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Navigation is critical for everyday tasks but is especially important for urban search and rescue (USAR) contexts. Aside from successful navigation, individuals must also be able to effectively communicate spatial information. This study investigates how differences in spatial ability affected overall performance in a USAR task in a simulated Minecraft environment and the effectiveness of an individual’s ability to communicate their location verbally. Randomly selected participants were asked to rescue as many victims as possible in three 10-minute missions. Results showed that sense of direction may not predict the ability to communicate spatial information, and that the skill of processing spatial information may be distinct from the ability to communicate spatial information to others. We discuss the implications of these findings for teaming contexts that involve both processes.

Space missions present unique challenges for teams, requiring effective communication, coordination, and cooperation under stress and physical strain. As humans venture further into space, communication latency becomes a significant challenge, with delays ranging from seconds to minutes. This latency affects team performance and cognitive load, whether the team consists of humans, machines, or both. Shared mental models can help manage these delays, but the lack of “shared context” due to varied physical environments can impede their development. Extensive astronaut training, lasting 5 to 10 years, makes realistic simulation of space tasks challenging for study participants. Using an Agent-Based Model (ABM) and a scenario built from interviews with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), this study simulates complex interactions and coordination challenges in space teaming, addressing the complexities and dynamic nature of space missions.

This study focuses on detecting unique and complex challenges of Human-Machine Teaming (HMT) in space missions, where coordination among humans, robots, and AI agents is critical. Such missions are beset by “perturbations”—unexpected challenges involving communication delays due to the vast distances separating team elements. These issues must be overcome to maintain the safety and effectiveness of space-based missions. This study conducted engineering tests to evaluate the impact of perturbations on communication and vehicle operations and the physiological state of the humans involved. It outlines an experimental scenario involving various space entities (e.g., lunar colonies; orbiters; rovers) to simulate space mission conditions and communication and coordination challenges. The study employs layered dynamics methods to detect perturbations in technological and cognitive team states across the mission, using sensors and information entropy as key analytical tools.

To comprehensively assess the effects of ZnO nanoparticles on freshwater decomposition processes under natural sunlight, we conducted an indoor microcosm experiment on Populus nigraL. leaf decomposition with ZnO nanoparticles (5, 10, and 20 mg L−1) under simulated sunlight. A significant and negative relationship between decomposition rate and ZnO nanoparticle concentrations was observed after 30 days of exposure. ZnO nanoparticles significantly inhibited extracellular enzyme activities, dehydrogenase activities and fungal biomass as well as impacting fungal community structures. Additionally, the exposure to ZnO nanoparticles increased microbial antioxidant activities and 5 mg L−1of ZnO nanoparticles led to the greatest increase. Importantly, the activities of carbon-related enzymes were significantly inhibited by ZnO nanoparticles, but leaf carbon decomposition was stimulated in the microcosms containing 10 and 20 mg L−1of ZnO nanoparticles, suggesting the possible contribution of ZnO nanoparticles' physicochemical properties under sunlight to leaf decomposition. The information provided here on the effects of different concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles under sunlight will help us to better evaluate the impacts of ZnO nanoparticles on stream functioning.