bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Survival Shelter Environment: Implications for Human Factors
Authors: Rohles Frederick H. , Konz Stephan A. , Bettge Donald 
Published: January 2012

A renewed effort is being directed towards the study of behavior in the survival shelter environment. These efforts are a particular concern for the specialist in human factors because they encompass the stressors of temperature, crowding, air quality, food and water restriction, reduced illumination, and power and sleep disturbances - all while the occupants are under severe emotional stress. Human factors problems involve leadership and the selection and training of shelter leaders, work schedules and procedures, the allocation of resources, the monitoring of conditions outside the environment, safety and health, equipment maintenance and problems of communication, shelter management and decision making. In this forum, the scenario within the survival shelter will be described as a systems oriented problem requiring multidisciplinary solution. Then the environmental stressors will be identified and the behavioral factors will be specified. The discussion resulting from these stimuli should identify voids in the human factors aspects of the survival shelter, in addition to providing FEMA the necessary human factors input they needed for adequately providing for the survival shelter and its effective management.
F-18 Human Engineering Program — a Retrospective View
Authors: Hitchcock Lloyd , Merriman Stephen C. , Moore Julian P. , Field Peter 
Published: January 2012

Presentation begins with a review of the F-18 Program - progression from a single place fighter with a crew station the size of the A-4's to a full multi-mission aircraft. Describes Human Engineering design “ground rules” and illustrates the degree to which the actual design conforms. Describes the role of anthropometry in both the crew station and design considerations affecting the maintainer - both airborne WRA's and GSE. New techniques in applied anthropometry are described. Presents a short review of the simulator and mock-up work accomplished during design and development. A summary of the role and contributions of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots who participated in the “Aircrew Systems Advisory Panel” (ASAP) is presented. Unique relationships between Human Factors and ASAP are described. The results of the implementation of a rigorous Human Factors program are shown during flight and ground testing. A summary of contractor, Naval Air Test Center and early operational tests is presented. Finally, the authors' individual views as to the cost effectiveness of a thorough Human Factors program on a major acquisition such as the F-18 are provided. Recommendations for future programs are also delineated.
Use of Appropriate Looping Structures: Expert vs. Novice
Authors: Swigger Kathleen , Wallace Layne 
Published: January 2012

Studies are currently being initiated to examine the use of techniques based in cognitive psychology to make the knowledge employed by experts easier to obtain and quicker to put into practical application (Ledgard, 1980). Attempts have also been made to establish formal theories about the composition of an expert's knowledge network (Friedman, 1974; Dijkstra, 1976; Wirth, 1977; Soloway, Bonar, Woolf, Barth, Rubin and Ehrlich, 1981), but most of these attempts were based on conjecture with little experimental validation. The present study attempted to examine these questions with respect to appropriate looping constructs. By employing the same procedures introduced by Soloway, et al. (1981), novice and expert programmers were tested using PL/I. The results of this endeavor provide information to be used in evaluating the actual knowledge possessed by experts and the relationship of this knowledge to the net advocated by Soloway, et al. (1981).
Evaluations of Digital Imagery Processed by Enhancement/Restoration Techniques
Authors: Chao Betty P. 
Published: January 2012

This paper investigated the efficacy of digital image enhancement/restoration processes as measured by human performance. The human performance measures consisted of an information extraction task and a subjective scaling task. Various enhancement/restoration processes which addressed image degradations of poor contrast, blur, and noise were selected and evaluated. The digital images consisted of military and civilian scenes, each of which were degraded by different levels of blur and noise. Ten Air Force photointerpreters participated in the investigation. The photointerpreters viewed the images on CRTs and performed both tasks. The results indicated that image degradations deterred the quality of digital imagery for interpretation. However, the addition of enhancement/restoration processing improved information extraction performance by 12%. On the other hand, subjective scaling results revealed that processing did not improve nor worsen perceived interpretability of the images.
Keyboard Design: An Investigation of User Preference and Performance
Authors: Monty Robert W. , Snyder Harry L. , Birdwell Gerald G. 
Published: January 2012

This study investigated the effects of several alphanumeric keyboard characteristics including: audible feedback; location, size, and shape of the carriage return key; and the shape and style of keycaps. Four of the six keyboards were experimental prototypes, while the remaining two were production models. Eighteen subjects were used in a mixed factorial design. Subjects performed a text entry task during which they were not allowed to correct any errors. Four types of data were collected: 1) total errors per trial, 2) total time for text entry, 3) individual preference questionnaire data for each keyboard, and 4) comparative questionnaire data across keyboards. Results indicate that time on task was not significantly different among keyboards; however, with audible feedback, a marginally significant result was found. Highly trained typists committed significantly more errors than did the other two less experienced groups. Subjects indicated that the location, size, and shape of the return key were important factors for keyboard design. Across groups, subjects preferred the capability for audible feedback.
Effects of Symbol Structure on Visual Information Processing
Authors: Hamill Bruce W. , Virzi Robert A. 
Published: January 2012

This investigation addresses the problem of attention in the processing of symbolic information from visual displays. Its scope includes the nature of attentive processes, the structural properties of stimuli that influence visual information processing mechanisms, and the manner in which these factors interact in perception. Our purpose is to determine the effects of configural feature structure on visual information processing. It is known that for stimuli comprising separable features, one can distinguish between conditions in which only one relevant feature differs among stimuli in the array being searched and conditions in which conjunctions of two (or more) features differ: Since the visual process of conjoining separable features is additive, this fact is reflected in search time as a function of array size, with feature conditions yielding flat curves associated with parallel search (no increase in search time across array sizes) and conjunction conditions yielding linearly increasing curves associated with serial search. We studied configural-feature stimuli within this framework to determine the nature of visual processing for such stimuli as a function of their feature structure. Response times of subjects searching for particular targets among structured arrays of distractors were measured in a speeded visual search task. Two different sets of stimulus materials were studied in array sizes of up to 32 stimuli, using both tachistoscope and microcomputer-based CRT presentation for each. Our results with configural stimuli indicate serial search in all of the conditions, with the slope of the response-time-by-array-size function being steeper for conjunction conditions than for feature conditions. However, for each of the two sets of stimuli we studied, there was one configuration that stood apart from the others in its set in that it yielded significantly faster response times, and in that conjunction conditions involving these particular stimuli tended to cluster with the feature conditions rather than with the other conjunction conditions. In addition to these major effects of particular targets, context effects also appeared in our results as effects of the various distractor sets used; certain of these context effects appear to be reversible. The effects of distractor sets on target search were studied in considerable detail. We have found interesting differences in visual processing between stimuli comprising separable features and those comprising configural features. We have also been able to characterize the effects we have found with configural-feature stimuli as being related to the specific feature structure of the target stimulus in the context of the specific feature structure of distractor stimuli. These findings have strong implications for the design of symbology that can enhance visual performance in the use of automated displays.
Pilot Oriented Performance Measurement
Authors: De Maio Joe , Bell Herbert H. , Brunderman John 
Published: January 2012

Flight simulators provide a complete quantitative record of a pilot's flying performance. Evaluating this record is complicated by the volume of data and by its fine detail, dozens of flight parameters, sampled many times per second. Automated performance measurement systems (APMS) reduce the volume of data to an amount which is manageable and understandable. The usual APMS is aircraft state oriented. The APMS keys on aircraft state (e.g., X-Y position, bank angle) to define intervals over which performance data are integrated. This APMS is relatively insensitive to pilots' intentions and so may average performances which had differing objectives, based only on their having occurred at the same point during the task sequence. An alternative APMS has been developed which is pilot oriented. This APMS defines measurement intervals based on control inputs. Control inputs are identified by discrete changes in flight path. These intervals are psychologically relevant in that they begin with a goal-directed control input and end with a countervailing input. By relating performance in the pilot defined intervals to state defined intervals, it is possible to quantify performance on given flight segments (e.g., a level turn), and to specify factors which lead to a given level of performance.
Field Driving Test Situations for Ml Tank Drivers
Authors: Burroughs Susan L. , Campbell Roy C. , Campbell Charlotte H. , Knerr C. Mazie 
Published: January 2012

The presentation deals with the testing of Ml tank drivers and focuses on the requirement to establish reliable measures of nonprocedural portions of the tank driver's job. Tests of tank driving skills have been difficult to develop because of situational reliability problems. Actual conduct of the tests with 60 ton tanks change the driving terrain for each subsequent subject. Further, problems of rater reliability in the use of observational ratings and checklists have been encountered. The purposes of the present study were (a) to develop test methodologies for tank driving that would enable these problems to be overcome and (b) to evaluate these methodologies by developing and assessing a battery of on–tank tests of nonprocedural, tactical Ml tank driving skills. Eleven driving tasks for which tests were to be developed were derived from an ARI criticality survey. Analysis of the tasks resulted in decisions to test nine of the tasks, but only those aspects that related to the driver and that were feasible for testing. Five of the tests were Obstacle/Judgment tests, and four were Tactical tests. The tests were tried out on 77 soldiers in two Ml OSUT classes (none of the soldiers took all the tests). The data were used to assess scorer agreement and internal consistency, to estimate utility based on reliability and variability, and to direct revisions and recommendations for future testing. For each of the nine tests, the data indicated that driver performance could be measured reliably. Both the Obstacle/Judgment tests and Tactical tests had been designed so that usable quantitative data could be obtained, and for every test, refinements were suggested based on data and on informal observations. For two of the Tactical tests, an innovative scoring technique using an Ml tank profile overlay was explored. Despite high ratings in the criticality survey, one Obstacle/Judgment test was recommended for deletion. While more replications and developmental refinements of the tests are needed, the analysis and development performed have produced tests that are already minimally reliable. The tests were designed for use in measuring on–tank driving performance against which to assess driver simulator training. They may also be useful in general field applications for training.
The Convex Mirror as a Traffic Control Aid: A Report on the Human Factors Considerations
Authors: Amerson Thomas L. , Little Alex D. 
Published: January 2012

A study was performed on the human factors characteristics of a mirror traffic control aid. The mirror aid studied was installed at a “T” intersection as an attempt to improve the detection of vehicles proceeding along a curved through street. The intention of the traffic engineers was that the mirror aid be used in combination with direct viewing of these vehicles. Three experiments were performed at the intersection. Experiment 1 was an unobtrusive observation of the use of the mirror by drivers stopping at the intersection. Experiment 2 was a door-to-door survey of drivers living in the neighborhood adjacent to the intersection. Driver profiles and attitudes toward mirror effectiveness were sought in the survey. Experiment 3 assessed the physical characteristics and perceptual and cognitive demands of the mirror aid upon drivers. The results of these studies indicated that the mirror was little used by drivers proceeding through the intersection. Drivers found the mirror to be generally ineffective: They claimed that its images were too small to be easily seen, that cues to distance, depth, speed, and direction of motion were deceptive, and that normal climactic variations made the mirror unusable during much of the time. Physical measurements confirmed these subjective observations. Suggestions, based on established human factors concepts, are offered for the improvement of driver performance and security at intersections where a mirror aid is considered.
Impact of Air Traffic Controllers' Strike on the Safety of National Airspace System
Authors: Arjunan Mallik M. 
Published: January 2012

The findings of the study performed for FAA/DOT Office of Aviation Safety are presented. The level of safety of performance in the ATC system after the strike of August 1981 was analysed. There were two parameters of interest, viz. 1, near mid air collisions, 2, operational error reports, of these, the operational errors related more directly to the performance of ATC and was analyzed in detail. The data consisted of 54 weekly frequency counts of operational errors and the volume of operations covering the periods from January 1980 to July 1982. The model used a linear autoregressive process, but the parameters were estimated using a derivative-free non-linear least squares estimation method. The post-strike operational error data normalized to the volume of operations were found to be lower than the same rate for the pre-strike period. The analysis of operational errors of the Air Traffic Controllers reported during comparable periods before and after the strike date of August 3, 1981 showed that there was a lack of degradation of safety of the National Airspace System in the post-strike period. This was found to be true both for terminals and the air route traffic control centers.
Automated Speech Recognition in Complex Systems: Review and Analysis of Factors Affecting Performance
Authors: Root Robert W. , McCauley Michael E. 
Published: January 2012

Computerized speech technology, both for automated speech recognition and automated speech generation, seems to be gaining acceptance as a valuable enhancement of the interface between computerized systems and the system user. Many laboratory studies of automated speech technology (AST) performance have reported speech recognition accuracies in excess of 90% with high reliability across users, an indication that AST is nearly ready for full service in field applications. However, several recent field evaluation studies of experimental prototype training systems incorporating AST have found recognition accuracies in the 40-60% range, an indication that AST may not yet be ready for implementation in the next generation of high-tech training systems. While the most obvious conclusion to draw from these studies would be that AST works well in the laboratory but not in a complex integrated system in the field, a critical examination of these evaluation studies seems to indicate otherwise. This paper will first review and critically examine several studies of automated speech recognition systems, both in the field and in the laboratory, in an attempt to understand the recognition performance differences outlined above. It will then propose that AST appears, in fact, to be a viable technology, and that the poor speech recognition performance observed in some integrated training systems is due more to the design and implementation of the entire system than to the recognition capabilities of the AST itself. This paper will discuss how guidelines for future system design and evaluation can be derived from the analysis of existing systems, and will present a first-approximation set of guidelines based upon the author's own evaluations of several prototype systems. Finally, the paper will propose that consideration of a few critical features of the total system implementation, which may be relatively minor from a hardware point of view, would probably result in a significant improvement in speech recognition performance and user friendliness, in addition to enhancing the performance of the system as a whole.
Use of Neuroelectric Measures to Assess Cognitive Workload
Authors: Gevins Alan S. 
Published: January 2012

It would be useful to be able to directly measure the utilization of various brain systems during performance of any choosen task. During the last few years several investigators have been developing paradigms to use the P300 component of the averaged event-related potential (ERP) to assess cognitive workload. Initial results have been encouraging, and it has been suggested that the time may be ripe to transition this type of measure from the laboratory to industrial applications. In this presentation I will discuss the potential advantages and difficulties of the neuroelectric approach to cognitive workload assessment. I will consider current knowledge of the neural origin of P300, as well as its possible neural and psychological significance. Several of the popular paradigms for eliciting P300 will be reviewed, and the permissible inferences about neurocognitive functions obtainable from variations in P300 amplitude or latency will be outlined. The practical problems of transitioning an academic laboratory paradigm to an industrial research setting will be discussed, using the example of a flight simulator. Particular attention will be directed at the contamination of brain electrical recordings by instrumental artifacts, and by head, body and eye movements. The current state-of-the-art in automated detection and filtering of these contaminants will be summarized. Individual differences and the effects of metabolic factors, drugs and fatigue will be discussed, as will techniques for reducing “irrelevant” variance due to these factors. Recent developments in measuring neurocognitve functions will be presented, emphasizing the extraction of more detailed information about multiple, simultaneously- and sequentially-active brain systems. Basic research supported by grants and contracts from the National Science Foundation, The Office of Naval Research, The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.
Designing for Change: Dynamic Communications Using a Logical Model
Authors: McMillen L. D. , Fisk A. D. 
Published: January 2012

The Human Factors Engineer is often called upon to perform tasks requiring a substantial amount of interviewing for workflow data gathering. This is certainly the case when a new EDP system is being investigated/restructured or when the manual workflow of an organization is being investigated. The Human Factors objective, in this sort of workflow analysis is to maximize the efficiency of any change and minimize the disruption (during and after the investigation) to the personnel involved. A careful task and workflow analysis must be performed since simply replacing manual tasks with a computer will not necessarily result in efficient workflow or task performance. The analysis must include the entire universe of tasks that are or could be performed in order to determine the information flow, when to remove from or insert the human in the mechanized system loop, etc. The present paper describes a methodology for building what we refer to as a logical model of both the user and system environments. Often, the only certainty facing system designers and Human Factors Engineers is change in the work environment and in the use of the EDP systems supporting that work. It makes sense then to build into the design of the work environment and EDP systems the greatest flexibility and modularity possible. The present paper describes how, by using the proposed logical model methodology, the Human Factors Engineer becomes the “agent of change” on any development team. The improved analysis and design methodology contains five major activity steps which lead to the creation of a working logical model. These activity steps are: 1) Identification of the working environment; 2) Establishment of the organization and system scope: 3) Development of a functional hierarchy; 4) creation of work and data flows; and 5) Documentation of each identified work and system module. Each step is illustrated and described in detail in the paper. Also, how each step, by its and in coordination with the other steps, is used to build the working logical model is discussed. The paper describes the methodology in an instructive manner. Drawing from experience gained by utilizing the methodology, the advantages and disadvantages are highlighted. Any design methodology, however useful, is dependent on the willingness and commitment of all team members to implement it. The steps taken to gain broad acceptance of the methodology are discussed within the paper. In essence, the logical model can be used by the Human Factors Engineer as a dynamic communication device providing two way communication between designers, implementors, and user organizations. As design options in system development become available the Human Factors Engineer can demonstrate the impact of the options. Also, newly discovered user requirements can be added to the model and communicated to the designers.