scholarly journals Effects of Levels of Automation for Advanced Small Modular Reactors: Impacts on Performance, Workload, and Situation Awareness

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Oxstrand ◽  
Katya Blanc
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Small Modular Reactors ◽  
Levels Of Automation

scholarly journals Initiators and Triggering Conditions for Adaptive Automation in Advanced Small Modular Reactors

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katya L. Le Blanc ◽  
Johanna H. Oxstrand
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
System Performance ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Hybrid Methods ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Physiological Measurement ◽  
Adaptive Automation ◽  
Small Modular Reactors ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
Triggering Mechanisms

It is anticipated that Advanced Small Modular Reactors (AdvSMRs) will employ high degrees of automation. High levels of automation can enhance system performance, but often at the cost of reduced human performance. Automation can lead to human out-of the loop issues, unbalanced workload, complacency, and other problems if it is not designed properly. Researchers have proposed adaptive automation (defined as dynamic or flexible allocation of functions) as a way to get the benefits of higher levels of automation without the human performance costs. Adaptive automation has the potential to balance operator workload and enhance operator situation awareness by allocating functions to the operators in a way that is sensitive to overall workload and capabilities at the time of operation. However, there still a number of questions regarding how to effectively design adaptive automation to achieve that potential. One of those questions is related to how to initiate (or trigger) a shift in automation in order to provide maximal sensitivity to operator needs without introducing undesirable consequences (such as unpredictable mode changes). Several triggering mechanisms for shifts in adaptive automation have been proposed including: operator initiated, critical events, performance-based, physiological measurement, model-based, and hybrid methods. As part of a larger project to develop design guidance for human-automation collaboration in AdvSMRs, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have investigated the effectiveness and applicability of each of these triggering mechanisms in the context of AdvSMR. Researchers reviewed the empirical literature on adaptive automation and assessed each triggering mechanism based on the human-system performance consequences of employing that mechanism. Researchers also assessed the practicality and feasibility of using the mechanism in the context of an AdvSMR control room. Results indicate that there are tradeoffs associated with each mechanism, but that some are more applicable to the AdvSMR domain than others. The two mechanisms that consistently improve performance in laboratory studies are operator initiated adaptive automation based on hierarchical task delegation and the Electroencephalogram (EEG)–based measure of engagement. Current EEG methods are intrusive and require intensive analysis; therefore it is not recommended for an AdvSMR control rooms at this time. Researchers also discuss limitations in the existing empirical literature and make recommendations for further research.

Level of Automation Forms a Key Aspect of Autonomy Design

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mica R. Endsley
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Level Of Automation ◽  
Out Of The Loop ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

The concept of different levels of automation (LOAs) has been pervasive in the automation literature since its introduction by Sheridan and Verplanck. LOA taxonomies have been very useful in guiding understanding of how automation affects human cognition and performance, with several practical and theoretical benefits. Over the past several decades a wide body of research has been conducted on the impact of various LOAs on human performance, workload, and situation awareness (SA). LOA has a significant effect on operator SA and level of engagement that helps to ameliorate out-of-the-loop performance problems. Together with other aspects of system design, including adaptive automation, granularity of control, and automation interface design, LOA is a fundamental design characteristic that determines the ability of operators to provide effective oversight and interaction with system autonomy. LOA research provides a solid foundation for guiding the creation of effective human–automation interaction, which is critical for the wide range of autonomous and semiautonomous systems currently being developed across many industries.

Measuring the Impact of Console Operator Experience in a Simulated Petrochemical Refining Emergency Event

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 527-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hector I. Silva ◽  
Tristan Grigoleit ◽  
Mary Ann Burress ◽  
Daniel Fitzpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Petrochemical Industry ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Process Industries ◽  
Operator Experience ◽  
Emergency Event ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
Emergency Events ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Critical Process

Critical process industries such as petrochemical refining have actively sought to make their operations safer and more efficient. In doing this, the industry has found success in automating systems. However, increasing levels of automation is known to have some negative effects on the human operator (Kaber & Endsley, 1997). Consequently, operators have had less opportunity to be exposed to and engage in managing emergency events due to reliable automation. The current investigation explores the role that console operator experience has in the management of emergency events and in the maintenance of situation awareness within the petrochemical industry. Incumbent Console Operators completed several trials of a simulated emergency event where prior exposure to the live event, performance, workload, and situation awareness metrics were collected. The results suggest that experience with managing the live event had little effect on the collected metrics. The potential implications of these results are discussed.

Issues in Human–Automation Interaction Modeling: Presumptive Aspects of Frameworks of Types and Levels of Automation

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Kaber
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Cognitive Engineering ◽  
Current State ◽  
Interaction Modeling ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Ultimate Objective ◽  
Behavioral Constructs

The current cognitive engineering literature includes a broad range of models of human–automation interaction (HAI) in complex systems. Some of these models characterize types and levels of automation (LOAs) and relate different LOAs to implications for human performance, workload, and situation awareness as bases for systems design. However, some have suggested that the LOAs approach has overlooked key issues that need to be considered during the design process. Others are simply unsatisfied with the current state of the art in modeling HAI. In this paper, I argue that abandoning an existing framework with some utility for design makes little sense unless the cognitive engineering community can provide the broader design community with other sound alternatives. On this basis, I summarize issues with existing definitions of LOAs, including (a) presumptions of human behavior with automation and (b) imprecision in defining behavioral constructs for assessment of automation. I propose steps for advances in LOA frameworks. I provide evidence of the need for precision in defining behavior in use of automation as well as a need for descriptive models of human performance with LOAs. I also provide a survey of other classes of HAI models, offering insights into ways to achieve descriptive formulations of taxonomies of LOAs to support conceptual and detailed systems design. The ultimate objective of this line of research is reliable models for predicting human and system performance to serve as a basis for design.

Level of Automation: Integrating Humans and Automated Systems

1997 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 200-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mica R. Endsley
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Automated Systems ◽  
Performance Factors ◽  
Level Of Automation ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Failure Conditions ◽  
Design Options ◽  
Manual Performance

Automation is being implemented in a variety of systems in an effort to improve performance and overcome high operator workload. Current automation approaches may underlie these problems by reducing operator situation awareness. Evidence suggests that in many ways current automation approaches fail to achieve the desired reduction in workload, yet the prevailing approach to system design is still to automate to reduce workload. An alternate design approach is presented that focuses on utilizing intermediate levels of automation (LOA) that integrate the human and the automated system in substantially different ways. Three studies are examined that explore the effects of LOA on performance, situation awareness and workload under normal and failure conditions. Intermediate LOAs were found to significantly enhance SA and performance as compared to full automation or purely manual performance. Factors that determine when automation may be advantageous and when it may be detrimental are revealed through this systsematic exploration of design options for combining humans and automated systems.

Human Interaction with Levels of Automation and Decision-Aid Fidelity in the Supervisory Control of Multiple Simulated Unmanned Air Vehicles

2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heath A. Ruff ◽  
S. Narayanan ◽  
Mark H. Draper
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Supervisory Control ◽  
Decision Aid ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Manual Control ◽  
Unmanned Air Vehicles ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicles ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
Automation Level ◽  
Air Vehicles

Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are vehicular robotic systems that are teleoperated by a geographically separated user. Advances in computing technology have enabled ROV operators to manage multiple ROVs by means of supervisory control techniques. The challenge of incorporating telepresence in any one vehicle is replaced by the need to keep the human “in the loop” of the activities of all vehicles. An evaluation was conducted to compare the effects of automation level and decision-aid fidelity on the number of simulated remotely operated vehicles that could be successfully controlled by a single operator during a target acquisition task. The specific ROVs instantiated for the study were unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). Levels of automation (LOAs) included manual control, management-by-consent, and management-by-exception. Levels of decision-aid fidelity (100% correct and 95% correct) were achieved by intentionally injecting error into the decision-aiding capabilities of the simulation. Additionally, the number of UAVs to be controlled varied (one, two, and four vehicles). Twelve participants acted as UAV operators. A mixed-subject design was utilized (with decision-aid fidelity as the between-subjects factor), and participants were not informed of decision-aid fidelity prior to data collection. Dependent variables included mission efficiency, percentage correct detection of incorrect decision aids, workload and situation awareness ratings, and trust in automation ratings. Results indicate that an automation level incorporating management-by-consent had some clear performance advantages over the more autonomous (management-by-exception) and less autonomous (manual control) levels of automation. However, automation level interacted with the other factors for subjective measures of workload, situation awareness, and trust. Additionally, although a 3D perspective view of the mission scene was always available, it was used only during low-workload periods and did not appear to improve the operator's sense of presence. The implications for ROV interface design are discussed, and future research directions are proposed.

scholarly journals Enabling Situation Awareness Under High Levels of Automation: Results From An Experimental Study

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katya Le Blanc ◽  
Zachary Spielman ◽  
Gordon Bower ◽  
Johanna Oxstrand ◽  
Aaron Bly
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Levels Of Automation

Impact of Automation to Maritime Technology

2013 ◽  
Vol 756-759 ◽  
pp. 4394-4400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Song Ding ◽  
Duan Feng Han ◽  
Bo Shi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Navigation Systems ◽  
Maritime Industry ◽  
Cultural Shift ◽  
Maritime Technology ◽  
Marine System ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
Time Critical ◽  
Two Sides

Due to incredibly advancing technology and reduced manning levels in the maritime industry there is now a cultural shift in the maritime industry toward increased levels of automation in tasks, particularly with regard to navigation systems. But there are two sides to the automation advances. Increasing automation causes the loss of situation awareness, which can significantly affect performance in abnormal, time-critical circumstances. This paper presents an overview of the application of automation in marine system and its impact to the systems performance.

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