I’m Afraid I Can’t Do That, Dave: Getting to Know Your Buddies in a Human–Agent Team

The rapid progress in artificial intelligence enables technology to more and more become a partner of humans in a team, rather than being a tool. Even more than in human teams, partners of human–agent teams have different strengths and weaknesses, and they must acknowledge and utilize their respective capabilities. Coordinated team collaboration...

Should I take over? Does system knowledge help drivers in making take-over decisions while driving a partially automated car?

Partially automated car systems are expected to soon become available to the public. However, in order for any of the potential benefits of automated driving to arise, the driver and car need to establish effective, efficient and satisfactory interactions. Otherwise, the driver may rely too much on the automated car system, leading to dangerous...

Six Challenges for Human-AI Co-learning

The increasing use of ever-smarter AI-technology is changing the way individuals and teams learn and perform their tasks. In hybrid teams, people collaborate with artificially intelligent partners. To utilize the different strengths and weaknesses of human and artificial intelligence, a hybrid team should be designed upon the principles that...

Testing the applicability of a checklist-based startle management method in the simulator

Several checklist-based methods have been proposed to help pilots manage startle in unexpected situations. In the current experiment, we tested how pilots reacted to using such a method, which featured the mnemonic COOL: Calm down – Observe – Outline – Lead. Using a motion-based simulator outfitted with a non-linear aerodynamic model of a small...

Managing startle and surprise in the cockpit

After several recent flight safety events, such as the accident of Air France flight 447 in 2009, investigators determined that surprise and startle can severely disrupt pilot responses. They concluded that pilots need to be better prepared for unexpected and potentially startling situations. In response, aviation safety authorities have...

Pilot evaluations of a non-verbal startle and surprise management method, tested during airline recurrent simulator training

Aviation safety organizations have recommended that airline pilots are trained for startle and surprise. However, little information is available on useful training interventions. Therefore, a training intervention trial was executed during airline recurrent simulator training. The method consisted of a slow visual scan from the side-window,...

Training Pilots for Unexpected Events: A Simulator Study on the Advantage of Unpredictable and Variable Scenarios

Objective: This study tested whether simulator-based training of pilot responses to unexpected or novel events can be improved by including unpredictability and variability in training scenarios. Background: Current regulations allow for highly predictable and invariable training, which may not be sufficient to prepare pilots for unexpected or...

Dealing with unexpected events on the flight deck: A conceptual model of startle and surprise

Objective: A conceptual model is proposed in order to explain pilot performance in surprising and startling situations. Background: Today’s debate around loss of control following in-flight events and the implementation of upset prevention and recovery training has highlighted the importance of pilots’ ability to deal with unexpected events....

The effect of surprise on upset recovery performance

Introducing the element of surprise is one of the main challenges in simulator training of in-flight emergencies. In this simulator study, we investigated the differences in performance between predictable and surprising circumstances, in order to obtain insight into the transfer of training between predictable training settings and surprising...

What triggers change and innovation?

Innovation and competitiveness amongst firms are currently seen as some of the main economic multipliers in industrialised and emerging economies. After 50 years of theoretical and empirical development in innovation studies explaining Why? and How? innovation occurs at the firm level remains as a prime challenge for academics and practitioners....

Integrated design of intelligent surveillance systems and their user interface

Modern complex surveillance systems consisting of multiple and heterogeneous sensors, automatic information registration and data analysis techniques, and decision support tools should provide the human operator an integrated, transparent and easily comprehensible view of the surveyed scene. Displayed visual information should be optimally tuned...

Effects of two types of intra-team feedback on developing a shared mental model in Command & Control teams

In two studies, the effect of two types of intra-team feedback on developing a shared mental model in Command & Control teams was investigated. A distinction is made between performance monitoring and team self-correction. Performance monitoring is the ability of team members to monitor each other's task execution and give feedback during task...