of importance, it provides an especially critical advantage in areas of the screen which are normally associated with lower rates of detection.
The Design of Product Comparison Tables and its Effects on Decision Making
Authors: Lee Michael , Carswell C. Melody , Seidelman Will , Sublette Michelle
Published: October 2012

Consumers are constantly presented with new information about new products. The presentation of this information can affect decision making processes by varying the form, organization, and sequence of the information (Kleinmuntz & Schkade, 1993). One organization strategy frequently used in marketing is a product comparison table which allows for side-by-side comparisons to be made. Two decision making heuristics which can occur when using such tables are the “as-if (AI) heuristic,” where all features are treated “as if” they are equal in importance or value, and the other is the “elimination-by-aspect (EBA) heuristic,” where a preferred feature must be present for an alternative to be considered further. One design manipulation that could affect such heuristics when using a table is shading. When applying the Proximity Compatibility Principle (PCP) and theories of visual search, it is easy to see how shading can influence or shape the perceptual acquisition of information and, in turn, affect decision making strategies. This research looked at shading orientation and its effects on decision making during a guided choice task. The study of spontaneous choice is ongoing.
Human Factors Principles Underlying Glyph Design: A Review of the Literature and an Agenda for Future Research
Authors: Siva Navaneethan , Chaparro Alex , Palmer Evan
Published: October 2012

Glyphs are graphical icons that depict multivariate data and are used by a number of disparate fields. Their designs are varied, reflecting both the diversity of applications and the absence of design standards. In the absence of guidelines, glyph designers have relied on their intuition and expert opinion to develop a diverse collection of idiosyncratic techniques for representing complex data sets. Importantly, it is not clear whether glyph design schemes are in any way optimal for efficient perceptual interpretation and usage. We note several findings in the perception and cognition literature that may serve as an initial basis for guidelines, we discuss how they might be used and the importance of doing so. Additionally, the dynamic updating of information in glyphs is a new trend that makes this kind of optimization necessary now more than has been in the past.
Interval Production as a Secondary Task Workload Measure: Consideration of Primary Task Demands for Interval Selection
Authors: Seidelman Will , Carswell C. Melody , Grant Russell C. , Sublette Michelle , Lio Cindy H. , Seales Brent
Published: October 2012

Twenty-eight participants performed a surgical training primary task along with a concurrent time estimation (interval production) secondary task. Fourteen participants were given a primary task that varied in motor demand; the other fourteen performed a primary task that varied in cognitive demand. Time estimation is an attractive option as a workload measure due to its low cost and ease of implementation. Currently it is unclear whether the structure of task demands influences the sensitivity of time estimation tasks that use different intervals. The sensitivity of both a short (3 second) and long (21 second) interval were observed in tasks that differed in level of workload. Results indicated that short intervals were more sensitive to changes in motor workload while long intervals displayed more sensitivity to changes in cognitive demand.
How Accurate Are Older Drivers’ Judgments of the Effects of Headlight Glare on Acuity?
Authors: Stafford Ashley A. , Whetsel Stephanie A. , Cartee Natalee K. , Tyrrell Richard A.
Published: October 2012

Visual performance declines at night and this effect is more pronounced for older drivers. Despite the fact that high beam headlights can increase visibility when driving at night, drivers tend to underuse their high beams at night. Little is known about why high beams are underused, but the desire to minimize glare to oncoming drivers has been cited as a possible explanation. In this study 12 older drivers judged the distance at which they would just be able to recognize the orientation of a non-retroreflective Landolt C if it were present adjacent to the headlights of an opposing vehicle. The beam setting (low vs. high) of both vehicles was manipulated. Both the participants’ judgments of their own visual performance and their actual visual performance decreased when the participants faced the high beams of the opposing vehicle. Reports of glare-induced discomfort increased when participants faced high beams. Interestingly, the participants overestimated their visual performance when their own vehicle used low beams but were more accurate when their own vehicle used high beams. These results may help explain why drivers underuse their high beam headlights even when in conditions that favor their usage.
Auditory Progress Bars: The effects of Feedback, Endpoint and Free Response on Estimations of Time Remaining
Authors: Garcia Adrian , Peres Camille S.
Published: October 2012

Auditory Progress Bars (APB) are non-speech auditory displays that indicate the status and progress of ongoing tasks. In on-hold telephone settings they may provide the caller with a means of estimating when their call will be answered. Here, participants used three distinct APBs to make estimations of the time remaining during a simulated on-hold wait. The benefits of feedback and hearing the APB’s endpoint on estimating time remaining were examined. Evidence is found that the accuracy of estimations differs by APB type and that feedback on initial estimations increases accuracy on later estimations. Knowing the APBs endpoint does not appear to increase the accuracy of estimating the time remaining in fixed intervals.
An Expansion of System Wide Trust Theory Using In-Vehicle Automation
Authors: Blair Kasha , Sandry Joshua , Rice Stephen
Published: October 2012

In the present experiments, we extended system-wide trust theory (SWT) to make predictions regarding in-vehicle automated devices. Reformulation of SWT into system-wide assessment theory (SWAT) was successful in predicting participants’ perceived reliability and trust ratings of in-vehicle automated devices when participants were presented with only a limited amount of information about the reliability of an existing in-vehicle automated device. Over a series of two related experiments, findings revealed that the initial reliability level impacted both subsequent reliability estimates and subsequent trust ratings of both specific and non-specific in-vehicle automated devices.
Perceived Urgency and Annoyance of Auditory Alerts in a Driving Context
Authors: Gonzalez Christian , Lewis Bridget A. , Roberts Daniel M. , Pratt Stephanie M. , Baldwin Carryl L.
Published: October 2012

Complex in-vehicle technology and safety systems are finding their way into many cars on the road today. These systems require alerts and warnings that appropriately convey multiple levels of urgency, but if these are deemed excessively annoying, then their implementation may be of little consequence. In this study we used a well-documented psychophysical approach to identify the relationship between specific auditory parameters, perceived urgency and perceived annoyance. In agreement with existing literature, increases in all parameters led to increases in both urgency and annoyance - although differentially. Of the parameters investigated, only pulse rate exhibited a stronger psychophysical relationship with urgency than annoyance. The tradeoff between urgency and annoyance is of practical concern and results from this study provide a potential guideline to determine the viability of future in vehicle alerts based on this relationship.
Electric Vehicle Charging Station Signs: An Evaluation of Driver Comprehension and Perceived Risk
Authors: Dagnall Erin E. , Katz Bryan J. , Bertola Mary Anne
Published: October 2012

As drivers continue to purchase electric vehicles, there is an increasing demand for electric vehicle charging stations and, consequently, signing for these stations. Previous research evaluated a sign which was recommended to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) team for addition to the MUTCD; however there remained concerns that drivers’ perceptions of electric vehicle charging stations signs had not been adequately addressed. The present research focused on driver comprehension and perceived risk of electric shock in regard to two electric vehicle charging station signs. Members of the driving public completed a computer-based survey which consisted of open-ended questions, rating tasks, and ranking tasks. Drivers did not necessarily associate a risk of electric shock with electric vehicle charging stations. In fact, nearly 100 percent reported that they would feel comfortable using a public electric vehicle charging station. When asked specifically about the risk of electric shock, statistically significant differences in sign alternatives arose only in the risk of electric shock implied by the sign. Further, drivers perceived the risk of shock from using an electric vehicle charging station as lower than many commonly used items which contain an electric charge (e.g., toaster, hair dryer, and extension cord). Given that both alternatives were well comprehended, either sign is suitable for use.
The Enhancement of Mental Models and its Impact on Teamwork
Authors: Jobidon Marie-Eve , Muller-Gass Alexandra , Duncan Matthew , Blais Ann-Renée
Published: October 2012

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether enhancing team mental models (TMM), more specifically task models and team interaction models, improved teamwork in dynamic situations. Measures of performance, coordination, and communication were collected during a forest firefighting simulation task (C3Fire) and compared across three learning conditions. The purpose of these learning conditions was to either enhance task TMM by providing additional information on environmental dynamics or team TMM by providing additional information on the roles of each team member and possible interaction strategies. In the control condition, no additional information was provided. Also, task complexity was varied through transparency of courses of action (COA). The results showed better team performance and coordination in conditions with a more obvious COA. However, there was no significant effect of learning condition on team effectiveness. A trend in the data suggests that teams given additional information on team interaction or task factors spent more time communicating. These findings are discussed in the context of previous research and potential avenues for future investigations.
Supporting Change Detection in Complex Dynamic Situations: Does the CHEX Serve its Purpose?
Authors: Vallières Benoit R. , Hodgetts Helen M. , Vachon François , Tremblay Sébastien
Published: October 2012

Change detection is required in monitoring and managing complex situations such as air traffic control. Considering that change blindness—the incapacity to detect changes in a visual scene—is a considerable source of human errors and that most studies on change detection have involved static visual scenes, it is crucial to evaluate existing tools designed to help this cognitive function in complex dynamic situations. The goal of the present study was to determine the efficacy of the Change History Explicit (CHEX)—a tool already proven effective when explicit change detection is the only task to execute—when change detection is implicit and intrinsic to a more complex task. Results revealed that the CHEX failed to improve implicit change detection when this task was embedded in a threat-evaluation and weapon-assignment (TEWA) task. Moreover, TEWA performance was hindered and mental workload was perceived as higher when the CHEX was available. Even when the information load imposed by the CHEX was reduced, the tool remained ineffective. This suggests that the nature of the change detection task should be taken into account when designing a decision support system.
Comparison of SA Measurement Techniques in a Human-Robot Team Task
Authors: Schuster David , Keebler Joseph R. , Jentsch Florian , Zuniga Jorge
Published: October 2012

Increasingly intelligent and capable robots may lead to human-robot interaction characterized by close collaboration with robots as team members rather than remotely manipulated tools. In this mode of operation, it is important that robot team members contribute to, rather than limit, the situation awareness (SA) of soldiers. An exploratory study was conducted in which the effects of individual differences and mission factors on three measures of SA were compared. The Situational Awareness Rating Technique (SART) was the best metric for capturing elements of SA that were useful in mission performance, although the results suggest that other measures should not be disregarded. Practical implications for the use of SA metrics in human-robot teams are discussed.