Human factors and ergonomics have made considerable contributions to the research, design, development, operation and analysis of transportation systems and their complementary infrastructure. This volume focuses on the causations of road accidents, the function and design of roads and signs, the design of automobiles, and the training of the driver. It covers accident analyses, air traffic control, control rooms, intelligent transportation systems, and new systems and technologies.

This book considers how agencies are currently figured at the human-machine interface, and how they might be imaginatively and materially reconfigured. Contrary to the apparent enlivening of objects promised by the sciences of the artificial, the author proposes that the rhetorics and practices of those sciences work to obscure the performative nature of both persons and things. The question then shifts from debates over the status of human-like machines, to that of how humans and machines are enacted as similar or different in practice, and with what theoretical, practical and political consequences. Drawing on recent scholarship across the social sciences, humanities and computing, the author argues for research aimed at tracing the differences within specific sociomaterial arrangements without resorting to essentialist divides. This requires expanding our unit of analysis, while recognizing the inevitable cuts or boundaries through which technological systems are constituted.

This book considers how agencies are currently figured at the human-machine interface, and how they might be imaginatively and materially reconfigured. Contrary to the apparent enlivening of objects promised by the sciences of the artificial, the author proposes that the rhetorics and practices of those sciences work to obscure the performative nature of both persons and things. The question then shifts from debates over the status of human-like machines, to that of how humans and machines are enacted as similar or different in practice, and with what theoretical, practical and political consequences. Drawing on recent scholarship across the social sciences, humanities and computing, the author argues for research aimed at tracing the differences within specific sociomaterial arrangements without resorting to essentialist divides. This requires expanding our unit of analysis, while recognizing the inevitable cuts or boundaries through which technological systems are constituted.

Virtual reality (VR) techniques are becoming increasingly popular. The use of computer modeling and visualization is no longer uncommon in the area of ergonomics and occupational health and safety. This book explains how studies conducted in a simulated virtual world are making it possible to test new solutions for designed workstations, offering a high degree of ease for introducing modifications and eliminating risk and work-related accidents. Virtual reality techniques offer a wide range of possibilities including increasing the cognitive abilities of the elderly, adapting workstations for people with disabilities and special needs, and remote control of machines using collaborative robots. Detailed discussions include: Testing protective devices, safety systems, and the numerical reconstruction of work accidents Using computer simulation in generic virtual environments On the one hand, it is a self-study book made so by well-crafted and numerous examples. On the other hand, through a detailed analysis of the virtual reality from a point of view of work safety and ergonomics and health improvement. Ewa Grabska, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland Noteworthy is the broad scope and diversity of the addressed problems, ranging from training employees using VR environments with different degrees of perceived reality; training and rehabilitation of the elderly; to designing, testing, modifying, and adapting workplaces to various needs including those of disabled workers; to simulation and investigation of the cause of accidents at a workplace. Andrzej Krawiecki, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland

Loaded with information on the design of work systems, workplaces, and workstations as well as human anthropometics, Ergonomics for Beginners: A Quick Reference Guide, Third Edition provides a useful quick reference and valuable tool for novices and experienced professionals alike. Retaining the features that made each previous edition a bestseller, the authors have meticulously revised the information to address rapid developments in information and communications technology, offering ergonomics advice on topics such as wireless, remote, and hands-free controls, website design, mobile interaction, and virtual offices.

Understand the Utility and Limitations of Modern Technology

In their trademark, eloquent style, the authors explain the application of a human-centered approach to the design, testing, and evaluation of work systems by considering the interrelated set of physical, cognitive, social, organizational, and other relevant human factors. Their elemental, but comprehensive, treatment of the subject matter provides an authoritative and archival reference of basic theoretical and practical knowledge that will help enhance human performance and reduce the undesirable effects and unintended consequences of many human interactions with technology and the organizational environment. Small enough to carry along to work sites, with simple and clear illustrations, the book examines how to improve performance and reduce the undesirable effects and unintended consequences of many human interactions with technology and the work environment.

Table of Contents

Introduction

What Is Ergonomics?

What Is an Ergonomist?

The Social Value of Ergonomics

The Economic Value of Ergonomics

General and Individual Ergonomics

Posture and Movement

Biomechanical, Physiological and Anthropometric Background

Posture

Movement

Summary Checklist

Information and Operation

The User

Information

Controls For Operation

Dialogues

Website-Design

Mobile Interaction

Virtual Reality

Summary Checklist

Environmental Factors

Noise

Vibration

Illumination

Climate

Chemical Substances

Summary Checklist

Work Organization Jobs and Tasks

Tasks

Jobs

Work Organization

Summary Checklist

The Ergonomic Approach

Project Management

Checklist

Ergonomics Checklist

Sources of Additional Information

International Books on Ergonomics

Scientific Journals on Ergonomics

Useful Websites

International Iso Standards on Ergonomics

Index

This book examines an emerging organizational form called multi-team systems (MTS). This type of aggregation is being increasingly adopted by organizations and agencies that need to respond to complex strategic problems. There has been increasing interest in MTSs over the last decade to the point where there is now a need to (a) describe these organizational forms more fully, (b) build conceptual frames that can guide research, and (c) begin developing tools to improve the study of MTSs. The purpose of this proposed book is to respond to these needs. The book will contain a series of chapters that expand prior conceptual frames of MTSs, defining in more detail the compositional and linkage attributes that characterize such units. The book will also explore how such systems emerge and develop, as well as the methods for studying MTSs. The intent of the book, therefore, is to establish and nurture a strong conceptual and methodological foundation that can guide research and practice with MTSs. Because the notion of MTSs cuts across multiple domains, we expect that this book will interest scholars in industrial/organizational psychology, organizational science, management and organizational theory, human factors, sociology, organization communications, and public administration.

Expanding into emerging markets brings with it a specific set of challenges for designing products and services. Not only do cultural differences play a role in what, how, and why customers behave the way they do, but existing technologies, distribution channels, and the wants and needs of consumers become additional challenges when establishing market shares in the developing world. Innovative Solutions: What Designers Need to Know for Today's Emerging Markets describes the landscape of these new markets and discusses research and design methodologies tailored to them.

Local designers and researchers offer insight directly from the depths of India, China, and other parts of the world. They take an in-depth look at user research methods in underserved communities, new tools such as ecosystems mapping to define the elements impacting innovation and design decisions, and methodologies to develop solution spaces based on the output from user research studies. The book then presents real-life examples through case studies and interviews. The case studies draw not only from the authors work with clients such as HP Labs, Nokia, Haier, Philips, Intel, and A Piece of Pie, but also from user experience and the results of innovation research across the globe. The interviews include conversations with leaders in innovation such as Roopa Purushothaman, Tapan Parikh, Ram Sehgal, Steve Portigal, Dmitry Volkov, and Darelle van Greunen.

A fascinating perspective of the users and ecosystem in emerging nations, the book provides deeper insights on how a user-centered innovation and design approach has been applied in practical settings. Examining the challenges of innovating and designing for emerging markets, it incorporates research and practice to explore new ways of uncovering the riches and opportunities in innovation and design for emerging markets.

Human-Systems Integration: From Virtual to Tangible Subject Guide: Ergonomics and Human Factors This book is an attempt to better formalize a systemic approach to human-systems integration (HSI). Good HSI is a matter of maturity... it takes time to mature. It takes time for a human being to become autonomous, and then mature! HSI is a matter of human-machine teaming, where human-machine cooperation and coordination are crucial. We cannot think engineering design without considering people and organizations that go with it. We also cannot think new technology, new organizations, and new jobs without considering change management. More specifically, this book is a follow-up of previous contributions in human-centered design and practice in the development of virtual prototypes that requires progressive operational tangibility toward HSI. The book discusses flexibility in design and operations, tangibility of software-intensive systems, virtual human-centered design, increasingly autonomous complex systems, human factors and ergonomics of sociotechnical systems, systems integration, and changed management in digital organizations. The book will be of interest to industry, academia, those involved with systems engineering, human factors, and the broader public.

The 13th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCI Inter- tional 2009, was held in San Diego, California, USA, July 19-24, 2009, jointly with the Symposium on Human Interface (Japan) 2009, the 8th International Conference on Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, the 5th International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction, the Third International Conf- ence on Virtual and Mixed Reality, the Third International Conference on Internati- alization, Design and Global Development, the Third International Conference on Online Communities and Social Computing, the 5th International Conference on Augmented Cognition, the Second International Conference on Digital Human Mod- ing, and the First International Conference on Human Centered Design. A total of 4,348 individuals from academia, research institutes, industry and gove- mental agencies from 73 countries submitted contributions, and 1,397 papers that were judged to be of high scientific quality were included in the program. These papers - dress the latest research and development efforts and highlight the human aspects of the design and use of computing systems. The papers accepted for presentation thoroughly cover the entire field of human-computer interaction, addressing major advances in knowledge and effective use of computers in a variety of application areas.

In research and application of Human Factors in Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems design, development and operation, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the range and integration of activities associated with the need for greater attention to issues such as human error, interface design and teamwork, especially in systems with increased levels of automation. This book seeks to redress this situation by presenting case studies of human factors applications in which there is demonstrable success in terms of improvement in operational systems. Individual examples are used to outline how each human factors study evolved, what it entailed, how it was resourced and how the results contributed to operational performance. Case studies include training methods, human error, team resource management, situation assessment, terminal automation replacement systems, collaborative decision-making to improve the effectiveness of traffic-flow management and the role of human factors in ATM.

Since 1981, the biennial International Symposium on Aviation Psychology (ISAP) has been convened for the purposes of (a) presenting the latest research on human performance problems and opportunities within aviation systems, (b) envisioning design solutions that best utilize human capabilities for creating safe and efficient aviation systems, and (c) bringing together scientists, research sponsors, and operators in an effort to bridge the gap between research and applications. Though rooted in the presentations of the 18th ISAP, held in 2015 in Dayton, Ohio, Advances in Aviation Psychology is not simply a collection of selected proceedings papers. Based upon the potential impact of emerging trends, current debates or enduring issues present in their work, select authors were invited to expand upon their work following the benefit of interactions at the symposium. Consequently the volume includes discussion of the most pressing research priorities and the latest scientific and technical priorities for addressing them. This book is the second in a series of volumes. The aim of each volume is not only to report the latest findings in aviation psychology but also to suggest new directions for advancing the field.

The extent of mental illness concerns in the workforce is becoming increasingly apparent. Stress, depression, anxiety, workplace bullying and other issues are costing businesses billions every year in lost productivity, poor treatments and employee retention. Unless appropriately addressed, issues related to mental illness difficulties will result in stiff financial, organizational, and human costs for organizations. Drawing on empirical evidence from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the book provides a practical guide to identifying, understanding, treating and preventing individual and organizational mental health issues. The authors illustrate how organizations can save money and improve the health and wellbeing of their employees by using a psychological disability management approach in the treatment and accommodation of mental illness issues. This book will meet the needs of human resources professionals, administrators of employee assistance programs, industrial and organizational psychologists, mental health practitioners, those teaching or studying psychology and disability management, and more generally will serve to enlighten students of business management and practicing managers regarding a major workforce risk factor.

Project scheduling is required for good project management, and the schedule represents the project plan under a specific set of assumptions, often that it will avoid new risks or even those that have occurred on previous occasions. The typical Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule assumes that the project team knows how long the scheduled activities will take. Yet, the experienced project manager knows that duration values so precisely stated are actually only estimates based on assumptions that could be wrong. A schedule risk analysis explores the implications for the project's schedule of risk to the activity durations and also identifies the most important schedule risks. This analysis, building on and extending CPM scheduling, will result in a more accurate estimate of completion and provide an early opportunity for planning effective risk mitigation actions. Practical Schedule Risk Analysis contains a complete treatment of schedule risk analysis from basic to advanced concepts. The methods are introduced at the simplest level: * Why is the duration uncertain? * And how do we represent this uncertainty with a probability distribution? These are then progressively elaborated: * How does uncertainty of activities along a path lead to more uncertainty of the path's completion date? * How can a schedule with parallel paths be riskier than each of the paths individually? * How can we represent risks about activities that are not in the schedule at all? Culminating in a discussion of the most powerful and advanced capabilities available in current commercial software. Schedule risk analysis is a process that is industry-independent, and the methods explained in this volume have been used by the author with positive effect in such industries as construction, oil and gas, information systems, environmental restoration and aerospace/defense. The result is a book that is not only highly practical; something that people within all types of projects and in all industries can apply themselves; but that is an extraordinarily complete guide to creating and managing a rigorous project schedule.

Does your organization have a good or bad reputation, and who takes responsibility for it? Whether viewed as an intangible asset or potential liability, damage to reputation can be costly. In the private sector loss of investor confidence can dent corporate value; in the public sector loss of public trust can lead to political change. How can anyone protect reputation from damage?

A collection of works authored by leading scientists from the US and Russia, Human-Computer Interaction and Operators' Performance: Optimizing Work Design with Activity Theory describes applied and systemic-structural activity theory as it is used to study human-computer interaction, aviation, design, and training. Important from a theoretical and practical perspective, the book describes new analytical and experimental methods in the study of human work. The book facilitates the exchange of ideas between scientists working in ergonomics, human factors, human-computer interaction, industrial/organizational psychology, economics, management training, and other related areas. Drawing on their theoretical perspectives, the authors provide a comparative analysis of the various schools working in activity theory and a new approach to the study of human work derived from applied and systemic-structural activity theory. They cover special topics such as functional analysis of attention and classification of professions developed utilizing applied activity theory methods. In addition the book presents comparative analysis of work activity theory and applications. Representing the next significant step in the development of applied and systemic-structural activity theory, the book offers a balanced picture of theoretical and applied issues in the study of human work from general, applied, and systemic-structural activity theory points of view. It provides state-of-the art information and emphasizes its application to the study of human work while interacting with advanced technology.

Although work furniture has had so much more attention recently there is a long way to go before this is translated into action in the wider world. Increased international concern for the health and safety of people at work is one of the driving forces behind this book.; The Science of Seating brings together researchers in ergonomics and posture with industrial designers, to review and assess the current state of chair design, with implications for cultural, behavioural and occupational aspects of health. The contributions are a significant step in the science of seating and should lead to a better understanding of the mechanics, dynamics and the effects of seating on the sitter.; They point to ways in which seats might become easier-to-use and adjust, offering both comfort and postural support without compromising freedom of movement: and in the not-too-distant furture, "the intelligent chair" will "remember" the sitter's preferences for position, cushiness and so on.; Topics covered include: Adjustability, Anthropometics, Posture, Back Pain, Biomechanics, Seat Pressure Distributions, School children, Special Needs of Users, Design Applications, Industry Perspectives, VDT Standards.; It is aimed at researchers and practising seating designers, ergonomists, design engineers, occupational health workers and physiotherapists and furniture manufacturers.

The ubiquitous nature of transport signs on roadways, railways, and in airports can lead to an overload of visual information, yet little research has been done to understand the design and use of such signs from a driver's perspective. The Human Factors of Transport Signs explores key transport sign research and examines new technologies that are revolutionizing signaling. While concentrating largely on the road environment and general signing issues, the authors also address specific railway and other transport modality topics. International contributors discuss driver psychology and interaction with transport signs as well as the strengths and weaknesses of different types of signs. This text is designed to be an easily-accessible information source for professionals in transportation design, highway engineering, applied psychology, and human factors, as well as for students preparing to enter these fields. Features: Summarizes the main findings about transport signs into an easily-accessible resource Covers transport signs in the road, rail, and aviation fields Reviews new technology in the field, including Variable Message Signs and Intelligent Transport Systems Discusses the main evidence detailing the interaction of transport signs and driver behavior

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the First International Conference on Digital Human Modeling, DHM 2007, held in Beijing, China in July 2007. The papers thoroughly cover the thematic area of digital human modeling, addressing the following major topics: shape and movement modeling and anthropometry, building and applying virtual humans, medical and rehabilitation applications, as well as industrial and ergonomic applications.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Conference on Ergonomics and Health Aspects of Work with Computers, EHAWC 2007, held in Beijing, China in July 2007 in the framework of the 12th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2007 with 8 other thematically similar conferences. It covers health and well being in the working environment as well as ergonomics and design.

Patients have always been encouraged to be active participants in managing their health. New technologies, cultural shifts, trends in healthcare delivery, and policies have brought the patients' role in healthcare to the forefront. This 2-volume set reviews and advances the emerging discipline of Patient Ergonomics. The set focuses on patients and their performance. It presents practical recommendations and case studies useful for researchers and practitioners. It covers diverse healthcare settings outside of hospitals and clinics, and provides a combination of foundational content and specific applications in detail. The 2-volume set will be ideal for academics working in healthcare and patient-centered research, their students, human factors practitioners (consultants, employees of health systems and technology/medical device compaines), healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, pharmacists), and organizational leaders (healthcare administrators and executives).

- the author is in the BIMA Hall of Fame and is Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at Ernst & Young - the book explains the current state of AI and how it is governed, as well as detailing five potential futures involving AI and providing a clear Roadmap to manage the future of AI - easy and fun to read

The World Wide Web has undergone tremendous growth since the first edition of Web Wisdom: How to Evaluate and Create Information Quality on the Web was conceived and written in the mid to late 1990s. The phenomenal global expansion of the internet, together with the increasing sophistication of online technologies and software applications, requires us to be more savvy Web users, especially given the growing complexity of Web-based information. This new edition of Web Wisdom covers key issues that users and creators of Web resources need to know regarding reliable and useful information on the Web, including social media content. Written in a straightforward and accessible format, the book also provides critical evaluation techniques and tools to enhance Web-based research and the creation of high quality content. Features Includes checklists comprised of basic questions to ask when evaluating or creating web resources Provides an expanded discussion of copyright, trademark, and other related issues with specific reference to web authoring Contains a chapter devoted exclusively to social media applications and their unique evaluation challenges Presents a new section that addresses the evaluation challenges that are related to combining traditional and social media content Offers a new section focused on computer-generated text and its allied evaluation challenges Introduces a revised and expanded companion website that provides a variety of supplemental materials related to the evaluation and creation of web content as well as links to additional examples This book demonstrates how to adapt and apply the five core traditional evaluation criteria (authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, coverage) originally introduced in the first edition, to the modern-day Web environment.

First published in 2000, Risk Management is a two volume set, comprised of the most significant and influential articles by the leading authorities in the studies of risk management. The volumes includes a full-length introduction from the editor, an internationally recognized expert, and provides an authoritative guide to the selection of essays chosen, and to the wider field itself. The collections of essays are both international and interdisciplinary in scope and provide an entry point for investigating the myriad of study within the discipline.

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

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.