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Books > Professional & Technical > Technology: general issues > Technical design > Ergonomics
Embodied conversational agents (ECA) and speech-based human-machine interfaces can together represent more advanced and more natural human-machine interaction. Fusion of both topics is a challenging agenda in research and production spheres. The important goal of human-machine interfaces is to provide content or functionality in the form of a dialog resembling face-to-face conversations. All natural interfaces strive to exploit and use different communication strategies that provide additional meaning to the content, whether they are human-machine interfaces for controlling an application or different ECA-based human-machine interfaces directly simulating face-to-face conversation. Coverbal Synchrony in Human-Machine Interaction presents state-of-the-art concepts of advanced environment-independent multimodal human-machine interfaces that can be used in different contexts, ranging from simple multimodal web-browsers (for example, multimodal content reader) to more complex multimodal human-machine interfaces for ambient intelligent environments (such as supportive environments for elderly and agent-guided household environments). They can also be used in different computing environments-from pervasive computing to desktop environments. Within these concepts, the contributors discuss several communication strategies, used to provide different aspects of human-machine interaction.
Safety Science Research: Evolution, Challenges and New Directions provides a unique perspective into the latest developments of safety science by putting together, for the first time, a new generation of authors with some of the pioneers of the field. Forty years ago, research traditions were developed, including, among others, high-reliability organisations, cognitive system engineering or safety regulations. In a fast-changing world, the new generation introduces, in this book, new disciplinary insights, addresses contemporary empirical issues, develops new concepts and models while remaining critical of safety research practical ambitions. Their ideas are then reflected and discussed by some of the pioneers of safety science. Features Allows the reader to discover how contemporary safety issues are currently framed by a new generation of researchers, brought together for the first time Includes an introduction and guide to the development of safety science over the last four decades Features an extraordinary collection of expert contributors, including pioneers of safety research, reflecting the evolution of the discipline and offering insightful commentary on the current and future state of the field Serves as an invaluable reference and guide for safety professionals and students from any established disciplines such as sociology, engineering, psychology, political science or management as well as dedicated safety programmes Some figures in the eBook are in colour
This book provides an in-depth analysis of human failure and its various forms and root causes. The analysis is developed through real aviation accidents and incidents and the deriving lessons learned. Features: Employs accumulated experience, and the scientific and research point of view, and recorded aviation accidents and incidents from the daily working environment Provides lessons learned and integrates the existing regulations into the human factors discipline Highlights the responsibility concerns and raises the accountability issues deriving from the engineers' profession by concisely distinguishing human failure types Suggests a new approach in human factors training in order to meet current and future challenges imposed on aviation maintenance Offers a holistic approach in human factors aircraft maintenance Human Factors in Aircraft Maintenance is comprehensive, easy to read, and can be used as both a training and a reference guide for operators, regulators, auditors, researchers, academics, and aviation enthusiasts. It presents the opportunity for aircraft engineers, aviation safety officers, and psychologists to rethink their current training programs and examine the pros and cons of employing this new approach.
Written by leaders in their respective fields, Ergonomics and Psychology discusses recent advancements in psychology and addresses their applications in practice through ergonomics. The book describes the basic ideas that underpin the most successfully applied approaches in ergonomics, psychology, training, education, and more. It explores the mutual influences of cognitive, ecological, and activity theory approaches and demonstrates the effectiveness of these approaches in ergonomics and industrial/organizational psychology.
Air safety is right now at a point where the chances of being killed in an aviation accident are far lower than the chances to winning a jackpot in any of the major lotteries. However, keeping or improving that performance level requires a critical analysis of some events that, despite scarce, point to structural failures in the learning process. The effect of these failures could increase soon if there is not a clear and right development path. This book tries to identify what is wrong, why there are things to fix, and some human factors principles to keep in aircraft design and operations. Features Shows, through different events, how the system learns through technology, practices, and regulations and the pitfalls of that learning process Discusses the use of information technology in safety-critical environments and why procedural knowledge is not enough Presents air safety management as a successful process, but at the same time, failures coming from technological and organizational features are shown Offers ways to improve from the human factors side by getting the right lessons from recent events
The 2000 edition of this long running and highly respected series, contains the best papers from the Ergonomics Society Annual Conference in 2000. The individual papers provide insight into current practice, presents new research findings, and forms an invaluable reference source. In addition to mainstream ergonomists and human factors specialists, Contemporary Ergonomics 2000 will appeal to all those who have an interest in peoples' interaction with their working and leisure environment - including designers, manufacturing and production engineers, health and safety specialists, occupational, applied and industrial psychologists and applied physiologists.
Are the tried and true safety practices still effective in the changing workplace? Is there a better way of safeguarding employees from accidents and injuries? In short, why do you perform the safety activities that you do on a daily basis and do they produce the results necessary to keep your safety program and your company competitive in the global market? Answering these questions and more, Workplace Safety and Health: Assessing Current Practices and Promoting Change in the Profession analyzes the current practices and identifies emerging issues and challenges in the safety and health profession. We Need a Game Changer A New Way of Achieving a Safe and Healthful Workplace Safety pioneer and educator Thomas Schneid makes a strong case that mandatory compliance with OSHA regulations is only the first step in a safety program. And that, due to globalization and the current emphasis on sustainability, the requirements of the safety profession have changed. He explores new sources of information and guidance for addressing the new and emerging issues created by the current economic situation, globalization, and the changing workplace. He also identifies and analyzes emerging ethical issues within the safety and health profession, then suggests potential solutions. Schneid then examines the basic assumptions and challenges you to assess and evaluate your activities in search of a better and more effective way of achieving the results necessary to be competitive in today s workplace. Taking a provocative look at the current issues facing the safety profession, he shows you how to view safety activities and actions from a different perspective and see the real impact they have on the lives of others. He gives you the tools you need to go beyond OSHA compliance and develop safety programs that will be effective in the global workplace and create and maintain a safe workplace that eliminates all injuries and illnesses.
The piecemeal fashion in which human factors research has been conducted in the maritime domain makes information retrieval available only by scanning through numerous research journals and conference papers. Bringing together human factors information from this and other domains, Human Factors in the Maritime Domain integrates a common body of knowledge into one single volume. The book provides the vital background information necessary to acquire a core knowledge base and a much-needed overview of human factors within the maritime domain. It starts by putting the topic into an historical and theoretical context, moves onto more specific and detailed topics and contemporary thinking in human factors, then reviews new maritime technology. The authors take a holistic approach based on a model of the socio-technical system of work in the maritime domain. They synthesize available knowledge and research, then present in an easily acceptable framework with example, illustrations, and case studies whenever possible, making the text rigorous, useful, and enjoyable. The three authors draw on a range of diverse backgrounds including working as a maritime surveyor, transport consultant, human factors lecturer, and mechanical engineer. They have undertaken maritime research in Denmark, Australia, Malta, and the UK. They have published several other human factor books on related topics. This combination of human factors knowledge, maritime wisdom, and substantial publication experience results in a book that is effective and practical.
In the 20 years since the publication of the first edition of Bodyspace the knowledge base upon which ergonomics rests has increased significantly. The need for an authoritative, contemporary and, above all, usable reference is therefore great. This third edition maintains the same content and structure as previous editions, but updates the material and references to reflect recent developments in the field. The book has been substantially revised to include new research and anthropometric surveys, the latest techniques, and changes in legislation that have taken place in recent years. New coverage in the third edition: Guidance on design strategies and practical advice on conducting trials Overview of recent advances in simulation and digital human modes Dynamic seating - Recent work on hand/handle interface Computer input devices - Laptop computer use and children's use of computers - Design for an aging population and accessibility for people with disabilities - New approaches to risk management and new assessment tools, legislation, and standards As the previous two editions have shown, Bodyspace is an example of the unusual: a text that is a favorite among academics and practitioners. Losing none of the features that made previous editions so popular, the author skillfully integrates new knowledge into the existing text without sacrificing the easily accessible style that makes this book unique. More than just a reference text, this authoritative book clearly delineates the field of ergonomics.
Over the past fifteen years or so, there has been a widespread and increasing fascination with the theme of mobility across the social sciences and humanities. Of course, geographers have always had an interest in mobility, but as yet they have not viewed this in the same 'mobility turn' as in other disciplines where it has been used to critique the standard approaches to the subjects. This text brings together leading academics to provide a revitalised 'geography of mobilities' informed by this wider 'mobility turn'. It makes connections between the seemingly disparate sub-disciplinary worlds of migration, transport and tourism, suggesting that each has much to learn from each other through the ontological and epistemological concern for mobility.
Thousands of people continue to die from heat. Heat illnesses and advice for preventing heat casualties at work, during heatwaves, sport and the effects of global warming are described. A new perspective on thermoregulation integrates physiological and psychophysical regulated variables. Heat stress indices, the WBGT and the SWreq are presented. It is time to understand and routinely use computer simulations of people in hot conditions. How to understand how a model can be constructed is also described. This book provides an accessible, concise and comprehensive coverage into how people respond to heat and how to predict and avoid heat causalities. A practical productivity model, and Burn thresholds, complete the book which begins with up to date knowledge on measurement of heat stress, heat strain, metabolic rate and the thermal properties and influences of clothing. Features Provides methods and regulations through international standards Illustrates the WBGT and analytical heat stress indices and how to construct a thermal model Discusses the role of clothing on heat stress and thermal strain Presents a new model for predicting productivity in the heat Offers a new method of human thermoregulation Considers heat illness and prevention during heatwaves and in global warming
Electrical Safety and the Law describes the hazards and risks from the use of electricity, explaining with the help of case studies and accident statistics the types of accidents that occur and how they can be prevented by the use of safe installations, equipment and working practices. It describes the British legislation on the safety of electrical systems and electrotechnical machinery control systems, much of which stems from European Directives and which will therefore be affected by the UK's decision to leave the EU (Brexit), and the main standards and guidance that can be used to secure compliance with the law. There are detailed descriptions covering the risks and preventive measures associated with electrical installations, construction sites, work near underground cables and overhead power lines, electrical equipment and installations in explosive atmospheres, electrical testing and electrotechnical control systems. Duty holders' responsibilities for designing, installing, and maintaining safe systems are explained, as well as their responsibilities for employing competent staff. The fifth edition has been substantially updated to take account of considerable changes to the law, standards and guidance; it has been expanded to include: a new chapter on the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act; a new chapter describing landlords' legal responsibilities for electrical safety in private rented properties and social housing; a new chapter on the Electricity Safety Quality and Continuity Regulations; new information on offences, penalties, sentencing guidelines, and relevant case law; a description of the main requirements of BS 7671:2008 and other principal standards, many of which have been amended in recent years; new cases studies to illustrate the hazards and risks; information on changes to GB's health and safety system.
This book was developed to help researchers and practitioners select measures to be used in the evaluation of human/machine systems. The book begins with an overview of the steps involved in developing a test to measure human performance. This is followed by a definition of human performance and a review of human performance measures. Another section defines situational awareness with reviews of situational awareness measures. For both the performance and situational awareness sections, each measure is described, along with its strengths and limitations, data requirements, threshold values, and sources of further information. To make this reference easier to use, extensive author and subject indices are provided. Features Provides a short engineering tutorial on experimental design Offers readily accessible information on human performance and situational awareness (SA) measures Presents general description of the measure Covers data collection, reduction, and analysis requirements Details the strengths and limitations or restrictions of each measure, including proprietary rights or restrictions
Until quite recently conditions in industry were often rough. Long hours were worked in insanitary and murky workshops, often with little regard to the effects upon the workpeople who were considered to be expendable. Now, however, these adverse conditions have been recognized and so remedied that there remains little in industrial conditions to disturb the public conscience. This does not mean that conditions of work in office or factory are perfect. The obvious and dramatic abuses of the human frame may have gone, but in their place have arisen stresses and strains which, taking effect only in the long term, are generally undramatic and often unrecognized. They exist none the less. No organized effort to study the effect of working conditions on man's performance was made until the end of World War I, when the Industrial Fatigue Research Board was set up. For the first time, men trained in the human sciences entered industry to study men at work. They made con tributions which set a new standard of scientific investigation into human performance and allowed executive action on the basis of evidence rather than of hunch. The Board's work differed from the contribution of Gilbreth in America in that the principles of Motion Study which he developed were, to a large extent, based on intelligent observation rather than controlled experiment. During the 1920S the National Institute of Industrial Psychology was founded and there was close collaboration between it and the I.F.R.B."
Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) is introduced to students, academics, researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and others in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). A holistic approach is taken to emphasize the breadth and depth of HFE by providing both theory and applications in the field. Providing HFE perspectives from expert academics from multidisciplinary and culturally diverse backgrounds, it contains case studies written by industry professionals highlighting their work from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Features The first HFE book for the GCC region with case studies showcasing the economics of ergonomics Presents easy to read chapters covering principles, methodologies, applications, future trends, and key terms Encompasses both the theory and application of HFE fields discussing processes, technologies, and practices Written for readers with no prior background of HFE
Fatigue is a recognized problem in many facets of the human enterprise. It is not confined to any one area of activity but enters all situations in which humans have to perform for extended intervals of time. Most problematic are the circumstances in which obligatory action is continuous and the results of failure are evidently serious or even catastrophic. Therefore, the modern media especially highlights fatigue-related failures in industries such as transportation, materials processing and healthcare. It can be, and indeed is, no coincidence that most of the spectacular failures in process control that have resulted in the world's largest industrial accidents have occurred in the small hours of the morning when the circadian rhythm is lowest and operator fatigue itself peaks. While there have been legislative efforts made at state, federal and international levels to regulate working hours of employees, the appropriate implementation of such legislation is still a long way off. The Handbook of Operator Fatigue provides a comprehensive account of the subject to serve as the definitive reference work for researchers, students and practitioners alike. The volume features 30 chapters written by experts from around the world to address each important facet of fatigue, including: the scale of the fatigue problem (Section I), the nature of fatigue (Section II), how to assess fatigue (Section III), the impact of fatigue on health (Section IV), fatigue in the workplace (Section V), the neurological basis of fatigue (VI), sleep disorders (VII), and the design of countermeasures to fatigue (VIII).
This book presents the latest developments of Systems Thinking in Practice to the analysis and design of complex sociotechnical systems. The Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) method is applied to micro, meso and macro systems. Written by experts in the field, this text covers a diverse range of domains, including: automation, aviation, energy grid distribution, military command and control, road and rail transportation, sports, and urban planning. Extensions to the EAST method are presented along with future directions for the approach. Illustrates a contemporary review of the status of Distributed Cognition (DCOG) Presents examples of the application of Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) method Presents examples of the application of Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) method Discusses the metrics for the examination of social, task, and information networks Provides comparison of alternative networks with implications for design of DCOG in systems
Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) is introduced to students, academics, researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and others in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). A holistic approach is taken to emphasize the breadth and depth of HFE by providing both theory and applications in the field. Providing HFE perspectives from expert academics from multidisciplinary and culturally diverse backgrounds, it contains case studies written by industry professionals highlighting their work from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Features The first HFE book for the GCC region with case studies showcasing the economics of ergonomics Presents easy to read chapters covering principles, methodologies, applications, future trends, and key terms Encompasses both the theory and application of HFE fields discussing processes, technologies, and practices Written for readers with no prior background of HFE
Uses simple language easy to be understood even by non-engineers Based on practical and real-life industrial experiences Offers comprehensive discussion of safety in various disciplines within the oil and gas industry Provides multiple choice questions at the end of each chapter Covers international standards that can be used anywhere in the world
What does the collapse of sub-prime lending have in common with a broken jackscrew in an airliner's tailplane? Or the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico with the burn-up of Space Shuttle Columbia? These were systems that drifted into failure. While pursuing success in a dynamic, complex environment with limited resources and multiple goal conflicts, a succession of small, everyday decisions eventually produced breakdowns on a massive scale. We have trouble grasping the complexity and normality that gives rise to such large events. We hunt for broken parts, fixable properties, people we can hold accountable. Our analyses of complex system breakdowns remain depressingly linear, depressingly componential - imprisoned in the space of ideas once defined by Newton and Descartes. The growth of complexity in society has outpaced our understanding of how complex systems work and fail. Our technologies have gotten ahead of our theories. We are able to build things - deep-sea oil rigs, jackscrews, collateralized debt obligations - whose properties we understand in isolation. But in competitive, regulated societies, their connections proliferate, their interactions and interdependencies multiply, their complexities mushroom. This book explores complexity theory and systems thinking to understand better how complex systems drift into failure. It studies sensitive dependence on initial conditions, unruly technology, tipping points, diversity - and finds that failure emerges opportunistically, non-randomly, from the very webs of relationships that breed success and that are supposed to protect organizations from disaster. It develops a vocabulary that allows us to harness complexity and find new ways of managing drift.
Security Culture starts from the premise that, even with good technical tools and security processes, an organisation is still vulnerable without a strong culture and a resilient set of behaviours in relation to people risk. Hilary Walton combines her research and her unique work portfolio to provide proven security culture strategies with practical advice on their implementation. And she does so across the board: from management buy-in, employee development and motivation, right through to effective metrics for security culture activities. There is still relatively little integrated and structured advice on how you can embed security in the culture of your organisation. Hilary Walton draws all the best ideas together, including a blend of psychology, risk and security, to offer a security culture interventions toolkit from which you can pick and choose as you design your security culture programme - whether in private or public settings. Applying the techniques included in Security Culture will enable you to introduce or enhance a culture in which security messages stick, employees comply with policies, security complacency is challenged, and managers and employees understand the significance of this critically important, business-as-usual, function.
Airline pilots often have to face sudden, unexpected situations that can become potentially dangerous. They are trained to deal with these situations, but sometimes the lack of time before the situation deteriorates and the associated stress can compromise their basic cognitive sequence and lead to a serious incident or even an accident. This book identifies common denominators in pilots' reactions to dangerous, unexpected events and highlights behavior common to all in complex, stressful situations. Facing the Unexpected in Flight: Human Limitations and Interaction with Technology attempts to clarify the human characteristics at play in stressful situations, with the goal of providing a more solid basis for designing aeronautical operating equipment and shaping future automation. The book applies an original cognitive analysis method to highlight actual operational behavior within a quick succession of short mental segments lasting less than one minute in all. This rational method of assessing human potential should contribute to a more effective distribution of roles and help to optimize the pilot-aircraft interface. The current drive towards total automation, together with the drone revolution and questions of cost-effectiveness within a global economy, raises the question of whether there is a need for pilots onboard aircraft. So, after scientifically dissecting human limitations and advantages in terms of flying an aircraft, the book concludes with reflections by the author on the possibility and implications of eliminating pilots from aircraft. In this section, the author sets aside scientific rigor and provides his sometimes subjective personal opinions on the professional future of airline pilots.
Presents an understanding of Human Factors issues associated with Intelligent Infrastructure in complex control settings Provides an introduction and description of various intelligent infrastructure systems within safety critical domains Identifies and reviews relevant standards and regulations Explores System Engineering, as well as Cognitive System Engineering approaches Discusses developing a Human Factors Engineering Program Plan
Many inquiry reports blame management for their failures of foresight. These reports are based on the premise that, with a little more thought, these oversights, and so the crisis, would have been avoided. Is it really that simple? The important question is whether, without hindsight, it would have even been possible to identify the actual factors that lead to the failure. This book explores this issue as a practical problem. The book takes Barry Turner's Disaster Incubation Theory as its central theme. The first chapter explores the way Turner structured his theory and the way it has been used, before re-imagining it as a way to fostering foresight. The next three chapters examine key issues in detail. They explain why Turner's model was chosen, outline the issues that need to be considered when seeking to prevent such failures and how to use the proposed frameworks. Chapter 5 examines the lessons learnt from this study and, in particular, looks at the mental approach required when seeking such foresight. Finally, Chapter 6 provides a fully worked example. It uses work by Frank Stech who has applied Turner's theory to a past case. Crises occur everywhere and we continue to struggle to avoid them. In this book Mike Lauder provides executives with thinking tools to help them avoid missing the warning signs of their next crisis.
The safety, maintainability, and maintenance of systems have become more important than ever before. Global competition and other factors are forcing manufacturers to produce highly safe and easily maintainable engineering systems. This means that there is a definite need for safety, maintainability, and maintenance professionals to work closely during the system design and other phases of a project, and this book with help with that. System Safety, Maintainability, and Maintenance for Engineers, presents, in a single volume, what engineers will need when designing systems from the fields of safety, maintainability, and maintenance of systems when they have to all work together on one project and it provides information where the reader will require no previous knowledge to understand it. Also offered are sources in the reference section at the end of each chapter so the reader is able to find further information if needed. For reader comprehension, examples along with their solutions are included at the end of each chapter. This book will be useful to many people including design engineers, system engineers, safety specialists, maintainability engineers, maintenance engineers, engineering managers, graduate and senior undergraduate students of engineering, researchers and instructors of safety, maintainability, and maintenance, and engineers-at-large. |
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