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At least 163 records · Page 9

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NASA NTRS2013

Habitat Design Considerations for Implementing Solar Particle Event Radiation Protection

Radiation protection is an important habitat design consideration for human exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. Fortunately, radiation shelter concepts can effectively reduce astronaut exposure for the relatively low proton energies of solar particle events, enabling moderate duration missions of several months before astronaut exposure (galactic cosmic ray and solar particle event) approaches radiation exposure limits. In order to minimize habitat mass for increasingly challenging missions, design of radiation shelters must minimize dedicated, single-purpose shielding mass by leveraging the design and placement of habitat subsystems, accommodations, and consumables. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems RadWorks Storm Shelter Team has recently designed and performed radiation analysis on several low dedicated mass shelter concepts for a year-long mission. This paper describes habitat design considerations identified during the study's radiation analysis. These considerations include placement of the shelter within a habitat for improved protection, integration of human factors guidance for sizing shelters, identification of potential opportunities for habitat subsystems to compromise on individual subsystem performances for overall vehicle mass reductions, and pre-configuration of shelter components for reduced deployment times.

Simon, Mathew A.↗

NASA NTRS2012

NASA-ONERA Collaboration on Human Factors in Aviation Accidents and Incidents

Srivastava, Ashok N.↗

NASA NTRS2012

First Annual Report: NASA-ONERA Collaboration on Human Factors in Aviation Accidents and Incidents

This is the first annual report jointly prepared by NASA and ONERA on the work performed under the agreement to collaborate on a study of the human factors entailed in aviation accidents and incidents particularly focused on consequences of decreases in human performance associated with fatigue. The objective of this Agreement is to generate reliable, automated procedures that improve understanding of the levels and characteristics of flight-crew fatigue factors whose confluence will likely result in unacceptable crew performance. This study entails the analyses of numerical and textual data collected during operational flights. NASA and ONERA are collaborating on the development and assessment of automated capabilities for extracting operationally significant information from very large, diverse (textual and numerical) databases much larger than can be handled practically by human experts. This report presents the approach that is currently expected to be used in processing and analyzing the data for identifying decrements in aircraft performance and examining their relationships to decrements in crewmember performance due to fatigue. The decisions on the approach were based on samples of both the numerical and textual data that will be collected during the four studies planned under the Human Factors Monitoring Program (HFMP). Results of preliminary analyses of these sample data are presented in this report.

Srivastava, Ashok↗

NASA NTRS1989

Overtraining and exercise motivation: A research prospectus

The problems of exercise overtraining has recently become one of great interest to professionals in the field of human performance assessment. Quite obviously, the ultimate goal of the training process is to improve physical performance. However, excessive training can result in the opposite effect, that is, a performance decline and an impairment in the functional work capacity of the body. Research indicates that both psychological as well as physiological disturbances are quite common in overtrained individuals. For example, psychological changes include increased levels of depression, fatigue, and a lack of motivation. Similarly, impairment of the physiological function of the cardiovascular, metabolic, and endocrine systems also have been found. Some similarities may be found in the psychological and physiological states of crew members exposed to extended space flight and overtrained individuals. Therefore, the possibility exists that the crew members subjected to extended missions in space may develop overstressed or overtrained or both states during their flights. If such states do develop within the crew members, mission performance may be impaired. With these points as a background, the intent is to address potential research directions that NASA may consider viable and of a mutual interest to the researcher. A clear framework by which to begin discussion of research topics is needed; therefore, working definitions of overtraining and exercise motivation are presented. Subsequently, a proposed conceptional model of how exercise overtraining and motivation interact is presented. In support of the proposed model is a brief literature review of relevant areas. Potential research projects are presented and discussed.

Hackney, Anthony C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Attention in a multi-task environment

Two experiments used a low fidelity multi-task simulation to investigate the effects of cue specificity on task preparation and performance. Subjects performed a continuous compensatory tracking task and were periodically prompted to perform one of several concurrent secondary tasks. The results provide strong evidence that subjects enacted a strategy to actively divert resources towards secondary task preparation only when they had specific information about an upcoming task to be performed. However, this strategy was not as much affected by the type of task cued (Experiment 1) or its difficulty level (Experiment 2). Overall, subjects seemed aware of both the costs (degraded primary task tracking) and benefits (improved secondary task performance) of cue information. Implications of the present results for computational human performance/workload models are discussed.

Andre, Anthony D.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Automatic Seismic Phase Picking Using Deep Learning for the EGS Collab project

Microseismic monitoring plays an important role in many energy-related and environmental industries.The microseismic event catalog and seismic structure of the subsurface are two of the primary outputsof the microseismic monitoring system. Though rough locations of microseismic events can be estimated automatically, obtaining high-resolution microseismic event locations requires a significant amount of human laborespecially on seismic phase picking. Unlike traditional automatic pickers that are usually less precise than human analysts, a fewrecently proposed algorithms based on deepneural networks(DNN)were able to match or surpass human performance for earthquake signals. Due to differences in the spatial scale of the study area, sensor sampling rate, and geometry of the monitoring system, it is not clear whether these deepneural networkmodels can be used to speed up microseismic data processing. In this paper, we adapted the DNN based technique for automatic phase picking of microseismic signals. We usedmicroseismic data recorded at the experiment 1 site of the enhancedgeothermal system (EGS) Collab project anddesigneda workflowthat we call transfer-learning aided double-difference tomography (TADT),thatcombines transfer learning and seismic tomography. We re-train an existing DNN with our data to obtain a newmodel using around 3500 seismogramsand associated manual phase picks. Thistransfer learnedmodel is able to reach human performance but muchfaster than human analysts. The transfer-learning-derived phase pickswereused to improve microseismic event locations and imagethesubsurface. The results are similar to or slightly better than those obtained with manual phase picks.

Chai, Chengping↗

NASA NTRS1982

Improving the computer-human interface: The qualitative monitor display

A technique for displaying the information needed by DSN operators for monitoring station performance is described. Known as a 'qualitative monitor,' it presents continuous variables in quasi-analog form on a digital cathode ray tube (CRT) display. Color changes, field reverses and blinking symbols assist the operator in identifying variables that are within acceptable limits and in performing corrective action when needed.

Baugh, H. W.↗

NASA NTRS1982

A practical ultrasonic plethysmograph

An ultrasonic plethysmograph, which gives improved performance over the standard Whitney Strain Gauge, is described. This instrument monitors dimension changes in human limbs by measuring the transit times of acoustic pulses across two chords of the limb. In the case of a small uniform expansion, the percentage change in limb volume is shown to be proportional to twice the percentage change in either of the measured chords. Measurement of two chords allows correction for possible non-uniform expansion. In addition, measurement of two chords allows an estimate of the absolute cross-sectional area of the limb. The developed instrument incorporates a microprocessor, which performs necessary calculation and control functions. Use of the microprocessor allows the instrument to be self-calibrating. In addition, the device can be easily reprogrammed to incorporate improvements in operating features or computational schemes.

Wu, V. C.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Human-in-the-loop Sensing and Control for Commercial Building Energy Efficiency and Occupant Comfort

Most of the existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings operate in a conservative manner by assuming maximum occupancy in each room during pre-specified periods of the week, leading to significant energy being wasted as rooms are over-conditioned compared to the actual requirements of the occupants. Though critical, our understanding of occupancy patterns and thermal comfort needs of the occupants in commercial buildings is lacking and it is well known that both of these quantities are stochastic and time-varying, thus requiring sensing solutions to estimate them. This project had the goal of designing, implementing and evaluating a hardware and software solution to ameliorate this challenge. In particular, a depth camera (one whose pixels reveal distance from the camera as opposed to color values) placed on doorways is used to detect entrance and exit events from thermal zones in the building, and thereby estimate their occupancy levels. This information is then fed to a novel control algorithm that can, through interactions with the HVAC system, learn how to provide control inputs that maximize comfort and minimize energy waste. The resulting system represents a significant improvement over existing controllers for commercial HVAC systems and allowed us to improve our understanding of the design of future human-in-the-loop control solutions. For this solution to be feasible, the project had target metrics for its performance and cost. In particular, entrance and exit events for occupants moving about the building would need to be detected with an accuracy higher than 97%; and the resulting control inputs derived from this information would need to lead to approximately 10% energy savings compared to a schedule-based controller. Furthermore, regarding the final hardware design, the project had a target bill of materials (BOM) cost for the sensing solution of less than US$200 per unit while using less than 25W of power on average. All of these target metrics were met or exceeded by our final proposed solution. We performed evaluations by deploying the system in over 20 rooms of different types across 6 commercial buildings in Pittsburgh, PA over the course of three years, and performing targeted controlled experiments to test its performance along the different metrics. The human-in-the-loop control solutions (both hardware and software) developed through this project are expected to lead to significant improvements in the comfort and energy efficiency of HVAC systems used in commercial buildings. The insights we developed through the project pave the way to HVAC systems that can condition interior spaces according to their real-time utilization and the thermal comfort needs of the occupants, thereby reducing energy use. They also open up a new learning-based way of configuring HVAC controllers without having to manually fine-tune them for each building. These innovations can significantly increase the adoption of novel control solutions by the industry and thereby save resources and reduce costs of operation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1967

Optimal learning in detection situations Semiannual status report

Models for improvement of performance in psychophysical tasks

PSYCHOPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1999

The Effect of Shared Information on Pilot/Controller And Controller/Controller Interactions

In order to respond to the increasing demand on limited airspace system resources, a number of applications of information technology have been proposed, or are under investigation, to improve the efficiency, capacity and reliability of ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) operations. Much of the attention in advanced ATM technology has focused on advanced automation systems or decision aiding systems to improve the performance of individual Pilots or Controllers. However, the most significant overall potential for information technology appears to he in increasing the shared information between human agents such as Pilots, Controllers or between interacting Controllers or traffic flow managers. Examples of proposed shared information systems in the US include; Controller Pilot Databank Communication (CPDLC), Traffic Management Advisor (TMA); Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS); Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) and NAS Level Common Information Exchange. Air Traffic Management is fundamentally a human centered process consisting of the negotiation, execution and monitoring of contracts between human agents for the allocation of limited airspace, runway and airport surface resources. The decision processes within ATM tend to be Semistructured. Many of the routine elements in ATM decision making on the part of the Controllers or Pilots are well Structured and can be represented by well defined rules or procedures. However in disrupted conditions, the ATM decision processes are often Unstructured and cannot be reduced to a set of discrete rules. As a consequence, the ability to automate ATM processes will be limited and ATM will continue to be a human centric process where the responsibility and the authority for the negotiation will continue to rest with human Controllers and Pilots. The use of information technology to support the human decision process will therefore be an important aspect of ATM modernization. The premise of many of the proposed shared information systems is that the performance of ATM operations will improve with an increase in Shared Situation Awareness between agents (Pilots, Controller, Dispatchers). This will allow better informed control decisions and an improved ability to negotiate between agents. A common information basis may reduce communication load and may increase the level of collaboration in the decision process. In general, information sharing is expected to have advantages for all agents within the system. However there are important questions which remain to be,addressed. For example: What shared information is most important for developing effective Shared Situation Awareness? Are there issues of information saturation? Does information parity create ambiguity in control authority? Will information sharing induce undesirable or unstable gaming behavior between agents? This paper will explore the effect of current and proposed information sharing between different ATM agents. The paper will primarily concentrate on bilateral tactical interactions between specific agents (Pilot/Controller; Controller/Controller; Pilot/Dispatcher; Controller/Dispatcher) however it will also briefly discuss multilateral interaction and more strategic interactions.

Hansman, R. John↗

NASA NTRS2002

Relationship between alertness, performance, and body temperature in humans

Body temperature has been reported to influence human performance. Performance is reported to be better when body temperature is high/near its circadian peak and worse when body temperature is low/near its circadian minimum. We assessed whether this relationship between performance and body temperature reflects the regulation of both the internal biological timekeeping system and/or the influence of body temperature on performance independent of circadian phase. Fourteen subjects participated in a forced desynchrony protocol allowing assessment of the relationship between body temperature and performance while controlling for circadian phase and hours awake. Most neurobehavioral measures varied as a function of internal biological time and duration of wakefulness. A number of performance measures were better when body temperature was elevated, including working memory, subjective alertness, visual attention, and the slowest 10% of reaction times. These findings demonstrate that an increased body temperature, associated with and independent of internal biological time, is correlated with improved performance and alertness. These results support the hypothesis that body temperature modulates neurobehavioral function in humans.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1993

Incongruity, incongruity resolution, and mental states: The measure and modification of situational awareness and control

The research reported here describes the process of induction of various mental states. Our goals were to measure and to manipulate both the behavioral and the neurological correlates of particular mental states that have previously been demonstrated to be either beneficial or deleterious to in-flight performance situations. The experimental paradigm involved developing a context of which the participants were aware, followed by the introduction of an incongruity into that context. The empirical questions involved how the incongruity was resolved and the consequent effects on mental state. The dependent variables were measures of both the short-term ERP changes and the longer-term brain mapping indications of predominant mental states. The mission of NASA Flight Management Division and Human/Automation Integration Branch centers on the understanding and improvement of interaction between a complex system and a human operator. Specifically, the goal is improved efficiency through better operative procedures and control strategies. More efficient performance in demanding flight environments depends on improved situational awareness and replanning for fault management.

Derks, Peter L.↗

DOE OSTI2023

A dynamic parameterization of sulfuric acid–dimethylamine nucleation and its application in three-dimensional modeling

Sulfuric acid (SA) is a governing gaseous precursor for atmospheric new particle formation (NPF), a major source of global ultrafine particles, in environments studied around the world. In polluted urban atmospheres with high condensation sinks (CSs), the formation of stable SA–amine clusters, such as SA–dimethylamine (DMA) clusters, usually initializes intense NPF events. Coagulation scavenging and cluster evaporation are dominant sink processes of SA–amine clusters in urban atmospheres, yet these loss processes are not quantitatively included in the present parameterizations of SA–amine nucleation. We herein report a parameterization of SA–DMA nucleation, based on cluster dynamic simulations and quantum chemistry calculations, with certain simplifications to greatly reduce the computational costs. Compared with previous SA–DMA nucleation parameterizations, this new parameterization was able to reproduce the dependences of particle formation rates on temperature and CSs. We then incorporated it in a three-dimensional (3-D) chemical transport model to simulate the evolution of the particle number size distributions. Simulation results showed good consistency with the observations in the occurrence of NPF events and particle number size distributions in wintertime Beijing and represented a significant improvement compared to that using a parameterization without coagulation scavenging. Quantitative analysis shows that SA–DMA nucleation contributes significantly to nucleation rates and aerosol population during the 3-D simulations in Beijing (>99 % and >60 %, respectively). These results broaden the understanding of NPF in urban atmospheres and stress the necessity of including the effects of coagulation scavenging and cluster stability in simulating SA–DMA nucleation in 3-D simulations. Representing these processes is thus likely to improve model performance in particle source apportionment and quantification of aerosol effects on air quality, human health, and climate.

Li, Yuyang↗

NASA NTRS1992

The Deep Space Network information system in the year 2000

The Deep Space Network (DSN), the largest, most sensitive scientific communications and radio navigation network in the world, is considered. Focus is made on the telemetry processing, monitor and control, and ground data transport architectures of the DSN ground information system envisioned for the year 2000. The telemetry architecture will be unified from the front-end area to the end user. It will provide highly automated monitor and control of the DSN, automated configuration of support activities, and a vastly improved human interface. Automated decision support systems will be in place for DSN resource management, performance analysis, fault diagnosis, and contingency management.

Markley, R. W.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Human Factors Considerations for Area Navigation Departure and Arrival Procedures

Area navigation (RNAV) procedures are being implemented in the United States and around the world as part of a transition to a performance-based navigation system. These procedures are providing significant benefits and have also caused some human factors issues to emerge. Under sponsorship from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has undertaken a project to document RNAV-related human factors issues and propose areas for further consideration. The component focusing on RNAV Departure and Arrival Procedures involved discussions with expert users, a literature review, and a focused review of the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database. Issues were found to include aspects of air traffic control and airline procedures, aircraft systems, and procedure design. Major findings suggest the need for specific instrument procedure design guidelines that consider the effects of human performance. Ongoing industry and government activities to address air-ground communication terminology, design improvements, and chart-database commonality are strongly encouraged. A review of factors contributing to RNAV in-service errors would likely lead to improved system design and operational performance.

Barhydt, Richard↗

NASA NTRS2017

Emergency Locator Transmitter Survivability and Reliability Study

A comprehensive study of Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) performance was conducted over a three year period concluding in 2016 in support of the Search and Rescue (SAR) Mission Office at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The study began with a review of reported performance cited in a collection of works published as early as 1980 as well as analysis of a focused set of contemporary aviation crash reports. Based on initial research findings, a series of subscale and fullscale system tests were performed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) with the goals of investigating ELT system failure modes and developing recommended improvements to the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) Minimum Operational Performance Specification (MOPS) that will result in improved system performance. Enhanced performance of ELT systems in aviation accidents will reduce unnecessary loss of human life and make SAR operations safer and less costly by reducing the amount of time required to locate accident sites.

Stimson, Chad M.↗

NASA NTRS2018

NASA SPLICE Project: Development and Testing of Precision Landing GN&C Technologies

NASA's technology advancement needs for entry, descent and landing call for high-precision, high-rate sensors that can improve navigation accuracy and vehicle control performance. Higher landing accuracy is required for any future human lander missions, and likely, for most robotic missions 1,2. Sensors and algorithms that significantly reduce navigation errors and can image the local terrain will enable landing at locations of high scientific interest that would otherwise pose significant risk to the vehicle. The Safe and Precise Landing-Integrated Capabilities Evolution project, or SPLICE, is developing precision landing and hazard avoidance (PL&HA) technologies for NASA and for potential commercial space flight missions. SPLICE technologies include sensors, algorithms, advanced space flight computing capabilities, and simulation tools used to integrate and study guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) system performance. SPLICE efforts include hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulation testing, ground testing, and flight testing, including reuse of hardware from the CoOperative Blending of Autonomous Landing Technologies (COBALT) suborbital flight-test payload3,4. Two of the precise navigation sensors that are being developed and matured within SPLICE are LiDARs. Since 2006, NASA Langley has been developing a Navigation Doppler LiDAR (NDL) for precise velocity measurements, and SPLICE is building an NDL engineering test unit (ETU) that will be brought up to TRL 6 following environmental and high-speed1,2 testing. NASA Goddard is developing a Hazard Detection LiDAR (HD LiDAR) engineering development unit (EDU) for SPLICE that has relevance to future human and robotic lander missions. The HD LiDAR will be flight test and matured to TRL 5.

Restrepo, Carolina I.↗