An Exploration of the Feasibility of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy as a Neurofeedback Cueing System for the Mitigation of the Vigilance Decrement

Vigilance is the capacity for observers to maintain attention over extended periods of time, and has most often been operationalized as the ability to detect rare and critical signals (Davies & Parasuraman, 1982; Parasuraman, 1979; Warm, 1984). Humans, however, have natural physical and cognitive limitations that preclude successful long-term vigilance performance and consequently, without some means of assistance, failures in operator vigilance are likely to occur. Such a decline in monitoring performance over time has been a robust finding in vigilance experiments for decades and has been called the vigilance decrement function (Davies & Parasuraman, 1982; Mackworth, 1948). One of the most effective countermeasures employed to maintain effective performance has been cueing: providing the operator with a reliable prompt concerning signal onset probability. Most protocols have based such cues on task-related or environmental factors. The present dissertation examines the efficacy of cueing when nominally based on operator state (i.e., blood oxygenation of cortical tissue) in a novel vigilance task incorporating dynamic displays over three studies. Results pertaining to performance outcomes, physiological measures (cortical blood oxygenation and heart rate variability), and perceived workload and stress are interpreted via Signal Detection Theory and the Resource Theory of vigilance

Under the Needle: Ergonomic Issues with Lethal Injection Protocols

The institution of capital punishment represents one of the most contentious issues affecting societies today; and while the practice is only implemented in 58 countries, the controversy affects the world at large as over 60% of the human population lives in nations that condone the death penalty (Hali, 2015). In the United States, people who support capital punishment believe the practice to be an effective crime deterrent for potential criminals and therefore a prospective protective measure for law abiding citizens. Moreover, advocates defend their position by forwarding the argument that executions are ‘humane’; that use of lethal injection ensures that such sentences are carried out as quickly and painlessly as possible. Opponents, however, object for legal (i.e., violation of the 8th Amendment that precludes cruel and unusual punishment) and humanitarian (i.e., alleviation of undue pain and suffering) reasons. Detractors, moreover, decry the government as hypocritical for killing individuals found guilty of murder (or, in rare cases, treason). As a result of these and other factors, support for capital punishment policy is by no means overwhelming; and as a reflection of this state of affairs, the Supreme Court did not rule unanimously in its decision to uphold the death penalty (Baze v. Rees, 2008). The majority (7-2) ruled that the practice is only constitutional if enacted correctly. Sadly, however, what little research that has been conducted on lethal injection has shown that the procedure is rarely carried out correctly, as it is plagued by several significant ergonomic issues including: the inaccessibility of data, lack of medical oversight, insufficient personnel training, and improper administration practices. In addition to examining these flaws, I discuss the moral role of the ergonomist in addressing these shortcomings, and how any such ‘improvements’ to the system can have ramifications for similar euthanasia practices (i.e., animal population control and assisted suicide)

Human Mental Workload: A Survey and a Novel Inclusive Definition

Human mental workload is arguably the most invoked multidimensional construct in Human Factors and Ergonomics, getting momentum also in Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics. Uncertainties exist in its characterization, motivating the design and development of computational models, thus recently and actively receiving support from the discipline of Computer Science. However, its role in human performance prediction is assured. This work is aimed at providing a synthesis of the current state of the art in human mental workload assessment through considerations, definitions, measurement techniques as well as applications, Findings suggest that, despite an increasing number of associated research works, a single, reliable and generally applicable framework for mental workload research does not yet appear fully established. One reason for this gap is the existence of a wide swath of operational definitions, built upon different theoretical assumptions which are rarely examined collectively. A second reason is that the three main classes of measures, which are self-report, task performance, and physiological indices, have been used in isolation or in pairs, but more rarely in conjunction all together. Multiple definitions complement each another and we propose a novel inclusive definition of mental workload to support the next generation of empirical-based research. Similarly, by comprehensively employing physiological, task-performance, and self-report measures, more robust assessments of mental workload can be achieved

Corrigendum: Human mental workload: A survey and a novel inclusive definition

In the published article, the name of Gabriella Hancock was incorrectly written as “Gabriela M. Hancock.” The correct name is “Gabriella Hancock.” In the published article, there was also an error in the author list as published. Gabriella Hancock was listed as the last author, but should have been listed as third author. P. A. Hancock was listed as third author but should be listed as the last author. The corrected author list appears below. Luca Longo1, Christopher D.Wickens, Gabriella Hancock and P. A. Hancock. The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated

An etiological examination of behavioral intentions to support shark and stingray conservancy: the effects of beliefs in elasmobranchs’ cognitive and affective capacities

Keystone species populations, including shark and ray taxonomic groups, are declining due to numerous threats. A better understanding of how individual belief structures inform pro-conservation behavioral intentions is therefore critical to foster support for their conservation and the greater biodiversity of world ecosystems. This study conducted a survey to establish the general public’s cognitive beliefs about the mental and affective capacities of two species groups (sharks and stingrays) known to cause injury to humans, and their effects on different behavioral intentions to support their conservation. Results revealed that a range of different behavioral intentions to support animal conservation are driven by a complex interplay of cognitive beliefs, and some effects were specific to a particular species group while others were not. Beliefs in animals’ cognitive awareness and their emotional abilities were predictive of individuals’ self-reported desire to learn more about the animals and their conservation. Beliefs in animals’ cognitive and emotional capacities were predictive of supporting conservation in terms of voting and donating to their conservation. Finally, beliefs in animals’ reasoning abilities were predictive of different behavioral expressions of tolerance, and support for their conservation via voting only. Despite the potential injurious capabilities of these species, these findings have important implications for educational and conservation programs to emphasize or modify specific beliefs in order to facilitate particular pro-conservation behaviors for maximum benefits to conservation efforts

An intrinsically disordered proteins community for ELIXIR.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are now recognised as major determinants in cellular regulation. This white paper presents a roadmap for future e-infrastructure developments in the field of IDP research within the ELIXIR framework. The goal of these developments is to drive the creation of high-quality tools and resources to support the identification, analysis and functional characterisation of IDPs. The roadmap is the result of a workshop titled "An intrinsically disordered protein user community proposal for ELIXIR" held at the University of Padua. The workshop, and further consultation with the members of the wider IDP community, identified the key priority areas for the roadmap including the development of standards for data annotation, storage and dissemination; integration of IDP data into the ELIXIR Core Data Resources; and the creation of benchmarking criteria for IDP-related software. Here, we discuss these areas of priority, how they can be implemented in cooperation with the ELIXIR platforms, and their connections to existing ELIXIR Communities and international consortia. The article provides a preliminary blueprint for an IDP Community in ELIXIR and is an appeal to identify and involve new stakeholders

Life Or Death By Robot?

Although robots are becoming widely known as aids to human success, they are likewise gaining reputations as tools of death. This begs the question of whether robots can be morally programmed. We address this question through discussion of various conceptualizations of robots in society. Using case studies, we highlight the irony of robots functioning both as heroic and hazardous agents. We conclude by assessing whether morality can be designed in robots and present guidelines for designers to attempt such a feat

Human Factors of Leadership: What the Tenerife Plane Crash Taught the World About Cockpit Communication Dynamics

The 1977 Tenerife plane crash was not only the deadliest accident of its kind in the history of flight, but also a pivotal event in the study of human-machine interaction. The events that led up to this infamous disaster were a complex blend of human error, environmental pressures, and flawed cockpit leadership dynamics (Weick, 1990). Of all the factors at play, by far, the most heavily studied and debated are the decisions made by Captain Jacob Velhuyzen van Zanten to take off without clearance, as well as refuse input from fellow pilots and ignore the orders given by air traffic control operators. As a result, this tragedy has directly led to the implementation of massive changes in how cockpit communication is conducted around the world. In the case of large commercial planes, it is no longer the case that one individual is charged with making unquestioned decisions. Rather, there are practices in place which emphasize the importance of dynamic leadership and decision making across hierarchical levels (Costly, Johnson, & Lawson, 1989; Nevile, 2013; Stepniczka et al., 2015). Additionally, automation is also becoming increasingly important both in the air and on the ground (Naranji, Sarkani, & Mazzuchi, 2015). The Tenerife plane crash drew a great deal of attention to the importance of pilot leadership dynamics, and, though the current state of cockpit communication is not without flaws, the airline community has made steps in the right direction