Validation of a new method for designing air traffic control alarms

Abstract: Alarms, alerts, and warnings are critical to maintaining safety in the National Airspace System and should be designed to support aircraft separation as well as supplementary tasks such as weather avoidance. The purpose of this study is to validate a novel alarm design framework by asking air traffic controllers to evaluate an existing alarm. Methods: We invited four air traffic controllers to participate in a structured interview that is part of a novel Signal Design Framework. Controllers were asked a series of scripted questions about 15 specific alarm properties. They were then asked to choose the three properties most important to the design of the conflict alert. Lastly, controllers were asked a series of questions about the overall quality of the taxonomy and its potential for impacting aviation safety. Results: All participants agreed that the taxonomy captured all the important characteristics of an alarm and that no gaps or failures existed in the alarm framework. They also agreed that the framework was easy to understand, that the structured interview was easy to understand, and that applying the framework to alarm design and revision would improve alarm ease of use, reduce confusion, and improve overall safety. Conclusions: The structured interview encouraged controllers to think about the Conflict Alert and helped them to develop novel solutions that could potentially improve this alarm in the Air Traffic Control environment.</p

In-flight medical emergencies: time for a registry?

When a passenger becomes sick while flying on board a commercial airline flight, the cabin crew commonly solicit the assistance of a volunteer physician. Although in-flight medical emergencies take place every day, little is known about the epidemiology of these events. A new study by Sand and colleagues sheds light on the incidence of specific illnesses that occurred on board commercial flights

Motivation for Physical Training in Army ROTC Cadets

The present study used Self-Determination Theory to study motivation for physical training (PT) in ARMY ROTC cadets (n=139). Results found that length of participation in ROTC lowered cadets’ intrinsic motivation, which then resulted in lower levels of enjoyment for PT. Application of results for future training is discussed

Threat and error management for anesthesiologists: a predictive risk taxonomy

Patient care in the operating room is a dynamic interaction that requires cooperation among team members and reliance upon sophisticated technology. Most human factors research in medicine has been focused on analyzing errors and implementing system-wide changes to prevent them from recurring. We describe a set of techniques that has been used successfully by the aviation industry to analyze errors and adverse events and explain how these techniques can be applied to patient care

Characterization of the human gene for a newly discovered carbonic anhydrase, CA VII, and its localization to chromosome 16

Six carbonic anhydrase (CA) isozymes (CA I-VI) in mammals and other amniotes have been described. We have isolated an additional CA gene from a human genomic library and designated its putative product carbonic anhydrase VII (CA VII). The gene is approximately 10 kb long and contains seven exons and six introns found at positions identical to those determined for the previously described CA I, CA II, and CA III genes. The finding of a 17-bp GT-rich segment in a position 28 bp downstream of the poly(A)+ signal and the high correspondence of the 5' and 3' splice sites of the six introns with consensus junction sequences are consistent with the gene being functional. The 5' flanking regions of the CA VII gene do not contain the TATA and CAAT promoter elements usually found within 100 bp upstream of transcription initiation, but do contain a TTTAA sequence 102 nucleotides upstream of the initiation codon. The 5' region of the gene (-243 to +551) is GC-rich and contains 80 CpG dinucleotides and four possible Sp1 (GGGCGG or CCGCCC) binding sites. Northern analysis has identified the salivary gland as a major site of expression. The derived amino acid sequence of the CA VII gene is 263 amino acids long and has 50, 56, and 49% identity with human CA I, CA II, and CA III, respectively. No differences were found at any of the 39 positions that have remained invariant in all mammalian CA isozymes sequenced to date. Based on analysis of interspecific somatic cell hybrids, the human CA VII gene, CA7, was assigned to chromosome 16, with localization to the long arm at the q21-23 region by in situ hybridization. This is in contrast to the location of the CA I, CA II, and CA III gene cluster on human chromosome 8 and that of the human CA VI gene on chromosome 1.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/29017/1/0000047.pd

Motivation for Physical Training in Army ROTC Cadets

The present study used Self-Determination Theory to study motivation for physical training (PT) in ARMY ROTC cadets (n=139). Results found that length of participation in ROTC lowered cadets’ intrinsic motivation, which then resulted in lower levels of enjoyment for PT. Application of results for future training is discussed

A Handbook for Signal Design: Alarms, Alerts, and Warnings in Air Traffic Control

692M151940006This is the preliminary draft of a signal design handbook and is the deliverable for the third year of a five-year project. This interim version is for informational purposes only. The guidance contained in this handbook will be validated during the next two phases of the project and may be changed during the validation studies. Only the final version of the handbook should therefore be used to guide signal design.The Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s air traffic control organization (ATO) encompasses a variety of facilities that include towers, terminal radar approach control facilities (TRACONs), and air route traffic control centers (ARTCCs). Well trained air traffic controllers using effective automation can exploit alarms, alerts and warnings (collectively, signals) to build situation awareness and to reduce cognitive workload. We have written the first version of a handbook that will guide air traffic system designers and controller user teams as they collaborate with human factors experts to create or modify air traffic control system alarms, alerts, and warnings. The handbook describes a novel signal framework that can be used to evaluate an existing ATC signal or design a new signal using an objective scoring sheet and a structured interview format with subject matter experts (i.e., air traffic controllers) during the design process