Workplace for analysis of task performance

In current research on mental workload and task performance a large gap exists between laboratory based studies and research projects in real life working practice. Tasks conducted within a laboratory environment often lack a strong resemblance with real life working situations. This paper presents an experimental approach to minimizing this gap by designing a very flexible experimentation system with adequate hardware and software components. The first goal of the system is to design a laboratory based environment in which a broad range of computer supported daily life work can be simulated, including co-operative working situations. Moreover, several behavioral and physiological measurement and analysis techniques are supported, such as video based behavioral analysis, task related event registration, cardiovascular state analysis, determining mental workload indices as well as EEG background and ERP analysis. An important requirement for relating the different measured variables to task performance is synchronization of data sources and task parameters at varying time scales. The highest time accuracy should be at least 10 milliseconds. The present system fulfils this requirement by using software system components and libraries that allow real time experiment control and measurement. Additionally, the new system should work within a Microsoft Windows based environment, providing the possibility to use standard office software that is well known to subjects having to work in the new environment. The option to use such standard software, in combination with new (simulation) techniques for presenting more realistic tasks, results in a powerful laboratory environment in which task elements in semi-realistic tasks can be manipulated experimentally. The way to do this is by defining adequate scenarios that can be simulated. At present, is that both a simple, less realistic task has been realized (Synwork) with a high time accuracy (1 ms), as well as a more realistic simulation of an ambulance dispatcher task with lower time accuracy (10-100 ms). Both types of task can be seen as examples of the range of tasks to be implemented in the near future

Automan: A psychologically based model of a human driver

This paper describes the design of an autonomous agent for controlling vehicles in a traffic simulator. This agent is based on recent developments in artificial intelligence, autonomous robotics and cognitive psychology. The goal of the agent is to simulate realistic driving behavior. The agent is composed of four control systems. The Perception system controls visual attention and gaze direction. The Behavior System controls high level driving behavior. The Action system controls the actions required for low-level control of the car. The Emotion System implements the influence emotions have on human driving behavior. Furthermore, it contains three different types of memories. A declarative memory contains the knowledge the agent has about the world. A procedural memory contains all rules and procedures required for driving. Lastly, a working memory is used for storing representations of the actual situation. These systems and memories are realized using a behavior based approach, in which the overall behavior of the agent is the result of the interaction between small and simple behavioral patterns. Fuzzy logic is used to assure natural flow of information and to make humanlike reasoning possible

Invariant Handwriting Features Useful In Cursive-Script Recognition

The within-writer variability of handwriting forms one of the problems in the automatic recognition of cursive script. Variability can be handled by choosing handwriting features based upon the process of handwriting generation or upon computational models. Handwriting patterns are represented by a sequence of motor actions, i.e., "strokes", which can be identified by invariant segmentation. Each stroke is characterized by features related to motor memory parameters which can be identified by their high signal-to-noise ratios