Alarm initiated activities: Matching formats to tasks

This paper addresses the selection of visual alarm formats for different 'alarm initiated activities'. The activities under examination were alarm handling tasks. Seven such tasks have been identified, namely: observe, accept, analyse, investigate, correct, monitor and reset. One of the most important stages is the initial analysis of the alarm information as this determines the subsequent manner in which the information is processed. It was hypothesised that the format in which the information is presented will determine the success of the alarm handling task, hence the proposal to match formats to tasks. The findings suggest that text-based formats are best suited to tasks requiring time-based reasoning, mimic formats are best suited to tasks requiring spatial location and annunciator formats are best suited to tasks requiring recognition of spatial patterns. The importance of considering both reaction time and accuracy of response in consideration of task match was also noted. In summary, it is suggested that care needs to be taken to determine the appropriateness of the medium for any given task and the demands it places on the human operator

Virtuality in human supervisory control: Assessing the effects of psychological and social remoteness

Virtuality would seem to offer certain advantages for human supervisory control. First, it could provide a physical analogue of the 'real world' environment. Second, it does not require control room engineers to be in the same place as each other. In order to investigate these issues, a low-fidelity simulation of an energy distribution network was developed. The main aims of the research were to assess some of the psychological concerns associated with virtual environments. First, it may result in the social isolation of the people, and it may have dramatic effects upon the nature of the work. Second, a direct physical correspondence with the 'real world' may not best support human supervisory control activities. Experimental teams were asked to control an energy distribution network. Measures of team performance, group identity and core job characteristics were taken. In general terms, the results showed that teams working in the same location performed better than team who were remote from one another

Providing Information on the Spot: Using Augmented Reality for Situational Awareness in the Security Domain

For operational units in the security domain that work together in teams, it is important to quickly and adequately exchange context-related information to ensure well-working collaboration. Currently, most information exchange is based on oral communication. This paper reports on different scenarios from the security domain in which augmented reality (AR) techniques are used to support such information exchange. The scenarios have been designed with a User Centred Design approach, in order to make the scenarios as realistic as possible. To support these scenarios, an AR system has been developed and evaluated in two rounds. In the first round, the usability and feasibility of the AR support has been evaluated with experts from different operational units in the security domain. The second evaluation round then focussed on the effect of AR on collaboration and situational awareness within the expert teams. With regard to the usability and feasibility of AR, the evaluation shows that the scenarios are well defined and the AR system can successfully support information exchange in teams operating in the security domain. The second evaluation round showed that AR can especially improve the situational awareness of remote colleagues not physically present at a scene.Multi Actor SystemsTechnology, Policy and Managemen

Variability of the bushcricket Ephippiger ephippiger: RAPDs and song races

The tettigoniid bushcricket, Ephippiger, shows extensive variability in morphology and behaviour in Western Europe. Several species and subspecies have been described, but many may only represent local forms of uncertain origin. Within Ephippiger ephippiger, patterns of variation differ between morphology (upon which most taxonomic forms are defined) and behaviour. There is sufficient variation in a sexual signal (calling song) within the species that 'song races' have been described, which show strong premating isolation from each other. Here RAPD markers (138 fragments from 10 primers) have been used to examine the extent and pattern of genetic differentiation within the species and between two congeneric species. Ephippiger ephippiger is clearly distinguished from its relatives. High genetic similarity has been found within E. ephippiger, Nei and Li's S averaging 0.67. Using both distance and parsimony methods resolves the relationships of the song races and morphological forms of E. ephippiger with the exception of one population. The song races represent the deepest division within the species, but the lack of concordance in different traits suggests that a complex pattern of subspecific variation is found within this species.</p