Human Factors

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to demonstrate anthropomorphism needs to communicate contextually useful information to increase user confidence and accurately calibrate human trust in automation. BACKGROUND: Anthropomorphism is believed to improve human-automation trust but supporting evidence remains equivocal. We test the Human-Automation Trust Expectation Model (HATEM) that predicts improvements to trust calibration and confidence in accepted advice arising from anthropomorphism will be weak unless it aids naturalistic communication of contextually useful information to facilitate prediction of automation failures...

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OBJECTIVE: To design and develop a Portable Auditory Localization Acclimation Training (PALAT) system capable of producing psychoacoustically accurate localization cues; evaluate the training effect against a proven full-scale, laboratory-grade system under three listening conditions; and determine if the PALAT system is sensitive to differences among electronic level-dependent hearing protection devices (HPDs). BACKGROUND: In-laboratory auditory localization training has demonstrated the ability to improve localization performance with the open (natural) ear, that is, unoccluded, and while wearing HPDs...

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to systematically evaluate the usability of all public electric vehicles (EV) direct current fast chargers (DCFC) in the San Francisco region. BACKGROUND: To achieve a rapid transition to EVs, a highly reliable and easy to use charging infrastructure is critical to building confidence among consumers. METHODS: The functionality and usability of all 182 open, public DCFC charging stations with CCS connectors (combined charging system) in the 9 counties of the Bay Area were tested (655 electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) ports)...

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated drivers' move-over behavior when receiving an Emergency Vehicle Approaching (EVA) warning. Furthermore, the possible effects of false alarms, driver experience, and modality on move-over behavior were explored. BACKGROUND: EVA warnings are one solution to encourage drivers to move over for emergency vehicles in a safe and timely manner. EVA warnings are distributed based on the predicted path of the emergency vehicle causing a risk of false alarms...

BACKGROUND: Dismounted military operations require soldiers to complete cognitive tasks whilst undertaking demanding and repeated physical taskings. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of repeated fast load carriage bouts on cognitive performance, perceptual responses, and psychophysiological markers. METHODS: Twelve civilian males (age, 28 ± 8 y; stature, 186 ± 6 cm; body mass 84.3 ± 11.1 kg; V̇O2max , 51...

OBJECTIVE: To explore the scope of available research and to identify research gaps on in-vehicle interventions for drowsiness that utilize driver monitoring systems (DMS). BACKGROUND: DMS are gaining popularity as a countermeasure against drowsiness. However, how these systems can be best utilized to guide driver attention is unclear. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in adherence to PRISMA guidelines. Five electronic databases (ACM Digital Library, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, TRID, and SAE Mobilus) were systematically searched in April 2022...

OBJECTIVE: Using eye tracking technology, this study sought to determine if differences in hazard statement (HS) compliance based on design elements are attributable to attention maintenance (AM). BACKGROUND: Recent empirical work has demonstrated counter-intuitive findings for HS designs embedded in procedures. Specifically, prevalent HS designs in procedures were associated with lower compliance. METHOD: The current study utilized eye tracking technology to determine whether participants are attending to HSs differently based on the inclusion or absence of visually distinct HS design elements typically used for consumer products...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the relationship between system interface elements' design features and interaction performance in simulated vehicle vibration environments. BACKGROUND: Touch screens have been widely used in vehicle information systems, but few studies have focused on the decline of touchscreen interaction performance and task load increase when driving on unpaved roads. METHOD: The interaction performance (reaction time and task accuracy rate) with vibration frequencies below 3 Hz (1...

OBJECTIVE: We test the effects of three aids on individuals' ability to detect social bots among Twitter personas: a bot indicator score, a training video, and a warning. BACKGROUND: Detecting social bots can prevent online deception. We use a simulated social media task to evaluate three aids. METHOD: Lay participants judged whether each of 60 Twitter personas was a human or social bot in a simulated online environment, using agreement between three machine learning algorithms to estimate the probability of each persona being a bot...

OBJECTIVE: As the world increasingly adopts renewable and sustainable energy systems, transitionary solutions include nuclear power, which currently provides 20% of the United States' electricity and is the largest single source of carbon-free electricity generation. Advanced reactors are a critical component of a carbon-free mixed energy portfolio that require careful design of first-of-a-kind control rooms. BACKGROUND: The application of Human Factors Engineering (HFE) is essential for scientific and iterative testing of novel human-system interface (HSI) concepts to ensure effective, efficient, and safe plant operations...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the plausibility of self-control depletion, or ego-depletion, as the underlying cognitive resource responsible for performance decrements on the sustained attention to response task. BACKGROUND: Researchers suggested that self-control is a limited cognitive resource used to complete a myriad of processes, including sustained attention. Past research showed that trait self-control affects some sustained attention tasks. However, little research has investigated the effect of self-control as a limited cognitive resource that varies over time (i...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a head/neck supporting exoskeleton (HNSE) on the electromyographic fatigue threshold (EMGFT ) of the neck and shoulder muscles during a simulated overhead work task. BACKGROUND: Overhead work is a well-known risk factor for neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders due to the excessive strain imposed on the muscles and joints in these regions. METHOD: Fourteen healthy males performed a repetitive overhead nut fastening/unfastening task to exhaustion while wearing and not wearing the HNSE at two neck extension angles (40% and 80% of neck maximum range of motion)...

With vehicle automation becoming more commonplace, the role of the human driver is shifting from that of system operator to that of system supervisor. With this shift comes the risk of drivers becoming more disengaged from the task of supervising the system functioning, thus increasing the need for technology to keep drivers alert. This special issue includes the most up-to-date research on how drivers use vehicle automation, and the safety risks it may pose. It also investigates the accuracy that driver monitoring systems have in detecting conditions like driver distraction and drowsiness, and explores ways future drivers may respond to the broader introduction of this technology on passenger vehicles...

OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to evaluate all studies that have evaluated the biomechanical effects when using assistive devices. INTRODUCTION: The physical demands of patient handling activities are well known. One safety strategy for the reduction of the physical risks is use of assistive devices. METHOD: The search process identified articles published in English-speaking journals through Google Scholar, Medline, and ISI Web of Science. The included 56 studies contained a biomechanical assessment of a patient handling activity with assistive devices...

OBJECTIVE: This experiment examined performance costs when processing two sources of information positioned at increasing distances using a flat panel display and an augmented reality head-mounted display (AR-HMD). BACKGROUND: The AR-HMD enables positioning virtual information at various distances in space. However, the proximity compatibility principle suggests that closer separation when two sources of information require mental integration assists performance, whereas increased separation between two sources hurts integration performance more than when a single source requires focused attention...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate neck muscle coactivation across different levels of mental workload during simulated flight tasks. BACKGROUND: Neck pain (NP) is highly prevalent among military aviators. Given the complex nature within the flight environment, mental workload may be a risk factor for NP. This may induce higher levels of neck muscle coactivity, which over time may accelerate fatigue, increase neck discomfort, and affect flight task performance. METHOD: Three counterbalanced mental workload conditions represented by simulated flight tasks modulated by interstimulus frequency and complexity were investigated using the Modifiable Multitasking Environment (ModME)...

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether typical road users appreciate the special optical properties of retroreflective materials. BACKGROUND: Retroreflective surfaces reflect light back towards the source of the illumination. All drivers benefit from retroreflective materials, as they are required on road signs, on large trailers, in lane delineation, and other traffic control devices. Retroreflective markings can also greatly enhance the conspicuity of pedestrians at night, but pedestrians typically underuse retroreflective markings...

OBJECTIVE: This study developed a fixation-related electroencephalography band power (FRBP) approach for situation awareness (SA) assessment in automated driving. BACKGROUND: Maintaining good SA in Level 3 automated vehicles is crucial to drivers' takeover performance when the automated system fails. A multimodal fusion approach that enables the analysis of the visual behavioral and cognitive processes of SA can facilitate real-time assessment of SA in future driver state monitoring systems...

BACKGROUND: In Physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI), the need to learn the robot's motor-control dynamics is associated with increased cognitive load. Eye-tracking metrics can help understand the dynamics of fluctuating mental workload over the course of learning. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test eye-tracking measures' sensitivity and reliability to variations in task difficulty, as well as their performance-prediction capability, in physical human-robot collaboration tasks involving an industrial robot for object comanipulation...