Thomas B. Malone

Electronic Memory Aids for Community-Dwelling Elderly Persons: Attitudes, Preferences, and Potential Utilization

This article focuses on the attitudes of community-dwelling elderly persons toward the use of electronic memory aids. Questionnaire data from 100 elderly volunteers indicate that more than one half were interested in an electronic memory device for at least one purpose. Those who said that they would use the device had higher levels of education, used more household electronic devices, were more likely to have someone available to help them use a device, and had more health problems than those who preferred to not use it. Most would use a memory aid to monitor medications and remember appointments, followed by remembering addresses and phone numbers. The expected use, design, preferred methods of instruction, and concerns about the device varied. Study results suggest the need to develop devices with different degrees of flexibility and complexity. Future studies should evaluate training methods to use such technology.

Development of an Interactive Microprocessor Based Workload Evaluation Model (SIMWAM)

In an attempt to assess the extent to which human factors technology developed for air systems is applicable to ship systems problems, several task network simulation techniques were evaluated for aircraft carrier air operations. Such operations are complex and highly variable and include over 400 separate tasks performed by 18 different operators. The result of the assessment was that the available techniques were not acceptable, leading to the development of a model designated SIMWAM for simulation for workload assessment and modeling.

Human Factors Engineering impact on System Workload and Manning Levels

A major thrust of the Armys MANPRINT methodology is to develop techniques to assess workloads and to reduce system manning. This paper reports on a research project conducted with the intent of quantifying the impact that application of human factors engineering technology has on the workload and manning levels of large, complex systems. The aircraft operational management system of a modern CV aircraft carrier was used as a test bed. A typical scenario was developed which included task sequences for each of 35 shipboard operators during a launch/recovery cycle involving 25 aircraft. Workloads were measured for operations as currently performed aboard aircraft carriers and compared to the same conditions except for the addition of automated status boards, which were intended to reduce the information processing load on the operators. The result of introducing the automated status board technology was the reduction of manning levels, time to perform operational sequences, and the number of overloaded operators.

HSI top-down requirements analysis for ship manpower reduction

U.S. Navy ship acquisition programs such as DD 21 and CVNX are increasingly relying on top down requirements analysis (TDRA) to define and assess design approaches for workload and manpower reduction, and for ensuring required levels of human performance, reliability, safety, and quality of life at sea. The human systems integration (HSI) approach to TDRA begins with a function analysis which identifies the functions derived from the requirements in the Operational Requirements Document (ORD). The function analysis serves as the function baseline for the ship, and also supports the definition of RDT&E and Total Ownership Cost requirements. A mission analysis is then conducted to identify mission scenarios, again based on requirements in the ORD, and the Design Reference Mission (DRM). This is followed by a mission/function analysis which establishes the function requirements to successfully perform the ships missions. Function requirements of major importance for HSI are information, performance, decision, and support requirements associated with each function. An allocation of functions defines the roles of humans and automation in performing the functions associated with a mission. Alternate design concepts, based on function allocation strategies, are then described, and task networks associated with the concepts are developed. Task network simulations are conducted to assess workloads and human performance capabilities associated with alternate concepts. An assessment of the affordability and risk associated with alternate concepts is performed, and manning estimates are developed for feasible design concepts.

Development of an Aegis Combatant Integrated Survivability Management System (ISMS) Modeling Tool

This paper presents the results of a study to develop an automated analytical tool for establishing the role of man vs. machine in the operation and design of the AEGIS combatant Integrated Survivability Management System (ISMS). ISMS enables a ship to control damage and continue to defend itself when damaged–“fight while hurt”– by integrating damage control (DC) and combat systems (CS) functions. The initial activity in the human engineering process was to develop a model of information-processing and decision-making tasks for ISMS damage control activities aboard an Aegis-class ship. A task flow model developed in a previous effort was expanded and refined to include detailed damage control activities in Damage Control Central (DCC), and activities for repair of Vital Systems and Fume and Airtight Integrity. Task flow sequences were created based on Navy doctrine and subject matter expert (SME) interviews, validated at NAVSEA, and modeled in a fire and flooding demonstration scenario. The ISMS task sequence model was exercised using an analytical tool, designated Simulation Workload and Assessment Modeling (SIMWAM). Use of this tool identifies operator workloads and interruptions, information-processing and decision-making task bottlenecks, over- and under-utilized operators, and task delays in multiple complex damage control scenarios. By taking advantage of SIMWAMs capabilities to model complex multiple-operator man-machine systems, this ISMS damage control model will be particularly useful for front-end analysis of ISMS design options, and for modeling changes to damage control doctrine, procedures, personnel allocations, and organization under a variety of damage control scenarios.

Design Parameters for a Stereoptic Television System Based on Direct Vision Depth Perception Cues

Remotely controlled systems which use television for visual feedback require that depth cues be available to the operator. A number of techniques have been developed to provide stereoptic video, An analysis of parameters of such systems as related to the depth cues of convergence and retinal disparity was carried out. Parameter requirements were determined for the provision of natural and exaggerated stereoptic cues and expressions were developed for range resolution limits based on the retinal disparity threshold. An empirical study was conducted using a stereoptic video system to determine threshold values.

Update of Dod-Hdbk-761: ‘Human Engineering Guidelines for Management Information Systems’

DoD-HDBK-761 “Human Engineering Guidelines for Management Information Systems” was extensively updated and revised to reflect 1) significant changes in computing technology, including user interface techniques and display technology, and 2) recent user computer interface (UCI) design literature. The document was updated based on literature reviews, mail-out surveys of UCI designers and users, and interactive computer interviews (using question and answer dialog). The updated document contains two main sections. The first presents a general process for conducting UCI analysis, design, development, and evaluation activities. These activities include; conduct of system functions analysis, function allocation, user task analysis, user surveys, use of UCI prototypes, and product testing. The second section contains over 1000 human engineering guideline statements which can be applied to the detailed design of UCIs. The guideline section addresses dialog design, computer control, data entry and display, job performance aiding, expert systems interface design, and data communication and protection. This paper discusses the content and organization of the document.

Human Systems Integration (HSI) in Navy Ship Manpower Reduction

The HSI approach to ship and ship system design for manning reduction is based on the standard human factors front-end analysis to identify functions and requirements, allocate functions to determine the role of the human vs. automation, identify approaches to reduce workload, and conduct task network workload simulation to establish the effectiveness of selected workload reduction techniques. The classes of workload reduction are focused on design requirements associated with automation of functions, consolidation of functions, simplification of function performance, and elimination of functions. Function Automation addresses the automation of functions previously performed manually and the determination of the roles of the human in automated or semi-automated functions. Function Consolidation requires a reassignment of functions among available operators to more evenly redistribute required workload. Function simplification requires that, for high driver functions and tasks assigned to a specific operator or maintainer, the demands that these functions and tasks make must be reduced to the greatest extent possible. Function/task demands include physical, cognitive, and perceptual-motor demands. Function Elimination involves removing a function from the ship through tele-operations or tele-maintenance with shoreside equipment tech-reps or maintenance experts, and reliance on collaboration tools to support dispersed team problem solving, or elimination of a function altogether.

The Army Manprint Idea: (Integrated Decision/Engineering Aid)

The US Army Human Engineering Laboratory (USAHEL) is developing an approach to the application of MANPRINT in the context of the Materiel Acquisition Process (MAP). This approach includes: 1) a MANPRINT roadmap, consisting of a formal and standard process for accomplishing MANPRINT at each phase of the MAP and which is tied to the activities, products and events of the MAP; 2) a tool kit consisting of a set of automated tools needed to implement the roadmap in a cost-effective manner; and 3) a repository of all pertinent information, and techniques for accessing all available information - available at the users workstation irrespective of the original source. The driving requirement for the USAHEL approach to HFE/MANPRINT is for integration. This includes: integration of the HFE/MANPRINT process into the Materiel Acquisition Process; the integration of HFE/MANPRINT tools into the process; the integration of HFE/MANPRINT tools and data bases in terms of data import and export; the integration of HFE/MANPRINT tools among themselves in terms of data import and export; and the integration of HFE/MANPRINT domains including HFE, manpower, personnel and training, system safety, and health hazard assessment. The USAHEL approach to MANPRINT in the early stages of materiel development is to base the process for accomplishing MANPRINT on the HFE front-end analysis methodology as described in MIL-H 46855B. USAHEL, under contract with Carlow Associates Incorporated, is developing a MANPRINT standardized and formalized process tied to the events, activities, products and milestones currently for the first two phases of the MAP and incorporating a set of automated tools and information system to support the application of the MANPRINT process. The system, including the process, associated tools and information resources, have been designated the USAHEL MANPRINT Integrated Decision/Engineering Aid or IDEA. IDEA includes a HFE/MANPRINT standardized and formalized process tied to the events, activities, products and milestones of each phase of the Materiel Acquisition Process (MAP) and incorporating a set of automated tools to support the application of the HFE/MANPRINT process. The process and associated tools have been completed for the Program Initiation Phase IDEA (prior to milestone 0) and the Concept Exploration Phase IDEA. The elements of the IDEA system, as described in this paper, are: the HFE/MANPRINT process; an integrated HFE/MANPRINT information system; automated HFE/MANPRINT analysis tools; HFE/MANPRINT analyst productivity enhancement tools; HFE/MANPRINT information tools; a report generator for producing HFE/MANPRINT plans and reports; and, the user.

Riding Mower Control Placement Guideline Development

Accident investigations and subsequent hazard analysis studies of power mower accidents conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), indicated that the current version of the American National Standard for Turf Care Equipment - Power Lawn Mowers, Lawn and Garden Tractors, and Lawn Tractors - Safety Specifications (ANSI/OPEI B71.1-1986) might benefit from review and/or revision. The analyses indicated control activation, placement and/or operation may have contributed to a number of the accidents reviewed. Accordingly, special emphasis was to be focused on review of Part III: Ride-On Mowers, Lawn Tractors, and Lawn and Garden Tractors, paragraph 13., Controls. This paper describes the approach utilized in development of the inputs to update ANSI/OPEI B71.1-1986. Additionally, the paper describes a brief overview of the voluntary standard review/acceptance process.