bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Work Domain Analysis for Establishing Collaborative Work Requirements
Authors: Burns Catherine , Torenvliet Gerard , Chalmers Bruce , Scott Stacey
Published: January 2012

We explored the use of Work Domain Analysis (WDA) in the context of maritime tactical picture compilation. In particular, we were interested in extracting requirements for collaboration within a naval task group. This work presents a novel use of WDA, as this analysis method has not previously been used specifically to examine collaborative work processes. The WDA identified unique domain views for various team positions and collaborative boundary objects shared within the team. This use of WDA in a group context provides new requirements for the design of collaboration tools.
Human Performance Consequences of Automated Decision Aids in States of Fatigue
Authors: Manzey Dietrich , Reichenbach Juliane , Onnasch Linda
Published: January 2012

The present study investigates how human performance consequences of automated decision aids are moderated by the operator's performance state and the aid's level of automation. Participants performed a simulated supervisory control task with one of two decision aids which provided different degrees of support for fault identification and management. One session took place during the day, another one during the night, after a prolonged waking phase of more than 20 hours. Results show that both, primary and secondary task performance benefit from automated support compared to manual performance. During the night, participants supported by the higher automated aid were better able to maintain a high level of performance. Clear evidence for automation bias was found, but only during the day session. Automation verification was performed more carefully during the night, indicating a less complacent behavior when operators used the decision aids in a state of sleepiness and fatigue.
Differential Effects of Likelihood Alarm Technology and False-Alarm vs. Miss Prone Automation on Decision Making
Authors: Clark Rylan M. , Peyton Gordon G. , Bustamante Ernesto A.
Published: January 2012

Past research concerning decision support tools has primarily focused on either false-alarm prone (FP) or miss-prone (MP) automation. Some studies have explored performance disparities of binary versus likelihood alarm technology (BAT vs. LAT) but only in FP automation. The goal of this study was to explore differential effects of alarm technology and FP vs. MP automation on human decision-making accuracy. One-hundred university students performed a low-fidelity uninhabited aerial vehicle flight simulation, composed of two primary flight tasks and an automation-aided secondary weapon-deployment task. As expected, participants' decision-making accuracy was highest when using LAT, specifically with FP prone automation. These findings provide support for incorporating LAT into FP prone automation to enhance human decision-making accuracy.
The Effects of Communication Style on Robot Navigation Performance
Authors: Cassenti Daniel N. , Kelley Troy D. , Swoboda Jennifer C. , Patton Debra J.
Published: January 2012

With the advance of computer speech recognition programs, robotic operators have a new method of robot-operator communication. An experiment was conducted using a “Wizard of Oz” paradigm to investigate how different styles of communication affect robot navigation performance. Using manual inputs, verbal commands (restricted to directions only), and verbal commands with object referent labels, participants navigated a simulated robot through various simulated indoor environments. Results indicated that manual control was faster than free form verbal commands but not faster than simple directional commands. When provided the opportunity, participants did use object labels particularly objects related to the structure of the building (doors, rooms, and halls). Discussion focuses on improving robotic communication and object recognition in a robotic control system.
The effects of electronic map displays and spatial ability on performance of navigational tasks
Authors: Rodes Will , Gugerty Leo , Brooks Johnell , Cantalupo Claudio
Published: January 2012

One aspect of electronic map displays that has been under examination since their invention is the effect of map configuration, i.e., rotating, track-up vs. fixed, north-up maps, on different navigational tasks. Research has shown that people perform some navigation tasks better with track-up maps, and other navigation tasks better with north-up maps. In the current experiment ( N = 16), we investigated how the performance of three common navigation tasks performed as part of an aerial reconnaissance simulation (i.e., cardinal direction judgments, route following and map memory) were affected by an interface factor, map configuration (track-up vs. north-up), and by an individual differences factor, differences in spatial ability. The cardinal direction judgment and route following tasks showed improved accuracy with the track-up map configuration; whereas the map reconstruction task was better facilitated by the north-up map configuration. Spatial abilities were also associated with differences in performance on the three navigation tasks. Spatial abilities and the map-configuration manipulation showed similar strength of association with navigation performance (similar effect size).
Incorporating Human Factors Into a Capstone Senior Design Program to Benefit Individuals with Disabilities
Authors: Marshall Matthew , DeBartolo Elizabeth , Phillips Daniel
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this paper is to describe how a multidisciplinary senior design sequence incorporates human factors and ergonomics to address projects that benefit individuals with disabilities. The approach exposes students to the problems that surface when using human factors and ergonomics tools and data to solve engineering and design problems that contain a human component. While some engineering students receive exposure to human factors and ergonomics in classroom settings, the senior design sequence is the first time that many students on the multidisciplinary design teams face the challenge of designing for humans, particularly for the unique demands that may be associated with individuals who have a disability. The paper provides an overview of the process and presents several case studies to demonstrate some of the challenges that have been met by the student teams and the approaches that have been taken.
Colored Lighting in Offices the New Caffeine? Looking into Performance Effects of Colored Lighting
Authors: Hoonhout H.C.M. (Jettie) , Knoop M. , Vanpol Ruben
Published: January 2012

Innovations in lighting technology have made it simple to realize a wide range of lighting colors, and effortlessly change settings when desired. According to popular belief, color and lighting influence mood, well-being and performance. However, research is inconclusive regarding such claims; often variables such as brightness are not well controlled, or only subjective and no performance measures are reported. This study aims to address some of these issues. In an office setting, one wall was illuminated with blue or red light with comparable saturation and brightness. These colors were chosen because of inconclusive views on their effect, and their potential relevance for office-tasks. White light was offered in the immediate task-area, to meet illuminance and color rendering requirements. 76 participants were randomly assigned to one condition, and asked to perform several tasks. Mixed effects were found of condition on task performance.
“Spontaneous Combustion” of Oil-Based Wood Finishing Products: Hidden or Obvious Hazard?
Authors: Cohen Joseph , Cohen H. Harvey
Published: January 2012

Materials such as rags soaked in oil-based wood finishing products may ignite without an ignition source if not discarded properly. Despite the problem of smoldering, it would appear that users may not understand the danger, associated risk, and means for prevention. In addition, an analysis of labels on existing products in the marketplace revealed that warning messages are often written in small text, without clear pictographs, and embedded amongst instructions with little, if any, consideration of the capabilities and limitations of users. To address this apparent lack of knowledge and address many unanswered questions about the human factors/ergonomics usability issues, the authors initiated a warning label analysis and development process. Preliminary results of a survey undertaken as the first step suggest that people do not view smoldering as a hazard. In addition, absent instructions, people generally do not know the proper way of disposing of materials soaked in oil-based wood finishing products.
Prospective Memory in Everyday Tasks
Authors: Holbrook Jon , Dismukes Key
Published: January 2012

Everyday situational factors may substantially affect individuals' success or failure in remembering to perform deferred tasks (i.e., prospective memory). We designed a diary study to explore the types and dimensions of prospective memory situations in everyday life that have not been well examined in laboratory investigations. Eight participants recorded intentions for a week. Results suggest that differences between how study participants framed their real-world intentions and how intentions are framed in typical experimental paradigms have significant implications for prospective memory performance, including the role of the natural environment. Our results further suggest ways individuals can improve performance in everyday prospective memory tasks.
Medical Informatics: What Contributions can Human Factors Make?
Authors: Smith Michael W. , Russ Alissa L.
Published: January 2012

Healthcare is arguably the most complex of the complex, sociotechnical systems studied by the human factors community. This complexity only looks to increase over the next five years as massive changes in how care is delivered and reimbursed are already underway. Not the least of these changes is the not-so-subtle introduction of medical informatics and their corresponding ripple effects on how roles are designed, how work is coordinated, how primary and more distant personnel are impacted, and how power is allocated among groups. Much of the activity in medical informatics is conducted without representation by the human factors community, or even knowledge of what the human factors community can contribute other than usability testing methods. In this panel, a group of leading human factors researchers will provide a range of perspectives to the question: What contributions can human factors make to medical informatics based upon recent cutting-edge research and reflection on past experiences.
Developing a Tool for Reliably Identifying Distractions and Interruptions during Surgery
Authors: Parker S. Henrickson , Laviana A. , Sundt T.M. , Wiegmann D.A.
Published: January 2012

Background: Many researchers have previously explored the correlation between surgical flow disruptions (distractions and interruptions) and error in cardiac surgery, however there is no reliable tool to prospectively categorize surgical flow disruptions and the conditions that predispose a surgical team to error. Methods and Results: Two independent raters of different medical and human factors expertise observed 12 cardiovascular operations and iteratively designed a tool to characterize surgical flow disruptions and the latent factors that contribute to error. Categories to characterize surgical flow disruptions were based on human factors models of human error. Following the design period, both raters observed 10 surgical cases using the tool, to assess validity and inter-rater reliability. Rating agreement (weighted kappa) for each category across the 10 surgeries was moderate to very high, resulting in strong inter-rater reliability for each category on the surgical flow disruption tool (SFDT). Conclusions: This research depicts the development and utility of a tool to analyze surgical flow disruptions in the cardiovascular operating room with satisfactory inter-rater reliability. This tool is an important first step in systematically categorizing and measuring surgical flow disruptions and their impact on patient safety in the operating room.
Measuring Attention Patterns and Expertise of Scrub Nurses in the Operating Theatre in Relation to Reducing Errors in Surgical Counts
Authors: Koh Ranieri Yung Ing , Yang Xi , Yin Shanqing , Ong Lay Teng , Donchin Yoel , Park Taezoon
Published: January 2012

Cases of retained foreign objects after surgery have been a problem since the beginning of modern surgery. However, the preventive measure to this problem has remained rather primitive – through manual surgical count by scrub nurses. The process of counting is subject to errors under stressful environment, such as time pressure, distractions, and high cognitive workload. The objective of this study is to measure the differences in the performance and attention patterns according to the expertise of the scrub nurses within an operating theatre, finally drawing a conclusion on the means through which the performance of scrub nurses can be optimized to reduce chances of errors. Qualitative observations on three different types of surgery and two eye movement data collected in the operation theatre have shown both qualitative and quantitative differences in performance and behavioral patterns between expert and novice scrub nurses, suggesting that task switching, task prioritization and situation awareness are latent factors affecting their task performances.
Public Health: An Epidemiological Study to Explore the Relationship between Literacy, Language, Aging, and Familiarity on Comprehension of Health Information
Authors: Vredenburgh Michael J.
Published: January 2012

Studies concerning health literacy indicate that health-related materials cannot be understood by most of the people for whom they are intended. A primary aim of the current study was to evaluate the extent to which medication information sheets effectively convey instructions and health information to populations who may be at risk of making errors: seniors (65+), new and inexperienced medication users (ages 16–21), and English learners. An “experimental” information sheet was created for this study by reformatting existing sheets to comport with results of my prior science fair research. A comprehension test was also created for this study. Two existing information sheets (one commonly used by pharmacy chains and one by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA]) were compared to the experimental sheet using a mixed-model ANOVA. Results indicate that the young, inexperienced users and seniors performed significantly better when tested using the reformatted, experimental sheet. Since seniors use significantly more drugs, and the more drugs taken the greater risk of misunderstanding instructions, it is critical that these sheets are redesigned to be usable by this population group.
A Method for the Formal Verification of Human-interactive Systems
Authors: Bolton Matthew L , Bass Ellen J.
Published: January 2012

Predicting failures in complex, human-interactive systems is difficult as they may occur under rare operational conditions and may be influenced by many factors including the system mission, the human operator's behavior, device automation, human-device interfaces, and the operational environment. This paper presents a method that integrates task analytic models of human behavior with formal models and model checking in order to formally verify properties of human-interactive systems. This method is illustrated with a case study: the programming of a patient controlled analgesia pump. Two specifications, one of which produces a counterexample, illustrate the analysis and visualization capabilities of the method.
Workload Warriors: Lessons Learned from a Decade of Mental Workload Prediction Using Human Performance Modeling
Authors: Mitchell Diane Kuhl , Samms Charneta
Published: January 2012

For at least a decade, researchers at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) have predicted mental workload using human performance modeling (HPM) tools, primarily IMPRINT. During this timeframe their projects have matured from simple models of human behavior to complex analyses of the interactions of system design and human behavior. As part of this maturation process, the researchers learned: 1) to develop a modeling question that incorporates all aspects of workload, 2) to determine when workload is most likely to affect performance, 3) to build multiple models to represent experimental conditions, 4) to connect performance predictions to an overall mission or system capability, and 5) to format results in a clear, concise format. By implementing the techniques they developed from these lessons learned, the researchers have had an impact on major Army programs with their workload predictions. Specifically, they have successfully changed design requirements for future concept Army vehicles, substantiated manpower requirements for fielded Army vehicles, and made Soldier workload the number one item during preliminary design review for a major Army future concept vehicle program. The effective techniques the ARL researchers developed for their IMPRINT projects are applicable to other HPM tools. In addition, they can be used by students and researchers who are doing human performance modeling projects and are confronted with similar problems to help them achieve project success.
Movement Control Phases of Upper Body Coordination in Visually Guided Reach Movements
Authors: Yu Shin-Yuan , Martin Bernard J.
Published: January 2012

Coordination of human movement includes temporal and spatial aspects. Under the assumption that the implicit movement sequence of body segments may be associated with visual feedback information, the activation timing, time to peak velocity of the hand and sequencing of joint movements were investigated in this study. The results show that variations in movement time with target azimuth and distance fit a quadratic regression model. In addition, the time to peak velocity reveals a movement scaling property in the context of self-imposed movement speed. Finally, the sequencing of joint movement also varies with target azimuth and distance. These motor behavior properties and movement characteristics can be used to model human reach movement in a dynamic manner and to estimate task durations.
Trait Anxiety and Affective Bias in Tactical Decision-Making
Authors: Panganiban April Rose , Matthews Gerald , Hudlicka Eva
Published: January 2012

Affective states may influence decision-making at different stages of information processing, including selective attention, situation assessment and choice of action. Studies of state anxiety, a negative emotional state, reveal multiple biases including an attentional bias to threat-related stimuli and biases at later stages. The present study examined the effects of threat and both trait and state anxiety on decision-making in a simulated rescue task. Participants were induced into a mood (neutral or anxious) and asked to choose the fastest route leading to a lost party by evaluating uncertain benefits and costs for several routes. The results confirm that mood induction methods can be used for decision-making tasks. Additionally, these findings suggest that different forms of ‘affect’ may relate to different biases. Task-related threat and induced mood influenced route choice, but trait and state anxiety influenced selective attention to benefits and costs.
Assessment of Body Armor Design Impacts on User Perceptions
Authors: Close David , Babski-Reeves Kari , Carruth Daniel , Blackledge Christopher , Wilhelm Marianne
Published: January 2012

Body armor is a critical part of the law enforcement uniform. It provides protection from ballistic impacts during critical events. Despite many agencies providing armor to its employees, compliance with use standards within agencies has been reported to be low due to discomfort. Few studies exist in the public domain that have documented specific design features that contribute to the non-compliance issues. This study investigated body armor configurations (3 levels) on usability perceptions following simulated tasks. Results indicated that differences in design ratings, overall ratings, and rating of interference differed for each configuration studied. Specifically arm, shoulder, and neck movement was identified as being restrictive. Further, it impacted the ability of the officers to gain control of reach essential equipment (e.g., handcuffs) and in the completion of essential tasks (e.g., suspect restraint). Therefore, design considerations affect user perceptions of the armor and may be responsible for non-compliance issues.
Application of a Participatory Methodology for Investigating Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) Usage in the Construction Industry
Authors: Liu Di , Sommerich Carolyn M. , Sanders Elizabeth B-N , Lavender Steven A.
Published: January 2012

The participatory workshop is a new concept of design in which developers, end users, and researchers work together to design a product or service. This approach is still in its experimental stage as applied to studying jobs in the construction industry. In the current study, a participatory workshop was conducted to generate ideas for an improved Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) design and another workshop was held to generate ideas on fall protection training. In addition to generating ideas about PFAS design and fall protection training, the data collected through the workshop process was used to create three personas that served, at the end of the project, as vehicles for summarizing the research results. The workshop method is more commonly used by designers, but can provide useful information that can complement data from surveys or laboratory investigations conducted by human factors professionals and others interested in user-centered design.
Investigating the Difficulty of One Degree of Freedom Positioning: Associating Movement Phases with Regions
Authors: Pastel Robert
Published: January 2012

Positioning an object within specified bounds is a common daily computer task, for example making selections using a touch screen or positioning icons relative to each other. This experiment measured times for participants ( n = 145) to position rectangular cursors with various widths, p, within rectangular targets with various tolerances, t, in one dimension. The analysis divides the total movement time into three parts, the time for the cursor to touch the target, the time to enter the target after touching, and the centering time, the remaining time for participants to indicate that the cursor is completely within the target by clicking on the mouse button. The time to touch the target was modeled well by the initial cursor-target separation, r2/sup> = 0.95. The entering time was modeled well by log2( p/t + 1), r2/sup> = 0.99, and the centering time was modeled well by r2/sup> = 0.94
A Holistic Human Factors Evaluation Framework for the Design of Consumer Health Informatics Interventions
Authors: Zayas-Cabán Teresa , Marquard Jenna L.
Published: January 2012

Health-related activities frequently occur outside of formal healthcare institutions, often in consumers' – “laypeople's” – homes. Within and near their homes, laypeople may use devices to self-monitor and self-manage wellness activities and chronic illnesses. They may keep health-related information records, using information technology applications to locate and retrieve information and communicate with formal and informal caregivers. Laypeople's engagement with the healthcare system and care outcomes rest on the quality of their interactions with, and use of, these devices and applications – jointly named consumer health informatics (CHI) interventions. Yet, engineering design and human factors evaluation methods are often omitted from the CHI intervention development process. This article presents a holistic human factors evaluation framework, and demonstrates how physical, cognitive and macroergonomic human factors perspectives can each improve the design and use of CHI interventions.
Supporting Expertise Coordination in Multidisciplinary Project Teams
Authors: Garrett Sandra K. , Caldwell Barrett S. , Collins Shawn T.
Published: January 2012

Distributed product development teams require integration of expertise from multiple technical disciplines and, in some companies, geographical and organizational diversity as well. Systems engineering methodologies can be applied to measure and support the effectiveness of knowledge sharing in complex, time sensitive development environments. In addition, effective knowledge sharing can reduce the incidence of failed coordination and adverse events. In this paper, three conceptual frameworks are proposed to help address these issues. Concepts of knowledge clusters, multiple dimensions of expertise, and information foraging are shown to affect structure, process and timing of team behaviors and project outcomes. These frameworks provide systematic analysis and usable knowledge sharing tools to coordinate knowledge transfer across expertise boundaries within a product development team. Specific methods can be used to move information across these boundaries to improve information alignment and organizational efficiency.
Advancing Safety in Construction: An Organizational, Systemic, and Cultural Approach
Authors: Brunette Maria , Evia Carlos , Hoonakker Peter , Kleiner Brian , Haro Elizabeth , Smith-Jackson Tonya
Published: January 2012

This panel will focus on addressing the current challenges of the construction industry within the context of Macroergonomics field research. Organizational, systemic and cultural strategies to overcome these challenges will be described. A brief introduction focusing on the unique characteristics of the construction industry and how they relate to the macroergonomics approach will be provided followed by a comprehensive overview of the breadth of the problem. Panelists will highlight successful projects or approaches related to cultural issues, immigrant and aging workforce, training effectiveness and safety culture that have a great potential to enhance safety and health in the construction industry.
Knowledge of Results and Signal Salience Modify Vigilance Performance and Cerebral Hemovelocity
Authors: Shaw Tyler H. , Parasuraman Raja , Sikdar Siddhartha , Warm Joel
Published: January 2012

Transcranial Doppler sonography was used to measure cerebral blood flow velocity (hemovelocity, CBFV) from the left and right middle cerebral arteries during the performance of a 30-min simulated air-traffic control task in which knowledge of results (KR) and signal salience were manipulated. Critical signals were situations in which the simulated aircraft were on a potential collision course. Findings show that overall signal detection and CBFV both declined over time. While performance was more stable over time in the KR condition, performance declined in the no-KR condition. In addition, the initial level and temporal decline in CBFV were both greater for the KR condition than the no-KR condition. Results are interpreted in terms of the motivational effects induced by feedback and a resource model of vigilance.
Head-mounted displays and multisensory integration: Replications and challenges
Authors: Tear Morgan J. , Harrison William J. , Thompson Matthew B. , Sanderson Penelope M.
Published: January 2012

Multisensory integration is the perceptual process by which the user of a Head-Mounted Display (HMD) combines, into a single object, vision from the HMD with concurrent auditory signals. Because HMD users are usually mobile, visual and auditory information may not always be spatially congruent, yet congruence is a requirement for multisensory integration to occur. Previous research has shown that multisensory integration was less effective when the user was walking and sound was delivered via a speaker in a fixed location. In Experiment 1, we showed that people integrate information less effectively when they hear sound from a speaker while they walk rather than sit, because they experience a combination of sound motion and background motion, not because of any workload associated with walking. In Experiment 2, in which participants' multisensory integration performance did not rely on working memory, their performance is worse when they walk rather than sit when hearing sound with the earpiece, rather than in free-field. These mixed results highlight the difficulty in replicating multisensory integration research in applied contexts.
Compensatory Strategies for Managing the Workload Demands of a Multimodal Reserve Capacity Task
Authors: Brill J. Christopher , Mouloua Mustapha , Hendricks Samantha D.
Published: January 2012

The purpose of the present study was to use a newly-developed measure of reserve attentional capacity to evaluate unitary versus multiple resource theories of attention. Participants performed a primary visual monitoring task and were presented with visual, auditory, and tactile secondary loading tasks. The data indicate that participants failed to maintain performance on the primary task, as instructed, in order to maximize overall performance. A significant difference was found on the basis of primary task condition, wherein performance on the visual monitoring task was significantly worse when paired with a visual task versus auditory or tactile tasks. Although the data do not preclude interpretation in terms of a unitary resource model, data trends offer potential support for multiple resource models.
Using Formal Qualitative Methods to Guide Early Development of an Augmented Reality Display System for Surgey
Authors: Lio C. H. , Carswell C. M. , Han Q. , Park A. , Strup S. , Seales W. B. , Clarke D. , Lee G. , Hoskins J.
Published: January 2012

Nine laparoscopic surgical experts (2 residents, 4 fellows, and 3 surgeons) underwent semi-structured interview questions to evaluate the concept of a “dual-view” display for laparoscopic surgery. The 30–40 minute audio-recorded interviews were transcribed, submitted to an open source qualitative program for classification and categorizing, and were condensed for the iterative processes of analysis and interpretation. Findings revealed that despite the relatively brief interview sessions and limited number of surgical experts available, the experts provided sufficient insights and suggestions to guide further development of prototypes. This means that the use of semi-structured interviews as an expert knowledge elicitation technique may be suitable for assessing the development of augmented reality display systems for surgical and training applications, and it may have promise for the development of augmented and virtual environments more genially.
Simulation of Pregnant Workers Performing a Standing Assembly Task
Authors: Kalish Julia A.
Published: January 2012

This paper attempts to answer the question: “In what ways can a pregnancy simulator accurately replicate the pregnant condition during a standing light assembly task?” Thirty non-pregnant women performed a standing assembly task, once while wearing a Pregnancy Simulator and once without it. Additionally, four pregnant women participated without wearing the simulator. Data concerning perception of discomfort and the simulator's ability to mimic the pregnant condition were collected. The key areas of inquiry on the questionnaire were, discomfort during trials, the extent to which various body parts were uncomfortable, and the perceived accuracy of the simulator's ability to model the pregnant condition. Subjects reported four pregnancy symptoms as being accurately modeled by the simulator; breathing difficulties, obstructed movement, general fatigue, and body image. However, the results also indicated that the simulator did not adequately replicate the pregnant condition as it related to overall discomfort.
The Aging Farmer: Human Factors Research Needs in Agricultural Work
Authors: McLaughlin Anne Collins , Fletcher Laura M. , Sprufera John F.
Published: January 2012

Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in America (Crandall, Fullerton, Olson, Sklar, & Zumwalt, 1997; Simpson 1984). Despite years of experience, older farmers are more likely to be injured while working and, when injured, more likely to die from their injuries (Bernhardt & Langley, 1999). We conducted an analysis of farming accidents in multiple states to discover what human factors interventions could most improve the safety and livelihood of aging farmers. A cluster analysis revealed two main accident profiles: those involving containers, such as auger wagons and grain bins, and those involving tractors. In general, we found a number of areas that would benefit from dedicated human factors research and application.
Evaluating Suitability of a Military Duty Glove for Use in a Multi-Layered Chemical-Biological Protective Glove System
Authors: Alla Karla Eve
Published: January 2012

The Max Grip NT glove (Test Glove) has been approved for use as a duty glove for U.S. Army Combat Vehicle Crew and Aviation communities and is intended to either supplement or replace the current issue duty glove (Baseline) worn by these communities. The Baseline duty glove serves, however, as both a duty glove and as the outer glove component of a layered protective chemical biological (CB) glove system. In considering whether the Test Glove can fully replace the Baseline, it was necessary for the U.S. Army Program Manager Clothing and Individual Equipment (PM CIE) to determine whether the Test Glove could serve effectively in this second function as the outer layer of the CB glove system. The Ergonomics Team at U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center was asked to conduct an evaluation to determine, from a human factors perspective, the suitability of the Test Glove to be worn in conjunction with the currently fielded CB protective inner glove layers, known as 7 mil and 14 mil butyls. The evaluation addressed, among other issues, these three questions: (1) Does the Test Glove duty size (i.e., worn over bare hands) fit effectively over the 7 mil and 14 mil butyl glove layers without upsizing? (2) If it is necessary to upsize, can the upsized Test Glove be effectively worn as a duty glove (i.e., over bare hands) to serve dual purpose? and, (3) When wearing the Test Glove as part of the CB protective glove system can the wearer perform manual dexterity tasks at least as well as in the Baseline CB protective glove system? Results showed that it was often necessary to upsize the Test Glove by one size to accommodate the CB inner layer but wearing this larger glove over the bare hands, as a duty glove, did not adversely impact manual dexterity, suggesting potential for a single-size dual purpose glove. In a comparison of manual dexterity performance between the Test Glove and Baseline CB glove configurations, minor differences, only, were observed. Practical implications including path forward for the Test Glove are discussed.
Association Testing-A Methodology for Selecting and Evaluating Audio Alerts
Authors: Kenny Chua Wei Liang , Wei Cheng Li
Published: January 2012

The Map Display (MD) system functions as a shared map which allows different parties at different location to communicate critical signals warning and advisory functions to users in aircraft, tanks, and other ground vehicle. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether the audio alerts designed by the DSO Human Factors Team provided better user association than the audio alerts that existed in the MD system. The sounds in the MD system consisted of pure tones, while the new audio alerts were auditory icons designed to provide a higher level of user association. The work focuses on an initial effort to develop a methodology to select and improve the design of audio alerts (1. Ranking 2. Free Response Testing 3. Urgency Testing and 4. Conceptual Mapping Testing.) Further, the need to consider how experts and novices would perceive these audio alerts was experimentally demonstrated. Subjects were 30 males out of which 9 were army infantryman. Data were analyzed using a mixed design experiment. Results revealed that there was no significant difference between tones and icons when perceived urgency and matching was taken into consideration. In addition, this methodology was successful in identifying the poorly designed audio alerts and valuable feedback was gathered to improve the audio alert design.
Anticipated vs. Experienced Workload: How Accurately Can People Predict Task Demand?
Authors: Sublette M. , Carswell C.M. , Grant R. , Klein M. , Seales W.B. , Clarke D.
Published: January 2012

The NASA-TLX subjective workload assessment is typically used immediately following a participant's performance in an experimental task to assess the workload experienced. However, it is sometimes necessary to assess the anticipated workload of a task before the task is actually performed. This study compares the workload assessments of participants who performed two minimally invasive surgical training tasks to participants who only saw descriptions of the two tasks. Results showed that participants who were asked to rate the anticipated workload underestimated the overall workload required for the “cannulation” task, while overestimating the overall workload required for the rope task. Interactions between task type and condition also were found in three of the NASA-TLX subscales (mental demand, effort, and frustration). Overall, the reliability of participants' prediction of the difficulty depended on the task being evaluated and the particular measure of difficulty that was being assessed. In general, physical facets of workload appeared to be more accurately assessed than cognitive facets.
Workload in Human-Robot Interaction: A Review of Manipulations and Outcomes
Authors: Prewett Matthew S. , Saboe Kristin N. , Johnson Ryan C. , Coovert Michael D. , Elliott Linda R.
Published: January 2012

The current study reviews the relationship between manipulations of teleoperator workload and task outcomes, using multiple resource theory as the underlying framework. Results indicated that controlling more than two platforms is detrimental to many performance indices (reaction time, error rate), but overall productivity improves. For studies that manipulated workload for a single robot task, visual demands were a limiting factor, and interventions which reduced visual demands improved performance. The review concludes with guiding principles for managing workload and improving teleoperator performance.
Robots' Auditory Cues are Subject to Anthropomorphism
Authors: Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Lum Heather C. , Upham-Ellis Linda , Ballion Tatiana , Lagattuta Nicholas C.
Published: January 2012

Research shows that human responses to robots are largely dependent on the robot's physical attributes. The present study investigates whether robots' auditory cues are interpreted differently depending on the degree to which they are anthropomorphic in nature. Participants viewed a robot that responded with human speech, synthesized “robotic speech,” or sounds only. The most commands were given to the robot when its “voice” was synthetic. Humans are sensitive to auditory cues given by robots.
Free Form Verbal Communication toward Robotic Entities vs. Live Entities
Authors: Sinatra Anne M. , Chin Matthew G. , Sims Valerie K. , Lum Heather C. , Lagattuta Nicholas , Spitzer Mark , Mobley Catherine , Marraffino Matthew
Published: January 2012

This study was designed to examine natural free form communication that exists when a person interacts with robots versus live entities. Participants interacted with one of four entities: an AIBO robotic dog, Legobot, dog or cat. The amount of words spoken by the participant while interacting with the entity was recorded and coded for word count, average word length, number of questions and number of commands. It was found that participants spoke to the AIBO similarly to how they spoke to the cat and they did not speak to the AIBO as they spoke to the dog. This suggests that when speaking to an entity people are not distinguishing between organic and inorganic, and that when a robotic entity resembles a dog, it does not mean that people will behave toward it as they would toward a real dog.
Ethnographic Study of On-Hold Caller Multitasking Behavior
Authors: Su Andy , Kortum Phil
Published: January 2012

Telephone users frequently engage in multitasking while on hold. While these multitasking behaviors are significant for the research and application of effective on-hold stimuli, they have not been thoroughly studied. The current study examines on-hold multitasking behavior with a naturalistic ethnographic method, and describes these behaviors for callers in their home environment. The data show that callers do indeed engage in a variety of multitasking behaviors, including web browsing, e-mail, and item manipulation. However, callers are not necessarily aware of these behaviors and self-reported data may not be completely accurate. Furthermore, the diverse nature of these secondary tasks presents unique challenges for system engineers seeking to implement effective telephone interactions.
Integrating Creativity in IT Product and Service Development into Ergonomic Design Practices
Authors: Zeng Liang , Proctor Robert W. , Salvendy Gavriel
Published: January 2012

It is creativity that ultimately triggers innovations and their commercial success in information technology products and services. Previous research in ergonomic design considers only issues regarding functionality, safety, usability, and affectivity. We first propose a conceptual framework for ergonomic design that highlights the central role of creativity in achieving synergy of the four preceding design dimensions. Then, a conceptual model of the creative design process for IT products and services is proposed based on the literature in creative cognition and engineering design. The discussion provides insights into how to increase creativity and profitability of IT products and services.
The Effect of Interface Consistency and Cognitive Load on User Performance in an Information Search Task
Authors: Mendel Jeremy , Pak Richard
Published: January 2012

Although interface consistency is theorized to increase performance and user satisfaction, previous research has found mixed and often non-significant results. By controlling for the level of task difficulty, specifically the cognitive load, it is hoped that the study will explain the contradictory findings of past research. Eighty participants will be used in a 2×2×2 between-subjects factorial design. The study will manipulate the level of interface consistency, along with intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load imposed by the task. Objective performance measures of task completion time and error-rate along with the subjective measure of user satisfaction will be analyzed. It is expected that the high interface consistency condition will perform better than low interface consistency; in contrast, it is predicted that the low cognitive load condition will outperform the high cognitive load condition. Furthermore, it is predicted that the effect of consistency and cognitive load will interact causing the lack of interface consistency to be significantly more detrimental when paired with a high level of either form of cognitive load.
Collaborative Automated Systems: Older Adults' Mental Model Acquisition and Trust in Automation
Authors: Olson Katherine E. , Fisk Arthur D. , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: January 2012

Older adults may encounter automated systems in a variety of context such as health care and transportation. Consequently it is important to understand the interactions between system knowledge and reliance. In this ongoing study, we tested 19 older adults on their ability to form an accurate mental model and how they responded to an automated navigation aid that was 70% and 100% reliable. Some older adults were able to form highly accurate mental models and were able to detect when the collaborative automated system was faulty. However, most of the older adults did not form accurate mental models and were likely to inappropriately trust the automation. Training to augment cognition may be helpful for older adults who use collaborative automated systems and have difficulty developing a highly accurate mental model.
Human Factors across Business Sectors: Similarities and Differences
Authors: Grier Rebecca A. , Lizza Gretchen , Bangor Aaron , Patterson Michael J.
Published: January 2012

Flipping through the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Directory and Yearbook, it quickly becomes apparent that Human Factors professionals work in a many different business sectors. These business sectors include military, commercial product development, and consulting services. Human factors experts are quite cognizant of the business sector in which they work, but they may have little to no knowledge or understanding of the work in other business sectors. In this discussion panel, experts from the business sectors of military, commercial product development, and consulting will discuss the similarities and differences of human factors in their business sectors. They will speak to the organizational factors, the time and cost factors, as well as end user population factors and how these factors impact how they work to develop systems. This discussion panel will foster greater insight and cooperation across business sectors through an understanding of similarities and differences.
“Right-Sizing” Research Studies: Assuring Adequate, not Grossly-Overlarge Sample-Sizes
Authors: Bittner Alvah C. , Bittner Rachel C. L.
Published: January 2012

A “right-sizing” system is demonstrated that provides for: robust estimations of minimum study sample-size requirements, and efficient evaluations of alternate parameter assumptions. Importantly, ‘assumption evaluations' often result in the avoidance of grossly-oversized studies [e.g., added $10K-$1000K costs]. “Right-sizing” calculations may be quickly conducted using simple-computational tools (eg, hand calculator) during a meeting as questions arise. Built upon an understanding of the robust mechanisms underlying the Dunlap “2–2” heuristic (re: α=0.05 2-tailed, and 1-β ≥ 0.80), it is applicable to the same range of dichotomous-to-interval data, but is also generalized to broadly accommodate correlated means and a full-spectrum of alternative α, 1-β combinations. We recommend our right-sizing system to HF/E and other practitioners interested in (1) Assuring adequate study sample-sizes, and (2) Avoiding grossly oversized studies that drain critical resources.
The Influence of Rating Method on Knowledge Structures
Authors: Tossell Chad C. , Smith Brent A. , Schvaneveldt Roger W.
Published: January 2012

Pathfinder network scaling has been used widely to assess knowledge acquisition and inform interface design. While a large body of research agrees on the validity of this technique to develop knowledge structures, the rating task becomes cumbersome when users are faced with a large number of concepts to relate. Thus, a new rating method was created to help users determine the relationships between concepts. This new interface allows subjects to judge proximity by arranging concepts in visual space on a target. Traditionally, subjects were presented the concepts in pairs and made ratings on Likert Scales. Students ( N = 88) at the Air Force Academy used both methods to rate the similarity of basic flying concepts. Results showed that the new method was more sensitive to differences in knowledge structures between experienced and inexperienced pilots ( p < .01). Experienced subjects also preferred the new target method compared to the traditional rating method. The relative efficiency of the two methods is discussed.