Human Factors & Going Green: Study Abroad on Sustainability and Transportation

The Northern European countries have been leaders in sustainability efforts, and support of alternative modes of transportation, focusing on implementation, design and strategies that make these efforts easier to adopt by the broader community. Human Factors (HF) is a discipline that studies human behavior and capabilities with the purpose of applying to the design of products, equipment and systems to maximize safety, effectiveness, and user satisfaction. Three senior faculty in the ERAU human factors department are sponsoring a summer study abroad merging sustainability and human factors. The focus of this study abroad program is on understanding Human Factors as it relates to sustainability as well as first-hand experience with alternative modes of transportation, including trains, trams, bikes, scooters, electric vehicles and others. Three classes – HF and Sustainability, HF and Transportation, and User Experience (UX) will be integrative, each dovetailing into the others. Supplementing the classroom experience will be professional tours of organizations that are known for design and implementation of sustainability (government officials in each country who design and implement sustainability efforts, Volvo etc.) as well as visits to cultural locations that have provided the foundation for the development of these efforts in each country. Locations that will be visited include Amsterdam, Netherlands; Hamburg, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark; Gothensburg, Sweden; and Oslo, Norway

Final Report: A Comparison of Three Evaluative Techniques for Validating Maintenance Documentation

Surveys and interviews reveal that general aviation manufacturers rely on user[s] to identify problems in maintenance documentation with corrections typically initiated in response to users-reported problems found in the manual;. This investigation compares techniques that manufacturers can use to improve the quality of the maintenance documentation developed by technical writing groups. The techniques, User Performance and Cognitive Walkthrough, were used to identify problems in aircraft maintenance documentation

Who goes first?: What cues do drivers rely on to evaluate a pedestrian\u27s intention at an intersection?

Throughout our daily interactions we rely on cues provided by body language and facial expressions to navigate social interactions. Similarly, drivers evaluate the intent of pedestrians crossing the road using cues such as body position (facing toward or away from the road), actions (walking or standing), and eye contact. There is little research on how these cues influence interactions between pedestrians and drivers at intersections. For this study, participants viewed videos of driving scenes recorded from the driver’s perspective. Some of the scenes included pedestrians and others did not. Participants were asked to imagine they were driving a car and to evaluate whether it was safe to proceed through the intersection (i.e., safe or unsafe). In cases where pedestrians were present near the intersection, participants were asked to rate how confident they were that the pedestrian was aware of the car. To better understand how drivers evaluate pedestrians, Tobii Pro 2 eye tracking glasses were used to monitor eye movements while participants viewed the driving videos. Results will show how participants\u27 judgments of “safe or unsafe” to proceed are related to a pedestrian’s body position (facing toward or away from the road), actions (walking or standing), and eye contact

Survey of Aviation Maintenance Technical Manuals, Phase 3 Report: Final Report and Recommendations

This report contains the results from the final phase of a three-phase research effort. Phase 1 of this research effort surveyed the procedures used by five aircraft manufacturers to develop maintenance documentation. Several potential human factors issues were identified in the processes used by these manufacturers to develop their maintenance manuals. The issues included the reactive rather than proactive use of user evaluations, the limited use of user input and procedure validation, no systematic attempts to track errors, and the lack of standards for measuring document quality. In Phase 2, a written survey was used to solicit information about user perception of errors in current manuals, manual usage rates, and general manual quality. On-site interviews of technicians were also conducted to gather feedback about the types of problems encountered with manuals, the associated impact, and suggestions for improving manuals. Feedback was obtained from technicians responsible for maintenance on a wide variety of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 25 aircraft. Survey results revealed that, although user evaluations of the accuracy and quality of technical manuals are generally good, they rate manuals as having poor usability. Comparing the results of Phase 1 to the Phase 2 survey results supports the need for a higher level of user involvement during the document development process. In this report, a series of recommendations are outlined to address problem areas identified in Phases 1 and 2. It is recommended that (1) manufacturers and operators improve communication between technicians submitting change requests and technical writers to ensure prompt feedback of actions, (2) maintenance procedures be validated using standard human factors techniques, (3) the industry cooperate in the development of a system akin to MSG-3 for identifying maintenance procedures that should be systematically validated, and (4) manufacturers maintain databases with a history of user-reported errors, feedback to the user, and actions taken. By tracking the history of user error reports, manufacturers can then validate maintenance procedures that have the greatest potential impact on safety or economics. Finally, an example is described (using the MSG-3 process) of how these recommendations may be implemented

Human Factors Survey of Aviation Technical Manuals, Phase 1: Manual Development Procedures

This report contains the results from Phase 1 of a three-phase research effort. Phase 1 examines aviation industry procedures for developing maintenance technical data. Phase 2 will document user problems with maintenance technical data. Phase 3 will identify maintenance technical data development improvements by applying human factors principles. Five aircraft manufacturers were surveyed regarding company policy, communication, data tracking, user feedback, and error reduction efforts. The five industry participants represent both regional and large commercial transport manufacturers. Phase 1 survey results revealed three significant maintenance technical data issues: inconsistent development process guidelines, reactive rather than proactive response to user feedback, and inadequate assessment of errors involving usability as opposed to accuracy. Phase 1 results will later be compared to Phase 2 surveys of user problems with maintenance technical data to identify the impact of development procedures on the users perception of manual quality

Survey of Aviation Technical Manuals, Phase 2 Report: User Evaluation of Maintenance Documents

This report contains the results from Phase 2 of a 3-phase research effort. Phase 1 (Human Factors Survey of Aviation Technical Manuals Phase 1 Report: Manual Development Procedures) of this research effort surveyed the procedures used by five manufacturers to develop maintenance documentation. Several potential human factors issues were identified in the development processes employed by these manufacturers. They included the reactive rather than proactive use of user evaluations, the limited use of user input and procedure validation, no systematic attempts to track error, and the lack of standards for measuring document quality. In Phase 2, a written survey was used to solicit information about user perception of errors in current manuals, manual usage rates, and general manual quality. On-site interviews of technicians were also conducted to gather feedback about the types of problems encountered with manuals, the associated impact, and suggestions for improving manuals. Feedback was obtained from technicians responsible for maintenance on a wide variety of Federal Aviation Regulations, Part 25 aircraft. Survey results revealed that, although user evaluations of the accuracy and quality of technical manuals are generally good, they rate manuals as having poor usability. Comparing the results of Phase 1 to the Phase 2 results supports the need for a higher level of user involvement during the document development process

Rider Assist Technologies: Popular Types, Motivations for Use, and Information Sources Consulted by Users

The ubiquity of advanced in-vehicle technologies for cars highlights the relative scarcity of comparable offerings for motorcycles despite the fact that many can be adapted for this mode of transportation. Aspects of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) such as advanced rider assist technologies may increase the safety of motorcyclists. In this study, we surveyed motorcycle riders about the types of advance technologies their current bikes were equipped with, as well as, the primary motivation for purchasing the technology, and how they learned to use the technologies (if applicable). The most frequently reported technologies owned by riders were handle bar controls, engine brake controls, and cruise control. The primary motivation reported for using the technology was increased safety and improved riding capabilities. The riders were more likely to consult online resources (e.g., YouTube) instead of the manufacturer’s materials when learning about the advanced features of their bikes. While the accessibility of the information makes it easy to reference, the lack of standardization and validity of the online content could contribute to the potential misuse of the technology

Editorial: Exploring the Technological Needs of Older Adults: Advances in Design, Functionality, User Experience, and Age-Related Cognitive and Sensory Aids to Facilitate Adoption

The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, communication, and automation have been the catalyst for the development of a host of new technologies that allow older users to monitor their own health (via wearables), maintain their independence (semi-autonomous driving), social connections (smart home devices), and compensate for a range of age-related sensory changes (hearing aids, smart glasses, augmented displays, etc.). Less well understood is how older users get acquainted with these innovations, how their design and functionality need to be adapted to improve older users’ performance and experience, and which factors and interventions help or hinder technology adoption and use by older users. This Research Topic aims at providing some further insights into these issues

Editorial: Exploring the technological needs of older adults: Advances in design, functionality, user experience, and age-related cognitive and sensory aids to facilitate adoption

Editorial on the Research Topic Exploring the technological needs of older adults: Advances in design, functionality, user experience, and age-related cognitive and sensory aids to facilitate adoptio

Final Report: Review of the FITS Program: Program Tasks, Goals and Pilot Training Initiatives

In 2002 the FAA, academic and industry partners established the FAA/Industry Training Standards (FITS) program whose purpose is to modernize General Aviation (GA) pilot training. The FAA recognized the need to modernize training standards for pilots who would use new avionics technology that integrate the GPS (Global Positioning Systems) with the autopilot along with multifunction displays capable of depicting flight path, weather, terrain and traffic information. These avionics and displays are touted as improving safety by enhancing pilot Situational Awareness and reducing pilot workload. The new technology has highlighted the need for programs to train and certify pilots to use the avionics suites. The instrumentation places new demands on pilots including changes in the level and distribution of pilot workload during a flight, the need to manage and integrate information from multiple displays, navigate complex menu structures, and program navigation computers. The literature describing the FITS program argues that the current structure and content of GA pilot training programs will not adequately prepare pilots for the challenges of using these technologies (FAA, 2003a; Glista, 2003b; Wright, 2002). The FITS curriculum attempts to address these issues by stressing training of risk management (RM), situational awareness (SA), aeronautical decision making (ADM) and single-pilot resource management (SRM). It also proposes to change pilot instruction to make it more relevant to real world flying by relying on scenario-based training (SBT). FITS proposes to emphasize the use of scenarios as a means to practice the integration of individual skills as they might occur in the real world. For instance, a student pilot might be instructed to plan a flight from Wichita, KS to Kansas City, MO. The student would perform all the tasks necessary to plan the flight including preflight checks, route planning, checking the weather reroute etc. During the flight the student would demonstrate individual flight skills including turns, climbs, navigation, and communication while executing the scenario. The purpose of this project was to review research related to the proposed initiatives and to identify future research needs to support the long-term objectives of FITS. In addition to reviewing pertinent academic and government literature, the objectives of FITS were reviewed with representatives of the FAA, academic and industry partners. At present FITS materials provide few details regarding important components of the training initiative including decision making, the training requirements of advanced avionics technology and its effects on situation awareness. Future work should draw on an extensive academic literature and on lessons learned from prior industry experience when similar avionics technologies were introduced to commercial aviation. Also, clear distinctions should be made between SBT as employed in FITS and SBT used by the military and in commercial aviation. These are very different programs