Individual Preferences In The Use Of Automation

As system automation increases and evolves, the intervention of the supervising operator becomes ever less frequent but ever more crucial. The adaptive automation approach is one in which control of tasks dynamically shifts between humans and machines, being an alternative to traditional static allocation in which task control is assigned during system design and subsequently remains unchanged during operations. It is proposed that adaptive allocation should adjust to the individual operators\u27 characteristics in order to improve performance, avoid errors, and enhance safety. The roles of three individual difference variables relevant to adaptive automation are described: attentional control, desirability of control, and trait anxiety. It was hypothesized that these traits contribute to the level of performance for target detection tasks for different levels of difficulty as well as preferences for different levels of automation. The operators\u27 level of attentional control was inversely proportional to automation level preferences, although few objective performance changes were observed. The effects of sensory modality were also assessed, and auditory signal detection was superior to visual signal detection. As a result, the following implications have been proposed: operators generally preferred either low or high automation while neglecting the intermediary level; preferences and needs for automation may not be congruent; and there may be a conservative response bias associated with high attentional control, notably in the auditory modality

Modeling Oculomotor Variability During Slow Cabin Decompression Using Infrared Technology

Slow cabin decompression is highly perilous due to its gradual and thus generally inconspicuous nature. In an applied approach to studying its effects upon oculomotor performance, experienced pilots performed a simulated flight task during slow decompression inside a high-altitude chamber while an infrared-based head-mounted eye-tracker measured oculomotor and pupillary changes at approximately 5% decrements in blood oxygen saturation. Saccade angle, saccade duration, saccadic velocity, microsaccade rate, fixation duration, and pupil diameter varied systematically in response to manipulation of blood oxygen saturation level, including recovery upon return to normoxia. Changes in these oculomotor variables can serve as biomarkers for early hypoxia exposure in pilots, likely before the first subjective symptom is recognized, and can be detected with lower-resolution, non-invasive infrared technology. Abstract Slow cabin decompression is highly perilous due to its gradual and thus generally inconspicuous nature. In an applied approach to studying its effects upon oculomotor performance, experienced pilots performed a simulated flight task during slow decompression inside a high-altitude chamber while an infrared-based head-mounted eye-tracker measured oculomotor and pupillary changes at approximately 5% decrements in blood oxygen saturation. Saccade angle, saccade duration, saccadic velocity, microsaccade rate, fixation duration, and pupil diameter varied systematically in response to manipulation of blood oxygen saturation level, including recovery upon return to normoxia. Changes in these oculomotor variables can serve as biomarkers for early hypoxia exposure in pilots, likely before the first subjective symptom is recognized, and can be detected with lower-resolution, non-invasive infrared technology. Keywords: Saccadic velocity, Oculometrics, Eye-tracking, Slow decompressio

Human Behavior During Spaceflight - Evidence From an Analog Environment

Spaceflight offers a multitude of stressors to humans living and working in space, originating from the external space environment and the life-support system. Future space participants may be ordinary people with different medical and psychosocial backgrounds who may not receive the intense spaceflight preparation of astronauts. Consequently, during a mission, a space participant’s mood and behavior could differ from a trained astronaut. This study was an exploratory research project that used an artificial habitat to replicate an orbital environment and the activities performed by humans in space. The study evaluated whether the type of environment affects mood and temperament. Two male participants were enclosed in an artificial habitat where they performed Profile of Mood States 2nd EditionTM tests and Keirsey Temperament Sorter®-II tests. The participants later reproduced those tests in their normal living environment. Results from descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and a comparative study suggested that the type of environment affects mood and temperament. In addition, anecdotal information collected through personal logs confirmed the aforementioned results. The researcher concluded that further research must be conducted to test larger sample-sizes using a structured schedule

Evaluating Scenarios That Can Startle and Surprise Pilots

Startle and surprise in the cockpit have contributed to multiple aviation accidents. The aviation safety boards of France, the United States, and Holland have concluded that startle and surprise pose a serious threat to pilots. This study identified the effects startle and surprise had on multi-engine rated pilots. Surprise is defined here as something unexpected (e.g., engine failure). Startle is the associated exaggerated effect of an unexpected condition (e.g., loud bang). At this point, data has been collected on 15 pilots. Pilots were tested in an aviation training device configured to a Cessna 172 and a Beechcraft Baron 58. Each pilot flew the single and multi-engine aircraft in a scenario that induced an informed emergency condition, a surprise uninformed emergency condition, and a startle and surprise uninformed emergency condition for each aircraft. During each condition heart and respiration rate, flight performance, and workload were collected. The startle and surprise condition showed highest respiration for both planes. However, there was no difference for heart rate between the two aircraft for the informed condition, but heart rate was highest in the startle and surprise condition for the twin-engine aircraft when compared to the single-engine aircraft. The temporal demand workload was higher for the twin-engine when compared to the single-engine for the surprise condition only. Performance differences were found, which we think will show significance differences after more data is collected. Potential application of this study will help us understand how pilots will react in various unexpected conditions of different aircraft

Effects of Exit Doors and Number of Passengers on Airport Evacuation Effeciency Using Agent Based Simulation

Many factors determine the efficiency of evacuation at an airport during emergencies. These factors are very complicated and many times, unpredictable. The Federal Aviation Administration provides numerous advisory circulars and regulations for managing airport evacuation. However, a thorough literature review suggests that research on airport evacuation is still very limited. A study was designed to simulate an airport evacuation to address this problem. This study selected a local certificated airport in the United States for this purpose. We developed and validated a situation model using AnyLogic to investigate evacuation time at this airport. Using different variables, such as the number of passengers and the number of exits, we calculated the total evacuation time. As a result, this study provided statistical data to show how the reduced number of exits and the increased amount of passenger traffic increased the total duration of the evacuation

Multi-scale Models for Transportation Systems Under Emergency Conditions

The purpose of this study is to investigate human behavior in emergencies. More specifically, agent-based simulation and social force models were developed to examine the impact of various human and environmental factors on the efficiency of the evacuation process, through a series of case studies. The independent variables of the case studies include the number of exits, the number of passengers, the evacuation policies, and instructions, as well as the queue configuration and wall separators. The results revealed the location of the exits, number of exits, evacuation strategies, and group behaviors all significantly impact the total time of the evacuation. For the queue configuration, short aisles lower infection spread when rope separators were used. The findings provide new insights in designing layout, planning, practice, and training strategies for improving the effectiveness of the pedestrian evacuation process under emergency

Not so Dangerous After All? Venom Composition and Potency of the Pholcid (Daddy Long-Leg) Spider Physocyclus mexicanus

Pholcid spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae), officially "cellar spiders" but popularly known as "daddy long-legs," are renown for the potential of deadly toxic venom, even though venom composition and potency has never formally been studied. Here we detail the venom composition of male Physocyclus mexicanus using proteomic analyses and venom-gland transcriptomes ("venomics"). We also analyze the venom's potency on insects, and assemble available evidence regarding mammalian toxicity. The majority of the venom (51% of tryptic polypeptides and 62% of unique tryptic peptides) consists of proteins homologous to known venom toxins including enzymes (astacin metalloproteases, serine proteases and metalloendopeptidases, particularly neprilysins) and venom peptide neurotoxins. We identify 17 new groups of peptides (U1-17-PHTX) most of which are homologs of known venom peptides and are predicted to have an inhibitor cysteine knot fold; of these, 13 are confirmed in the proteome. Neprilysins (M13 peptidases), and astacins (M12 peptidases) are the most abundant venom proteins, respectively representing 15 and 11% of the individual proteins and 32 and 20% of the tryptic peptides detected in crude venom. Comparative evidence suggests that the neprilysin gene family is expressed in venoms across a range of spider taxa, but has undergone an expansion in the venoms of pholcids and may play a central functional role in these spiders. Bioassays of crude venoms on crickets resulted in an effective paralytic dose of 3.9 mu g/g, which is comparable to that of crude venoms of Plectreurys tristis and other Synspermiata taxa. However, crickets exhibit flaccid paralysis and regions of darkening that are not observed after P. tristis envenomation. Documented bites on humans make clear that while these spiders can bite, the typical result is a mild sting with no long-lasting effects. Together, the evidence we present indicates pholcid venoms are a source of interesting new peptides and proteins, and effects of bites on humans and other mammals are inconsequential.National Institute of Health [R15-GM-097696-01]; Lewis Clark College; Lewis & Clark students SophiaOpen access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Combined Report: Aviation Weather Knowledge Assessment & General Aviation (GA) Pilots’ Interpretation of Weather Products

Prior research has indicated that general aviation (GA) pilots may lack adequate knowledge of aviation weather concepts and skill at interpreting aviation weather displays. Therefore, the purpose of the current project was to develop and validate a comprehensive set of aviation weather knowledge and interpretation multiple-choice questions, and in turn, to use the questions to assess pilot understanding of aviation weather concepts and displays. An interdisciplinary research team that included two meteorologists, one Gold Seal Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI), a human factors psychologist, and several human factors graduate students performed this research

Human Factors Considerations for Space Traffic Displays in the Cockpit

The commercial spaceflight era is ushering in a number of suborbital and orbital space vehicles that exceed the standard vertical dimensions (i.e., between 0 and 60,000 ft.) of the current air traffic management system. New systems are thus needed to adequately manage space traffic. Cockpit instrumentation (e.g., ADS-B, CPDLC) will be an important determinant in the design of the two-way communication between the spaceflight crew and space traffic controllers. In some respects, the cockpit displays of these space vehicles will reflect those of today’s jetliners; however, other instrumentation specific to their unique flight profiles and mission requirements will need to be integrated. While some of these instruments will be required during all phases of flight, others will only be required at specific phases. In consideration of the limited physical space available on the instrument panel, implementation of both adaptable and adaptive display automation will be addressed. Primary instruments of concern include, but are not limited to, navigation, traffic separation, communication, and weather. This paper will utilize human factors principles to create a roadmap for designing the instrument panel to support the crew in terms of traffic management, safety, and mission assurance. Keywords: Human factors, traffic displays, cockpit design, space traffic managemen

Conceptual and Procedural Training for Situation Awareness and Performance in an Instrument Holding Task

An exploratory approach that investigated the differences between conceptually and procedurally trained participants in situation awareness (SA) and performance of instrument holds was conducted. The step-by-step actions required to fly instrument holds were emphasized in the procedural training group. The interrelationship of elements in a dynamic environment was emphasized in the conceptual group. Participants were tested in two simulated instrument holding pattern scenarios. The second holding pattern was designed to be more complex. A trend was found where the conceptual group showed less altitude deviation (M = 399.22) than the procedural group (M = 599.74). Participants were asked six SA questions in each task. In the first task, the conceptual group answered an average of 3.30 questions correctly, whereas the procedural group answered 2.75 questions correctly. In the more difficult task, the spread increased with the conceptual group answering an average of 3.20 questions correctly, whereas the procedural group answered only 2.25 questions correctly