Detecting Usability Problems with Eye Tracking in Airborne Battle Management Support

Abstract : Information is a key element for success or failure on future battlefields. Continuous advances in information technology and battle management systems, especially growing computer capacity and interoperability promise to provide comprehensive tactical situation awareness down to unit level, thereby improving mobility, survivability and sustainability of today's weapon systems. However increased availability of information in the computerized support systems does not automatically lead to increased usability. It rather may lead to information proliferation, hidden information and pertinent problems regarding operator information processing. These problems even grow under time pressure in a stressful environment. Are these problems unavoidable? Or is there a solution to handle the overwhelming amount of information which tomorrows battle management systems and personal have to work on? In aviation there were tremendous technological efforts during the last twenty years to answer similar questions through increase of automation like the introduction of flight management systems or fully computerized ,,glass cockpits". Again, to the surprise of many people, the relative safety did not increase, but remained almost constant Billings 1997.