NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Multifactor Interactions and the Air Traffic Controller: The Interaction of Situation Awareness and Workload in Association with AutomationAir traffic controllers (ATCOs) must maintain a consistently high level of human performance in order to maintain flight safety and efficiency. In current control environments, performance-influencing factors such as workload, fatigue and situation awareness (SA) can co-occur, and interact, to affect performance. However, multifactor influences and the association with performance are under-researched. This study utilized a high fidelity human in the loop enroute air traffic control simulation to investigate the relationship between workload, situation awareness and ATCO performance. The study aimed to replicate and extend Edwards, Sharples, Wilson and Kirwan's (2012) previous study and confirm multifactor interactions with a participant sample of ex-controllers. The study also aimed to extend Edwards et al.'s previous research by comparing multifactor relationships across 4 automation conditions. Results suggest that workload and SA may interact to produce a cumulative impact on controller performance, although the effect of the interaction on performance may be dependent on the context and amount of automation present. Findings have implications for human-automation teaming in air traffic control, and the potential prediction and support of ATCO performance.
Document ID
20190025439
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Edwards, T.
(San Jose State Univ. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Homola, J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Mercer, J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Claudatos, L.
(San Jose State Univ. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
May 31, 2019
Publication Date
August 30, 2016
Subject Category
Aircraft Communications And Navigation
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN30572
Report Number: ARC-E-DAA-TN30572
Meeting Information
Meeting: IFAC/IFIP/IFORS/IEA Symposium on Analysis, Design, and Evaluation of Human-Machine Systems (IFAC HMS 2016)
Location: Kyoto
Country: Japan
Start Date: August 30, 2016
End Date: September 2, 2016
Sponsors: International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS), International Federation for Information Processing, International Ergonomics Association, International Federation of Automatic Control
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX12AB08A
WBS: 330693.04.10.01.08
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
NASA Peer Committee
Keywords
Workload
Situation Awareness
Multifactor Interactions
No Preview Available