The computer integrated documentation project: A merge of hypermedia and AI techniques

To generate intelligent indexing that allows context-sensitive information retrieval, a system must be able to acquire knowledge directly through interaction with users. In this paper, we present the architecture for CID (Computer Integrated Documentation). CID is a system that enables integration of various technical documents in a hypertext framework and includes an intelligent browsing system that incorporates indexing in context. CID's knowledge-based indexing mechanism allows case based knowledge acquisition by experimentation. It utilizes on-line user information requirements and suggestions either to reinforce current indexing in case of success or to generate new knowledge in case of failure. This allows CID's intelligent interface system to provide helpful responses, based on previous experience (user feedback). We describe CID's current capabilities and provide an overview of our plans for extending the system

Computer integrated documentation

The main technical issues of the Computer Integrated Documentation (CID) project are presented. The problem of automation of documents management and maintenance is analyzed both from an artificial intelligence viewpoint and from a human factors viewpoint. Possible technologies for CID are reviewed: conventional approaches to indexing and information retrieval; hypertext; and knowledge based systems. A particular effort was made to provide an appropriate representation for contextual knowledge. This representation is used to generate context on hypertext links. Thus, indexing in CID is context sensitive. The implementation of the current version of CID is described. It includes a hypertext data base, a knowledge based management and maintenance system, and a user interface. A series is also presented of theoretical considerations as navigation in hyperspace, acquisition of indexing knowledge, generation and maintenance of a large documentation, and relation to other work

Human-Centered Design as an Integrating Discipline

International audienceWhat is research today? Good research has to be indexed within appropriate mechanisms to be visible, considered and finally useful. These mechanisms are based on quantitative research methods and codes that are often very academic. Consequently, they impose rigorous constraints on the way results should be obtained and presented. In addition, everything people learn in academia needs to be graded. This leads to standard packaging of what should be learned and results in making people executants and not creators nor inventors. In other words, this academic standardization precludes freedom for innovation. This paper proposes Human-Centered Design (HCD) as a solution to override these limitations and roadblocks. HCD involves expertise, experience, participation, modeling and simulation, complexity analysis and qualitative research. What is education today? Education is organized in silos with little attempt to integrate individual academic disciplines. Large system integration is almost never learned in engineering schools, and Human-Systems Integration (HSI) even less. Instead, real-life problem-solving requires integration skills. What is design research? We often hear that design has nothing to do with research, and conversely. Putting design and research together, as complementary disciplines, contributes to combine creativity, rigorous demonstration and validation. This is somehow what HCD is about

From STEM to STEAM: Toward a Human-Centered Education

The 20th century was based on local linear engineering of complicated systems. We made cars, airplanes and chemical plants for example. The 21st century has opened a new basis for holistic non-linear design of complex systems, such as the Internet, air traffic management and nanotechnologies. Complexity, interconnectivity, interaction and communication are major attributes of our evolving society. But, more interestingly, we have started to understand that chaos theories may be more important than reductionism, to better understand and thrive on our planet. Systems need to be investigated and tested as wholes, which requires a cross-disciplinary approach and new conceptual principles and tools. Consequently, schools cannot continue to teach isolated disciplines based on simple reductionism. Science; Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) should be integrated together with the Arts1 to promote creativity together with rationalization, and move to STEAM (with an "A" for Arts). This new concept emphasizes the possibility of longer-term socio-technical futures instead of short-term financial predictions that currently lead to uncontrolled economies. Human-centered design (HCD) can contribute to improving STEAM education technologies, systems and practices. HCD not only provides tools and techniques to build useful and usable things, but also an integrated approach to learning by doing, expressing and critiquing, exploring possible futures, and understanding complex systems

Fault diagnosis in orbital refueling operations

Usually, operation manuals are provided for helping astronauts during space operations. These manuals include normal and malfunction procedures. Transferring operation manual knowledge into a computerized form is not a trivial task. This knowledge is generally written by designers or operation engineers and is often quite different from the user logic. The latter is usually a compiled version of the former. Experiments are in progress to assess the user logic. HORSES (Human - Orbital Refueling System - Expert System) is an attempt to include both of these logics in the same tool. It is designed to assist astronauts during monitoring and diagnosis tasks. Basically, HORSES includes a situation recognition level coupled to an analytical diagnoser, and a meta-level working on both of the previous levels. HORSES is a good tool for modeling task models and is also more broadly useful for knowledge design. The presentation is represented by abstract and overhead visuals only

Croyances aux parasciences : dimensions sociales et culturelles

L'essor des parasciences au sein de nos sociétés semble constituer un fait social indiscutable. Cette étude se propose de mesurer certains aspects de ces phénomènes à partir d'un sondage d'opinion portant principalement sur les attitudes des Français à l'égard de la science. On a pu construire deux échelles de croyance (analyse hiérarchique) concernant l'un des phénomènes paranormaux, l'autre l'astrologie. On a fait apparaître des relations entre ces croyances et une série de variables d'âge, de sexe, de niveau culturel, de situation familiale, etc. Dans un second temps, on a pu montrer que ces croyances semblent liées à des situations d'intégration et de croyances religieuses particulières.The rise in the interest of parasciences within our societies seems to be an unquestionable social fact. This study evaluates some aspects of these phenomena, using results of an opinion survey based mainly on the attitudes of French people with regard to science. Two scales of belief have been built up (hierarchical analysis), one concerned with paranormal phenomena, the other with astrology. It has been possible to demonstrate relationships between these beliefs and a number of variables : age, sex, cultural level, family status, and so on. Secondly, it has been shown that these beliefs seem to be linked to situations of integration and particular religious beliefs

Unifying Human Centered Design and Systems Engineering for Human Systems Integration

Despite the holistic approach of systems engineering (SE), systems still fail, and sometimes spectacularly. Requirements, solutions and the world constantly evolve and are very difficult to keep current. SE requires more flexibility and new approaches to SE have to be developed to include creativity as an integral part and where the functions of people and technology are appropriately allocated within our highly interconnected complex organizations. Instead of disregarding complexity because it is too difficult to handle, we should take advantage of it, discovering behavioral attractors and the emerging properties that it generates. Human-centered design (HCD) provides the creativity factor that SE lacks. It promotes modeling and simulation from the early stages of design and throughout the life cycle of a product. Unifying HCD and SE will shape appropriate human-systems integration (HSI) and produce successful systems

A Situation Awareness Assistant for Human Deep Space Exploration

This paper presents the development and testing of a Virtual Camera (VC) system to improve astronaut and mission operations situation awareness while exploring other planetary bodies. In this embodiment, the VC is implemented using a tablet-based computer system to navigate through inter active database application. It is claimed that the advanced interaction media capability of the VC can improve situation awareness as the distribution of hu man space exploration roles change in deep space exploration. The VC is being developed and tested for usability and capability to improve situation awareness. Work completed thus far as well as what is needed to complete the project will be described. Planned testing will also be described

Operations room design for the control of a fleet of robots: Ontology-based function identification and allocation

early stage research paperIn this research work we focuses on the elicitation of concepts for the design of an oil and gas complex system involving a fleet of robots. We are using expertise and an experience-based approach to formalize existing control rooms and extending them to include robots. We are building a structural and functional ontology to identify and allocate current and emergent functions. The approach leads to the development of a software simulator that includes structures and functions of an oil and gas platform and its operations room. Keywords Oil and gas, control room, ontology, human centered design, fleet of robots