bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Stress, Coping Style, and Confidence on Basic Combat
Authors: Attrition Training , Davis Thomas W. , Lockhart Thurmon E.
Published: January 2012

Each year the military loses hundreds of millions of dollars invested in enlistees whom never make it to their first duty station. Investigators have reported that the transition process from civilian to military in basic combat training tends to be very stressful and anxiety provoking for enlistees. However, little data have been gathered to assess the relationship of enlistees' stress levels and their attrition rate. A study was conducted of 155 Soldiers during their nine-week basic combat training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. It was hypothesized that enlistees with higher levels of stress would also have a higher level of depression and hostility resulting in performance degradation. The results showed a statistically significant positive relationship among perceived stress, hostility and depression levels; furthermore, participants who were able to modify their coping mechanism tended to be more confident in successfully completing training and less likely to receive disciplinary action.
Application of an Entropy-Assisted Optimization Model in Prediction of Agonist and Antagonist Muscle Forces
Authors: Jiang Zongliang , Mirka Gary A.
Published: January 2012

Many existing optimization based biomechanical models fail to predict antagonist muscle activity. Some optimization models predict such a cocontraction, but either lack a compelling physiological basis or are computationally formidable. The current study takes advantage of the flexible definition of entropy as a scientific measure, and utilizes it in the objective function of an optimization formulation to construct a new optimization model for predicting agonist and antagonist muscle forces. In this model, the objective function of a nonlinear program consists of a weighted sum of two components: a linear or nonlinear term favoring agonist muscle exertions (reciprocal inhibition), and the entropy term enforcing cocontraction. The concept of the current optimization model is based on recent findings in neurophysiology that there exist two separate central nervous systems for generation of two motor patterns: agonist contraction and agonist-antagonist cocontraction.
A Novel Dynamometer for Describing Forces and Vectors in the Long Fingers during Grip
Authors: Irwin C. B. , Radwin R. G.
Published: January 2012

A new dynamometer has been designed that enables the capture of multiple grip force vectors in a single squeeze. The thumb is completely isolated in the measurement ensuring these vectors are a result of only forces produced only by the long fingers. The measured force vectors can be resolved to find the overall grip force magnitude and direction if a simple measure of grip force is desired. Alternatively, due to the ability of the dynamometer to easily measure multiple vector magnitudes and angles, the instrument lends itself well to the collection of grip data to be used as input into a hand biomechanical model. An experiment was conducted to measure the maximum grip exertions of sixteen subjects on a series of cylindrical handles and this data was used for the model. The results demonstrated that the model can be implemented and that tendon tension, when normalized by grip force, continues to increase as handle size increases even though grip force magnitudes decrease.
Using Emotions in Usability
Authors: Champney Roberto K. , Stanney Kay M.
Published: January 2012

Emotions are evermore present in discussions of product design and are becoming part of a usability practitioner's repertoire of evaluation criteria. Nonetheless, emotions in design are far more than simply using satisfaction and frustration as criteria, noting how pleasant or unpleasant a product is, or listing a number of emotions elicited during an evaluation. Evaluating the emotional impact of a user interaction as part of a usability evaluation requires that emotions be adequately assessed and, most importantly, interpreted to identify their source. This article aims to present a method and process of Emotional Profiling to show how emotions may be utilized to aid usability professionals in further understanding the emotional reactions to human-system interactions, thereby identifying factors that enhance or detract from the user experience.
Comparison of Four Cursor Control Devices for Development of a Powered Laparoscopic Surgery Tool – Users' Opinions
Authors: Herring S.R. , Trejo A.E. , Hallbeck M. S.
Published: January 2012

Laparoscopic surgery greatly benefits the patient: it reduces recovery time, has a lower cost than other procedures, and has a greater cosmetic benefit. With every benefit, there is usually a cost. Laparoscopic surgery comes at the cost of the surgeons. Surgeons must cope with disadvantages caused from unergonomic handles. The current tools create awkward postures, pressure points and nerve legions. The purpose of the current study was to determine the best input device for a hot, powered, laparoscopic surgery tool. The current study tested four different input devices on a previously designed ergonomic laparoscopic tool handle using a target acquisition task. The input devices tested were the: Mouse Button Module, TouchPad, MiniJoystick Module, and MicroJoystick. Users' provided feedback via a questionnaire. Results show that the TouchPad and MicroJoystick are the best input devices for a powered tool with the MicroJoystick leading the pack.
Undergraduate student perceptions of teamwork and use of teams in the classroom
Authors: Smith Jeffrey J. , Lane Sharolyn A.
Published: January 2012

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society has recognized that, in order to properly prepare students for teamwork in the workplace, team-building experiences are an indispensable part of education (Stone, Moroney, & Wortham, 2006). Panels held at previous HFES meetings have identified approaches to instructing student teams, developing effective teams, and utilizing peer ratings. One hundred fifty-five students were surveyed concerning methods used to plan and communicate with other team members, best and worst team task experiences, and what was liked best and least about working in teams. Responses indicated that, while many students enjoy the collaborative and social aspects of working in teams, many are displeased with the distribution of workload between team members, procrastination by team members, and the difficulty of scheduling meetings. Implications for instructors and recommendations for tools designed to enhance student team experiences are described.
Evidence for the Use of Minimal Anthropomorphic Features in Attributions for Automobiles
Authors: Smith Hana S. , Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Ellis Linda Upham , Sushi David J. , Velie Matthew , Shumaker Randall , Finkelstein Neal
Published: January 2012

The present study examined the role of minimal features in humans' attributions for automobiles. This work extends research on minimal features in drawn stimuli by testing whether the findings extend to real automobiles. Participants viewed sixteen front ends of cars that varied in terms of the shape of the headlights and the shape of the grill. Each was rated in terms of attractiveness and six affective states used to describe human faces. As in studies with both drawn stimuli and human faces, headlight (eye) shape was highly associated with attractiveness, whereas grill (mouth) shape was more predictive of negative ratings. Minimal features lead to anthropomorphic attributions for automobiles.
Size Does Matter: Automobile “Facial” Features Predict Consumer Attitudes
Authors: Lum Heather , Sinatra Anne , Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Smith Hana S. , Shumaker Randall , Finkelstein Neal
Published: January 2012

This study further examines the issue of whether perception of automobile “faces” can be predicted based on the way in which people process human faces. Specifically, this work examined whether consumer ratings are correlated with the relative size of features on the front end of an automobile. Participants rated twenty-three cars on a variety of consumer attributes. Greater distance between headlights, like distance between human eyes, predicted positive ratings on several consumer attitudes. Results are consistent with the idea that processes used for perception of faces are involved in the attributions made for artifacts displaying minimal features.
A Survey of Secondary Activities of Telephone Callers Who Are Put on Hold
Authors: Kortum Philip , Peres S. Camille
Published: January 2012

This paper examines the results of a study conducted to determine what types of secondary activities callers engage in when they are placed on hold in a telephone call setting. One hundred and one participants were surveyed in order to determine if they performed secondary tasks while on hold, and if so, the types of activities engaged in and the relative amount of time they spent on those activities. Results showed that 79% of callers engaged in some form of secondary activity while on hold. These activities were diverse, with the majority of participants reporting 8 different types of secondary activities. The data from this study will help researchers and IVR designers understand the types of secondary tasks in which callers engage and allow them to design on-hold stimuli that support multi-tasking and enable them to more accurately construct experiments to reflect real world conditions.
Teaching Human Factors Principles Through Design of an EXIT Sign
Authors: Dyck Jennifer L.
Published: January 2012

A hands-on, specific design assignment is described, for use in a graduate or undergraduate human factors course. The assignment requires students to re-design an EXIT sign, taking into account principles of visual display design, and environmental factors, which may reduce visibility of the sign. Assigning a particular object to re-design allows for in-class comparison and discussion, and additionally, is easier for students when first beginning to identify human factors deficiencies in everyday objects. Students consistently rate this assignment positively, and especially enjoy the creative aspect of the assignment.
Predicting Memory for Words and Symbols from Spatial Abilities
Authors: Stader Sally A. , Taylor Grant S. , Harvan-Chin JoAnn
Published: January 2012

This study seeks to better understand the aspects of working memory, particularly spatial processing, involved in memory for visually presented verbal and non-verbal stimuli. Prior research has suggested that there are separate memory stores for words and symbols. It is proposed that memory for the location of words is assisted by the phonological loop, which provides comprehension, and a contextual basis to use logical reasoning to determine the location of words. Participants in this study were tested on measures of object and location memory, spatial relations, spatial visualization, as well as their memory for the location of words or symbols, and reading comprehension. Results suggest different processes are involved when remembering the location of words when compared to remembering the location of symbols. The measure for location memory was found to have a significant negative relationship with memory for the location of words, suggesting that subjects with better location memory (who, presumably, rely on it more), end up suffering on the memory for the location of words measure by not relying on the more effective method of using context to deduce the locations. With all measures contributing to a regression equation, roughly 50% of the variance of both memory for the location of words and symbols was accounted for.
The Interaction of Map Resolution and Spatial Abilities on Route Learning
Authors: Sanchez Christopher A. , Branaghan Russell J.
Published: January 2012

This study evaluated how well routes were learned from maps that were either enhanced with actual satellite photography or presented in more traditional (low resolution) form, with no additional detail. The potential interaction between map resolution and participants' static spatial abilities was also considered. Results indicated that learners recalled significantly more route information and made fewer response errors in the low detail condition than in the high detail condition. Additionally, participants' spatial visualization ability significantly correlated with success on these tasks, whereas mental rotation ability did not. These results suggest that while the addition of high resolution information is now technologically possible, it is not necessarily advised for certain situations as it can lead to a detriment in performance.
Driver Detection of Roadside Obstacles at Night
Authors: Curry David G. , Nielsen Edward A. , Kidd Jason W. , Tuttle Matthew R.
Published: January 2012

Oftentimes vehicular accidents involve collisions, not between two vehicles on the roadway, but between a vehicle which departs from the roadway and a vehicle parked on the shoulder. In many such cases, the striking party will maintain that they were in control of their vehicle at all times, but were simply unable to detect the parked vehicle due to lack of illumination or inadequate warning of its presence. A search of the available literature has produced no data which quantifies the relative detectability of such warning devices compared to reflections from such surfaces as vehicle bodies, non-illuminated taillight lenses, or retroreflective striping such as that required on transport trailers and trucks. This study was designed to quantify the relative detection ranges of each of these surfaces for a vehicle parked alongside a darkened roadway by an aware motorist.
“F” Pattern Scanning of Text and Images in Web Pages
Authors: Shrestha Sav , Lenz Kelsi , Chaparro Barbara , Owens Justin
Published: January 2012

This article discusses users' visual scan paths of web pages containing text and/or images while conducting browsing and searching tasks on an e-commerce website. Participants were exposed to two web pages, one image-based and one text-based, and asked to perform either a search or browse task on each. They were also asked to perform a search task for a non-existent category on the image-based page. Results show that users follow a fairly uniform scan path with greater fixations on images above the fold when browsing through image-based pages. Fixation counts dramatically dropped on images close to the fold and below the fold. The users performing the searching task on the image-based page seemed very efficient. They seemed to employ unique and random scan paths to successfully accomplish the search. Nielsen's ‘F’ pattern (2006) was confirmed in both the text-browse and text-search tasks.
Study of the load on the hand and fingers of mandarin pickers, the 1st report -Investigation of three types of shears and their effect on the workload on the hand and fingers-
Authors: Udo Hiroshi , Udo Akihiro , Branlund Ben , Udo Akiko , Ochi Motoyasu , Imai Shunji , Yokoyama Noritune , Hashimoto Kohji , Okano Hitoshi , Nakamura Kohji , Furukawa Noboru
Published: January 2012

Mandarins are picked by hand with the use of shears. An average mandarin picker makes at least 20,000 cuts daily. This daily workload on the upper limbs is the cause of occupational cervicobrachial disorders (OCD). In order to improve their working conditions, we devised two types of shears, one with a soft grip wrapped around the handle and another with shock reducing cushions in between the handles. The following two experiments were conducted. First we tested and compared the Borg scale and pinch meter scores of each participant by having them cut sticks as the same radius as those of mandarin stems using both the improved and conventional shears. Next, we placed two pressure sensors on each shear, where the middle finger and thumb contact the handles, to measure and compare the impact pressure within the hand. The results of the first experiment suggested that the improved shears reduces workload to the hand and fingers when comparing results to those of the conventional shears. The second experiment indicates that the shock reducing cushions reduces impact pressure to the hand from the handles when cutting.
Vocal Analysis and Heart Rate as Measures of Assertiveness and Aggression
Authors: Lum Heather C. , Smith-Jentsch Kimberly , Sims Valerie K. , Flood Michael
Published: January 2012

This study examined the relationship between assertiveness and such physiological features as heart rate and vocal inflections(pitch and intensity). The vocal data were assessed from a first person simulation in which participants interacted with video-based characters. During the simulation, the participants' partner (friend, family member, or acquaintance) completed inventories that asked their perceptions of the participant's assertiveness and aggressiveness for the scenes. Results found heart rate and mean intensity of speech were unique indicators of peer-rated aggressiveness. Also, standard deviation in pitch and heart rate accounted for unique variance in peer-rated assertiveness. The results suggest that physiological and verbal measures may be a useful means of distinguishing between assertiveness and aggressiveness of team members.
The Effect of Driving Environments on Simulator Sickness
Authors: Mourant Ronald R. , Rengarajan Prasanna , Cox Daniel , Lin Yingzi , Jaeger Beverly K.
Published: January 2012

In order to be an effective tool for driver evaluation and education, driving simulators need to be better designed to reduce simulator sickness. This study investigated driving in four environments (country, suburban, city, and curves) using a simulator. When driving on straight roads (city and suburban environments) subjects reported less simulator sickness then driving in the city environment (which included left and right turns) and on curves. A mini-SSQ was used to measure the accumulation of simulator sickness over trials. From trial 1 to trial 5, reported simulator sickness increased linearly. From trial 5 through 8, the rate of increase in simulator sickness decreased. We suggest that the rapid and distorted optic flow experienced while executing turns and driving on curves in driving simulators makes a substantial contribution to simulator sickness.
Geospatial Perspective-Taking: How Well Do Decision Makers Choose Their Views?
Authors: Bailey Kyle , Carswell C. Melody , Grant Rusty , Basham Luke
Published: January 2012

Today decision makers may benefit from richer sources of data and a wider variety of visualization tools than ever. However, the extent to which individuals make adequate use of a “toolkit” of visualization modes – choosing the right formats to support different task demands – has received relatively little attention. In the present study, a sample of 43 participants learned to perform three decision-making tasks with a five geospatial formats or “views.” When allowed to choose their own views prior to beginning different tasks, few participants spontaneously selected those displays that would provide the greatest performance support. Most participants fell prey to “naïve realism” (a preference for realistic-looking displays) or “viewpoint inertia” (a preference for familiar map-like displays). These data suggest that greater attention needs to be given to the training of basic visualization skills as well as possibly limiting display choices in some contexts.
Dimensions of Information and Resource Flow in Healthcare Systems
Authors: Boustany Karim Camille , Caldwell Barrett S.
Published: January 2012

This study focuses on classifying human interactions in healthcare delivery in terms of the information and resource flows at multiple levels of analysis. Understanding the characteristic healthcare delivery requirements and communication patterns among healthcare professionals seems to be necessary to effectively support information sharing and coordination. We analyzed communication links between healthcare providers and dissected different types of information and resource flow. We identified four dimensions of information and resource flow: spatial proximity, flow requirement, modality, and flow path. Now that we have set a new methodology to characterize them, we can easily distinguish the various information and resource flow types. When applying these finding in simulating healthcare systems in order to analyze information and resource sharing and coordination, the above four dimensions would serve as attributes of the flowing entities. Finally, we demonstrate that the results of this study are the natural first step towards developing an efficient healthcare quality measurement tool.
Measurement of the Relationship between Patient Wait Time and Patient Satisfaction at each Stage of an Appointment
Authors: DeLucia Patricia R. , Mork Kerstan S. , Ott Tammy E. , Betts Eston T. , Niroumand Nushin S. , Slaughter Meredith L.
Published: January 2012

Patient satisfaction is associated with self-reported treatment compliance and patient outcomes. One factor that influences patient satisfaction is wait time– how long a patient waits during a visit to a health care facility. Here, we measured the time spent at each component of a patient's visit to a cancer treatment facility and its correlation with patient satisfaction. Results suggest that reducing the total time of a patient's visit to a health care facility will improve not only patient satisfaction with how long the entire visit takes, but also satisfaction with other aspects of the visit not including waiting. Moreover, results suggest that the time spent in the examination room waiting for the doctor is highly associated with patient satisfaction with overall time spent during the entire visit. In short, our results suggest several ways to improve patient satisfaction at a cancer treatment facility. The implication is that such improvements will lead to greater treatment compliance and ultimately to better patient outcomes.
Using Global Implicit Measurement Strategies to Assess Situation Awareness during the Training of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills
Authors: Lio C.H. , Carswell C.M. , Seales W.B. , Clarke D. , Kurs Y. , DeCuir J.
Published: January 2012

How well does a global implicit measure assess situation awareness in an elementary laparoscopic training scenario? Nine volunteers threaded as many orange, purple, and blue foam rings as possible onto a pegboard during 2-minute trials. They used a pair of 5mm laparoscopic surgical graspers in an endoscopy training simulator to perform the task. Ring sizes were identical for all colors in the first three trials but were of different inner diameters for the remaining six trials. This switch was never mentioned to participants. Workload measures were collected for each trial and included a subjective measure (NASA-TLX) and a secondary-task method (interval productions). Results indicated that interval productions, but not the NASA-TLX, showed evidence of a workload spike at the time that situation awareness was first manifested in performance. These preliminary data suggest that a global implicit measure can be used for evaluating SA in a relatively simple environment.
+Gz Acceleration Loss of Consciousness: Use of G-suit Pressurization and Sensory Stimulation to Enhance Recovery
Authors: Tripp Lloyd D. , Warm Joel S. , Matthews Gerald , Chiu Peter Y. , Bracken R. Bruce
Published: January 2012

Gravity-induced loss of consciousness (GLOC) is the second largest human factors problem facing fighter pilots today. Whinnery, Burton, Boll, and Eddy, (1987) found that the GLOC event consists of a 24-sec period of total incapacitation involving unconsciousness and confusion. A study by Tripp, et al. (2006) found that the GLOC problem was much worse that originally thought with total performance incapacitation lasting for 87 sec. The two studies described herein were designed to decrease the time required to recover from the GLOC event. Toward that end, the first study employed an anti-G suit inflation technique while the second study exposed participants to accessory auditory, visual, and tactile stimulation following GLOC. Both procedures significantly reduced the duration of the GLOC episode but the reductions were not substantial enough to be functionally effective.
Neuroergonomics of Visual Cognition: Research and Applications
Authors: Parasuraman Raja
Published: January 2012

This panel examines recent developments in neuroergonomic research and application involving higher-order vision. Four important aspects of visual cognition are discussed, namely 3-D object motion, biological motion, visual memory, and visual imagery. Each of the panelists follows a neuroergonomic approach, first describing studies of these aspects of visual cognition using both behavioral and neuroimaging (fMRI, ERP, and MEG) measures. The implications of these results for human factors applications are then discussed. Particular domains of application that are examined include elder design, driving, virtual environments, and software and educational curriculum design.
Naïve Realism in Terrain Appreciation
Authors: Smallman Harvey S. , Cook Maia B. , Manes Daniel I. , Cowen Michael B.
Published: January 2012

Previously, we have shown that shaded perspective view (“3-D”) displays are better for understanding the shape and rough layout of terrain than conventional 2-D views. We have coined the term Naïve Realism for users' misplaced, blanket faith in these 3-D displays (Smallman & St. John, 2005). There are hints in the individual difference literature that those of low spatial ability may be particularly prone to Naïve Realism. Here, we integrate these notions to test several theoretical predictions and to develop a new terrain simplification concept. Thirty-three participants had their spatial ability and problem-solving style measured. Then participants predicted which displays would, and then did, best support them in performing a task of threading a concealed route through realistic terrain. Depth relief (shading vs. topographic lines), viewing angle (90° vs. 45°) and terrain fidelity (high/unfiltered sharp vs. low/spatially smoothed) were all varied. Of the eight display combinations, Naïve Realism correctly predicted the greatest preference for the highest fidelity, realistic 3-D view (sharp, shaded, 45°). Yet the routing task was best performed with lower fidelity views. Spatially filtering terrain unmasks canyons and other gross terrain features, enabling them to pop-out more easily. Individuals of high spatial ability had better task performance and better calibrated their post-task display preferences, suggesting they are generally more savvy about the ways that display format affects their performance.
The Effect of Sonification Pulse Rate on Perceived Urgency and Response Behaviors
Authors: Spain Randall D. , Bliss James P. , Newlin Elizabeth T.
Published: January 2012

Emergency signal researchers have devoted considerable energy to understanding the perceived urgency and performance effects of reliable and marginally reliable discrete auditory signals. Relatively little attention has been paid to aspects of continuous auditory displays. The purpose of the current study was to demonstrate and document the effects of sonification presentation rate on perceived urgency and response behaviors during a simulated patient monitoring task. As expected, participants rated shorter interpulse intervals as being significantly more urgent than longer pulse intervals. Participants also responded faster to patient problems when interacting with a sonification system that used shorter pulse intervals.
The Control Strategy for Degrees of Freedom in Remote Prehension with a Tool
Authors: Zheng Bin , MacKenzie Christine L.
Published: January 2012

Constructing movement couplings is essential for decreasing degrees-of-freedom for a compound movement that requires coordination over a multiple segments. Angular movements of joints in the upper limbs are examined, the pattern of movement couplings between prehension performed with the hands (natural prehension) and with a simple grasper held in the hands (remote prehension). In remote prehension, the shoulder and elbow joint are tightly associated with a clear in-phase joint to joint movement; the elbow and wrist display both anti- and in-phase movements due to the change of initial configuration of the upper limb when holding a tool. In contrast, the shoulder-elbow bond is mixed in natural prehension, but the elbow and wrist bond is predominant with an anti-phase pattern. With diversity for joint couplings, the movement consistency of the hinge is preserved with relatively smaller path variability. Results support the end-point control notion, i.e. movement is controlled by extrinsic coordinates close to the end-effectors of the movement system.
Effect of Variable Visual-Feedback Delay on Movement Time
Authors: Mateo Julio C. , Gilkey Robert H. , Cowgill Jeffrey L.
Published: January 2012

The effects of variable feedback delays on movement time were examined in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment. The participants' task was to use a 3D controller to position a cursor in targets as they appeared in a cubic workspace. Both the mean and standard deviation of the delay between the movement of the controller and the displayed position of the cursor were manipulated. In addition, the size of the targets and the distance between targets were varied. The results suggested that movement times are much more strongly affected by mean delay than by delay variability and that the effect of both variables is greatest during the closed-loop component of the movement. The results are discussed in relation to buffering strategies for reducing delay variability, Fitts' law, and other descriptions of aimed movements.
Exploring Parental Response to Age-Related Warnings
Authors: Frantz J. Paul , Rhoades Timothy P. , Young Stephen L. , Diebol Julia K. , Shah Raina J.
Published: January 2012

Forty parents participated in structured interviews that explored parental responses to a warning that proscribed the use of an adult atv by children under age 16. Two such labels were evaluated in a between-subjects design—one with and one without the following statement: “Even youth with atv experience have immature judgment and should never drive an adult atv.” Several dependent measures were considered in relation to these warnings, including parents' understanding of the label, likelihood of considering the label, and comfort with not complying with the label. Interview results showed no effect of the message on any of these measures. There was significant correlation between the age of the child in question and parents' reported responses to the labels. Focus groups indicated a negative affective reaction to the added message with some parents noting that the message was offensive, unnecessary, and/or that it lacked credibility. Parents also noted variability in maturity levels among youth of a given age. Implications are discussed.
Middle-School-Aged Children's Expectations and Beliefs Toward the Relative Safety of Riding Bicycles at Night
Authors: Lim Raymond W. , Vigilante William J.
Published: January 2012

The expectations, attitudes, and perceptions of middle-school-aged children toward the relative safety of riding bicycles at night, with reflectors and/or head and tail lights, were examined. Six hundred and twenty-nine children between grades 6 and 9 were surveyed. More than 50 percent of the children reported that it was not dangerous to ride a bicycle at night with only reflectors or only lights. Moreover, 91 percent of the children reported that it was safe to ride at night if they had both reflectors and lights. Results indicated that 22% of the children had lights on their bicycles; while 51% reported riding their bicycles at night at least once in a while. The results suggest that children riding their bicycles at night without lights are under-estimating the dangerousness of the activity. That is, a large percentage of children are underestimating the ease at which drivers can see them while riding without lights.
Effect of Operator Position on the Incidence of Continuous Mining Machine/Worker Collisions
Authors: Bartels John R. , Ambrose Dean H. , Gallagher Sean
Published: January 2012

Remote operation of continuous miners has enhanced the health and safety of underground miners in many respects; however, numerous fatal and non-fatal continuous miner struck-by accidents have occurred when using remote controls. In an effort to prevent these injuries, NIOSH researchers at Pittsburgh Research Laboratory examined the workplace relationships between continuous miner operators and various tramming modes of the equipment using motion captured data, predicted operator response times, and field- of- view data to determine causes of operator-machine struck-by events in a virtual mine environment. Factors studied included machine speed, direction of escape, operator facing orientation relative to the machine, work posture, distance from machine, and operator anthropometry. Close proximity to the machine, high machine tramming speeds, a right-facing orientation and operator positioning near the tail all resulted in high risk of being struck. It is hoped that this data will provide an improved rationale for operator positioning for remotely operated continuous miners.
Use of Cautions and Warnings within International Space Station Procedures: When Too Much Information Becomes Risky
Authors: Rando Cynthia M. , Patel Devanshi G. , Duvall Laura E. , Martin Lockheed
Published: January 2012

Working on the International Space Station (ISS) has uncovered several challenges in the prevention of human error and desensitization to hazard advisories. Although human-centered design strives to eliminate accidents, there are still many unknowns in long term space habitation. Specifically, during the last fourteen ISS Expeditions, the crew has indicated that cautions and warnings (C&Ws) were used inappropriately within procedures. Human factors and safety personnel reviewed all comments made during ISS debriefs and a sample set of procedures. Findings included: no human factors input in procedure development, inconsistencies in procedure development, unclear C&W standards, and overuse and misuse of C&Ws throughout procedures. A usability evaluation was conducted to assess C&W intuitiveness for a specific set of C&Ws: Touch Temperature, Shock, Electrostatic Discharge, Rack Rotation, and Foreign Object Debris. This work focuses on the review findings, usability evaluation results, recommendations to NASA, final implementation and application to industry.
Field Testing the AMIT Job Performance Aid: Methods, Results, and Implications for the Air Force Maintenance Community
Authors: Kancler David E. , Curtis Christopher C. , Stimson Darryl S. , Jernigan Johnnie
Published: January 2012

The Aircraft Maintenance Intuitive Troubleshooting (AMIT) project was a 3 year endeavor sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Logistics Readiness Branch. The project's goal was to develop a Job Performance Aid (JPA) that Air Force maintenance technicians could use at the aircraft, regardless of experience level, and realize improved technician performance. This paper describes the AMIT Field Demonstration Test (FDT) and subsequent Cost Analysis (CA). The FDT demonstrated that using the AMIT JPA could reduce repair times by 41 to 50 minutes. Also, performance of novice specialists using AMIT approached or exceeded that of expert specialists using current methods. The CA, applying the FDT results to fleet-wide F-16 Block 40/42 maintenance data, revealed a potential savings of over 47,000 labor hours annually in repair time, translating roughly into $3,000,000 in labor costs. Similar savings are likely across additional airframes pending development and implementation of the AMIT solution.
Please Don't Abuse the Models: The Use of Experimental Design in Model Building
Authors: Mitchell Diane , Samms Charneta
Published: January 2012

Human factors professionals strive to create effective system design by ensuring that the capabilities and limitations of the human operator are a primary design consideration. By demonstrating the effect of various design decisions concerning the human operator on system performance early in the development cycle, resulting recommendations may be adopted to enhance system performance. To achieve this goal, human performance modeling tools are used. One of the common misconceptions about modeling is that a model alone will impact design. A model is merely a building block within an analysis. An influential analysis incorporates the principles of experimental design, the power of predictive modeling and the varying system design requirements to produce results that empower program managers to make informed decisions regarding system design. Analysts at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have successfully influenced the conceptual design of several manned ground vehicles by recognizing this difference.
Systems Thinking and Archetypes in the Military, Postulating a New Archetype
Authors: Rehak Lisa A. , Lamoureux Tab , Jarmasz Jerzy , Bos Jeff
Published: January 2012

Systems thinking involves looking beyond events to see patterns of behaviour and the underlying systemic interrelationships. This is especially important for teams of planners or decision makers that are required to have a shared understanding of the systems they are affecting. Soon after ‘systems thinking’ emerged, the creation of generic counter-intuitive structures that seem to occur repeatedly in different systems began. These generic structures (which have come to be known as Archetypes) are models that can represent systems across different domains. This paper outlines the most 9 common archetypes that were first proposed by Senge. Finally, a new archetype is proposed that is characterized by a critical event triggering a massive increase in some factor.
Dynamic Task Load Scheduling for Platform Control and Navigation on a Naval Ship
Authors: Grootjen M. , Neerincx M. A. , Marckelbach M.
Published: January 2012

In process control, the ongoing automation and application of new technologies caused a radical change in the position of the operator. Due to this change, increasing manning constraints and the pressure to maximize the operational capability in the Navy, naval operators need personalized and dynamic support which can differ in time: the system should accommodate the user with the right task support at the right time. This paper presents the design and user evaluation of an interface with task allocation support. This kind of support enables the operator to redirect the alarm (system or operator initiated). Evaluation with 34 navy students shows positive results on performance and general usability. Performance increases because the most important problems are solved faster. However, performance on a less important task decreases and can be interpreted as ‘reallocation costs’. Results on questionnaires show an increasing insecurity on the predictability of the system.
Applying the Appraisal Theory of Emotion to Human-Agent Interaction
Authors: Pepe Aaron A. , Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G.
Published: January 2012

When people interact with one another, there is a series of conscious and unconscious evaluations used to judge the situation in order to determine an emotional response. This research examines whether the emotional appraisals that individuals use when interacting with other humans, can be applied to human-agent interactions, and whether the attributes of the non-human agent affect the nature of these appraisals. Participants work with one of three non-human teammates to accomplish a series of tasks. These agents are a real dog, a robotic dog (Sony AIBO), and a nondescript robot (Lego NXT). Participants' emotional reaction is measured through subjective questionnaires, physiological data (EKG & galvanic skin response), and vocal analysis. Taken together this set of measurements forms a detailed picture of how humans react emotionally to agents during their task interaction. It is predicted that agent form will influence participants' appraisals and emotional reactions.
Mock Trial: Role of Human Factors in Litigation Involving an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Authors: Kalsher Mike , Cao Caroline G.L. , Weinger Matt , Vredenburgh Alison , Israelski Ed , Spyridon Gregg , Yoshida Doug , McLeod Rich , Weinger Matt , Fairbanks Terry , Resnick Marc , Carstensen Peter , Nemeth Christopher
Published: January 2012

This special joint session (sponsored by Health Care TG and Forensics TG) at the 2007 annual meeting of HFES presents an enactment of a court trial involving an automated external defibrillator (AED). The mock trial session presents human factors issues related to the design and use of the AED which lead to the death of an individual who collapsed in an airport. Human factors experts for the plaintiff and the defense will each weigh in on the circumstances surrounding the death of the victim, with examination from the respective attorneys, and cross examination from the opposing attorneys. A panel of commentators provides reactions and opinions after each side has given its testimony. However, no judgment or verdict on the case will be reached at the end of the session.
Identifying the Pattern of Localization Responses with a Haptic Seat Intended to Alert Drivers to the Direction of a Crash Threat
Authors: Fitch Gregory M. , Kiefer Raymond J. , Kleiner Brian M. , Hankey Jonathan M.
Published: January 2012

The potential safety benefits afforded by emerging automotive crash avoidance systems may be enhanced by implementing a driver vehicle interface (DVI) that effectively communicates the direction of a potential crash threat in a timely, effective, and integrated manner. An in-traffic study by the authors provided evidence that drivers could spatially map eight haptic seat vibration areas to the corresponding directions surrounding the vehicle with 86% localization accuracy (Fitch, Kiefer, Hankey, & Kleiner, 2007). This paper re-analyzed the data from this study to explore the extent to which there were any notable patterns in the observed localization errors. Results indicate there was some tendency for subjects to perceive side (i.e., left or right) seat pan vibration locations as originating somewhat further back than they actually occurred. Furthermore, the pattern of these errors suggest that a haptic seat communicating four directions of crash threat (e.g., front, right, back, and left) may further reduce the low level of localization errors observed with an eight direction haptic seat design.
Development of an Adaptive Workload Management System using the Queueing Network-Model Human Processor
Authors: Wu Changxu (Sean) , Tsimhoni Omer , Liu Yili
Published: January 2012

Drivers overloaded with information from in-vehicle systems significantly increase the chance of vehicle collisions. Developing adaptive workload management systems (AWMS) to dynamically control the rate of messages from these in-vehicle systems is one of the solutions to this problem. However, existing AWMS do not use driver models to estimate workload, and only suppress or redirect messages without changing the rate of messages from the in-vehicle systems. In this work, we propose a prototype of a new adaptive workload management system, the Queuing Network-Model Human Processor (QN-MHP) AWMS, which includes a model of driver workload based on the queueing network theory of human performance that estimates driver workload in different driving situations and a message controller that dynamically controls the rate of messages presented to drivers. Corresponding experimental studies were conducted to validate the potential effectiveness of this system in reducing driver workload and improving driver performance.
Visual Information in Judgments of Head-On Collisions
Authors: Mork Kerstan S. , DeLucia Patricia R.
Published: January 2012

Head-on collisions result in a substantial number of fatalities. To detect head-on collisions, drivers must judge effectively the direction or heading of their own vehicle in relation to the heading of oncoming vehicles. In our previous study, we used computer simulations of self-motion through a traffic scene to measure judgments about whether a head-on collision was imminent. Results suggested that judgments about head-on collision are affected by both the optical flow information provided by the centerline and the optical flow information provided by the oncoming car. The objective of the current study was to further examine the effect of different components of the optical flow pattern on judgments of head-on collisions. We measured judgments about head on collisions while manipulating local optical flow from the oncoming car and global optical flow from the background scenery. Our results suggest that visual information about the oncoming car's motion was more effective than visual information about self motion. The implication is that it may be beneficial for drivers to focus greater attention on the information about the oncoming car's motion in order to improve judgments about head-on collisions. Further research is needed to evaluate this possibility.
Improving Robotic Operator Performance Using Augmented Reality
Authors: Maida James C. , Bowen Charles K. , Pace John
Published: January 2012

Robotic operations performed in earth orbit face unique challenges. In the case of the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), a two-armed robotic device, operations can last multiple orbital days, with dynamic sunlit days and very dark nights. Direct and indirect visibility can be difficult. This project developed and tested the use of augmented reality technology with a ground based trainer to reduce the negative effects of these conditions. Results of the project showed that twelve skilled operators can significantly reduce positioning errors and time to task completion when using augmented reality techniques.
Optimizing the Functionality of Teams with Dispersed Individuals an Exploration into the Conditions for Effective Knowledge Management Applications in Virtual Teams
Authors: Oguntebi Joy
Published: January 2012

As the technological environment is constantly changing and becoming more global, organizations must continue to find ways to compete advantageously. Teams are increasingly being used as a mechanism for accomplishing organizational work yet researchers are still exploring what leads to the ability to learn as an organization or to exhibit effective knowledge management. A parallel trend is the dispersion of organizations globally and the set of virtual teams and even virtual organizations operating in different places and times. One body of research that may help in understanding how to improve the functioning of virtual teams focuses on Transactive Memory Systems (TMSs). Prior studies have indicated that TMS emergence leads to improved team performance. Therefore, the present research explores and analyzes the roles that influential factors play in TMS emergence and maintenance in virtual teams. Specifically, a number of factors will be investigated with a goal of identifying how best to utilize findings to assemble virtual teams.
Flying by Ear: Blind Flight with a Music-Based Artificial Horizon
Authors: Simpson Brian D. , Brungart Douglas S. , Dallman Ronald C. , Yasky Richard J. , Romigh Griffin D.
Published: January 2012

Two experiments were conducted in actual flight operations to evaluate an audio artificial horizon display that imposed aircraft attitude information on pilot-selected music. The first experiment examined a pilot's ability to identify, with vision obscured, a change in aircraft roll or pitch, with and without the audio artificial horizon display. The results suggest that the audio horizon display improves the accuracy of attitude identification overall, but differentially affects response time across conditions. In the second experiment, subject pilots performed recoveries from displaced aircraft attitudes using either standard visual instruments, or, with vision obscured, the audio artificial horizon display. The results suggest that subjects were able to maneuver the aircraft to within its safety envelope. Overall, pilots were able to benefit from the display, suggesting that such a display could help to improve overall safety in general aviation.