Focus Areas - Human System Integration - Details

SUPPORT PROJECTS

Papers aimed at the development of infrastructure for Human System Integration research, development and application such as database, other information system or education and training activities.

Human Factors Engineering & Ergonomics

HABITABILITY AND WORKPLACE EVALUATION AND DESIGN

Methods for assessing and modeling the physical characteristics of human habitats as they affect human performance, safety and efficiency. The physical characteristics include environmental factors, architectural factors, and workplace design as they interact with human size, strength, task performance, and social interactions.

COGNITIVE HUMAN PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND MODELING

Tools and protocols for assessing human information acquisition and processing. Methods to determine or predict individual or team readiness to perform with respect to cognitive tasks including vigilance, signal detection, memory processing, and decision making. Perceptual and cognitive aids including augmented reality, display design, procedure design, and decision support systems. Advances in training, including embedded measures of performance, new training technologies, and methods to assess training effectives.

INTERFACE EVALUATION AND DESIGN

Methods for the evaluation and modeling of the informational aspects of the habitat systems and their interfaces as they interact with the human sensory, attentional, perceptual, cognitive, motor, memory and learning processes. The analysis should lead to design recommendations for system interfaces including displays, controls, instructions, warnings, labels, procedures and training in the context of communication, payload, maintenance, teleoperation and other routine and emergency tasks.

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND MODELING

Methods and tools to quantify and predict human physical performance including reach, strength, and endurance. Assessment and prediction of the effects on performance of protective clothing including EVA suits. Models to generate designs of equipment and procedures, and to verify that the designs support human physical performance for space operations or ground operations, including vehicle preparation and maintenance.

MULTI-AGENT COOPERATIVE PERFORMANCE

Methods to evaluate and design tasks to be performed by interacting intelligent agents, either multiple humans or teams incorporating humans and robots or other intelligent or autonomous systems. Distributed decision support and activity planning and coordination. Integrating information from multiple sources for effective transfer to humans.

TASK ANALYSIS AND FUNCTION ALLOCATION

Tools and processes to identify task components and necessary levels of performance for long-duration missions. Tools and processes to analyze tasks and determine optimum function allocation based on crew readiness to perform, cost and schedule, state of the art in automation and robotics, communications lags, or other criteria.

INTERFACE EVALUATION AND DESIGN

Methods for the evaluation and modeling of the informational aspects of the habitat systems and their interfaces as they interact with the human sensory, attentional, perceptual, cognitive, motor, memory and learning processes. The analysis should lead to design recommendations for system interfaces including displays, controls, instructions, warnings, labels, procedures and training in the context of communication, payload, maintenance, teleoperation and other routine and emergency tasks.

REQUIREMENTS, GUIDELINES AND DESIGN TOOLS

Advances in developing, communicating, and incorporating human factors processes and requirements into design of hardware, software, or operations.

Behavioral Health & Performance

TEAM COHESION AND PRODUCTIVITY

Methods for evaluating and modeling individual and group preferences, behaviors and performance as affected by long duration isolation in artificial habitats. Effects of organizational design, task allocation, scheduling, and leadership on performance of routine and emergency operations. This focus area also includes multi-cultural issues and family support.

READINESS TO PERFORM

Tools and models to assess and predict effects of stressors including lack of sleep, cognitive decrements, living in microgravity and excess stress on human readiness to perform including issues with perception due to microgravity.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Individual health factors for long duration space flight, unobtrusive and noninvasive metrics, develop risk mitigation tools, and predictive models.

INDIVIDUAL AND CREW SELECTION

Methods to determine critical characteristics for selecting individuals for high-stress, long-term operations, including astronauts and mission controllers. Methods to determine critical characteristics of members for composing teams for selected operations or missions. Methods to determine required skills, knowledge, and personality factors for specific multi-person tasks.

REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES

Research will inform spaceflight standards, especially in the area of behavioral health and performance and relevant medical requirements.