- PPSF Overall Description
Background
The coming increase in air space utilization
and the corresponding need to reduce the incidence of human and
system errors will place increasing stress on the human operators
and decision makers who directly interact with the air transportation
system. Existing technologies and procedures are inadequate to
alleviate this stress and to reduce the incidence of human error
and accidents to the levels sought by the Aerospace Operations
Systems Program Plan.
Objective
The goal of the PPSF element is new knowledge
about human perception and performance, which will allow for
safe and efficient management of the increasingly dense air traffic
system. This knowledge will apply to intelligent design and safe
use of displays, controls, interfaces and procedures. The knowledge
will be embodied in formal and computational models of human
perception and performance and will also appear in a variety
of scientific publications.
Approach
The PPSF program element will develop and
disseminate new knowledge in three sub-elements: human perception,
cognitive models and metrics, and physiological research.
- The Perceptual Models and Metrics (PMM)
sub-element focuses on development of new methods, computational
models, and metrics that will enable optimization of operator
sensory-motor interaction with the displays and controls of the
national air space system. PMM researchers pursue these issues
by a combination of psychophysical studies, eye tracking, image
processing, visual system modeling, auditory system modeling,
3-D audio technologies, virtual environment technologies, and
interactions of perceptual factors with displays and controls.
- The Cognitive Models and Metrics (CMM)
sub-element focuses on environmental factors that modulate executive
control. Such factors include practice, interruption, and diversion
of attention. CMM researchers pursue these issues by a combination
of empirical investigation, modeling, and direct measurement
of brain activity. The existing APEX model of executive control,
developed in the Cognition Laboratory at NASA Ames, will be refined
and used as the basis for modeling.
- The Physiological Factors (PF) sub-element
will provide knowledge about the role of physiologically based
variation in alertness, fatigue, and other mental states. It
will use this knowledge to develop novel performance models and
systems to monitor and manage operators' performance while working
within the air transportation system. This sub-element will also
assess the impact of these innovative work rules.
In addition to the usual publication of technical reports and
scientific journal articles, the results of the research and
development conducted under PPSF will be disseminated to the
aerospace community through workshops and site visits organized
and conducted by the principal investigators.
In addition to the usual publication of
technical reports and scientific journal articles, the results
of the research and development conducted under PPSF will be
disseminated to the aerospace community through workshops and
site visits organized and conducted by the principal investigators.
Level 1 Milestones
|
FY02 |
[Approved] Complete guidelines for perceptually
matched dynamic 3-D auditory displays. |
|
FY03 |
[Proposed] Computational models and
evaluation tools that predict and assess human visual performance
in high-fidelity vehicle and air traffic control displays and
systems. |
|
FY04 |
[Proposed] Computational models and
evaluation tools that predict and assess human performance, including
cognitive errors and hazardous states of awareness, in high-fidelity
vehicle and air traffic control tasks. |
Level 2 Milestones
Perceptual
Models and Metrics
FY99 - Collect and report experimental
data on perceptual system performance.
FY01 - Develop computational models and metrics that predict
perceptual system performance.
FY02 - Develop more efficient and more accurate methods for measuring
perceptual system performance.
FY04 - Develop display technologies that exploit understanding
of perceptual systems.
Cognitive
Models and Metrics
FY99 - Analysis of practice and interruption
on multitask performance.
FY00 - Model the cognitive components of task execution.
FY02 - Use the model to explore sources of human error.
FY04 - Explore new techniques for measuring complex performance.
Physiological
Factors
FY00 - Conduct laboratory studies of physiological,
neurocognitive, and performance factors
FY01 - Develop and validate methods and techniques for identifying
hazardous states of awareness, such as complacency, boredom,
and preoccupation, in automated-system design.
FY02 - Model and predict hazardous states of awareness using
physiological and behavioral measures.
FY03 - Evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures, including
new technologies.
FY04 - Exploit opportunities to demonstrate dual-use applications
of methods, techniques and principles in fields within aeronautics
as well as beyond, such as process control and medicine.
FY04 - Transfer results to operational use through diverse mechanisms.
Point of Contact
Level 2 Program Manager: Leonard
J. Trejo, Ph. D. (ARC/IHH)
- (650) 604-2187 voice
- (650) 604-0255 fax
- ltrejo@mail.arc.nasa.gov
|
