UAV Operator mental workload:A neurophysiological comparison of mental workload and vigilance

Human Factors can offer insights into the nature of human performance across many different domains. The steady increase of unmanned systems presents not only a unique challenge in terms of defining the nature of human-system interaction, but also the demand for providing decision support systems to assist the human operate multiple of these systems, or indeed operate beyond line of visual sight. The nature of cognitive performance can involve a high degree of complexity and in many instances result in disagreement over what it is that is actually being measured. The main cognitive processes that tend to be discussed in terms of operating UAVs tends to focus on mental workload and situation awareness. However, other constructs, such as vigilance, may be considered as important when we examine the task of commanding a UAV – more so when a single operator is supervising multiple UAVs. This paper presents the findings of a study whereby participants were asked to perform tasks involving the control of a UAV. Neurophysiological assessment was carried out by application of functional near infra-red spectroscopy, and results are discussed in relation to how this technique can provide insight into higher cognitive functions related to UAV operator state

A randomised controlled trial of the efficacy of the ABCD Parenting Young Adolescents Program: rationale and methodology

Background: The transition to adolescence is a time of increased vulnerability for risk taking and poor health, social and academic outcomes. Parents have an important role in protecting their children from these potential harms. While the effectiveness of parenting programs in reducing problem behavior has been demonstrated, it is not known if parenting programs that target families prior to the onset of significant behavioral difficulties in early adolescence (9-14 years) improve the wellbeing of adolescents and their parents. This paper describes the rationale and methodology of a randomised controlled trial testing the efficacy of a parenting program for the promotion of factors known to be associated with positive adolescent outcomes, such as positive parenting practices, parent-adolescent relationships and adolescent behavior.Methods/Design: One hundred and eighty parents were randomly allocated to an intervention or wait list control group. Parents in the intervention group participated in the ABCD Parenting Young Adolescents Program, a 6-session behavioral family intervention program which also incorporates acceptance-based strategies. Participants in the Wait List control group did not receive the intervention during a six month waiting period. The study was designed to comply with recommendations of the CONSORT statement. The primary outcome measures were reduction in parent-adolescent conflict and improvements in parent-adolescent relationships. Secondary outcomes included improvements in parent psychosocial wellbeing, parenting self-efficacy and perceived effectiveness, parent-adolescent communication and adolescent behavior.Conclusions: Despite the effectiveness of parenting programs in reducing child behavioral difficulties, very few parenting programs for preventing problems in adolescents have been described in the peer reviewed literature. This study will provide data which can be used to examine the efficacy of a universal parenting interventions for the promotion of protective factors associated with adolescent wellbeing and will add to the literature regarding the relationships between parent, parenting and adolescent factors

Human-Agent Teaming - an Evolving Interaction Paradigm: An Innovative Measure of Trust

The promise of intelligent decision support systems is presented as a harbinger for humankind. With the potential partnership between the human and autonomous system we could see a significant increase in effectiveness and safety. However, as we see both human and agent team members being integrated we must investigate ways in which we can assess not only the interaction between the two actors, but also the very nature of trust perceived by the human. In this paper we present early findings of an experiment that examines the human-autonomy interaction across different frameworks of authority; from manual to fully autonomous. Participants were asked to interact with a ground control station that supervised several unmanned systems, and presented with goals that required manually selecting or approving assets to achieve mission goals. The use of neuroimaging (in this instance Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy - fNIRS) was used to establish neuro-correlates of trust within the prefrontal cortical region of the brain. Initial findings suggest that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortical region of the brain is heavily associated when humans are confronted with different levels of authority with human-autonomy interaction

Quantifying transient psychological stress using a novel technique: changes to PMA-induced leukocyte production of ROS in vitro

Although much work has been conducted to quantify the long-term physiological effects of psychological stress, measures of short-term, low-level stress have been more elusive. This study assessed the effect of exposure of volunteers to a mild, brief, psychologically stressful event, on the functional ability of leukocytes in whole blood to respond to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) in vitro. Volunteers operated a car electric window and adjusted it to 4 pre-determined positions. Between each operation the mechanism’s polarity was covertly altered (group B) or remained unaltered (group A). For each treatment group 10 different subjects provided capillary blood samples pre- and post-stressor. Using a chemiluminescent technique termed leukocyte coping capacity, the ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro was assessed. ROS release differed significantly at 10 min post-stressor between treatment groups, suggesting exposure to acute psychological stress leads to a reduced ability to respond to bacterial challenge

Human-agent teaming - an evolving interaction paradigm: an innovative measure of trust

The promise of intelligent decision support systems is presented as a harbinger for humankind. With the potential partnership between the human and autonomous system we could see a significant increase in effectiveness and safety. However, as we see both human and agent team members being integrated we must investigate ways in which we can assess not only the interaction between the two actors, but also the very nature of trust perceived by the human. In this paper we present early findings of an experiment that examines the human-autonomy interaction across different frameworks of authority; from manual to fully autonomous. Participants were asked to interact with a ground control station that supervised several unmanned systems, and presented with goals that required manually selecting or approving assets to achieve mission goals. The use of neuroimaging (in this instance Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy - fNIRS) was used to establish neuro-correlates of trust within the prefrontal cortical region of the brain. Initial findings suggest that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortical region of the brain is heavily associated when humans are confronted with different levels of authority with human-autonomy interaction