Impact of Systems Automation on Human Information Processing in Mixed Media C+C
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Electronic, Electrical and Computer Eng
Abstract
The need for increasing levels of system automation in complex military command and control environments is bing driven by factors including ever increasing amounts of information, changes in operator skill sets and the drive to reduce manpower costs. The scope of this application is to understand and measure the impact of introducing systems automation using a human centred design perspective. The research topic will include some of those presented below:
1) Reviewing current approches taken to introducing system automation in complex and challenging Command and Control environments. 2) Characterising the limitations of human information processing in a broad spectrum of individuals and understanding the potential effects of introducing levels of automation both in cognitive overload and low workload situations. 3) Characterising the impact of stress and high workload demand situations and understanding the point when cognitive overload occurs. 4) Investigating and developing approaches for measuring levels of trust in system automation and characterising the balance between trust in levels of automaton versus the need to manually validate the outocme
1) Reviewing current approches taken to introducing system automation in complex and challenging Command and Control environments. 2) Characterising the limitations of human information processing in a broad spectrum of individuals and understanding the potential effects of introducing levels of automation both in cognitive overload and low workload situations. 3) Characterising the impact of stress and high workload demand situations and understanding the point when cognitive overload occurs. 4) Investigating and developing approaches for measuring levels of trust in system automation and characterising the balance between trust in levels of automaton versus the need to manually validate the outocme
People |
ORCID iD |
| Megan Field (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/N509073/1 | 01/10/2015 | 30/03/2021 | |||
| 1640602 | Studentship | EP/N509073/1 | 01/09/2015 | 28/02/2019 | Megan Field |
| Title | The Frankenstein Syndrome |
| Description | Our actions and behaviours towards automation and technology are not formed in a cognitive vacuum and are not only shaped by our experiences and prior knowledge, but also our culture. The creation of artificial creatures has been part of our myths and stories for millennia, but through the Industrial Revolution and development of mechanised factories in the 18th Century, a theological discourse that technology 'corrupts' humanity through its non-natural origins, gained traction (e.g. the Luddite movement). The negative popular culture response to artificial reproduction of nature reached its apex in 1816 with the creation of Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. The fear of robots, technology and automata turning against their creator is a theme our entertainment and zeitgeist has since rarely strayed from and western media continues to propagate and exploit. So, can you separate science fact from science fiction? |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Impact | The Photograph submitted for the Digital Image Exhibition at the Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium won first place. |
| URL | https://figshare.com/collections/2017_Defence_and_Security_Doctoral_Symposium_DSDS17_in_conjunction_... |
| Description | The principle generalisations insofar is that, if trust is defined as positive expectations but negative experiences are oft used as example interactions in the data, can trust as a technology acceptance metric be appropriately used? A clear dissonance between verbalised sentiments and underlying expressions of trust attitudes was also observed across both civilian and military cohorts, more specifically exploring expressions of mistrust and distrust of technology which occur closer to category boundaries. This is important when considering the aspiration to integrate human analogues or human-human teammate mimicry in future C3I control centres and Human-System Interfaces. Within Civilians, there is a specific focus on the morals and ethics of artificial intelligence and technological actants that are within the category boundary and are deemed invasive to human perceptions of self. Within the military cohort, these are mediated by the knowledge of rules of engagement and the authoritative hierarchy of the Forces. The trust in the socioculture and team cohesion play a role in this. One of the main findings of the research is with regards to power distribution and trust - with perceived power inequality affecting team cohesion and trust facilitation. This is seen more clearly in the military cohort as regimented structure of roles and power are somewhat institutionalised within the worldview and technological teammates do not readily fit with any schema - in addition to threat to self determination factors. The inter echelon cultural difference are unique to the idiosyncrasies in their field. For example, the Army Narrative is very binary in technological adaptation through schema priming of teammates. This is also impacted by risk appetite and experience in the field. Participants remark on the emphasis of team cohesion over individual specialism or narratives. Whereas RAF with high specialism, smaller distributed teams and higher funding have a different viewpoint on technology acceptance. The most interesting culture is Submariners, as they have similar viewpoints as their Army colleague through high criticality and high risk environments, but with a more informal authoritative structure and hgih specialism. Threats to self-determinism factors and pride is a major issue with technology facilitation. Furthermore, the research saw conflicting narratives within and between military subgroups whether that Military culture primes operators for technology adaptability. A number of participants expressed steadfast resolve in that due to the unique basic and subsequent training members of HM Forces experience that propensity to trust is apportioned through command responsibility. Others conversely believe that trust adaptation is restricted through negative prior experiences and contravening feelings of self-autonomy which is high-lighted in these hierarchical authoritative domain environments. The expressions of self-autonomy and the sentiment that human-automation interaction inherently violates or constricts independence and self-governance is a recurrent theme throughout. This was more perceptible in those participants in sub-surface navy and submariners, who expressed differences in attitudes and behaviours between their individual subcultures and across the branches of the military, more clearly and confidently compared to participants in other echelons. The social structure and subculture in these narratives explores the disparity between trust, reliance and compliance in complex, high-risk systems in more detail than ground and air military personnel. |
| Exploitation Route | The post-hoc analysis into persona vignettes can be utilised to inform mental model schemata in which maladaptive decision making and behaviours can be explored and modified. Story based learning and training based upon the dominant narratives concluded from the research can be used to inform training and knowledge transfer in the future. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
| Title | Building risk matrices from interview transcripts utilising HCA and IPA |
| Description | This paper proposed a methodological guideline for analysing interview transcripts to aid in the construction of risk matrices and to allow for the tabulation of qualitative data in a suitable manner as to provide appropriate qualitatively informed recommendations. Using this methodology, a comprehensive and qualitatively supported table to register concerns, priority and/or urgency of themes is created that can address inter- and intra- actor factors in socio-technical systems. The analysis aims to communicate the in-depth, rich data of narrative inquiry in verbal protocols to more technical or quantitative domains |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Will be presenting at the CIEHF 2019 Conference with the research methodology. |
| Description | Trust in Automation: how this is shaped by the human operator and the underwater domain |
| Organisation | BAE Systems |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Using my PhD research and expertise to discuss the issues with emerging and future technology in underwater technological environments at the UDT 2019 conference in conjunction with my Sponsor, BAE as noted. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration provided access to my participant in late 2017 and has allowed me to collect and analyse the data to present at the aforementioned conference. |
| Impact | Presenting at UDT 2019 as guest speakers. |
| Start Year | 2015 |