Man/Machine Interaction in Adaptive Computer Aided Control: Initial Study.

Abstract : Maintenance of continuous decision and control actions places a severe load on the operators of many advanced Navy systems. Adaptive computer-aided control offers a promising means of improving overall system performance by relieving the operator of routine control tasks and allowing him to concentrate on his most effective roles as initiator, supervisor and emergency monitor. The present research program is directed toward developing human factors criteria for the application of adaptive computer aiding in a broad variety of complex man/machine systems. The report presents the initial year's progress. Included are: (1) a rationale for the adaptive aiding approach and a review of related research; (2) a description of the adaptive aiding computer program and the two-dimensional control task simulation developed for the pilot experimental study; (3) the experimental design, procedure, and measurement techniques along with a discussion of the results; and (4) the development of a preliminary mathematical model for the man/machine interaction in adaptive aiding. (Author)