bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Preliminary Study of Novice Workload and Performance During Surgical Simulation Tasks for Conventional vs. Single Incision Laparoscopic Techniques
Authors: Lowndes Bethany , Abdelrahman Amro , McCrory Bernadette , Hallbeck Susan
Published: October 2015

Laparoendoscopic single site surgery (LESS) can provide potential patient benefits beyond conventional laparoscopy (CL). However, LESS further exacerbates current ergonomic disadvantages of CL. LESS practices to compensate for the constraints include intracorporeal crossing of instruments (UL) for improved manipulation of instrumentation and extracorporeal crossing of hands (PL) for illusion mitigation. Preliminary results from this study involving 12 medical students (7 males) performing a simulated surgical task found statistical difference between CL, PL, and UL for physical demand (P<0.001), task complexity (P=0.002) and performance times (P<0.001) with no difference for mental demand (P=0.106). These initial findings show that the PL technique cannot currently compensate for the limitations of LESS to make UL more similar to CL. Further research is needed to determine if PL or another LESS compensatory practice can allow surgeons to more effectively perform procedures with a single port and therefore ensure patients reap its benefits.
Medication Error Propagation In Intensive Care Units
Authors: Carayon Pascale , Ju Feng , Cartmill Randi , Hoonakker Peter , Wetterneck Tosha B. , Li Jingshan
Published: October 2015

We examined propagation of medication errors at various stages of the medication management process (ordering, transcription, preparation, dispensing, administration and monitoring) in two ICUs of a medical center. We performed a secondary analysis of 1,732 medication events identified in a group of 630 ICU patients. A Markov Chain model showed that errors propagate throughout the medication management process, in particular between the stages of preparation, dispensing and administration.
Human Factors in the Wild
Authors: Xiao Yan , Shanqing Yin , Probst C. Adam , Abts Natalie , Morita Plinio P. , Fairbanks Rollin J. (Terry)
Published: October 2015

The role of human factors expertise has been recognized in development or deployment of new, sophisticated, high-tech systems in healthcare organizations. By contrast, the panelists will use examples to contrast their experience in brining value of human factors expertise to healthcare through “low-tech” solutions or methods. Frontline providers face problems that demand solutions with severe constraints in resources and in scope of changes acceptable to organizations. To bring value to healthcare organizations, human factors specialists are challenged to find creative solutions, which often are low-tech. The panel will also share how problems in the healthcare environment can be approached given the financial and operational pressures that are common in such industries. The discussant will challenge the panelists to devise practical strategies beyond isolated problem-solving activities. These strategies are needed to understand and tackle complex systems problems.
A Tablet-Based Documentation Tool for In-Hospital Resuscitations
Authors: Reinhardt D. , Kraft A-K. , Albert M. , Grundgeiger T. , Happel O. , Steinisch A. , Wurmb T.
Published: October 2015

The exact documentation of cardiopulmonary resuscitations—in particular the exact time of intervention delivery—is important for checking and improving quality. However, due to time-critical, stressful treatment and mostly retrospective documentation, data quality is often poor. This paper describes the development of a tablet-based application for documentation of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitations that enables real-time documentation by a member of the resuscitation team. The application was developed following a comprehensive user-centered design process. Due to an efficient context-related information architecture, the application has the potential to enable real-time documentation of certain interventions and to accelerate time-consuming documentation after the resuscitation ended. Furthermore, the use of the application may contribute to the optimization of resuscitation processes and resuscitation training by providing more accurate and reliable data.
Novel Pulse Oximetry Sonifications for Eyes Free Monitoring
Authors: Hinckfuss Kelly , Sanderson Penelope , Liu David , Browning Caitlin , Loeb Robert , Liley Helen
Published: October 2015

Pulse oximeters monitor a patient’s heart rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2) via visual and auditory displays. Heart rate is represented by the beep rate and SpO2 by beep pitch. However, the auditory display alone does not always accurately inform clinicians of the patient’s actual SpO2 level. Moreover, neonates have special oxygen needs that mean current pulse oximetry sounds are inadequate. In three studies we tested potentially improved pulse oximetry sounds for monitoring critically ill neonates. The control condition was a logarithmic mapping of percentage oxygen saturation to beep frequency in Hz. A sonification that added an intermittent reference tone, or “beacon” when SpO2 was out of the target range proved highly effective. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the findings.
Application of sociometer badges in simulated health environments
Authors: Yu Denny , Blocker Renaldo , Hallbeck Susan , Sir Mustafa , Hellmich Thomas , Pasupathy Kalyan
Published: October 2015

Workload experienced by health care workers continues to be a challenge to define and quantify. The purpose of the current study is to present descriptive data on the application of sociometers in an emergency care environment during simulated hand-off scenarios and discuss their potential and limitations for quantifying individual’s workload in health care settings. Sociometer devices, worn by nine actors, collected body movement, interactions, and speech data during four simulated hand-off scenarios in the emergency department wards. Results found that sociometers distinguished body movement differences between sitting, standing, lying, and walking individuals. Interactions quantified by the devices were limited by obstructions, distance, and angles between the sociometer devices. The data collected by these devices show promise in providing human factors researchers a tool for quantifying the dynamic exposures experienced by health care workers over time.
Potential Health Care Worker Contamination from Ebola Virus Disease during Personal Protective Equipment Removal and Disposal
Authors: Hallihan Greg , Davies Jan , Baers Justin , Wiley Katelyn , Kaufman Jaime , Conly John , Caird Jeff K.
Published: October 2015

The transmission of Ebola Virus (EV) to health care workers (HCW) has been documented in highly-resourced care settings, even with HCW use of personal protective equipment (PPE). This research describes an observational study involving simulated Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) patient scenarios in four tertiary acute care centers. Researchers recorded and analyzed audiovisual data to identify instances of potential HCW EV contamination. Video-analysis was based on a coding taxonomy developed in collaboration with Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) professionals. The analysis focused on events and actions associated with potential HCW contamination during doffing and PPE disposal, and contributing system factors. The events and actions identified included out-of-sync doffing teams, HCW deviations from doffing protocols, and improper disposal of doffed PPE including the compression of PPE in biomedical waste containers containing potentially contaminated sharps. These observations are discussed along with recommendations for the re-design of doffing procedural aids and waste disposal.
Nurses’ Ability to Detect Problems of Hospital-Acquired Infections the Effects of Risk Factors, Expertise, and Time Pressure
Authors: Gregg Sarah , Durso Francis T.
Published: October 2015

Nurses must manage a variety of problems in order to maintain performance. The first step in managing these problems is detecting that there is in fact a problem. The current study aimed to investigate how nurses detect the problem of a patient developing a hospital-acquired infection (HAI). Specifically, the experiment examined the effects of varying the number of risk factors, nurse experience, and the presence or absence of time pressure. General findings and implications are discussed.
Theoretical Classifications and Criticisms of Hand Hygiene Interventions
Authors: Sommer Tessa , Drews Frank A.
Published: October 2015

Hand hygiene is widely accepted as the best way to prevent hospital acquired infections. However, the current hand hygiene adherence rate is estimated to be 38.7%, which is unacceptably low (WHO, 2009). Many interventions to increase hand hygiene have been attempted, but their success varies greatly. The first goal of this paper is to analyze previously reported interventions. Each intervention will be briefly described and classified into theoretical categories, an approach that has not been used in other literature reviews. By using this approach we can examine the merits of using human factors and psychological theory in hand hygiene intervention design. The second goal of this paper is to review the methodological approaches that have been used to measure hand hygiene rates in hospitals. We argue that there are common methodological issues that may be leading to an underestimate of reported hand hygiene rates. Another potential issue is the lack of an established definition for a successful hand hygiene event, which limits the ability to accurately measure hand hygiene adherence. For these two reasons, we cannot confidently accept the results of previous hand hygiene studies at face value, and conclusions that are drawn from the existing body of literature about the effectiveness of hand hygiene interventions are potentially flawed. Finally, we propose an alternative method of measuring and reporting hand hygiene.
Human Factors Research and Design Trends for the Modern Exam and Hospital Room
Authors: Saleem Jason J. , Militello Laura G. , Montague Enid , Trbovich Patricia , Russ Alissa L. , Patterson Emily S.
Published: October 2015

Although much research has been conducted on the impact of the electronic health record (EHR) and health information technology (HIT) on provider-patient interaction, challenges persist on how to effectively integrate these tools into healthcare environments, while maintaining patient-centered care. Panelists will present and discuss their experience relating to: the introduction of new technology and how it changes the nature of work; the positive impact of greater focus on the patient; the nature of interruptions and strategies to reduce their negative impact; enhancing the workflow of medication ordering; and designing collaborative spaces considering all relevant stakeholders (patient care team, patients, family members). These topics represent some of the latest human factors research and design trends with a common goal: advancing the design of the modern healthcare environment, with consideration of the additional complexity introduced by evolutionary changes in clinical information systems and HIT.
Panel – Challenges in Supporting the Design of Products for Healthcare
Authors: Horst Dick , Caplan Stan , Mauro Charles , Karn Keith , Samaras George
Published: October 2015

This panel will provide a forum for discussing typical challenges that arise for human factors consulting practices when focused on designing products for healthcare, either medical devices, healthcare software, or related materials. In particular we will address questions about what, if anything, is different about consulting on healthcare products as opposed to the human factors of other types of systems. We have assembled a panel of well-experienced human factors engineering consultants, each with more than 25 years of experience. They all have considerable experience with healthcare products. Drawing upon that experience we will engage the audience with opportunities to pose questions to the panelists about the challenges they have faced in the healthcare product arena and how they have dealt with those challenges. The moderator will seed the discussion with some provocative questions about what makes healthcare products different, what reasonable or unreasonable expectations clients often have, and what questions these consultants pose to their clients when trying to determine product design challenges and the strategies for best addressing those challenges.
Categorizing Fetal Heart Rate Variability with and without Visual Aids
Authors: Ashdown Amanda J. , Scerbo Mark W. , Belfore Lee A. , Abuhamad Alfred Z. , Davis Stephen S.
Published: October 2015

The present study examined the ability to categorize fetal heart rate (FHR) variability with and without the use of visual aids. Participants were instructed to categorize examples of FHR images into four categories of variability defined by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: absent, minimal, moderate, or marked. Participants took part in three visual aid conditions: prototypical aids, nonprototypical aids, and no visual aids. Each participant was required to categorize examples of prototypical and nonprototypical FHR images in each of the four categories of variability. The results showed that participants responded faster to and correctly categorized more prototypical FHR images compared to nonprototypical images. Moreover, the use of prototypical and nonprototypical visual aids significantly improved participants’ performance in categorizing the FHR images. These results suggest that an alignable, high similarity visual aid can improve the ability to correctly categorizing FHR variability and could potential improve the ability of clinicians to determine fetal health during labor.
Evaluation of Cognitive Encoding Across Different Medication Alert Designs
Authors: Russ Alissa L. , Melton Brittany L. , Daggy Joanne K. , Saleem Jason J.
Published: October 2015

As part of the Meaningful Use criteria, electronic health record systems are required to include medication alerts to warn prescribers about medication allergies and drug-drug interactions before prescriptions are dispensed to patients. There is a paucity of research on medication alert design. Additionally, studies have not evaluated how well alert designs support prescribers’ cognitive encoding, even though this is a key step in human information processing for warnings. The objective of this study was to develop a methodological protocol for assessing prescribers’ encoding of medication alerts and evaluate prescribers’ cognitive encoding in response to two different alert designs. We hypothesized that a redesigned alert display that incorporates human factors principles would significantly increase the amount of information that is accurately encoded. A counterbalanced, crossover study was conducted with 20 prescribers in a human-computer interaction laboratory. We measured prescribers’ free recall as well as their ability to identify that three warning messages were displayed. The proportion of total data elements that prescribers were able to accurately recall was significantly greater for the redesigned versus original alerts (median difference in Original-Redesign = -.09, IQR = .15, Wilcoxon signed-rank test p = .006). Additionally, with the redesigned alerts, more prescribers accurately reported that three warnings were displayed (Exact McNemar’s test p = .002). Study methods may be useful for evaluating cognitive encoding in the healthcare domain and results may inform future medication alert designs.
Design of a sign-out process to improve surgical safety
Authors: Gmitro Sumonthip C. , Greenstein Joel S. , Wilson Richard P.
Published: October 2015

A surgical safety checklist consists of three parts; sign-in, time-out, and sign-out. It has been observed that the sign-out process is the least frequently completed part. We redesigned the sign-out process as a web-based application embedded on a desktop and on a tablet. Both web-based platforms were tested along with the current process on a computer. We recorded time, performance, workload, usability, satisfaction and preference measures for these three approaches in operating rooms. The time to complete the sign-out process was the longest using the WebApp on the desktop and the shortest using the current system. The WebApp on both electronic devices resulted in fewer items being skipped than the current system. The web-based app on the desktop resulted in fewer items not being discussed than the current system. Frustration was rated as lower with the WebApp on the desktop than with the current system. The WebApp on the desktop was rated higher than the current system for situation awareness, detecting errors, understanding the benefits of the sign-out process, and ability to view information all at once. The WebApp on both electronic devices was rated higher than the current system for maintaining records and foraccessibility from all locations.
Developing a Fall-Prevention System for Nursing Homes
Authors: Ali Haneen B. , Li Huiyang
Published: October 2015

Falls occur frequently and repeatedly among nursing home residents and account for 20% of total deaths from falls in the age group of 65 and older. Although auto-alert systems have been developed to detect and report falls of the elderly in the community, fewer have been developed for the nursing home setting due to the unique challenges in this setting. This paper analyzes the human-factors challenges in fall prevention in nursing homes through interviews, observations, and work analysis. Implications and guidelines for developing fall prevention technologies for nursing homes are discussed. A fall-prediction and notification system is proposed.
The Effect of a Powered Drive on Pushing and Pulling Forces When Maneuvering Bariatric Hospital Beds
Authors: Wiggermann Neal
Published: October 2015

Powered drives designed to provide assistance moving hospital beds are commercially available but no research has evaluated whether they reduce push and pull forces. This study measured hand forces of 10 caregivers when maneuvering a manual and powered bariatric hospital bed in activities designed to simulate transporting a hospital patient. Compared to the manual bed, powered drive significantly reduced the peak push force required to initiate movement (238N manual, 119N powered) and peak pull force required to stop (155N manual, 8N powered). Powered drive significantly reduced the integral of hand force when maneuvering in tight spaces (847N manual, 557N powered), and was associated with lower subjective ratings of exertion for all tasks. However, powered drive did not affect the force required to sustain movement during straight-line pushing. Bariatric hospital beds with powered drive may reduce the risk of caregiver injury or reduce the number of caregivers needed for transport tasks.
Visual attention allocation between robotic arm and environmental process control
Authors: Wickens Christopher , Vieanne Alex , Clegg Benjamin , Sebok Angelia , Janes Jessica
Published: October 2015

Fifty six participants time shared a spacecraft environmental control system task with a realistic space robotic arm control task in either a manual or highly automated version, The former could suffer minor failures, whose diagnosis and repair were supported by a decision aid. At the end of the experiment this decision aid unexpectedly failed. We measured visual attention allocation and switching between the two tasks, in each of the eight conditions formed by manual-automated arm X expected-unexpected failure X monitoring- failure management. We also used our multi-attribute task switching model, based on task attributes of priority interest, difficulty and salience that were self-rated by participants, to predict allocation. An unweighted model based on attributes of difficulty, interest and salience accounted for 96% of the task allocation variance across the 8 different conditions. Task difficulty served as an attractor, with more difficult tasks increasing the tendency to stay on task.
Development, Testing, and Validation of a Model-Based Tool to Predict Operator Responses in Unexpected Workload Transitions
Authors: Sebok Angelia , Wickens Christopher , Sargent Robert
Published: October 2015

One human factors challenge is predicting operator performance in novel situations. Approaches such as drawing on relevant previous experience, and developing computational models to predict operator performance in complex situations, offer potential methods to address this challenge. A few concerns with modeling operator performance are that models need to realistic, and they need to be tested empirically and validated. In addition, many existing human performance modeling tools are complex and require that an analyst gain significant experience to be able to develop models for meaningful data collection. This paper describes an effort to address these challenges by developing an easy to use model-based tool, using models that were developed from a review of existing human performance literature and targeted experimental studies, and performing an empirical validation of key model predictions.
The Role of Individual Differences in Executive Attentional Networks and Switching Choices in Multi-Task Management
Authors: Gutzwiller Robert S. , Wickens Christopher D. , Clegg Benjamin A.
Published: October 2015

Individual differences in cognitive processing relate to critical performance differences in real-world environments. Task switching is required for many of them and especially for task management during overload. Research exploring individual differences related to switching behavior (both frequency, and adherence to “optimal” switch times) is, however, sparse. We examined these relationships here, using the attentional network task to index executive control, and an ongoing tracking task (within a larger suite of concurrent task demands) to examine switching behavior. The results failed to support a general relationship between executive control and frequency in a complex, heterogeneous multi-task environment. However, higher executive control participants more successfully exploited “optimal” switching times, highlighting the varying role of individual differences in task management, when choice is unconstrained.
Physiological Indicators of the Cognitive Redline
Authors: Paras Carolina Rodriguez , Yang Shiyan , Tippey Kathryn , Ferris Thomas K.
Published: October 2015

As suggested in recent research, some physiological measures such as breath rate, heart rate, heart rate variability, electroencephalography, and skin conductance response, can be used to indicate aspects of mental workload. Some of these physiological measures are insensitive to added mental workload at a point referred to as the cognitive redline. This redline is not well indicated in the literature, but is generally defined by patterns of performance decrements. The present study involved the use of the Multi-Attribute Task Battery-II (MATB-II) to systematically manipulate imposed multitask workload, and investigate the validity of online measures of heart rate variability (HRV) to indicate the cognitive redline, as inferred by performance and subjective workload measures.
False Alarms vs. Misses
Authors: Chancey Eric T. , Bliss James P. , Liechty Molly , Proaps Alexandra B.
Published: October 2015

Research suggests that signaling system false alarms tend to affect operator compliance, whereas misses tend to affect operator reliance. Conceptually, false alarms and misses affect compliance and reliance via independent cognitive processes, assumed to be two types of trust. The purpose of this study was to test for these underlying processes using a subjective estimate of trust. Method: Using a sample of 44 college students, we tested for trust as a mediator between reliability (90%, 60%) and reliance, compliance, and response rate, for a false alarm prone (FP) system and a miss prone (MP) system. Results: As predicted, trust mediated the relationships between reliability and signal compliance and response rate, but only for the FP system. Additionally, the MP system more directly affected reliance, whereas the FP system more directly affected compliance. Applications of this work indicate that designing for trustable signaling systems may be more important for FP systems.
Learning Formal Human-machine Interface Designs From Task Analytic Models
Authors: Li Meng , Molinaro Kylie , Bolton Matthew L.
Published: October 2015

User-centered design (UCD) is an approach for creating human-machine interfaces so that they support human operator tasks. UCD can be challenging because designers can fail to account for human-machine interactions that occur due to the inherent concurrence between the human and the other elements of the system. Formal methods are tools that enable analysts to consider all of the possible system interactions using a combination of formal modeling, specification, and proof-based verification. However, the creation of formal models of interface designs can be extremely difficult. This work describes a method that supports UCD by automatically generating formal designs of human-machine interface behavior from task analytic models, where the resulting interface will always support the behavior captured in the task model. This paper describes the method and demonstrates its capabilities with a vending machine application. Results and future research directions are discussed.
Application of Abstraction Hierarchies to Incorporate Human Knowledge for Machine Learning
Authors: Tokadlı Güliz , Feigh Karen M.
Published: October 2015

We evaluate the use of the Abstraction Hierarchy (AH) modeling technique from Work Domain Analysis (WDA) to generate policies suitable for use by a reinforcement learning agent. The paper extends previous work utilizing the classic arcade game, Pac-Man to the more complex world of Mario Bros. This paper presents the investigation of AHs for Mario Bros. to generate options and constraints for a reinforcement learning agent. For both games, AHs were generated for high and low performers using qualitative data. The differences between high and low performers’ AHs were translated into sets of options and constraints as suitable information into machine learning algorithms. A general AH form, which was built to enable researchers to generate an AH for simple game domains using the results of the previous study and this study, supports that an AH for another simple game might be generated using only quantitative data collected from game play and the observations of a researcher.
Modeling Human Reliability in the Power Grid Environment: an Application of the SPAR-H Methodology
Authors: Abreu Joana M. , Hardy Natasha , Pereira Francisco C. , Zeifman Michael
Published: October 2015

Cascading failures, such as the Northeast outage of 2003, can keep millions of people without power for extended periods of time. A combination of simultaneous occurrence of rare events in the physical grid, the human inability to apprehend and act on the real circumstances, and failures in the IT infrastructure result- ing in poor situation awareness may lead to power outages. The formation and propagation of cascading events is nonlinear. There is a precursor phase, in which some system recovery is possible and human oper- ators are able to act and recover failed lines, followed by an escalation phase, in which the number of failed lines increases rapidly, and by a cascading phase that corresponds to the blackout. Although stochastic power grid simulation is an appropriate tool to study cascading events, human intervention, which is mostly ignored in simulation, can nonetheless influence the recovery and the extension of the blackouts. In this pa- per we model the probability of human failure by applying a human reliability modeling approach, the, Standardized Plant Analysis Risk-Human Reliability Analysis (SPAR-H), to the analysis of failure scenari- os narrated by grid operators with different levels of expertise. The SPAR-H methodology is a simplified approach to human error quantification that accounts for individual performance-shaping factors that affect perception, processing and response to events in complex environments. To implement this approach, we started by interviewing system operators from New England and the South East, and took note of the narra- tives of the emergencies that happened during their shift. Next, we applied the SPAR-H methodology to each task and calculated dependency between the cognitive and action-based tasks. We then calculated the final failure probability and compared the empirical evaluation of error probability with what actually oc- curred. Using Monte Carlo methods and the SPAR-H equations, we finally estimated the HEP that can be readily integrated into the stochastic simulation of a physical power grid. With the intention to calculate the HEP specific to each cascading phase, we propose to increase the number of narrated events and classify each, according to a phase (precursor and escalation). We will then improve the model by calculating the frequency associated with each level of severity for each factor, and by creating a probability distribution for each factor, conditional to a specific phase.
Memory and Motor Processes of Password Entry Error
Authors: Tamborello Franklin P. , Green Kristen K.
Published: October 2015

Passwords are tightly interwoven with the digital fabric of our current society. Unfortunately, passwords that provide better security generally tend to be more complex, both in length and composition. Complex passwords are problematic both cognitively and motorically, leading to both memory and motor errors during recall and entry. It is important that we better understand and disentangle the two error sources, as password entry errors can have significant negative consequences, such as being locked out of a critical information system. We present a computational cognitive model of password recall and typing, with memory and motor errors each contributing to password entry error. With this synthesis we can study human-computer interaction issues involving the usability of computer access control systems, specifically the password as an authentication mechanism. Ultimately we hope to make science-based recommendations for password policies that promote the use of passwords that are more usable.
Perceived Difficulty for Seated Reach Motions
Authors: Kim K.Han , Jones Monica , Ebert Sheila , Reed Matthew P.
Published: October 2015

Soldiers seated in military tactical vehicles perform diverse manual tasks while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and body borne gear (BBG), which potentially restrict the soldiers’ ability to reach. In this study, participants performed seated reach movements to targets in a wide range of locations around the body, with and without a harness restraint, while donning a range of PPE configurations. The participants then reported perceived difficulty of reach motions on a 10-point scale. A preliminary analysis indicated that difficulty ratings significantly increase with added harness and armor levels. Further, the overhead and left hemisphere areas of the participant’s body show increased difficulty ratings in added armor and harness level conditions due to the restricted torso mobility. These findings will be incorporated into a quantitative model for vehicle design to improve occupants’ performance and comfort.
Improving Model Cross-Applicability for Operator Workload Estimation
Authors: Smith Andrew M. , Borghetti Brett J. , Rusnock Christina F.
Published: October 2015

When operators are overwhelmed, judicious employment of automation can help. Ideally, an adaptive system which can accurately estimate current operator workload can more effectively employ automation. Supervised machine learning models can be trained to estimate workload from operator-state parameters sensed by on-body sensors which, for example, collect heart rate or brain activity information. Unfortunately, estimating operator workload using trained models is limited: using a model trained in one context can yield poor estimation of workload in another. This research examines the efficacy of using two regression-tree alternatives (random forests and pruned regression trees) to decrease workload estimation cross-application error. The study is conducted for a remotely piloted aircraft simulation under two context-switch scenarios 1) across human operators and 2) across task conditions. While cross-task results were inconclusive, both algorithms significantly reduced cross-application error in estimating workload across operators, and random forests performed best in cross-operator applicability.
Cross-Country Validation of a Cultural Scale in Measuring Trust in Automation
Authors: Chien Shih-Yi , Lewis Michael , Hergeth Sebastian , Semnani-Azad Zhaleh , Sycara Katia
Published: October 2015

Human automation interaction is a complex process. How autonomous assistance impacts trust in automation as well as how trust affects human calibration and use of automation has been investigated for both dynamic contexts, including the internal variables (e.g., cultural characteristics) and external factors (e.g., system settings). Having standardized measures to capture trust and its antecedents is particularly critical to understanding how factors associated with the human operators and autonomous applications affects the way they are used. This paper reports the development of a trust instrument and several rounds of cross-country validation, including U.S., German, Taiwanese, and Turkish populations. The results confirm that the instrument which was developed reliably measured human trust in automation across cultures.
Caffeinated Beverage Consumption Rates and Reported Sleep in a United States Navy Ship
Authors: Shattuck Nita Lewis , Matsangas Panagiotis
Published: October 2015

Ship crews live and work in an environment characterized by extreme sleep deprivation. In an attempt to maintain alertness, crewmembers frequently consume caffeinated beverages and energy drinks. As part of a broader study, this work assesses the consumption of caffeinated beverages and investigates the association between caffeinated beverage consumption and reported sleep amount. Crewmembers of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier (N=767; age 18-49 years) completed a survey with questions pertaining to demographics, exercise frequency, average sleep duration, caffeine beverage consumption, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Results show that the sample of active duty personnel slept approximately six hours per night. Most respondents (~90%) reported using at least one type of caffeinated beverage (~55% coffee, ~50% soft drinks, ~35% energy drinks, and ~35% tea). The participants who reported drinking caffeinated drinks had an average weekly caffeine intake of 812±917 mg (MD=540), ranging from 30 to 9210 mg. Crewmembers who consumed more than 1,270 mg of caffeine weekly (equivalent to 180 mg daily) reported sleeping 5.79±1.17 hours, whereas crewmembers that drank less than 1,270 mg of caffeine reported sleeping 6.17±1.07 hours (p<0.001). Overall, our study shows widespread use of caffeine among active duty crewmembers in our sample. Our results suggest that caffeine intake – in the form of coffee, tea, caffeinated soft drinks, or energy drinks – is associated with sleep and may interfere with sleep patterns while working at sea. Future efforts should be directed at exploring causal relationships involved in this phenomenon. Better understanding of causal links will enable appropriate guidance for better sleep hygiene in the maritime operational environment.
Modeling of Facilitating Effect of Positive Affect on Task Switching with ACT-R
Authors: Park Sungjin , Choi Nakkyeong , Jeong Sungoo , Myung Rohae
Published: October 2015

Far-reaching effects of positive affect in single task and multitask environments need to be reflected in human performance modeling to develop higher fidelity models. The present study focuses on the effects in the multitasking environment. Specifically, we developed the ACT-R cognitive model to identify the cognitive mechanisms responsible for decrements of switching cost by positive affect in the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) task. The effect of positive affect on switching cost on the DCCS task relies heavily on the declarative knowledge of action-repertoires matched to a displayed cue, allowing us to justify existing mechanisms of positive affect from previous research. Compared to the experimental data, the results show that simulated data of the ACT-R cognitive model achieved by the proposed method were highly matched with the average response time from the experimental data. The present study contributes to a general account of how positive affect impacts human cognitive process.
Cognitive Model of Human Visual Search with Saliency and Scene Context for Real-world Images
Authors: Choi Yoonhyung , Han Jinsung , Oh Hyungseok , Myung Rohae
Published: October 2015

The previous Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) cognitive architecture model has limitations in the sense that it cannot accurately predict human visual search for real-world images because scene context which could be as important as saliency is not included. Thus, this study proposed ACT-R cognitive modeling with saliency and scene context in parallel for human visual search. Then, the validation of the model was performed by comparing with eye-tracking experimental data. Results show that the model data was quite well fit with the eye-tracking data. In conclusion, the modeling method proposed in this study should be used, in order to predict actual human visual search using both strategies selectively for real-world image.
Effect of control-display transfer function on pointing performance for a hand/finger based touchless gestural controls
Authors: Riyal Ridhan , Patel Achyut D. , Murugesan Thilagan , Turini Giuseppe , Young Justin G.
Published: October 2015

Recent technologies now allow touchless gestural controls to be integrated as computing input devices. Unlike traditional input devices, the effect of design parameters (such as control-display transfer functions for physical to onscreen movements) for touchless controls is largely unknown. This paper presents an experiment where a hand- and finger-based touchless gestural control system replaced typical pointing and clicking functions of a mouse. The effect of different pointer-acceleration-based control-display transfer functions (dynamic CD gain with different scaling factors) on performance for a standard, 2-dimensional Fitts’ task was evaluated for 15 participants. Additionally, the influence of armrest support positioning was investigated. Results showed significantly increased error rates for the high level of control-display gain (SF=1000) in the gestural controls. Neither CD gain nor armrest position had significant effect on effective throughput or movement times, though lower CD gain showed the best performance and lowest error rates. Overall performance for the touchless gestural system was less than that of a traditional mouse, though comparable to previous gestural or remote pointing systems.
Ambient temperature effects on user thermal sensation with a simulated tablet computer
Authors: Zhang Han , Hedge Alan , Guo Beiyuan
Published: October 2015

A tablet computer’s surface temperature can reach levels that can lead to user discomfort, especially in a warm environment. The ambient environments in which tablet computers are used can also vary. To understand how users perceive the heat from tablet computers, a laboratory study was conducted with controlled surface temperatures and ambient temperatures. A positive relationship between surface temperature and participants’ thermal sensation scores was found. Participants’ thermal responses to the surface heat of a simulated tablet were also moderated by the indoor temperature. Higher surface temperature (44°C) was rated less warm in cool environment than hot environment, while lower surface temperatures (34-38°C) were rated warmer in cool than hot environment. The thermal responses corresponding to the tablet surface temperatures and ambient temperatures will be helpful for setting future tablet computer heat dissipation design limits.
Developing a smartphone application for the life enhancement treatment for substance use (lets act)
Authors: Matalenas Laura A. , McLaughlin Anne Collins , Chen Yun , Daughters Stacey B.
Published: October 2015

The Life Enhancement Treatment for Substance Use (LETS ACT) is a behavioral activation based treatment for comorbid depression and substance use (Daughters et al, 2008). We describe the iterative design process for including motivational and informational attributes in a smartphone application supporting treatment via LETS ACT and LETS ACT-SE (Daughters & Chen, 2014). Design of the app was uniquely constrained by the need to meet clinical requirements while serving a special population of substance users. The primary goal of LETS ACT is to motivate the user to identify, engage in, and continue engaging in rewarding activities that align with their important life areas, goals, and values, and thus extend the effects of treatment sessions through self-management. In support of this primary goal, the goal of the app is to motivate the user to continue to use the application, and thus to adhere to the primary goal: self- management of treatment. In efficacy studies of LETS ACT and LETS ACT-SE, users could see their progress on paper (Daughters et al, 2008; Magidson et al, 2011) or on a web based platform. How to capitalize on the additional interactive affordances of a standalone smartphone application for this user group was unknown. The two challenges of providing information and motivation were at the core of the app design.
Exploring Medical Device Interface Design
Authors: Resnick Marc L. , Wang Rui
Published: October 2015

An effective user interface has become a key success factor in the use of self-managed medical devices such as glucose monitoring for diabetic patients. As the quantified-self movement expands, more users are adopting this category of device. Adoption depends on technology acceptance by an aging population with limited expertise but extensive experience with a medical condition that requires constant attention to avoid serious medical complications. These patients will have extreme variability in ease of use and usefulness of the product, especially when compared to users with more technology familiarity or with providers of medical care. This study investigates the range of user interaction and subjective perceptions among users with varied domain expertise and health status and compares them with a control group of healthy users. The impacts of social connection with medical professionals on product cognition are examined.
Towards a Framework for Human Factors in Underwater Robotics
Authors: Wu Xian , Stuck Rachel E. , Rekleitis Ioannis , Beer Jenay M.
Published: October 2015

This paper presents a study identifying the human-, robot-, task-, and environmental-related factors that impact the feasibility and usability of semi Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (sAUVs) from a human factors perspective. A multi-method approach was utilized. First, a subject matter expert (SME) interview was used to analyze video data of operators interacting with sAUVs. The results suggest considerations for the capabilities and limitations of the human and robot, in relation to the dynamic demands of the task and environment. A preliminary human factors conceptual model to depict and categorize these components was proposed. Next, a questionnaire was administered to sAUV roboticists (N=15) that assessed their perceptions related to the level of challenge associated to each of the factors identified in the model. The data suggest that all of the factors identified in our conceptual model are, in fact, challenging. In particular, our data suggest that situation awareness, communication, task complexity, visibility, and the robot’s user interface were some of the most challenging variables in sUAV operation.
Connecting Accessibility and User Experience in the Mobile Age
Authors: Lew Gavin , Resnick Marc L. , Campbell Bo , Weber Astrid , Batra Sanjay
Published: October 2015

Note: Slides from the panelists’ presentations will be available on the User Experience Day archive website and on Slideshare after the meeting for your viewing pleasure.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the ADA which gives us a chance to reflect on the relationship between accessibility and experience design practices for the web and consumer products. This panel brings together five viewpoints to discuss how to incorporate accessibility into user-centered design. Accessibility aims to remove barriers for people with disabilities by allowing them to perceive, navigate, and interact with web applications, tools, and mobile devices. These panelists explore the idea that designing for people with disabilities improves the experience for all users. By discussing the challenges in each of their industries, the panelists talk about how and when accessibility enters into their design thinking. Overall, our goal is spur dialogue on how to promote more inclusive practices.
Intuitive Voting
Authors: Tannen Robert
Published: October 2015

Intuitive Voting was a rapid research and concept development effort to address the future needs of voters and election volunteers (poll workers). Human factors practitioners are educated to apply rigorous methods to the development of new applications. In practice, timelines and other factors limit the rigor of research projects. In addition, there is value in a more agile approach to creating prototypes as a means to define requirements and acquire user feedback. As the corporate winner of the 2014 HFES Voting Design Competition, Intuitive Voting demonstrates best practices in research, management, and design methods for high-speed, results-oriented user experience projects.
The Shopping Mall Of The Customer Experience Future
Authors: Resnick Marc L.
Published: October 2015

Shopping malls are experiencing a significant decline in both shoppers and transactions. The challenge is that there are better options now available through big box stores and on-line shopping. Some mall operators are experimenting with mall customer experience strategies to overcome these limitations. Shopping malls are adding non-retail experiences such as live concerts and even roller coasters. Newer innovations combine co-working spaces for startup companies with new ideas and complementary pop-up store space for them to try out their new products and services in an ecologically valid environment with real customers. This is most effective with experiential goods that include apps, apparel, and food products. This talk will present a variety of ideas and cases outlining the critical importance of customer experience for this model and for the future of shopping malls.