bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgeons' Attitudes to Teamwork and Safety
Authors: Yule Steven , Flin Rhona , Paterson-Brown Simon , Maran Nikki
Published: January 2012

Attitudes towards human and organizational factors can have an impact on effective team performance and consequently on patient safety. The Operating Room Management Attitudes Questionnaire (ORMAQ) measures attitudes to leadership, communication, teamwork, stress and fatigue, work values, and organizational climate. Data were collected from 231 consultant and trainee surgeons, and 121 surgical nurses from 17 Scottish Hospitals using a customized version of the ORMAQ. The respondents generally demonstrated positive attitudes to teamwork, leadership and safety and were similar to those reported in previous ORMAQ surveys of anaesthetists in Scotland and of surgeons in other countries. However, consultant and trainee surgeons differed in their attitudes to briefings, critical situations, and competence acknowledgement.
Rating the Severity of Close-Call Events
Authors: Sheridan Thomas , Cardosi Kim , Hannon Daniel
Published: January 2012

Accidents rarely happen; close calls (“near misses”) are much more prevalent. So learning from close-calls is statistically more feasible. This paper describes a new technique for rating, or having a computer help to rate, the relative severity of close-call events. Various potential applications are in transportation close-calls: between aircraft on the ground or in the air, between highway or rail or maritime vehicles or such vehicles and fixed objects; also close-calls in surgery or other medical treatments on patients, or in police or security work. Currently the technique is being developed and validated for specific application to airport runway incursions – where an aircraft or vehicle violates safe separation criteria relative to another aircraft. The technique starts from severity ranges prejudged by subject matter experts and tabled for each of a set of possible near-miss scenarios and range of closest proximities, including the overall best (global minimum) and worst (global maximum) severities, as well as ratings for the worst case for each of a set of ”influence factors.” (These numbers specify the corners for each dimension of a several-dimensional ”severity space”). A scale of influence levels associated with key objective properties of each influence factor is also prejudged by subject matter experts. Then, for any particular close-call event in any particular scenario, one need only specify the key objective properties of the event. The event's severity is then determined by a combinatorial algorithm drawing on these properties and the tabled values. Validation efforts for runway incursions comparing the technique's predictions to independent expert ratings are promising.
Exploring the Influence of Message Length, Location, Repeated Exposure and User Evaluation on Response to Warnings and Instructions
Authors: Young Stephen L. , Shah Raina J. , Frantz J. Paul , Rhoades Timothy P.
Published: January 2012

Forty-four participants performed two tasks: administering medication with a nebulizer and changing a vacuum cleaner bag. Within the context of each task, participants were exposed to a warning label containing either a single message or a total of five messages. Warning labels were placed so that participants would have to interact with and remove them in order to complete the tasks. Noticing and reading of the warning labels and compliance with a target message were assessed. Data on attention to and use of associated product manuals were also obtained. While the results showed no effect of the number of messages on noticing or reading of the labels or compliance with the target message, several interesting findings were observed. Reasons for non-compliance with warning messages were obtained and the implications of these data are discussed.
A Solution to the Rear-Vision Problem in a Fixed-Base Driving Simulator
Authors: Yang Guihua , Baniahmad Farnaz , Jaeger Beverly K. , Mourant Ronald R.
Published: January 2012

Although driving often involves considerable use of a vehicle's mirrors, collecting data on the frequency and duration of mirror glances can be difficult. First, data collection in the real world may be time - consuming and unsafe. Second, low-cost simulators have used visual inserts within the projected image to simulate the inside mirror. When such inserts are used, a driver's search and scan behavior differs significantly from that in the real world. Both eye movements and eye accommodation processes are different for mirror inserts then for actual mirrors. This paper describes a low-cost driving simulator that allows actual rear-vision mirrors to be used. Thus, eye-mirror scan behavior in our simulator emulates that of the real world. Our simulator, with the actual vehicle mirrors, is composed of two networked PCs, two projectors, and two screens. The forward view is projected to the front screen from the server, and the rear view is projected to the back screen from the client. The scene and autonomous vehicles in the server and client are synchronized by communication between the server and client. A driver seated in the vehicle body/buck views the front driving scene on the front screen and views the rear driving scene in either the left-side mirror or inside mirror. A small video camera, which is synchronized with the computer-generated visual scene, is used to record the operator's glances to the vehicle's mirrors. We plan to gather information and data during a study driver behavior when making lane changes under various situations. The results may be relevant to understanding the process of attaining driving skills, and could contribute to the content of driver training and education.
Strata (Synthetic Teammates for Realtime Anywhere Training and Assessment): An Integration of Cognitive Models and Virtual Environments for Mobile Scenario Based Training
Authors: Chapman Roger J. , Ryder Joan , Bell Benjamin , Wischusen Derek , Benton Donald
Published: January 2012

Through an integration of synthetic agents, intelligent tutoring, and scenario-based training in a simulation environment, Synthetic Teammates for Real-time Anywhere Training and Assessment (STRATA) is being developed to overcome conventional training limitations by providing deployable training that offers on-demand practice for individuals and teams, with or without instructors, and without requiring users to be co-located. STRATA will use synthetic agents embedded in a virtual training environment when human players needed to play the part of team members are missing. As part of DARWARS, DARPA's Training Superiority program that is establishing persistent, online training worlds, STRATA will provide these training opportunities with low-footprint, portable hardware. An Event-Based Approach to Training (EBAT) is being used to facilitate highly context specific training and to support generalization to a variety of mission types. The first STRATA application demonstrates Close Air Support (CAS) training. A cognitive task analysis of representative CAS missions, identifying decision making requirements, radio communications, and coordination, has been conducted in order to develop our synthetic models and help identify observable triggering conditions necessary to measure performance targeted in the EBAT method. In order to support the project goals of individual and team-centered training, a generalizable training architecture, and the reuse of cognitive agents across mission types, scenario and training management systems, as well as a cognitive agent library (CAL) are being developed.
A Closed-Loop, Act-R Approach to Modeling Approach and Landing with and without Synthetic Vision System (SVS) Technology
Authors: Byrne Michael D. , Kirlik Alex , Fleetwood Michael D. , Huss David G. , Kosorukoff Alex , Lin Ruei-Sung , Fick Chris S.
Published: January 2012

We present a computational model of closed-loop, pilot-displays-aircraft system designed to evaluate the impact of the addition of a synthetic vision system (SVS) to a commercial airliner cockpit. The NASA-run empirical study revealed that while pilots rarely looked out the window during most phases of approach and landing, they devoted a substantial proportion of their gaze toward the SVS. A model pilot implemented in ACT-R was connected to a commercial flight simulator package in an attempt to model pilots' attention allocation behaviors. Based on metrics such as transitions from one display to another, the model provides a good approximation to pilot behaviors and should allow us to perform virtual experiments on the impact of changes to the SVS.
Ergonomic Concerns of Pregnant Workers: An Exploration of Existing Research
Authors: Kalish Julia A.
Published: January 2012

Pregnant women, though typically numbering one million a year in the United States workforce, are often neglected by the ergonomic community. This claim is supported by considering available literature from a variety of sources including peer reviewed ergonomic journals, ergonomics text books, general web searches, cites pulled from seminal research articles, and reviews of the NIOSH and OSHA WebPages. Results show that only a few researchers have attempted to go beyond back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome concerns to consider other ergonomic factors affecting pregnant women. More information concerning the health of the fetus is available than the health and well-being of the pregnant women. Much of the research that focuses on pregnant women separate from their fetuses is nearly a decade old, leaving a tremendous gap in current research. Clearly additional and varied research considering both long and short term effects of ergonomic stressors on pregnant women are warranted.
The Effects of Modern Navagation on Driver Distraction
Authors: Siebert Patrick , Mouloua Mustapha , Jenkins Nicol , Oconnell Rory , Wilk Christina , Nott Jessica , Savage Kadija
Published: January 2012

This study simulated modern in car navigation with video mapping cues and a low fidelity driving simulator. Forty one participants performed a simulated driving task while either free driving or navigating in conjunction with a standard additional task assessing their spare attentional capacity. The results showed that more lane deviations were made during the navigation than the non navigation task. These findings indicate the greater workload levels associated with the use of video navigation devices. These findings have major implications for driver safety and telematic systems design.
The Human Factors of Collision Warning Systems: System Performance, Alarm Timing, and Driver Trust
Authors: Abe Genya , Richardson John
Published: January 2012

This driving simulator study focuses on false and missing alarms produced by a forward collision warning system and estimates the effect of alarm timing on driver response to alarm malfunction from the perspective of driver trust. The results show that drivers who experience late alarms are reluctant to respond to a false alarm and are not influenced by a missing alarm, however drivers who experience early alarms tend to respond to a false alarm and suffer a delayed response to critical situations following a missing alarm. Furthermore, drivers whose judgement of trust is relatively high, tend to exhibit delayed braking, compared with drivers who have lower levels of trust. These results suggest that driver behaviour towards false and missing alarms may vary according to alarm timing and its influence on trust in alarms, moreover there is a possibility that the negative effects of alarm malfunction may be mitigated by manipulating alarm timing.
Psychophysiology in Driving Research
Authors: Backs Richard W. , Lenneman John K.
Published: January 2012

The focus of this symposium, co-sponsored by the Psychophysiology in Ergonomics interest group of the International Ergonomics Association, is to illustrate how psychophysiological measurement can contribute to a broad sample of research issues in driving. Papers from Japan, France, and the United States will be presented that examine diverse research questions in driver workload, sleepiness, affect, and attention. The papers report how a variety of psychophysiological measures (e.g., ocular activity, and skin, cardiovascular, and electroencephalographic responses) that were obtained in research environments ranging from laboratory part-task and driving simulation to field studies can supplement and complement more traditional performance and subjective measures of driver behavior. The papers will present both past and present uses of psychophysiology in driving research as well as discuss potential uses of psychophysiology for future research.
Exploring Drivers' Situation Awareness in a Dynamic Traffic Environment
Authors: Zheng Xianjun Sam , Tai Yu-Chi , McConkie George W.
Published: January 2012

The change detection paradigm was used in a single-monitor driving simulator to study drivers' awareness of other vehicles on the roadway. While driving, a moving or parked vehicle ahead (30 or 60 m) would occasionally change location (30% or 60% nearer or farther away), color, or identity during a 150 ms blank-out period. The results showed that only for moving vehicles with a very large location displacement (60%) can the participants detect changes as well as with the color or identity change. We also examined how the driving task itself influences the formation of this representation; overall, the detection performance was better in the non-driving condition. We argue that vehicle location is coarsely represented in drivers' memory, and that this, together with vehicle features, is used to visually monitor more finegrained location information. This helps explain why drivers often fail to notice a decreasing distance to the car ahead, resulting in rear-end collisions.
A Study of Effective Procedural Practices in Refining and Chemical Operations
Authors: Bullemer Peter T. , Hajdukiewicz John R.
Published: January 2012

Significant investments have been made in the process industry in procedural practices and supporting technology with a focus to improve safety, reliability and efficiency in operations. Despite these efforts, many plants have not yet realized the full, expected benefits of procedural operations for a variety of reasons. A field study was conducted to understand some of the factors impacting the success of procedural operations and to develop recommendations for improved practices and tools. During the study, the team visited five refining and chemical sites, and interviewed key personnel on their experiences with procedures and the use of supporting technologies. Objectives of procedural operations were noted and ranked. Root causes of procedural breakdowns were assessed through incident reports and through surveys. Effective practices were also identified in the areas of procedure content, policy and process, technology aids and development.
The Role of the Abstraction Hierarchy in Team Performance
Authors: Stanton Neville A. , Salmon Paul M. , Walker Guy H. , Ashleigh Melanie , Baber Chris
Published: January 2012

This paper reports on a study into the Levels of Abstraction Hierarchy (LOAH). The original proposition for the LOAH was that it depicted the levels of system representation, working from functional purpose through to physical form to determine causes of a malfunction, or from physical form to functional purpose to determine purpose for system function. The LOAH has been widely used throughout human supervisory control research to explain individual behaviour, but most control rooms comprise teams. The research sought to determine if the LOAH could be used to describe human supervisory control teams. A series of interviews were conducted in an energy distribution company. The results favour the LOAH, but suggest that people in the team are predominately operating at different levels of system representation, depending upon their team role.
A Comparison of Three Workload Methodologies: POP, IP/PCT, and POPIP
Authors: Fowles-Winkler Anna M. , Lorenzen Christy , Belyavin Andrew , Cain Brad , Hendy Keith
Published: January 2012

This paper examines three of the Integrated Performance Modelling Environment's built-in workload methodologies: Prediction of Operator Performance (POP), Information Processing/Perceptual Control Theory (IP/PCT), and POPIP. The newly-implemented POPIP is compared to its forerunner methodologies, POP and IP/PCT. POP, developed by QinetiQ, predicts performance degradation from interference between concurrent tasks using estimates of workload on different channels. IP/PCT, developed by DRDC Toronto, theorizes that all factors that impact human cognitive workload can be reduced to their effects on the amount of information to be processed, and the amount of time available before the task must be completed. POPIP uses components from both POP and IP/PCT for a combined workload algorithm that offers interference based on time pressure, and task scheduling. A sample IPME model is discussed, and used as an example in comparing all three workload methodologies.
Use of Product-Interactive Focus Groups for Requirements Capture and Usability Assessment
Authors: Lee Young S. , Smith-Jackson Tonya L. , Nussbaum Maury A. , Tomioka Kei , Bhatkhande Yogesh
Published: January 2012

Although focus groups are commonly used in product design to gather requirements about new products, they have limitations in that: 1) it is difficult to discuss numerous usability issues with a group of participants in a short time period; and 2) novice participants may not discover many usability issues. Simple strategies can be employed to overcome these challenges. This paper reports a case study in which Product-Interactive Focus Groups (PIFG) were used in conjunction with a questionnaire to evaluate cell phone user interfaces. The entire process of the PIFG, including preparation, procedure, data collection and analysis, is described in detail. Finally, lessons learned and practical recommendations are provided.
Static Posturography and Recurrence Quantification Reliably Detect Postural Instability
Authors: Schmit Jennifer , Riley Michael , Shear Paula , Shockley Kevin
Published: January 2012

Postural instability is a primary symptom of advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Falling, and restriction of activity due to postural instability have a major influence on the health and quality of life of individuals with PD. Presently, clinical measurement of postural stability in PD is crude. The purpose of the present study was to assess the ability of static posturography and a time-series analysis technique termed recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) to detect postural instability in PD (Hoehn and Yahr Stage 3 - participants with known postural instability). The results of analyses indicate that the postural sway of participants with PD was more variable than that of elderly, healthy controls. In addition, the spatiotemporal profile of postural sway for PD participants reflected greater regularity and stability. These results suggest that the novel combination of static posturography and RQA may be a suitable testing and evaluation method for detecting postural instability.
An Application of Its Concepts for Training Teamwork and Multitasking in a Scenario-Based Team Training System
Authors: Dorsey David W. , White Susan S. , Bolton Amy E.
Published: January 2012

Higher-fidelity, scenario-based approaches for training teams and teamwork skills present unique challenges to trainees. These challenges include multitasking and prioritizing various actions given current scenario events. This paper highlights a unique methodology and modeling approach, based on intelligent tutoring system concepts, that is used to identify relatively critical activities during a training exercise and provide targeted feedback to trainees regarding their choice of actions. This feedback forms a basis for reflection and improved performance via focused post-training, after-action review sessions.
Crowd Reactions to Sublethal Weapons: Universal Triggers for Crowd Violence
Authors: Bliss James P. , Fallon Corey , Headen Nicole , Gaskins Ryland C.
Published: January 2012

Since the end of the cold war, military forces have increasingly been required to manage crowds of people, some of which may quickly turn violent. Frequently, crowd researchers identify “flashpoint” variables: environmental or social triggers that cause a crowd to become hostile. The goal of this research was to identify potential flashpoints, to assist the simulation and training communities in crowd representation. Researchers exhaustively reviewed crowd literature, surveyed subject matter experts in crowd control, and analyzed anecdotal crowd events. Survey results indicated that crowd weapons, alcohol and drugs, crowd commitment, and crowd desperation may be flashpoints for violence. However, none of these variables strongly varied with culture. Anecdotal results revealed additional flashpoint variables, such as aggression and the use of auditory stimuli by control force members, instigators within the crowd, and general masculine culture. These findings agree in part with results from existing literature, and have implications for peacekeeper training.
Team Training in Distributed Simulation-Based Exercises
Authors: Johnston Joan H. , Radtke Paul H. , Van Duyne Lori , Van Stretton Milt , Van Freeman Jared , Van Bilazarian Peter
Published: January 2012

The advantages of simulation in team training are well documented and accepted by trainers and students. The opportunity for teams to apply knowledge and practice skills to meet realistic problems in a realistic environment is intuitively more motivating, and can be a more valuable training experience for a team than merely reading about, being lectured on, or observing someone else perform a task. Training managers also are attracted to the economic and logistical advantages of linking multiple teams in a simulated environment when compared to the cost and effort required for comparable live exercises. To date, the primary focus of research in distributed simulation-based training has been the continuous quest for greater realism in visual displays; enhanced fidelity of the models that drive the simulation; and the need to improve the speed, reliability, and capacity of communications among different simulators and trainers. Less effort has been devoted to developing technologies that can increase the instructional value of a simulation exercise or that could help an instructional designer make the best use of a simulation-based training opportunity. Such technologies would help an instructor to design more effective scenarios; more accurately and efficiently observe, record, and analyze the trainees' performance; and support the necessary learning events before, during, and after the scenario to meet specific training objectives.
Automated Data Collection and Assessment for Debriefing Distributed Simulation-Based Exercises (DDSBE)
Authors: Carolan Thomas F. , Bilazarian Peter , Martin Lockheed
Published: January 2012

Automated data collection, assessment, and diagnosis capabilities are key requirements of an instructional framework to support performance evaluation and debrief of multiple teams participating in distributed simulation-based exercises. This paper discusses methods and issues in the application of automated performance data collection and assessment capabilities as part of a prototype Debriefing Distributed Simulation-Based Exercises (DDSBE) system. The automated data collection process obtains data from local and distributed simulation systems and operator consoles to assess individual, team, and multi-team performance on training objectives during scenario-critical/key events. The automated assessment component accesses expected performance data related to critical scenario events and compares the actions observed within a specified time window with the set of expected responses. Performance is assessed at the multi-team, team, and individual levels as appropriate. Automated and observer-based semiautomated assessments are integrated into data products suitable for diagnostic analysis and for single- and multi-team debrief development. Preliminary data from an initial demonstration are discussed.
The Users and Functions of Debriefing in Distributed, Simulation-Based Team Training
Authors: Freeman Jared , Salter William J. , Hoch Susannah
Published: January 2012

Debriefing is the principal forum in which teams receive feedback concerning their performance in scenario-based training. We consider the audiences and functions served by current debriefing practices. We define additional audiences and functions that will be supported by an advanced debriefing system now being designed for Navy training exercises.
Linking Performance Measures and Measurement Purpose in Scenario-Based Training
Authors: Baker David P. , Kuang Daniel , Feinberg Emily , Radtke Paul
Published: January 2012

Despite its importance, there are scant guidelines to assist instructional development experts with the scenario-based training process. In particular, little information exists that links different types of human performance measures with the type of performance assessed and the purpose of training. In an effort to provide new insights on this important issue, the present study examined the appropriateness of four rating formats (i.e., checklists, frequency count, distance and discrepancy, and rating scale) for six performance outcomes, three process variables, and three purposes of scenario-based training. Expert judgments were collected via a short survey. The results indicated that for nine of the 12 variables a single measurement strategy was most appropriate. However, the results also indicated that experts tended to over rely on rating scales as their preferred choice. Implications for practice and suggested requirements for future research are provided.
Memory Recall for International Gestures
Authors: Rehfeld Sherri A. , Jentsch Florian G. , Rodriguez Theresa N.
Published: January 2012

The current project reviewed relevant research in the area of emblem gestures and created an electronic library of gestures that incorporates established population norms by culture and region. In order to present this information to assist learning and remembering the information, four displays were used (text only, text with gender-neutral and expressionneutral image, text with contextually relevant image, or text with detailed image of gesture) with 16 gestures (eight with the same meaning across countries, eight with different meanings). Accuracy was measured for the first set of 32 questions (learning) and the second set of 32 questions (transfer of knowledge to novel stimuli). Results showed a clear benefit for gestures with the same meaning across cultures. In addition, use of the detailed image produced significantly higher accuracy than textual information alone.
The Effect of Driver Age and Experience on Risk Assessment and Risk Prediction
Authors: DeRamus Rosa , Fisher Donald L.
Published: January 2012

Of the 35,000 drivers and passengers who died in traffic crashes each year between 1975 and 1998, older adults (65 and older) accounted for 10% of all fatalities in 1975 and 17% in 1998. Such drivers will account for a projected 27% by 2015. In addition, the number of older drivers will increase two-thirds by the year 2030. These facts present a threat to the safety of the motoring public. It is hypothesized that older adults have such a high crash rate because they are less likely to recognize risks than experienced, middle-aged drivers. An experiment on an advanced, fixed-base driving simulator was designed and performed to test this hypothesis. Participants' eye movements were tracked throughout each drive. It is inferred that drivers are not aware of risks that could potentially materialize at a particular area of the roadway when they fail to direct their gaze at such areas. However, contrary to our hypothesis, the older drivers were just as likely to recognize the risks as the middle-aged drivers.
Generalizeability of Latency Detection in a Variety of Virtual Environments
Authors: Ellis Stephen R. , Mania Katerina , Adelstein Bernard D. , Hill Michael I.
Published: January 2012

User perceptual sensitivity to changes of system latency was tested in three simple virtual environments: one with only a foreground object, a second with only a background object, and a third that combined both of these elements. Prior psychophysical measurements of sensitivity, Just Noticeable Difference; and bias, Points of Subjective Equality, from our laboratory are confirmed with measurements in 13 subjects. Our measurements indicate that perceptual stability across a variety of virtual environments will require latencies less than 16 ms. We discount a possible explanation that the differences between our results and those from a study by Allison et al. could be related to a visual capture effect initially reported by L. Matin. Instead, the differences may be due to the type of psychophysical judgment rendered by the subjects and the degree to which subjects were instructed and practiced.
The Playbook™ Approach to Adaptive Automation
Authors: Miller Christopher , Funk Harry , Wu Peggy , Goldman Robert , Meisner John , Chapman Marc
Published: January 2012

SIFT has pioneered a human-automation integration architecture, called Playbook™, based on a shared model of the tasks in the domain. This shared task model provides a means of human-automation communication about plans, goals, methods and resource usage—a process akin to referencing plays in a sports team's playbook. The Playbook enables human operators to interact with subordinate systems with the same flexibility as with well-trained human subordinates, thus allowing for adaptive automation. We describe this approach and its application in an ongoing project called Playbook-enhanced Variable Autonomy Control System™ (P-VACS).
Enhancing Airport Surface Markings to Support Pilot Awareness About Runway Location
Authors: Moertl Peter M. , Estes Steven L. , Andrews Cheryl R. , Olmos Oscar B.
Published: January 2012

Enhancements to airport surface markings were developed to facilitate pilot awareness of the runway location and to increase the conspicuity of the holding position markings, see Olmos, Andrews, and Estes (2003). The marking enhancements were evaluated in a simulation and two field studies. In a simulation study, general aviation (GA) pilots as well as transport category pilots performed taxi operations using a cockpit simulator. The simulated airport surface included enhanced surface markings and the distance at which pilots detected the runway environment was measured under various conditions. The results indicate that marking enhancements were associated with an earlier detection of the runway in some but not in all conditions. Specifically, transport category pilots detected simple taxiway-runway intersections with enhanced markings earlier than with current markings. No such perceptual advantage was found for GA pilots or at complex intersections. Most pilots, however, subjectively preferred the marking enhancements over the current marking standard. These positive evaluations of enhanced markings were confirmed by two field demonstrations where two sets of enhanced markings were implemented at two US airports. Pilots perceived the benefits of the marking enhancements to depend on pilot experience, familiarity with the airport, aircraft type, and knowledge about the marking enhancements. For certain airport situations, the enhanced markings in the hold-short environment of runways can be expected to aid pilot awareness about the runway location.
Arriving from Delphi at O'Hare: Predictive Cognitive Engineering in the O'Hare Modernization Project and Beyond
Authors: Estes Steven
Published: January 2012

This paper describes a cognitive modeling effort for the O'Hare Modernization Project (OMP). Beginning with a statement of the problem, it describes how cognitive modeling was used to measure the mental workload and work time of controllers running various positions at O'Hare International Airport, both under the current airport configurations and a future set of configurations (proposed in the OMP). The O'Hare case is used as an exemplar of the type of data that can be acquired with relatively simple cognitive models
Differences in Trunk Kinematics and Ground Reaction Forces Between Older and Younger Adults during Lifting
Authors: Shin Gwanseob , Nance Mack L. , Mirka Gary A.
Published: January 2012

Trunk kinematics, ground reaction forces, and the motion of the center of pressure (COP) of older and younger subjects were compared in lifting to study age-related differences between the two age groups. Ten older (55 ∼ 63 years old) and ten younger (19 ∼ 29 years old) adults performed lifting tasks under six different conditions; three destination heights and two asymmetry angles of origin. Subjects' trunk kinematics, ground reaction forces and COP motions were measured by the Lumbar Motion Monitor (LMM) and a force plate. Older subjects showed significantly less trunk kinematics, peak ground reaction forces, and COP motions than younger subjects, indicating older subjects chose more stable lifting strategy and it might compensate for the decreased ability of postural control over age. Less ground reaction forces and motion of COP suggested that risks of falls and slips of older subjects were less than younger subjects.
Identifying Decision Complexity Factors in Ambulance Command and Control
Authors: Hayes J. , Moore A. , Benwell G. , Wong B. L. W.
Published: January 2012

To understand the decision making processes of fourteen ambulance command and control (C2) operators, interviews employing the critical decision method were conducted in two ambulance C2 centres. An emergent themes analysis of the interview transcripts resulted in the identification of the strategies used by the operators when making dispatch decisions. To complement this work, factors that were considered to contribute to the complexity of the decision making task were identified and then rated by the operators to determine the extent of this contribution. As a result the researchers obtained quantitative data regarding the factors that were considered to contribute the greatest to the complexity of the dispatch task from the view point of the operators. The benefits of this approach include the identification of cognitive 'choke points' in the dispatch process that can be addressed during interface design.
Coordinated Awareness of Situation by Teams (CAST): Measuring Team Situation Awareness of a Communication Glitch
Authors: Gorman Jamie C. , Cooke Nancy J. , Pederson Harry K. , Olena O. Connor , DeJoode Janie A.
Published: January 2012

A coordination-based measure of team situation awareness is presented and contrasted with knowledge-based measurement. The measure is applied to team awareness of a communication channel failure (glitch) during a simulated unmanned air vehicle reconnaissance experiment. Experimental results are reported, including the findings that not all team members should be identically aware of the glitch and that appropriate levels of coordination are an important precursor of team situation awareness. The results are discussed in terms of the application of coordination metrics to support the understanding of team situation awareness. The use of team coordination as a low-dimension variable of team functionality is scalable over a variety of team sizes and expertise distributions.
Change Blindness: Detecting Icon Position Change in Military Information Displays
Authors: Rodriguez Amy , Jantzi Jennifer , Smith Daniel R.
Published: January 2012

Designers of military systems, such as Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2), are concerned that “change blindness” may cause users to miss information updates. In the current study, participants monitored an FBCB2 display and reported the changes they detected. Results indicate that participants were not more likely to detect icon position changes (moves), when they were large, 17.5 mm moves (control moves), opposed to when they were gradual moves (a series of 10 smaller, 1.75 mm moves). But, when moves were correctly detected, response times were faster for control moves than they were for gradual moves. These findings may help clarify how attributes of a change (here, gradual vs. control moves) influence change blindness in military information displays.
The Impacts of Multiple Robots and Display Views: An Urban Search and Rescue Simulation
Authors: Chadwick Roger A.
Published: January 2012

The use of remote controlled uninhabited ground vehicles (UGVs) is expanding in military and emergency operations. In operations involving multiple UGVs controlled by a single operator, understanding the psychological implications for operational proficiency with the integration of multiple displayed viewpoints is critical. The current empirical study addresses this issue in an experimental simulation of an urban search and rescue (USAR) operation. Using miniature vehicles in a simulated environment, participants were tasked with searching through difficult terrain to photograph specific targets. In the experiment, the number of UGVs used and the use of an uninhabited air vehicle (UAV) view were manipulated as between participants variables. Results indicate: (1) that the use of two UGVs (in a team mode) is rather inefficient, (2) that using two UGVs did not meaningfully reduce faults, and (3) that the use of a UAV view, and to a lesser extent two UGVs, improved target localization.
Up from the Rubble: Lessons Learned about HRI from Search and Rescue
Authors: Murphy Robin R. , Burke Jennifer L.
Published: January 2012

The Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue has collected data at three responses (World Trade Center, Hurricane Charley, and the La Conchita mudslide) and nine high fidelity field exercises. Our results can be distilled into four lessons. First, building situation awareness, not autonomous navigation, is the major bottleneck in robot autonomy. Most of the robotics literature assumes a single operator single robot (SOSR), while our work shows that two operators working together are nine times more likely to find a victim. Second, human-robot interaction should not be thought of how to control the robot but rather how a team of experts can exploit the robot as an active information source. The third lesson is that team members use shared visual information to build shared mental models and facilitate team coordination. This suggests that high bandwidth, reliable communications will be necessary for effective teamwork. Fourth, victims and rescuers in close proximity to the robots respond to the robot socially. We conclude with observations about the general challenges in human-robot interaction.
Human-Robot Interaction Design: Understanding User Needs and Requirements
Authors: Adams Julie A.
Published: January 2012

Goal-Directed Task Analysis is being applied to assessing the needs and requirements for developing novel techniques and tools to permit a small number of humans to supervise large robotic teams. The paper presents a preliminary overall goal hierarchy as well as a preliminary communication goal hierarchy based upon the initial analysis. This research involves working directly with the Nashville Metro Police department's Bomb Squad and the Nashville Metro Fire Department's HAZMAT team. The focus is the assessment of actual user needs and requirements employing well-defined user centered design practices in combination with Goal-Directed Task Analysis. The resulting Goal- Decision-SA structure will be employed to develop potential human-robot interaction designs for further qualitative and qualitative evaluation. The objective is to successfully integrate robots into the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive device search and rescue tasks such that the robots complement and augment the current human capabilities.
Validating USARsim for use in HRI Research
Authors: Wang Jijun , Lewis Michael , Hughes Stephen , Koes Mary , Carpin Stefano
Published: January 2012

HRI is an excellent candidate for simulator based research because of the relative simplicity of the systems being modeled, the behavioral fidelity possible with current physics engines and the capability of modern graphics cards to approximate camera video. In this paper we briefly introduce the USARsim simulation and discuss efforts to validate its behavior for use in Human Robot Interaction (HRI) research.
Recovery from Interruptions to a Dynamic Monitoring Task: The Beguiling Utility of Instant Replay
Authors: John Mark , Smallman Harvey S. , Manes Daniel I.
Published: January 2012

Detecting changes in complex monitoring tasks is important for situation awareness, yet surprisingly difficult. Interruptions exacerbate this problem. An intuitively appealing solution to this problem is Instant Replay. Users could replay interrupted periods at high speed to quickly perceive changes. Instant Replay's appeal seems to rest on its familiarity and realistic re-presentation of the temporal sequence of the interrupted situation. However, current theories of perception, including Naïve Realism (Smallman & St. John, 2005), predict this emphasis on realism to be misguided. We compared two versions of replay against three alternative tools in a naval air warfare simulation in which 35 participants monitored a busy airspace for significant changes. One alternative, CHEX, a situation awareness recovery concept we are developing, automatically detects and logs changes into an interactive table. CHEX provided an effective representation for quickly recovering situation awareness. In contrast, realistic Instant Replay proved worse than no support at all.
A Sociotechnical Systems Analysis of the Toronto Sars Outbreak
Authors: Piché Andrea Cassano , Vicente Kim J.
Published: January 2012

In February 2003, an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Toronto, Canada, resulted in 438 probable SARS cases, 44 deaths, and over 25,000 individuals quarantined. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the predictions of Rasmussen's (1997) framework for risk management can explain how and why SARS was transmitted in Toronto. There are two propositions for this case study. First, multiple actions, decisions, and degrees of capability at all levels of the system are needed to explain how SARS was transmitted. Second, a lack of vertical integration between individuals and organizations explains why SARS was widely transmitted. Both propositions of this case study are supported by the data in the National Advisory Committee's report (Health Canada, 2003). Furthermore, almost all of the predictions made by Rasmussen's (1997) framework were confirmed by the events that transpired during SARS.
Collaborative Cross-Checking to Enhance Resilience
Authors: Patterson Emily S. , Woods David D. , Cook Richard I. , Render Marta L.
Published: January 2012

There has been a longstanding consensus that supporting error detection and recovery processes is critical for very high safety levels because it increases system resilience. System resilience is defined in Resilience Engineering as successful adaptation to variations, changes, and surprises by organizations, groups, or individuals. Cross-checking is a critical component of resilience because it can enable detection of erroneous assessments or actions while negative consequences can be mitigated or eliminated. Prior studies suggest that cross-checking where an additional human with a fresh perspective breaks fixations may be an effective strategy. Nevertheless, collaborative cross-checking remains a somewhat murky concept. In this paper, we describe in detail three healthcare incidents where collaborative cross-checking played a key role. Emerging patterns that provide opportunities for follow-on research are discussed.
When Function Follows Form: Anthropomorphism of Artifact “Faces”
Authors: Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Yordon Ryan E. , Sushil David J. , Barber Daniel J. , Owens Clint W. , Smith Hana S. , Dolezal Michael J. , Shumaker Randall , Finkelstein Neal
Published: January 2012

Participants rated machine “faces” which varied in terms of eye size, eye shape, distance between eyes, and relationship to background color (white on black or black on white). Ratings were made for aggression, friendliness, intelligence, trustworthiness, and degree of animation. In addition, reaction time was collected for all ratings. Large, round, and close-set eyes were perceived most negatively across ratings. Aggression ratings were predicted by simple variables, whereas trustworthiness ratings were predicted by interactions among variables. Some judgments of form require the assessment of specific features, whereas others rely on a “gestalt” assessment of many features simultaneously. Humans attribute personality characteristics to minimal features, suggesting that form of intelligent artifacts is important in predicting human interactions with that item.
Those A-Maze-Ing Robots: Attributions of Ability are Based on Form, not Behavior
Authors: Ellis Linda Upham , Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Pepe Aaron A. , Owens Clint W. , Dolezal Michael J. , Shumaker Randall , Finkelstein Neal
Published: January 2012

Participants were introduced to one of three robots-a bipedal Robosapien, a treaded vehicle, and a wheeled vehicle. They then used voice commands to guide this entity through a maze from a remote destination. Feedback was given via an arrow that showed the entity either responding to the voice commands or ignoring them. The same feedback was given in all conditions. However, participant ratings of mood and their attributions for the robots' abilities and functions differed. These results suggest that interactions with non-human intelligent entities are largely guided by pre-existing schemas. Additionally, individual differences in perceived control over a caregiving situation were predictive of responses to the robot, further supporting the idea that schemas for certain types of human-human interactions are activated by synthetic agents.
Anthropomorphism of Robotic Forms: A Response to Affordances?
Authors: Sims Valerie K. , Chin Matthew G. , Sushil David J. , Barber Daniel J. , Ballion Tatiana , Clark Bryan R. , Garfield Keith A. , Dolezal Michael J. , Shumaker Randall , Finkelstein Neal
Published: January 2012

Participants rated robotic forms on three scales: perceived aggression, intelligence, and animation. The robot bodies varied along five dimensions: Types of edges (beveled or squared), method of movement (wheels, legs, spider legs, or treads), number of movement generators (2 or 4), body position (upright or down), and presence of arms (present or absent). Across ratings, movement method and presence of arms were the strongest predictors of participant perceptions. Legs and arms, both human characteristics, were associated with more positive attributions. Minimal affective characteristics, as displayed by the body design, are important in user perceptions of use and ability.
Comparison of Speech with Keyboard and Mouse as the Text Entry Method
Authors: Hah Sehchang , Ahlstrom Vicki
Published: January 2012

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) researchers ran an experiment that compared an automatic speech recognition system with the keyboard and mouse as text input methods. In the speech condition, the participants read the document in its entirety, and the system converted speech into text. They corrected errors using the keyboard and mouse. In the typing condition, the participants corrected errors as they typed. The experimental results showed they spent significantly less time reading than typing to enter the text. When we factored in correction time for both conditions, the results showed that participants took significantly more time in the speech than in the typing condition. Whether they were fast or slow typists, all of the participants preferred typing to speech and performed better in the typing condition than in the speech condition. Optimization of the system and more training may improve the performance of the speech recognition system.