HFES Annual Meeting papers feature work on critical health and safety issues

The full program is available as a PDF download at the HFES Web site, http://hfes.org, click on "47th Annual Meeting." To obtain copies of the papers noted below, to request a press pass to the meeting, or to reach the speakers, contact Lois Smith (310-394-1811, [email protected]).

AEROSPACE
Upgrades to the Caution and Warning System of the Space Shuttle Jeffrey W. McCandless, San Jose University and NASA Ames Research Center Tuesday October 14, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 noon, Governor's Square 16

A key safety component of the space shuttle is a complex computerized Caution and Warning System, which is responsible for notifying the space shuttle crew of possible problems through auditory and visuals alerts. This study describes recent upgrades to this system.

A main component of the CWS is the fault summary display, which contains text messages describing malfunctions. One deficiency of the current system is that it is frequently overloaded with excessive data, making it difficult for crew to interpret the information. This display is being updated as part of the Cockpit Avionics Upgrade at NASA Johnson Space Center. The upgraded version has an easier-to-decipher layout with multiple text fields that improve functionality by pinpointing and centralizing sources of failure and overall shuttle health.

These upgrades and modifications are based on collaboration among several groups, including astronauts, astronaut trainers, human factors scientists, flight software experts, and Mission Control operators. Human factors scientists provide guidelines and standards while working with system experts and astronauts.

COMPUTER SYSTEMS
A Human Factors Vulnerability Evaluation Method for Computer and Information Security Sara Kraemer and Pascale Carayon, U. of Wisconsin, Madison Tuesday, October 14, 3:30-5:00 pm, Governor's Square 9

Computer and information security (CSI) issues are paramount in computer systems, especially with the growth of the Internet. Many CSI solutions and preventive measures are technically based, but the missing links are the human factors and organizational issues that contribute greatly to the strength of the security system.

Existing human factors research on CSI is limited, but these researchers applied tools from cognitive engineering to examine computer security breaches in a similar way that error taxonomies are used to examine accidents. Using an error taxonomy, one can look at the organizational and technical components of the accident to diagnose the problem, explain what went wrong, identify how human error contributes to the problem, and acknowledge design issues that must be addressed to improve the work system.

The purpose of this study was to test, develop, and refine a method for detecting flaws in sytems that might enable hackers to cause damage or disruptions. The Human Factors Vulnerability Analysis was subsequently used to identify, analyze, and solve vulnerabilities and was employed in conjunction with a technical security audit, which detects whether hackers can break into a system or misuse it.

The results of the study reveal ways in which HFVA can be improved to help prevent loss of data, service, and money.

DRIVING
Identification of an "Appropriate" Drowsy Driver Detection Interface for Commercial Vehicle Operations Ellen M. Ayoob, Carnegie Mellon University Wednesday, October 15, 1:30-3:00 pm, Governor's Square 14

Have you ever almost fallen asleep at the wheel and wished that someone or something was there to alert you? Tired drivers, often unaware of how tired they are, frequently drive for 3 to30 seconds with their eyes closed. Drowsy drivers--especially commercial truck drivers--pose a major threat to roadway safety. Drowsy driver crashes cost $12 billion and contribute to up to 35% of the 4,400 annual truck driver deaths.

Progress has been made in measuring drowsiness and understanding its effects on human performance in the lab and in simulated and operational driving conditions. This work builds on previous research with drowsy drivers and identifies an appropriate design for a drowsy driver detection interface with user-centered design principles central to the development.

The researchers consulted design and usability experts and a representative group of drivers about their perceptions, preferences, issues, and attitudes, and the consequences of adapating to and using a drowsy driver detection and warning system. Through a focus group session, truck drivers talked about their past experiences with drowsy driving, considered four different modes of delivering the alerts/warnings, and came to some agreement that the warnings should be aggressive and continue until they were acknowledged.

A functional prototype that incorporates the drivers' preferences has been integrated into a product by Attention Technology Inc. that was released in May 2003.

MEDICAL ERROR
Barriers to Implementing Wrong Site Surgery Guidelines: A Cognitive Work Analysis Michelle Rogers and Marta L. Render, VA Midwest Patient Safety Center of Inquiry Wednesday, October 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 noon, Governor's Square 15

The number of medical errors resulting in surgery on the wrong site increased from 8% of all errors in 1998 to more than 15% in 2002 (as reported to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, JCAHO).

Causes identified by the JCAHO include a breakdown in communication between surgical team members and the patient, inadequate operating room policy and procedures, incomplete patient assessment, staffing issues, distraction, and lack of availability of pertinent information. JCAHO, among others, has developed best practices guidelines intended to reduce risk, but they fail to account for the dynamic and complex hospital environment.

These researchers identified numerous points leading up to surgery when things can go wrong, such as during the patient consult, when incorrectly marked X-rays are not caught, or when formal cross-checks are lacking. The barriers they found in implementing the guidelines concerned site marking, participation by the patient and his or her family members, and verification of information through checklists and other tools rather than independent recognition or identification. Given that time pressure is often a contributing factor, increasing the visibility of information and improving team coordination, communication, and cross-checking can help to break down the barriers.

Although these efforts may not lead to an error-proof system, they can move the system toward being more robust and may result in a reduction in wrong-site surgeries.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is the largest multidisciplinary professional organization for human factors/ergonomics professionals in the world. It consists of 4800 persons in areas such as psychology, engineering, design, and other sciences, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems, tools, consumer products, and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them.