Evaluation of the Impact of Data Communications on ... - IEEE Xplore

Evaluation of the Impact of Data Communications on Controller Workload Using the Functional Near Infra Red Imaging Technique Ben Willems, FAA Sehchang Hah, FAA Ken Schulz, Hi-Tec Systems Presented to: DASC 2011 By: Ben Willems Date: October 19, 2011

Federal Aviation Administration

Overview • • • • • • • • •

FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center NextGen Data Communications En Route Automation Modernization System En Route Data Communications Experiment Workload Assessment Keypad Functional Near Infra Red Spectography Workload Results Discussion

Effect of DataComm Equipage Level on Controller Workload October 19, 2011


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William J. Hughes Technical Center

http://www.tc.faa.gov Effect of DataComm Equipage Level on Controller Workload October 19, 2011


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William J. Hughes Technical Center • Federal Aviation Administration • laboratories, • test facilities, • support facilities • Atlantic City International Airport • Department of Homeland Security • Transportation Security Lab • United States Coast Guard • Group Air Station Atlantic City • Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing



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• Laboratory Services – Concepts and Systems Integration Branch

• Aviation Research – Human Factors Branch Effect of DataComm Equipage Level on Controller Workload October 19, 2011


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Collaboration • Sponsorship – AJP-925 – Air/Ground Data Communications Team (Segment 1) – AJP-66 – ATS Concept Development and Validation Group (Segment 2)

• Execution – AJP-6110 – Human Factors Team – AJP-784 – Concepts & Systems Integration Team – AJP-786 – Simulation Team

• Participants – ATO-E – En Route and Oceanic Services Effect of DataComm Equipage Level on Controller Workload October 19, 2011


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NextGen

• Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) – – – – –

Data Communications (DataComm) Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) National Voice Switch (NVS) System Wide Information Management (SWIM) NextGen Network-enabled Weather (NNEW)

– Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies (CATMT) – Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE)

• More information: http://www.faa.gov/nextgen



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Data Communications

• Complements Voice Communications – Several flavors • Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A • Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN) • RTCA Special Committee 214 (SC214)

– Types of messages • • • •

Data Link Initiation Capability (DLIC) ATC Communications Management (ACM) ATC Clearance (ACL) Pilot Initiated Downlink (PID)



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Data Communications • Data Link is in use – In the United States • At some Air Traffic Control Tower as the Tower Data Link System (TDLS) • Over the Ocean as the Controller Pilot Data Link System (CPDLC) using the Advanced Technologies for Oceanic Procedures (ATOP) system

– In Europe domestically and around the world over the oceans

• Data Link will be introduced in the United States domestic airspace as – Data Communications Effect of DataComm Equipage Level on Controller Workload October 19, 2011


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En Route Modernization Automation (ERAM) System • Replaces – – – –

HOST Computer Complex, Display System Replacement, User Request Evaluation Tool, Several other sub-systems

• Complete rewrite of the en route automation



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En Route Data Communications Experiment Conditions • Five components – Equipage level • 0%, 10%, 50%, 100% of aircraft equipped

– Human Machine Interface • Keyboard, Graphical User Interface, Template, or Combined input optios

– Best Equipped, Best Served • First Come, First Served vs. Best Equipped, Best Served

– Round Trip Message Delay • As proposed in SC214 requirements for en route vs. reduced message delays

– DataComm Failure • Individual aircraft, partial, full system failures



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En Route Data Communications Experiment Environment

• Air Traffic Control Simulation: Distributed Environment for SImulation, Rapid Engineering and Evaluation (DESIREE) emulated – En route automation behavior (Flight Data Processing, Surveillance, Conflict Alert, etc.) – ERAM Human Machine Interface – Data Communications behavior (technical delay and pilot response time distributions)

• Aircraft Behavior: Target Generation Facility – Emulated aircraft dynamics using BADA models – Provided simulation pilot workstations to maneuver the simulated aircraft – Provided Data Link capabilities

• Java En route Development Initiative (JEDI) – Developed by the MITRE Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development – Emulates the User Request Evaluation Tool



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En Route Data Communications Experiment Environment (cont.)



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En Route Data Communications Experiment ATC Teams, Airspace, and Traffic • ATC Teams – Radar Controller – Radar Associate Controller

• Fictitious Airspace – Genera Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZGN) – Sector 08 • High altitude (FL240 and above) •

Monitor Alert Parameter (MAP) value of 18

• Traffic – Training scenarios at low, moderate, and experimental levels – Experimental scenarios at 150% of the MAP value or 24 Instantaneous Aircraft count



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En Route Data Communications Experiment Airspace



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En Route Data Communications Experiment Participants • 24 Certified Professional Controllers from Air Route Traffic Control Centers within the Continental United States • Age: Mean 44 years (range: 24 – 55 years) • Experience: Mean 20 years (range: 3 – 30 years) • Joined us in groups of four – 2 Teams of a radar and radar associate controller – Each team worked on an independent simulation – Participated in training and experimentation for 6 days



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En Route Data Communications Experiment Dependent Measures • • • • • • • • • • • •

Voice Communications (Push-To-Talk) Subjective Workload (Workload Assessment Keypad) Post Scenario Questionnaire Exit Questionnaire Time and Distance Functional Near Infra Red Spectrography Aircraft Maneuvers Controller Entries Over-The-Shoulder Ratings Debriefing Comments Eye Movements System Variables



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Workload Assessment Keypad • Derived from the Air Traffic Workload Input Techniques (ATWIT) developed by Stein • Subjective scale from 1 – 10 with operational anchors • Prompted participants to rate workload – At 2-minute intervals – With 20 seconds to respond



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Functional Near Infra Red Spectography • Instrument developed at Drexel University • Uses near infra red light at two wave lengths to determine blood concentrations of oxygenated and de-oxygenated hemoglobin • Calculates changes in oxygen consumption associated with neural activity • Used as an indicator of cognitive workload



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Workload Results Subjective Workload - General 30.0

4.5 4.0

25.0

A/C count

20.0

3.0 2.5

15.0

2.0

10.0

1.5

Average Rating

3.5 A/C on frequency A/C in sector On freq or in sector D-side Rating R-side Rating

1.0 5.0

0.5

0.0

0.0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 Probe Time (minutes)



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Workload Results Subjective Workload - Equipage 5

WAK Rating

4

3

2

1

0 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percent DataComm Equipped



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Workload Results fNIRS - Equipage 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 0

10

50

100

1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

-0.4

0

10

-0.8

0.4 0.2 0 0

10

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 50

*

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

100

0

10

1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

-0.4

-0.4

-0.6

-0.6

50

*

1.6

100

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

0

10

50

100

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2 -0.4

-0.6

-0.6

-0.6

-0.6

-0.8

0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

0

10

50

100

*

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

0

50

Voxel 13

100

1.6

1.4

1.4

1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

0

10

50

100

0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2 -0.4

-0.6

-0.6

-0.6

-0.6

-0.8

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

0

10

50

100

Equipage

Voxel 12

1.8

*

1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

0

10

50

100

1.8

*

1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

0

10

50

100

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -0.2

-0.4

-0.4

-0.6

-0.6

-0.6

-0.6

-0.8

-0.8 Equipage


**

1.6

-0.4

Equipage

Voxel 16

1.8

-0.4 -0.8

10

Equipage

Voxel 14

Oxygenation Changes (au)

**

1.6


1.8

0

-0.8

Equipage

Voxel 10

100

1 0.8

-0.4

-0.8

50

1.2

-0.4

Equipage

100

Voxel 15

1.8

1.6

-0.4 -0.8


10

50

Equipage


1

10

-0.8

1.8


1.2

1.6



1.4

Voxel 11

1.8


*

1.6

0

Equipage

Equipage

Voxel 9

1.8

100

**

1.6

-0.4

-0.8

50

Voxel 8

1.8

-0.4

Equipage

10

Equipage

Voxel 6

-0.4 -0.8

0

-0.8

1.8

1.6

100

50

*

1.4

Equipage

Voxel 4

1.8


*

1.6

10

0.6

Equipage

Voxel 2

0

1 0.8

1.6

-0.8

Equipage

1.8

*

1.2

-0.2

-0.6

-0.8


100

-0.4

-0.6

-0.2

50


-0.2

1.2

Voxel 7

1.8


1.4


1.6

1.4

1.2

Voxel 5

1.8

1.6

1.4



Voxel 3

1.8

1.6


Voxel 1

1.8

0

10

50

100

-0.8 Equipage

Equipage


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Discussion • Controllers perceive that increased DataComm equipage levels reduces workload • fNIRS shows that brain activity in the prefrontal cortex does not correspond with that perception • Possible explanation – The presence of Data Communications add two decisions • Is this aircraft equipped? • Is the situation appropriate for use of Data Commuications

• Experience may alter this effect



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Questions?



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Contact Information Ben Willems Engineering Research Psychologist FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center Human Factors Branch (ANG-E25) Building 28 Atlantic City International Airport, NJ 08405 E-Mail: [email protected]



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