Damian Green

Distributed situation awareness in dynamic systems: theoretical development and application of an ergonomics methodology

The purpose of this paper is to propose foundations for a theory of situation awareness based on the analysis of interactions between agents (i.e. both human and non-human) in subsystems. This approach may help to promote a better understanding of technology-mediated interaction in systems, as well as helping in the formulation of hypotheses and predictions concerning distributed situation awareness. It is proposed that agents within a system each hold their own situation awareness, which may be very different from (although compatible with) that of other agents. It is argued that we should not always hope for, or indeed want, sharing of this awareness, as different system agents have different purposes. This view marks situation awareness as a dynamic and collaborative process binding agents together on tasks on a moment-by-moment basis. Implications of this viewpoint for the development of a new theory of, and accompanying methodology for, distributed situation awareness are offered.

Event analysis of systemic teamwork (EAST): a novel integration of ergonomics methods to analyse C4i activity

C4i is defined as the management infrastructure needed for the execution of a common goal supported by multiple agents in multiple locations and technology. In order to extract data from complex and diverse C4i scenarios a descriptive methodology called Event Analysis for Systemic Teamwork (EAST) has been developed. With over 90 existing ergonomics methodologies already available, the approach taken was to integrate a hierarchical task analysis, a coordination demand analysis, a communications usage diagram, a social network analysis, and the critical decision method. The outputs of these methods provide two summary representations in the form of an enhanced operation sequence diagram and a propositional network. These offer multiple overlapping perspectives on key descriptive constructs including who the agents are in a scenario, when tasks occur, where agents are located, how agents collaborate and communicate, what information is used, and what knowledge is shared. The application of these methods to live data drawn from the UK rail industry demonstrates how alternative scenarios can be compared on key metrics, how multiple perspectives on the same data can be taken, and what further detailed insights can be extracted. The ultimate aim of EAST is, by applying it across a number of scenarios in different civil and military domains, to provide data to develop generic models of C4i activity and to improve the design of systems aimed at enhancing this management infrastructure.

3D MURALE: a multimedia system for archaeology

This paper introduces the 3D Measurement and Virtual Reconstruction of Ancient Lost Worlds of Europe system (3D MURALE). It consists of a set of tools for recording, reconstructing, encoding, visualising and database searching/querying that operate on buildings, building parts, statues, statue parts, pottery, stratigraphy, terrain geometry and texture and material texture. The tools are loosely linked together by a common database on which they all have the facility to store and access data. The paper describes the overall architecture of the 3D MURALE system and then briefly describes the functionality of the tools provided by the project. The paper compares the multimedia studio architecture adopted in this project with other multimedia studio architectures.

3D MURALE: multimedia database system architecture

Archaeological databases are required to store a wide range of data about archaeological objects. Multimedia, spatial and temporal requirements are placing new demands on these databases. Virtual models of archaeological sites require new storage and search facilities, including searching of 3D graphics for virtual and physical restoration of archaeological finds. We examine the architecture, design philosophy and proposed implementation of the 3D MURALE multimedia database, which will be used by archaeologists to construct a virtual model of the Sagalassos excavation site in Turkey.

A real time 3D stratigraphic visual simulation system for archaeological analysis and hypothesis testing

During an archaeological dig, a great deal of data relating to stratigraphic positioning (SP) is recorded. This data is recorded in a variety of different formats, individual excavation logbooks, stratigraphy forms, and in theodolite measurements. The widely used archaeological practice of analysis and representation of SP is the Harris Matrix approach [1]. This is a valuable technique to analyse and compare 2D SP data, now with the advent of cheap and powerful 3D computing, there is a growing need for the archaeologist on site to test hypotheses and gain immediate results. The 3D representation and analysis of this SP data, with the ability to perform real-time hypotheses without prolonged sifting through hard copies of excavation logbooks presents a real innovation to future archaeological interpretation. This paper details the benefits, requirements and pitfalls of visualizing stratigraphy with this new SP tool.

Providing multimedia tools for recording, reconstruction, visualisation and database storage/access of archaeological excavations

Over the years archaeologists have been swift to embrace new advances in technology that allow them to more comprehensively document the results of their work. Today it is commonplace to find information technologies, in the form MS Office-type tools with some CAD and GIS, deployed for primary data capture, analysis, presentation and publication. While these computing technologies can be used effectively to record and interpret archaeological sites, the radical developments in 3D recording, reconstruction and visualisation tools have had relatively limited impact upon the archaeological community. This is unfortunate as these new technologies have the potential to (a) enable the archaeologists to record their unrepeatable experiments to unprecedented levels of accuracy, (b) enable the archaeologists to reconstruct artefacts such as pottery from sherds, textures and sites from different eras (c) visualise the wealth of excavated information in dynamic new ways away from the archaeological site during post-excavation analysis, (d) make this wealth of detail available to the scholarly community as part of the publication process and secure its digital longevity through its deposition in a trusted digital library/archive and (e) communicate the excitement and importance of their archaeological site and its finds to an interested non-academic audience. This paper describes the overall concept of the EU funded project, 3D Measurement and Virtual Reconstruction of Ancient Lost Worlds of Europe (3D MURALE), that has developed and created a set of low-cost multimedia tools for recording, reconstructing, encoding, and visualising archaeological artefacts and site.

Using wireless technology to develop a virtual reality command and control centre

This paper investigates the applicability of wireless communication systems for use in command and control environments. Human positional data is transmitted over a wireless network. This data is then used to update a highly accurately modelled real-time 3D environment of the surroundings, with avatars positioned at the transmitted points. The data is displayed on a stereoscopic 3D screen enabling novel automatic tracking of human movement and allowing for more rapid and informed tactical decision making. The system has applicability in a variety of C4I environments, including the military and emergency services.

A distributed universal 3D cyberworld for archaeological research and education

The scientific results of global archaeological excavations often take the form of books and papers, and on occasion, web sites and digital media. However, a large amount of the raw recorded data remains inaccessible to wider audiences. This paper proposes the development of a universal archaeological system that unites archaeological recordings from diverse sites, making easier the process of dissemination to both the wider public and the analysis and comparison of this data by the scientific community, enabling a more informed interpretation of our past. This is accomplished through a 3D cyber-world constructed from a variable level of detailed recordings from archaeological sites.

A Novel Integration of Human Factors Methods to Analyse C4i Activity; A Chemical Incident Case Study Carried Out with the UK Fire Service

This paper presents an integration of seven human factors techniques into a comprehensive task and knowledge based methodology. The case study demonstrates that the proposed methodology can be successfully applied to the analysis of command and control (C4) teams and shows how each of the methods interface with each other to produce; a process based overview using an enhanced form of Operation Sequence Diagram (OSD∗), and a knowledge based overview using a Propositional Network. This paper demonstrates how the methodology enables key constructs within C4 domains to be captured for the purpose of designing future systems.

Visualizing legacy stratigraphic data from archaeological handbooks

In this paper, a system for the visualization and entry of 3D stratigraphic layers into a new Geographic Information System (GIS) based on the varying and sometimes incomplete records of the field archaeologist is presented. This paper presents a computer-based system that allows for incomplete and ambiguous data, indicating problems associated with this entry and shows how inaccuracies are represented so that later misinterpretation is avoided.