Dale Richards

To delegate or not to delegate: A review of control frameworks for autonomous cars.

There have been significant advances in technology and automated systems that will eventually see the use of autonomous cars as commonplace on our roads. Various systems are already available that provide the driver with different levels of decision support. This paper highlights the key human factors issues associated with the interaction between the user and an autonomous system, including assistive decision support and the delegation of authority to the automobile. The level of support offered to the driver can range from traditional automated assistance, to system generated guidance that offers advice for the driver to act upon, and even more direct action that is initiated by the system itself without driver intervention. In many of these instances the role of the driver is slowly moving towards a supervisory role within a complex system rather than one of direct control of the vehicle. Different paradigms of interaction are considered and focus is placed on the partnership that takes place between the driver and the vehicle. Drawing on the wealth of knowledge that exists within the aviation domain and research literature that examines technology partnerships within the cockpit, this paper considers important factors that will assist the automotive community to understand the underlying issues of the human and their interaction within complex systems.

Escape from the factory of the robot monsters: agents of change

Purpose The increasing use of robotics within modern factories and workplaces not only sees us becoming more dependent on this technology but it also introduces innovative ways by which humans interact with complex systems. As agent-based systems become more integrated into work environments, the traditional human team becomes more integrated with agent-based automation and, in some cases, autonomous behaviours. This paper discusses these interactions in terms of team composition and how a human-agent collective can share goals via the delegation of authority between human and agent team members. Design/methodology/approach This paper highlights the increasing integration of robotics in everyday life and examines the nature of how new novel teams may be constructed with the use of intelligent systems and autonomous agents. Findings Areas of human factors and human-computer interaction are used to discuss the benefits and limitations of human-agent teams. Research limitations/implications There is little research in (human–robot) (H–R) teamwork, especially from a human factors perspective. Practical implications Advancing the author’s understanding of the H–R team (and associated intelligent agent systems) will assist in the integration of such systems in everyday practices. Social implications H–R teams hold a great deal of social and organisational issues that need further exploring. Only through understanding this context can advanced systems be fully realised. Originality/value This paper is multidisciplinary, drawing on areas of psychology, computer science, robotics and human–computer Interaction. Specific attention is given to an emerging field of autonomous software agents that are growing in use. This paper discusses the uniqueness of the human-agent teaming that results when human and agent members share a common goal within a team.

Using Functional near Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Cognitive Performance of UAV Sensor Operators during Route Scanning.

The composition of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) crew will sometimes define roles specific to tasks associated with the Ground Control Station (GCS). The sensor operator task is specific to both the type of platform and GCS they are operating, but in many instances the role of this operator is critical in determining mission success. In order to assess mission effectiveness we applied human performance measures that focussed on neurological brain imaging techniques and other physiological biomarkers in conjunction with behavioral data acquired from the sensor operator task. In the execution of the experiment, this included such tasks as route scanning, target detection and positive identification, and the tracking of identified targets. Within the scope of this paper, we reported the preliminary results for the route scanning task. Over the duration of three trials brain activity measures from the prefrontal cortex region were acquired via functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in this research study. As the trials progressed, there was a significant difference between low and high performers on the route scanning task as determined by specific biomarkers, namely oxygenated haemoglobin. These findings support previous studies and indicates the benefits of applying neurophysiological measures in order to gain further objective insight into human cognitive performance. The use of fNIRS in this context is also discussed in terms of providing a key benefit in dynamically evaluating human performance in parallel with personalized training for UAV operators.

Taking to the Skies: Developing a Dedicated MSc Course in Aviation Human Factors

From flight-crew to cabin-crew, air-traffic controllers to aircraft engineers - the ‘human factor’ is vital to the safe and efficient operation of all aspects of the aviation industry. Over the past three decades a better understanding of Human Factors has resulted in significant safety benefits, forming a cornerstone of every aviation safety management programme. With this in mind, an innovative approach to teaching Ergonomics and Human Factors (E/HF) at Coventry University has created a unique MSc in Aviation Human Factors. From the outset this specialist part-time MSc has been designed to attract a wide range of aviation professionals (e.g. aviation engineers, flight and cabin crew, safety personnel, or air traffic controllers) from civil or military organisations in the UK or overseas. The course therefore provides a niche and bespoke learning experience for its students, and from a user requirements perspective this necessitated a particular pedagogic approach.

Laser attacks on aircraft: Shining the light on public attitude

With increasing incidents being reported, laser attacks present a significant threat to aircraft safety. Although no aircraft accidents have yet been directly attributed to laser attacks to date, experts agree that it is a legitimate threat to safety. To better understand this phenomenon, and ways in which it can be addressed, an important area to understand is the public perception of the severity of such incidents. This would include examining the attitudes the general public hold toward laser attacks, and what views they may hold towards regulation and punishment for these offences. Members of the general public (N=208) completed an online survey that examined their views towards the perceived occurrences and severity of laser attacks, whilst also examining their expectation of criminality and punishment of using a laser against an aircraft. Responses were analysed and presented, with discussion around the nature of public perception and expectation to laser attacks. Mitigations and interventions are explored, focussing on targeted educational/awareness programs that can be used to increase the awareness amongst the general public on the consequences of laser attacks on aircraft.

The role of the media in the public perception of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

We are still some distance from seeing the routine flight of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in national airspace. Apart from issues associated with technology and regulatory requirements and constraints, a key factor will be the perceptions and acceptance of UAVs held by the general public. A number of surveys have started to examine the views and attitudes held by different sectors of the population and these begin to reveal the nature of concerns about UAV operations. However, one key aspect of how an attitude develops and forms is the manner in which information is conveyed to us. This paper examines the role that the media has in conveying information pertaining to UAV news articles and features using a survey (N=48) that examines the perception of UAVs merely by the manner in which the headline is conveyed. A sample of 60 UAV media headlines from three media sources (BBC, CNN and Shephard) were selected and tested for how the public perceived them. Results indicated that attitude towards headlines reported in both BBC and CNN were very similar, but not in comparison to the industry publication. Also, the theme within which the headline was framed appeared to influence whether it was perceived as either positive or negative. The importance of understanding public attitude and the role of the media is discussed.

Designing for human–agent collectives: display considerations

The adoption of unmanned systems is growing at a steady rate, with the promise of improved task effectiveness and decreased costs associated with an increasing multitude of operations. The added flexibility that could potentially enable a single operator to control multiple unmanned platforms is thus viewed as a potential game-changer in terms of both cost and effectiveness. The use of advanced technologies that facilitate the control of multiple systems must lie within control frameworks that allow the delegation of authority between the human and the machine(s). Agent-based systems have been used across different domains in order to offer support to human operators, either as a form of decision support offered to the human or to directly carry out behaviours that lead to the achievement of a defined goal. This paper discusses the need for adopting a human–agent interaction paradigm in order to facilitate an effective human–agent partnership. An example of this is discussed, in which a single human operator may supervise and control multiple unmanned platforms within an emergency response scenario.

UAV Operator mental workload - A neurophysiological comparison of mental workload and vigilance

Copyright

Dual Pilot and Single Pilot Operations --- Hierarchical Task Decomposition Analysis of Doing More with Less

An operational concept for single pilot operations is being developed as part of the work of the Future Flight Deck Technologies project. The underpinning construct is that multiple single-pilot aircraft will be supported by a ground-based team using one or more ground stations to interact with the pilots and their aircraft. Concept development required detailed analysis of two-pilot operations to identify the functions and interactions that the second pilot engages in, to facilitate their reallocation or adaptation within the new system architecture. The application of Hierarchical Task Analysis HTA in this context revealed a number of issues related to the representation and interpretation of sequencing information in plans in HTAs presented in graphical form. This paper identifies these issues and presents a new graphical notation, derived from software design notations, for presenting hierarchical task decompositions. The use of the notation is illustrated with analysis examples from different phases of flight.

Cyber-specifications: Capturing user requirements for cyber-security investigations

In order to capture important user requirements data, it is necessary to take a user-centered approach to understand security from a human factors perspective. Human Factors and Ergonomics are the disciplines that look to support user needs and requirements of products and processes through a detailed understanding of the user’s capabilities, limitations and expectation of those products or processes. A range of methods and approaches are available to assist with the collection of user requirements in sensitive domains and this chapter considers practical issues of their use for cyber-security. A framework of macro-ergonomic security threats is reinterpreted for the cyber domain and illustrated using issues of trust in order to raise awareness for cyber investigations.