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Highly automated driving will change driver's behavioural patterns. Traditional methods used for assessing manual driving will only be applicable for the parts of human-automation interaction where the driver intervenes such as in hand-over and take-over situations. Therefore, driver behaviour assessment will need to adapt to the new driving scenarios. This paper aims at simplifying the process of selecting appropriate assessment methods. Thirty-five papers were reviewed to examine potential and relevant methods. The review showed that many studies still relies on traditional driving assessment methods. A new method, the Failure-GAM2E model, with purpose to aid assessment selection when planning a study, is proposed and exemplified in the paper. Failure-GAM2E includes a systematic step-by-step procedure defining the situation, failures (Failure), goals (G), actions (A), subjective methods (M), objective methods (M) and equipment (E). The use of Failure-GAM2E in a study example resulted in a well-reasoned assessment plan, a new way of measuring trust through feet movements and a proposed Optimal Risk Management Model. Failure-GAM2E and the Optimal Risk Management Model are believed to support the planning process for research studies in the field of human-automation interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sitting still for extended periods of time can lead to physical discomfort and even serious health risks. Due to safety regulations, reducing passenger' sitting time in aircrafts is not feasible. This paper presents the results of a laboratory study, in where an interactive airplane seat was compared with a current economy class seat. Participants used both seats for 3.5 h, and performed significantly more in-seat movements when using the interactive seating system. Furthermore, this interactive seat predominantly lead to significantly better comfort experiences and reduced discomfort experiences, however no significant differences have been found in self-reported localized musculoskeletal discomfort. Passengers indicated that they would prefer this interactive seat over a standard aircraft seat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of shiphandling manoeuvres on mental workload and physiological reactions in ten marine pilots. Each pilot performed four berthings in a ship simulator. Those berthings were differentiated by two factors, level of difficulty and familiarity with the port. Each berthing could also be divided into five phases, three during the execution and two resting periods, one before and one after the execution (dedicated to baseline physiological data collection). Mental workload was measured through two self assessment scales: the NASA TLX and a Likert scale. Power spectral densities on Beta bands 1 and 2 were obtained from EEG. Heart rate and heart rate variability were obtained from ECG. Pupil dilation was obtained from eye tracking. Workload levels were higher as berthings increased in difficulty level and/or the pilots completed the berthings in unfamiliar ports. Responses differed across specific phases of the berthings. Physiological responses could indirectly monitor levels of mental workload, and could be adopted in future applications to evaluate training improvements and performance. This study provides an example of an applied methodology aiming to define an upper redline of task demands in the context of marine pilotage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheelchair rugby is a sport that has been gaining popularity with athletes with disabilities. However, as it is relatively new and not played by the masses, market specific sports-wear is not available for this sport, which impacts directly on performance and clothing satisfaction of the athletes. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to identify the problems that wheelchair rugby players face with the sports-wear they use for playing the game. The data was collected using a focus group and a questionnaire with 61 wheelchair rugby players in the United Kingdom. Based on their suggestions, on the team expertise, and on the literature, a set of design recommendations was proposed for the upper body garments (tops), lower body garments (bottoms), and gloves. The results demonstrated that the gloves currently available negatively impact on players' ability to participate with satisfactory levels of protection and comfort. Moreover, tops and bottoms also present issues, mainly in the fit and ability to regulate the core body temperature. Hence, the recommendations proposed can provide designers with key information on the specific sports-wear requirements and allow them to design and develop products that can satisfy real needs of specific end-users. This paper intends to raise awareness of the needs of sports-wear for those playing wheelchair rugby and promote the inclusivity of athletes with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applied research on driving and basic vision research have held similar views on central, fovea-based vision as the core of visual perception. In applied work, the concept of the Useful Field, as determined by the Useful Field of View (UFOV) test, divides vision between a "useful" region towards the center of the visual field, and the rest of the visual field. While compelling, this dichotomization is at odds with findings in vision science which demonstrate the capabilities of peripheral vision. In this paper, we examine driving research from this new perspective, and argue for the need for an updated understanding of how drivers acquire information about their operating environment using peripheral vision. The concept of the Useful Field and the UFOV test are not discarded; instead we discuss their strengths, limitations, and future directions. We discuss key findings from vision science on peripheral vision, and a theory that provides insights into its capabilities and limitations. This more complete basic science understanding of peripheral vision informs appropriate use of the UFOV and the Useful Field in driving research going forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines elements contributing to the effectiveness of firefighting teams carrying out typical tasks. Fourteen firefighter crews were filmed during nineteen real operations and answered questionnaires relating to psychosocial dimensions. Results have shown that "enriched closed-loops" of communication, positive emotional interactions and a "gamma" type of adaptation are positively related to team effectiveness. Conversely, open and incomplete loops of communication, negative emotional interactions, "beta" and "alpha" types of adaptation are negatively related to team effectiveness. Furthermore, there is a mediated link between organisational trust and motivation on the one hand and team effectiveness on the other. These findings highlight the necessity to consider both cognitive and psychosocial variables to account for team effectiveness in the firefighting profession. They also emphasize the need to expand firefighter training to the "non-technical" aspects of the competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturers are currently adopting a consumer-centered philosophy which poses the challenge of developing differentiating products in a context of constant innovation and competitiveness. To merge both function and experience in a product, it is necessary to understand customers' experience when interacting with interfaces. This paper describes the use of Kansei methodology as a tool to evaluate the subjective perception of rubber keypads. Participants evaluated eleven rubber keys with different values of force, stroke and snap ratio, according to seven Kansei words ranging from "pleasantness" to "clickiness". Evaluation data was collected using the semantic differential technique and compared with data from the physical properties of the keys. Kansei proved to be a robust method to evaluate the qualitative traits of products, and a new physical parameter for the tactile feel of "clickiness" is suggested, having obtained better results than the commonly used Snap Ratio. It was possible to establish very strong relations between Kansei words and all physical properties. This approach will result in guidance to the industry for the design of in-vehicle rubber keypads with user-centered concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central thesis of this paper is that Rasmussen framed his approach to Cognitive Systems Engineering from the perspective of a Triadic Semiotic Model. This frame became the context for integrating multiple intellectual threads including Control Theory, Information Theory, Ecological Psychology, and Gestalt Psychology into a coherent theoretical framework. The case is made that the triadic semiotic framework is essential for a complete appreciation of the constructs that were central to Rasmussen's approach: Abstraction Hierarchy, Skill-Rules-Knowledge Model, Ecological Interface Design, and Proactive Risk Management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jens Rasmussen's multifaceted legacy includes cognitive work analysis (CWA), a framework for the analysis, design, and evaluation of complex sociotechnical systems. After considering the framework's origins, this paper reviews its progress, predictably covering experimental research on ecological interface design, case studies of the application of CWA to human factors and engineering problems in industry, and methods and modelling tools for CWA. Emphasis is placed, however, on studying the nexus between some of the recent results obtained with CWA and the original field studies of human problem-solving that motivated the framework's development. Of particular interest is a case study of the use of CWA for military doctrine development, a problem commonly regarded as lying outside the fields of human factors and engineering. It is concluded that the value of CWA, even for such diverse problems, is likely to result from its conceptual grounding in empirical observations of patterns of human reasoning in complex systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, methods that allow for an objective evaluation of perceived comfort, in terms of postural, physiological, cognitive and environmental comfort, have received a great deal of attention from researchers. This paper focuses on one of the factors that influences physiological comfort perception: the temperature difference between users and the objects with which they interact. The first aim is to create a measuring system that does not affect the perceived comfort during the temperatures' acquisition. The main aim is to evaluate how the temperature at the human-mattress interface can affect the level of perceived comfort. A foam mattress has been used for testing in order to take into account the entire back part of the human body. The temperature at the interface was registered by fourteen 100 Ohm Platinum RTDs (Resistance Temperature Detectors) placed on the mattress under the trunk, the shoulders, the buttocks, the legs, the thighs, the arms and the forearms of the test subject. 29 subjects participated in a comfort test in a humidity controlled environment. The test protocol involved: dress-code, anthropometric-based positioning on mattress, environment temperature measuring and an acclimatization time before the test. At the end of each test, each of the test subject's thermal sensations and the level of comfort perception were evaluated using the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) scale. The data analyses concerned, in the first instance, correlations between the temperature at the interface and comfort levels of the different parts of the body. Then the same analyses were performed independently of the body parts being considered. The results demonstrated that there was no strong correlation among the studied variables and that the total increase of temperature at interface is associated with a reduction in comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic wayfinding involves using a variety of auditory cues to create a mental map of the surrounding environment. For blind people, these auditory cues become the primary substitute for visual information in order to understand the features of the spatial context and orient themselves. This can include creating sound waves, such as tapping a cane. This paper reports the results of a research about the "acoustic contrast" parameter between paving materials functioning as a cue and the surrounding or adjacent surface functioning as a background. A number of different materials was selected in order to create a test path and a procedure was defined for the verification of the ability of blind people to distinguish different acoustic contrasts. A method is proposed for measuring acoustic contrast generated by the impact of a cane tip on the ground to provide blind people with environmental information on spatial orientation and wayfinding in urban places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helmet safety benefits are reduced if the headgear is poorly fitted on the wearer's head. At present, there are no industry standards available to assess objectively how a specific protective helmet fits a particular person. A proper fit is typically defined as a small and uniform distance between the helmet liner and the wearer's head shape, with a broad coverage of the head area. This paper presents a novel method to investigate and compare fitting accuracy of helmets based on 3D anthropometry, reverse engineering techniques and computational analysis. The Helmet Fit Index (HFI) that provides a fit score on a scale from 0 (excessively poor fit) to 100 (perfect fit) was compared with subjective fit assessments of surveyed cyclists. Results in this study showed that quantitative (HFI) and qualitative (participants' feelings) data were related when comparing three commercially available bicycle helmets. Findings also demonstrated that females and Asian people have lower fit scores than males and Caucasians, respectively. The HFI could provide detailed understanding of helmet efficiency regarding fit and could be used during helmet design and development phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing intensity of operations means that the longstanding safety issue of rail level crossings is likely to become worse in the transport systems of the future. It has been suggested that the failure to prevent collisions may be, in part, due to a lack of systems thinking during design, crash analysis, and countermeasure development. This paper presents a systems analysis of current active rail level crossing systems in Victoria, Australia that was undertaken to identify design requirements to improve safety in future rail level crossing environments. Cognitive work analysis was used to analyse rail level crossing systems using data derived from a range of activities. Overall the analysis identified a range of instances where modification or redesign in line with systems thinking could potentially improve behaviour and safety. A notable finding is that there are opportunities for redesign outside of the physical rail level crossing infrastructure, including improved data systems, in-vehicle warnings and modifications to design processes, standards and guidelines. The implications for future rail level crossing systems are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade there has been significant pressure to minimise emissions and safety risks related to commercial driving. This pressure to meet the triple bottom line of cost, environment, and society has often resulted in the rapid application of vehicle technologies designed to mitigate undesired effects. Often the cognitive and behavioural effects of technologies on the commercial driver have not received in-depth analysis to determine comprehensive viability. As such, this paper aims to identify a timescale for implementation for future technologies for UK road freight, and likely associated human factors issues, improving upon the currently employed 'trial-and-error' approach to implementation which may carry high economic, environmental, safety-related risk. Thought experiments are carried out to broadly explore these future systems. Furthermore, this work aims to examine whether technology alone will be enough to meet future CO2 reduction targets, and assess the role of behavioural and systems interventions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the human error identification (HEI) techniques that currently exist to assess latent human errors. Many formal error identification techniques have existed for years, but few have been validated to cover latent human error analysis in different domains. This study considers many possible error modes and influential factors, including external error modes, internal error modes, psychological error mechanisms, and performance shaping factors, and integrates several execution procedures and frameworks of HEI techniques. The case study in this research was the operational process of changing chemical cylinders in a factory. In addition, the integrated HEI method was used to assess the operational processes and the system's reliability. It was concluded that the integrated method is a valuable aid to develop much safer operational processes and can be used to predict human error rates on critical tasks in the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In recent years considerable efforts have been spent on the development of the occlusion technique as a procedure for the assessment of the human–machine interface of in-vehicle information and communication systems (IVIS) designed to be used by the driver while driving. The importance and significance of the findings resulting from the application of this procedure depends essentially on its reliability. Because there is a lack of evidence as to whether this basic criterion of measurement is met with this procedure, and because questionable reliability can lead to doubts about their validity, our project strove to clarify this issue. This paper reports on a statistical reanalysis of data obtained from previous experiments. To summarise, the characteristic values found for internal consistency were almost all in the range of .90 for the occlusion technique, which can be considered satisfactory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-demand jobs include ‘specific’ job demands that are not preventable with state of the art ergonomics knowledge and may overburden the bodily capacities, safety or health of workers. An interesting question is whether the age of the worker is an important factor in explanations of diversity in work ability in the context of high-demand jobs. In this paper, the work ability of ageing workers is addressed according to aspects of diversity in specific job demands and the research methods that are needed to shed light upon the relevant associated questions. From the international literature, a body of evidence was elicited concerning rates of chronological ageing in distinct bodily systems and functions. Intra-age-cohort differences in capacities and work ability, however, require (not yet existing) valid estimates of functional age or biological age indices for the specific populations of workers in high-demand jobs. Many studies have drawn on the highly demanding work of fire-fighters, ambulance workers, police officers, medical specialists, pilots/astronauts and submarine officers. Specific job demands in these jobs can be physical, mental or psychosocial in origin but may cause combined task-level loadings. Therefore, the assessment of single demands probably will not reveal enough relevant information about work ability in high-demand jobs and there will be a call for more integrated measures. Existing studies have used a variety of methodologies to address parts of the issue: task analyses for quantifying physical work demands, observations of psychological and physiological parameters, measures of psychosocial work demands and health complaints. Specific details about the work ability of ageing workers in high-demand jobs are scarce. In general, specific demands are more likely to overtax the capacities of older workers than those of younger workers in high-demand jobs, implying greater repercussions for health, although these effects also vary considerably within age cohorts. Functional tests for job-specific work ability should be developed for high-demand jobs in order to monitor individual functional ageing and to facilitate well-timed intervention. It is concluded that a shift from ‘no-diversity thinking’ to ‘diversity thinking’ is needed in the context of deciding about the work ability of ageing workers in high-demand jobs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tool use has traditionally been viewed as primarily a physical activity, with little consideration given to the cognitive aspects that might be involved. In this paper, a new approach to considering tool use in terms of Forms of Engagement is presented and discussed. This approach combines notions of schema from cognitive psychology with the idea of task-specific devices to explain psychomotor aspects of using tools. From the perspective of Forms of Engagement, various aspects of craftwork and skilled tool use are considered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Methods of avoiding common problems associated with operator work in automated process control, such as understimulation and difficulties in achieving and maintaining necessary skills and competence, are addressed in this paper. The source of these problems is deduced here to be that monitoring tasks are a predominant part of the job. This case study shows how work in a highly automated process can be designed not only to avoid the traditional problems, but also provide a stimulating job within a good work situation at the same time as fulfilling efficiency demands. A new definition of active/passive operator jobs is made which is based on a categorisation of the types of work tasks that make up the job. The definition gives an explanation of how different designs of operator jobs result in more or less active/passive work situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that warning implementation should aim to achieve urgency mapping between the perceived urgency of the warning itself and the situational urgency of the condition that it indicates. This paper describes how Stevens Power Law [Psychological Review, 64, 153 181, 1957], which quantifies the relationship between objective parameters (such as the pitch of a warning) and subjective parameters (such as perceived urgency), can be applied to the design of auditory warnings to facilitate such urgency mapping. Studies that have quantified and predicted the effects of different warning parameters on perceived urgency using an application of Stevens Power Law are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]