bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Models of Response Time to Peripheral Stimuli
Authors: Kochhar D.S. , Fraser T.M. 
Published: January 2012

The variable contribution of peripherally presented stimuli in a A sensory motor task has been explored in terms of stimulus and environmental variables. A simulated driving task was chosen as being a representative compensatory tracking task. Empirical models have been developed using response surface methodology, statistical design and data collected on a simulator with a 240° wrap-around screen and projection systems very much like cinerama. In this research, seven factors were isolated for a study of their effects on detection latency to peripherally presented stimuli when the subject was ‘driving’. These factors were stimulus size (circular stimuli between 18′ and 60′), stimulus color (red, white and green), stimulus-background contrast (background luminance 1ft.L and stimulus luminance of 30, 60 and 90 ft.L), stimulus location along the horizontal (between ± 90°) and vertical meridians (between ± 26°), intensity of continuous white noise (between 52 and 100 dbA), and complexity of the continuous central tracking task measured in terms of the simulated driving speed. Three levels of each variable were selected in a 7 factor Box-Behnken design. Twenty undergraduates between the ages 19 and 26 participated in the experiment. It was found that, in this multivariable environment when all seven factors were simultaneously varied, the effects of noise, stimulus location in the visual field and stimulus size were the more important determinants of response latency. In addition, marked differences for the left and right visual fields were observed for the right-handed subject population. Four models have been developed: two for the left visual field, with and without the continuous central task (CCT), and two for the right visual field for the same conditions. The response was found to be of the form 1/Yr = f (xi); i= 1,2,… 7 for both the left and right visual fields in the presence of the CCT. In the absence of the CCT the model was of the form Yr = f (xr) for the left and 1/2 = f (xi) for the right visual field where Yr = response time in millisec. and Yr xi = variables in equations. Response curves have been presented to illustrate the variation of response time with each of the seven variables for regions where response time may be expected to be a minimum. The implications of these curves and the models on which they are based have been examined from the design point of view.
Guidelines for Reducing Human Errors in the Use of Coded Information
Authors: Caplan Stanley H. 
Published: January 2012

This paper presents code design and display guidelines intended to make it difficult to generate a code-related error and easy to detect errors that still occur. Principles governing immediate memory and rules for making erroneous codes easily recognizable combine to form guidelines for code design. Design factors include various dimensions of code configuration-length, the kind of characters, their location and grouping. These guidelines minimize the common errors of substitution, transposition, omission, and addition of characters. Besides the code itself, errors are also affected by the way the code is displayed. To further enhance reliability, additional guidelines are included for the size, style, and contrast of characters. A reliable code system requires a structure which is compatible with human recognition and short-term memory capabilities. These abilities have been extensively explored in the experimental psychology literature. The particular studies used as a basis for the code guidelines in this paper are those where recall follows perception by only a few seconds and no intervening information is processed in the interim. These experimental conditions correspond to usual transactions in which transcription or keypunching closely follows visual perception of the code.
Performance Evaluation of Experienced Headlamp Inspectors
Authors: Plummer Ralph W. , Gochenour Donald L. , Toothman Allen L. 
Published: January 2012

This investigation evaluated the performance of six experienced inspectors of automobile headlamps. The study was conducted in the normal manufacturing environment by supplying the regular final inspection position with a controlled sample of headlamps. Two inspectors were selected from each of the three shifts. The inspectors independently inspected each sample lot. The independent variables of the experiment were sample defect levels (three levels), percent of shift completed (four levels), shift (three levels) and inspectors (six levels). Three sample lots of 100 lamps were developed for defect levels of 0%, 10%, and 20%. The tests were conducted after 20% of the inspector's shift had expired, then after 40%, 60%, and 80%. This was done to monitor inspector performance which was measured in terms of incorrectly rejected or accepted lamps to determine if fatigue or boredom effects were critical. The most striking result of the study showed that 72 percent of the lamps the inspectors rejected were good. This resulted from a combination of insufficient training, vague standards and inspector overloading.
Human Performance Validation of Simulators: Theory and Experimental Verification
Authors: Leonard James J. , Wierwille Walter W. 
Published: January 2012

A theory of simulator validation employing a human performance correspondence approach is developed. The theory is based on the viewpoint that simulator validation is a problem of obtaining parallel measures in full-scale and in simulation and bringing these two sets of measures into correspondence. The approach taken is to adjust the simulator experimental conditions to obtain matching measure values between full-scale and simulation. Standard experimental design techniques can be used, but must be supplemented by additional discrimination techniques such as methods of correlation in repeated measure designs or confidence limit error measures in completely randomized designs. It is shown that the concept of performance validation is both α-level and sample size dependent, indicating that careful preliminary consideration should be given to the size of experiment to be performed. The theory was experimentally tested through the use of an instrumented full–scale test vehicle and a driving simulator. Data were collected on thirteen subjects in the full-scale vehicle and on seventy–four subjects in the simulator. Eight adjustment conditions in the simulator were used; they were obtained by varying two independent variables, random disturbance level and lateral display gain. Five driver performance measures for each condition in the simulator were compared to the same measures from the full–scale results. The simulator conditions which most closely matched the full–scale system were then determined. The results showed that for each performanc measure at least one simulator condition produced corresponding valid results. Overall, the results indicated that it is definitely possible to obtain performance validation through proper simulator adjustment.
Health Care in the Emergency Room: An Analysis of Patient and Staff Attitudes
Authors: Zajkowski M. M. , Afimiwala D. 
Published: January 2012

The purpose of the investigation was to identify and analyze problems and attitudes which may contribute to the perceived quality of health care in the emergency room. To assess the extent of these problems a 51-item questionnaire was administered in the emergency rooms of two major hospitals. Questionnaires were distributed to Physicians, Nurses, Technicians, and Patients. Results revealed significant differences between patients and staff attitudes toward the emergency status of most patients, the types of illnesses appropriate to the emergency room, treatment for belligerents (in no serious danger), special training of M.D.'s for emergency room duty, the types of patients treated as teaching cases, the major causes of waiting time, types of patients who receive the most and least time in actual treatments, waiting time for various services, types of patients who receive the most and least care, and time spent in treatment and its association with quality of care. Similarities in patient and staff attitudes were found in attitudes towards sources of referral, availability of personal physician, appropriate patient behavior at various stages of diagnosis and/or care, role of the receptionist, ordering of treatment as a function of urgency of the illness, role of communication between doctor and patient, acceptable waiting time before seeing physician, costs associated with care, evaluation of care provided by physicians and nurses, and reimbursement of costs as a function of source of payment.
Knowledge and Skill Measures of Emergency Medical Technicians
Authors: Czaja S. J. , Zajkowski M. M. , Drury C. G. 
Published: January 2012

The role of the ambulance attendant in the emergency medical care delivery system has changed considerably over the past ten years. The major emphasis has changed from transportation to on-scene and in-vehicle care well beyond the traditional first aid level. A nationally established 81 hour curriculum is now the basic minimum requirement in many states and many thousands of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) have completed this course since 1970. Measurement of the effectiveness of this training through improved survival rates is difficult to measure because of simultaneous changes in equipment and organization within the system, and hence training effectiveness measures are needed. Currently, methods have been devised for measuring knowledge using a 300 item multiple choice questionnaire and measuring skill using physician - observers in emergency departments to rate appropriateness of diagnosis and treatment by the EMT. This research represents the first simultaneous use of these two measures on the same sample. It was found that knowledge in the EMT community tested was high in relation to other areas and well distributed, with no company, age or sex related differences reaching significance. Ratings of performance were high but did not correlate significantly with knowledge - in fact a small negative correlation was found. It was found however that knowledge correlated significantly with supervisory ratings. Measures of inter and intra - rater reliability among the physician observers showed that lack of perfect reliability was one major explanation of the lack of relationship between knowledge and skill. Recommendations for improvements in the training program content and organization are given as well as a critique of currently available evaluation tools.
Astm Standards for SKI Binding Performance: Environmental Testing of Releasable Ski Bindings
Authors: Shealy Jasper E. 
Published: January 2012

This research involves the generation of standards for release bindings used in downhill or “Alpine” skiing. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is currently working on voluntary consensus standards for the manufacture of skiing equipment. One aspect under investigation is the effect of specific environments (vibration, contamination and corrosion) on the stability of the functional release characteristics of bindings. The results of the current research indicate that vibration tests affect bindings that have threaded fasteners without any locking provision. The dust and dirt tests affect bindings that rely on a moving boot-binding interface more than those that don't. The salt-fog exposure affected all metallic surfaces. Cast aluminum surfaces were more affected than forged, rolled or drawn surfaces. Stainless steel was relatively unaffected. Bearing surface deterioration was the major factor. Some interaction with boot-binding interfaces did occur. Limits are suggested that differentiate between high and low quality bindings.
The Integrated Application of Job Enrichment and Ergonomics
Authors: de Jong John Rendel 
Published: January 2012

Job enlargement (including job enrichment) and ergonomics have developed almost independently until now and are mostly not applied jointly. Moreover, quite a number of cases are known in which aiming at job enlargement has not been successful. Reasons appear to have been fairly often: • a one-sided emphasis on intrinsic or extrinsic factors • the missing of a systematic method for work (re-)design • the absence of participation by the employees concerned and lower management in the process of job enlargement and its implementation. The present author feels that job enlargement should be integrated into work (re-)design and that the approach applied should be marked by: • the jointly taking into account of functional, economical, technological and human factors, including the systematic removing or prevention of discrepancies between the characteristics of the job and the work situation on the one hand and the needs, abilities etc. of the employees on the other; • participation in the various steps of such an approach by the concerned employees. One of the goals of a project concerning such a methodology (and that is supported by the Netherlands Social-Economic Council) is to develop training methods for those who play a part in work (re-)design in the indicated sense.
Indoor Air Pollution as an Environmental Factor
Authors: Satish Joshi 
Published: January 2012

An average person spends most of his time indoors and the quality of indoor air affects his performance and well-being. This justifies the study of indoor air pollution for the development of working and living environments which are comfortable and safe. As a part of a larger program to study traffic-generated air pollution in the vicinity of streets, a simultaneous indoor/outdoor sampling program was carried out at three sites in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. Parameters included CO, NO, NO2 and HCHO. The results show the direct relationship between indoor and outdoor concentrations of CO, NO and NO2. HCHO concentrations were found to be substantially higher indoors than ourdoors thus supporting the hypothesis that HCHO source could be in the buildings themselves. The importance of indoor air is emphasized, and the interplay of indoor and outdoor air pollution is demonstrated.
Dynamic Biomechanical Model for Sagittal Lifting Activities
Authors: Ayoub M. M. , Bassoussi M. M. El 
Published: January 2012

Biomechanical analyses have been performed on many activities in the military, in sports, and in industry. Such analyses can provide Kinematic and Kinetic information. With emphasis on occupational safety and health, there has been a renewed interest in the biomechanical investigations of certain stressful tasks in industry such as those involving the handling of material. This paper presents the development and application of a “Dynamic Biomechanical Model for Sagittal Lifting Activities”. The model accepts operator characteristics data, operator postural data, and task characteristic data. From this, the model simulates the lifting action and calculates the reactive forces and torques at the various joints of the body. The model also provides data on the compressive and shear forces on the spine at L-4, L-5, and S-1. Results showing the stresses on the musculo-skeletal system will be presented for typical sagittal lifting activities snowing the differences between leg lift and back lift as well as the effects of weight lifted and size of the container on these stresses. Kinematic information will also be presented. Finally the usefulness and limitation of the models and future research requirements will be presented.
Diversity of Response Patterns in a Simple Repetitive Uniform Task
Authors: O'Brien James P. B. 
Published: January 2012

A 3×3×3 factorial design, N=135, is used to evaluate the effects of three conditions of feedback (zero, low extrinsic, and high extrinsic), three conditions of response pattern restriction (no restriction dictated, restriction to three patterns, restriction to one pattern), and three levels of repetitive-figure manipulation diversity determined by scores on Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, Form A, Activity III: repetitive parallel lines. The experimental task was to turn nine circularly arranged knobs repetitively in a white visual, broadband audio environment over three 6-minute periods separated by rest pauses. O'Brien (1976) found significant differences for measures of response variability including pattern changing activity, pattern shifting, error factors, and other measures. An extended ad hoc analysis of that exploratory study is accomplished in which a comparison of percent common patterns emitted evidences that Ss who score differently on the pretest perform with different degrees of uniqueness when they are restricted to repetition of previous patterns, but not when they are free to vary types of patterns emitted. Also, comparison of initial trials indicates that high pretest scorers are more likely to begin the task with rarer patterns, low scorers use more common patterns, and intermediate scorers fall in between.
Experimental Investigations of Computer Program Debugging and Modification
Authors: Shneiderman Ben , McKay Don 
Published: January 2012

Although greater emphasis is placed on the task of computer program composition, debugging and modification often consume more time and expense in production environments. Debugging is the task of locating syntactic and semantic errors in programs and correcting these errors. Modification is the change of a working program to perform alternate tasks. The factors and techniques which facilitate debugging and modification are poorly understood, but are subject to experimental investigation. Controlled experiments can be performed by presenting two groups of subjects with two forms of a program or different programming aids and requiring the same task. For example, in one study we presented an 81 line FORTRAN program containing three bugs to distinct groups of subjects. One of the groups received a detailed flowchart, but our results indicated that this aid did not facilitate the debugging procedure. Similar negative results were obtained for a modification task. In other experiments, comments and meaningful variable names were useful in debugging and modularity facilitated modification. Other potentially influential factors, which are subject to experimental study, include indentation rules, type of control structures, data structure complexity and program design. These and other human factor experiments in programming have led to a cognitive model of programmer behavior which distinguishes between the hierarchically structured, meaningfully acquired semantic knowledge and the rotely memorized syntactic knowledge. Errors can be classed into syntactic mistakes which are relatively easy to locate and correct and two forms of semantic mistakes. Semantic errors occur while constructing an internal semantic structure to a representation in the syntax of a programming language. Modification is interpreted as the acquisition of an internal semantic structure by studying a program, followed by modification of this structure and revision of the code.
Evaluating a Multi-User VDT Workstation in a Working Environment
Authors: Wallersteiner Ulrika 
Published: January 2012

With the advent of job rotation and the sharing of VDTs by a multiplicity of users, it is becoming necessary to invest in a workstation that is multi-user orientated. Considering the numerous systems on the market, a dilemma arises as to system choice. Buying furniture that is adjustable does not reflect which user is accomodated by the adjustments. Four chairs and four desks were evaluated against the ergonomic ‘ideal’ standard. This provided an objective measure in the form of an ergonomic composite score. The lower the score, the closer it approaches the ‘ideal’. Subjective evaluation was gathered through a questionnaire. Interestingly the results of the ergonomic composite scores reflected users subjective preferences. Using both these methods of evaluation it is possible to make a choice and invest in the best system available The primary deciding factors are the ‘ease’ of adjustment and the ‘range’ of adjustments possible.
A Health Evaluation Study of Kraft Pulp Mill Workers
Authors: Banister Eric W. , Fadl Samia , Brown Stephen , Sprince Nancy , Oliver Christine , Smith Tom , Diewert Gordon , Berry Joffre 
Published: January 2012

A health evaluation study of Kraft Pulp Mill Workers in Prince Rupert measured the responses of a large sample of Mill workers (n=326) based on a health questionnaire, a medical examination, pulmonary function tests, rest-ing EKG and blood chemistry analysis. A smaller sub group (n=84) were tested on their response to exercise. On site measurement was made of contaminant gases in several mill areas shortly after the physiological and medical tests. Based upon the chemical analyses carried out, an Environmental Hazard Index was developed to quantify the degree of workers to mixed contaminants of various work sites. After the confounding influence of age, smoking, alcohol intake, family history of coronary artery disease and activity pattern were account -ed for, the residuals of the physiological and clinical dependent variables was related to the mean Environmental Hazard Index of groups of workers in different work sites. By this type of analysis, intriguing relationships become apparent between deficiences in physiological function and the size of the Environmental Hazard Index. This paper illustrates the relative ease with which deficiencies in any work place may be detected. This contrasts markedly to the ease with which practical solutions to remedy deficiences may be developed if any company is to retain its viability. Nevertheless a solution to the hazard considered in this paper may be the development of an individual Worker Health Hazard Registry which tags each worker's daily exposure and accumulates it to identify a danger point at which physiological deficiences occur. The worker would then be found other work at a contamination free site until his personal hazard index had declined to a low level.
Perception of the Moment of Inertia of Hand Tools
Authors: Zahner Carol , Kaminaka M. Stephen 
Published: January 2012

Suppose I ask you to select one from five identically manufactured baseball bats. Apart from surface texture and color, the dimensions and mass of the bats are exactly the same. However, as you test out the bats with a few swings you would very likely arrive at a definite preference for one or the other of the five. The mass distribution within the wood of the bat changes its feel. In mathematical terms, this difference in feel is best described by the moment of inertia. This presentation demonstrates the relationship between the measured moment of inertia of a hand implement and the users perception of the stimulus. Simple mock tools, all with the same weight and size but varying moments of inertia were rated against a standard according to the amount of moment of inertia. A functional relationship between the perception and the magnitude of the stimulus has been established. Observers of this presentation will be able to familiarize themselves with sensations and numerical values of moment of inertia of various hand tools and experimental test pieces. The measurement of moment of inertia is complicated by the geometry of the tool, the weight distribution, and the point of hand grasp. The values are unfamiliar. The concept of what causes the sensation is not simple and, as others have pointed out, our vocabularies are usually inadequate to describe what causes the change in sensation that is felt with a change in moment of inertia.