Robert E. DeMers

A Systematic Tool for Deriving Crew Console Layouts

This paper describes the use of the Function Allocation Matrix Tool (FAMT) for designing spacecraft cockpit layouts. NASAs Constellation Program intends to return humans to the moon by 2020, followed by exploration to Mars and beyond. The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) will serve as primary vehicle for transporting the crew. Orion will be equipped with a modern ‘glass cockpit’ that will allow the operators to command and control all of the vehicles systems via graphics-based displays not unlike those now common in modern flight decks. The design of Orions displays and controls places an increased emphasis on human-computer interaction and usability. In particular, the use of the FAMT drove the process of allocating displays and controls to reach and visual zones within the CEV 604 configuration cockpit. The result was the baseline display and control configuration for the Orion spacecraft.

Analysis of the Risks and Benefits of Flight Deck Adaptive Systems

The objectives of this work were to identify human performance risks and benefits of adaptive systems through a systematic analysis and heuristic evaluation of adaptive system component types and characteristics. As flight deck automated systems have more access to aircraft data, sensor data, stored databases, communicated information, and real time flight crew inputs, as well as more ability to process that information in sophisticated ways to identify situational priorities and context, it is becoming more realistic for those automated systems to adapt their behavior based on context. Automated systems that can make such changes on their own are called adaptive systems. The concern here is with adaptive systems that are perceived by the pilot to behave non-deterministically even though they are technically deterministic. Based on a framework to describe the types and characteristics of adaptive system components, a risk/benefit analysis was preformed to identify potential issues. Based on this analysis, eight representative adaptive system storyboards were developed as the basis of a heuristic evaluation with pilots to validate the analysis and explore more detailed issues and potential risk mitigations. The value of this work is expected to be in suggesting adaptive system issues, risks, and guidelines that need to be considered in making design decisions and approving new adaptive systems on the flight deck.

A task-based reach-zone analysis of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle controls

The Function Allocation Matrix Tool (FAMT) is applied as the basis of a reach zone analysis for the controls of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. NASAs Constellation Program intends to return humans to the moon by 2020, followed by exploration to Mars and beyond. Orion will serve as the primary crew transport vehicle, and will be equipped with a modern ‘glass cockpit’ to allow operators to command and control all of the vehicles systems from one of two operator stations. It will have a fraction of the buttons, switches, and dials found on the Space Shuttle flight deck. Instead, operators will monitor and command the vehicles systems via graphics-based displays; thus the design of Orions displays and controls places an increased emphasis on human-computer interaction and usability. It is therefore necessary to place controls in appropriate reach zones, defined as three-dimensional envelopes that define reach limits and boundaries within the Orion cockpit operator station. The FAMT is a systematic analysis tool with which to determine the appropriate location of cockpit controls and displays needed to support mission priorities. While the tool was originally designed for investigating incremental functionality additions to existing cockpits, it has been applied to Orion toward design of a completely new cockpit, and has played a crucial role in determining the minimum recommended reach zones for each control needed by the operator to complete their assigned tasks.

Human Performance Risks and Benefits of Adaptive Systems on the Flight Deck

ABSTRACT Objective: Human performance risks and benefits of adaptive systems were identified through a systematic analysis and pilot evaluation of adaptive system component types and characteristics. Background: As flight-deck automation is able to process ever more types of information in sophisticated ways to identify situations, it is becoming more realistic for adaptive systems to adapt behavior based on their own authority. Method: A framework was developed to describe the types and characteristics of adaptive system components and was used to perform a risk–benefit analysis to identify potential issues. Subsequently, eight representative adaptive system storyboards were developed for an evaluation with pilots to augment the analysis results and to explore more detailed issues and potential risk mitigations. Results: Analysis identified the principal drivers of adaptive “triggering conditions” risk as complexity and transparency. It also identified the drivers of adaptations risks and benefits as the task level and the level of control versus information adaptation. Conclusion: Pilots did not seem to distinguish between adaptive automation and normal automation if the rules were simple and obvious; however, their perception of risk increased when the level of complexity and opacity of triggering conditions reached a point where its behavior was perceived as nondeterministic.

Deriving Cursor Control Device Expectations for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle

A unique challenge for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle is the need for a novel cursor control device (CCD) that allows the crew to interact with display formats while seated and restrained. Display formats will contain “controllable elements” that will be used for input by astronauts, and will most likely not be laid out in a rectilinear grid. A four-way “caged” castle switch on the CCD was designed to travel only to controllable elements toward decreasing erroneous cursor movements. The ability of the four-way castle to intuitively navigate the cursor from a user perspective is a vital consideration. A cursor expectations study was conducted to understand dominant user expectations for CCD movements when controllable elements are not arranged on a rectilinear grid. Algorithms were developed that governed cursor movement in such a way as to match the dominant user expectations, to support the development of user mental models for cursor behavior, and to guide designers when laying out display formats.

Synergistic computing applied to a virtual-pivot six-degree-of-freedom hand controller designed for aerospace telerobotics

We have designed and constructed a new six-degree-offreedom hand controller testbed incorporating Honeywells patented virtual-pivot concept. Unlike a passive controller, which uses springs, the virtual-pivot hand controller (VPHC) is an active device that uses motors to control platform displacements and to provide the sensed virtualpivot feel. The high-speed real-time control microprocessor provides an estimated 10-Hz system bandwidth while using force/torque sensor, shaft angle, and tachometer measurements with rate-feedback motor controllers to generate the feel of pivot location, springs, soft stops, and deadbands found in more conventional designs. In effect, the virtual-pivot feel is a form of enhanced virtual reality to the operators tactile senses. Past human factors research has shown that the virtual-pivot concept results in lower operator fatigue, reduces cross-coupling effects, minimizes training time, and permits one mechanism to fit different hand sizes without hardware changes. The development of the testbed is described together with its kinematic equations, control theory, and current testbed status. Hand controllers allow human control of a wide variety of increasingly complex and diversified objects, including: Fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and tilt-rotor aircraft flight

VEHICLE CONDITION MONITORING FOR THE AUTOMATED HIGHWAY SYSTEM

This paper describes a system for monitoring the effectiveness of a vehicle in terms of capability to enter and operate in an Automated Highway System (AHS). The system possesses fault monitoring capabilities, enabling a vehicle to be a viable component of an AHS. A simulated steering system is shown to have an impact on the highway design, controller, and drivers role as part of the fault detection and reconfiguration process.

A High Performance, Low Cost, Active, Two Degree of Freedom Hand Controller:

Honeywell has developed a unique, motor driven, two degree of freedom hand controller that offers high levels of performance and ease of programming variables of importance for controller responsiveness and user acceptance. The simple design leads to relatively low cost and high reliability when compared with other designs. Independent motors lead to improved performance for a given motor size and ease of adding redundant motors.