Programme

Improving resilience in urban search and rescue missions by smart information exchange

Format: Oral presentation 45min | Language: English | Tags: social, research, ubiquity, design
Speaker: Mark Neerincx | Delft University of Technology

Abstract

Specialized Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) support teams are often deployed after disasters to find, rescue and assist people. Those deployments are characterized by their extreme emotional and physical working conditions, and their high time pressure in a dynamic environment with a lot of unexpected events. Furthermore, the USAR teams typically work at dispersed locations, extending the cognitive requirements due to a temporal and/or spatial boundary between the team members. Although these teams are generally effective, this paper searches ways to improve USAR capabilities and resilience. The IOP-MMI project “Collaboration at a Distance” project conducted a situated Cognitive Engineering methodology to establish a sound requirements baseline for USAR support tools. This methodology contains an integrated analysis of operational, human factors and technical demands, the derivation of system requirements and the validation of those requirements with for example human-in-the-loop evaluations.

Our starting point is a thorough domain analysis and field study during a twoweek exercise of the Dutch USAR team in Dubai. Multiple questionnaires on situational awareness and information distribution, short and long term planning and leadership styles were taken. Furthermore, key personnel was asked to perform computer tests before and after each shift, to monitor possible changes in cognitive capacities. Data and observations showed that the organization heavily depended on predefined plans and explicit communication calls. Both are suboptimal, predefined plans are too rigid in the highly dynamic environment, and the communication calls are considered disruptive and stressful.

From the analyses, we derived requirements for adapting the plans to occurring unexpected events, and for eliciting up-to-date information in the control post. Human-computer interaction tools have been selected to provide these functions, aiming at an efficient (non-disruptive) communication and information exchange and an optimal situational awareness (SA). For the control post, we developed tools for SA and planning, using multi-touch technology on a surface table. The required information that is presented on this interface will be provided by team leaders in the field, using specifically designed applications on smart phones. Furthermore, information using GPS and RFID are being integrated. This paper summarizes the domain analyses results, the derivation of support requirements, the corresponding user interface designs, and first tests of the support functions (e.g., on observability).

Note: A demo will feature the interface that was designed for improving urban search and rescue capabilities and resilience.

About Mark

Mark Neerincx is senior researcher at TNO Human Factors, and professor in Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) at the Delft University of Technology. He obtained a MSc in Cognitive Psychology from Leiden University and a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Groningen, both in The Netherlands. Mark Neerincx has extensive experience in fundamental and applied research on human-computer interaction, among other things in the domains of defense, security, space and health. Important results are (1) cognitive task load and emotion models for performance and health support, (2) models of human-machine partnership for attuning assistance to the individual user and momentary usage context, (3) cognitive engineering methods and tools, and (4) a diverse set of usability “best practices”. Mark Neerincx participates in national and international HMI and cognitive-engineering activities, such as the Program Committee of the Dutch “Innovation-Centered Research Program Man-Machine Interaction” (IOP MMI), the HFES Augmented Cognition Technical Group and the Human Factors Engineering standardization committee for manned space missions. He has been project leader of national and international consortia (e.g., for the ESA-supported Mission Execution Crew Assistant program), and is involved in the organization of several conferences, workshops and tutorials to discuss and disseminate human factors knowledge (e.g.., as chair of the European Conference of Cognitive Ergonomics 2010). Mark Neerincx has published an extensive set of papers for peer-reviewed journals and international conferences, has given lectures on cognitive and user-experience engineering at several universities, and supervises MSc and PhD students conducting research on human-machine collaboration.