User Interface

Human Interaction Under Risk in Cyber-Physical Production Systems

philipp — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:55:42 +0000

Human Interaction Under Risk in Cyber-Physical Production Systems philipp Thu, 08/20/2020 - 18:55

Abstract

The emergence of cyber-physical production systems poses new challenges for designing the interface between production systems and the human-in-the-loop. In this study, we investigate how human operators interact with risks in a supply chain scenario. We varied the financial magnitude and the expected value of the decisions, the combination of two types of risk (risk in delivery amount and risk in timeliness), as well as three different task displays as within-subject factors. As explanatory user factors we studied the influence of Need for Achievement and the Attitude towards Risk-taking on the dependent variables task speed and accuracy. Results of the user study with 33 participants show that each of the investigated factors either influences decision speed, decision accuracy, or both. Consequently, the human-in-the-loop profits from adequate decision support systems that help to increase decision efficiency and effectiveness and reduce uncertainty and workload. The article concludes with a research agenda to support the human-in-the-loop in production systems.

Brauner P., Philipsen R., Valdez A.C., Ziefle M. (2019) Human Interaction Under Risk in Cyber-Physical Production Systems. In: Bagnara S., Tartaglia R., Albolino S., Alexander T., Fujita Y. (eds) Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018). Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, Springer, Cham.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96077-7_45

Tags

Related Project(s):

Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage countries

Figures and Tables (selection):

Gardeene! Textile Controls for the Home Environment

philipp — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 14:15:17 +0000

Gardeene! Textile Controls for the Home Environment philipp Thu, 08/20/2020 - 16:15

Abstract

Textile controls so far, have mostly been envisioned to be integrated to clothing. In our environment, however, much more textile interaction surfaces are available. In this paper, we present a capacitive textile sensor, seamlessly integrated into a motorized curtain. While the basic functionality is simply to open and close the curtain, its design allows a much richer gestural interaction.

Heller, F., Oßmann, L., Al-huda Hamdan, N., Brauner, P., Van Heek, J., Scheulen, K., Möllering, C., Großen, L., Witsch, R., Ziefle, M., Gries, T., Borchers, J.: Gardeene! Textile Controls for the Home Environment. In: Short paper at Mensch und Computer 2016. Gesellschaft für Informatik (2016).

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.18420/muc2016-mci-0239

Tags

Related Project(s):

Smart Interactive Textiles (IntuiTex)

Figures and Tables (selection):

Understanding and Supporting Decision Makers in Quality Management of Production Networks

philipp — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 11:05:59 +0000

Understanding and Supporting Decision Makers in Quality Management of Production Networks philipp Thu, 08/20/2020 - 13:05

Abstract

Quality management is an important aspect of viable manufacturing processes. In order to qualify decision makers to understand the fundamental principles of quality management in production networks, we developed a game-based simulation and learning environment that can furthermore be used to understand how human factors influence the quality of decisions in complex production networks. Previous studies have shown that underlying human factors must exist, that predict the players’ performance, but it is currently unexplored which factors contribute to high perfor-mance. To investigate these human factors in more depth and to further refine the quality management serious game, we conducted a series of studies. As expected, expertise had a great impact on performance. However, contrary to our expectations, cognitive skills had no influence. The refined decision dashboard with seamlessly integrated self-adapt-ing visualizations on key performance indicators had a significant positive impact on game performance. Most im-portantly, the studies suggest that the developed game is a valuable contribution to the vocational training of quality managers as the quality of their decisions is increased.

Philipsen, R., Brauner, P., Stiller, S., Ziefle, M., Schmitt, R.: Understanding and Supporting Decision Makers in Quality Management of Production Networks. In: Advances in the Ergonomics in Manufacturing. Managing the Enterprise of the Future 2014 : Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics, AHFE 2014. pp. 94–105. CRC Press, Boca Raton, United States (2014).

Tags

Related Project(s):

Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage countries

Figures and Tables (selection):

Impact of different feedback conditions on worker's performance in carbon-fiber reinforced plastic manufacturing

philipp — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 10:57:21 +0000

Impact of different feedback conditions on worker's performance in carbon-fiber reinforced plastic manufacturing philipp Thu, 08/20/2020 - 12:57

Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) are materials with excellent mechanical properties. However, slight variations in the manufacturing process lead to substantially decreasing mechanical stability and additional production costs for assuring the product’s quality. For large lot sizes a high process quality can be achieved through automation. However, for small lot sizes manual processes are required, which introduce variances in process quality. To support workers in the manual production however, there is little support to guide them and to reduce the variance in product quality. Augmented Reality (AR) applications are successfully used to offer guidance in other manufacturing processes. Yet, no empirical studies of the applicability of AR to support CFRP processing have been carried out. Therefore we present an AR based prototypic worker support system for CFRP manufacturing. Empirically, the impact of different feedback modalities (none, audio, visual, auditory+visual) as well as individual factors on effectivity, efficiency and user satisfaction was investigated. Key findings show that combined feedback worked best for accuracy, however no feedback was fastest. Regarding user preferences, auditory followed by auditory+visual feedback was rated best. Taking user preferences and performance into account will provide useful guidelines for the development of a support system.

Brauner, P., Bremen, L., Ziefle, M., Altorf, L., Rast, M., Rossmann, J.: Impact of different feedback conditions on worker's performance in carbon-fiber reinforced plastic manufacturing. In: Ahram, T., Karwowski, W., and Marek, T. (eds.) Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on The Human Aspects of Advanced Manufacturing (HAAMAHA): Manufacturing Enterprises in a Digital World. pp. 5087–5097. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2014).

Tags

Figures and Tables (selection):

Reducing Complexity with Simplicity - Usability Methods for Industry 4.0

philipp — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 09:51:26 +0000

Reducing Complexity with Simplicity - Usability Methods for Industry 4.0 philipp Wed, 08/19/2020 - 11:51

Abstract

At RWTH Aachen University the research cluster “Production Technology for High-Wage Countries” engages in advancing the polylemma of production. In many cases engineers and physicists develop simulation tools, machine interfaces, and data exploration tools but lack essential training in Human- Computer Interaction. Without proper training the interaction of visual, cognitive and task complexity can lead to solutions that are valuable only to the developers themselves, but are not usable without extensive training. We show the most critical ergonomic factors for developing software in a scientific engineering setting that focus on complex problems. We present an overview of usability methods as well as complexity reduction methods and their applicability in engineering software design. We present an exemplary study for the case of supply chain management, where the approaches were successfully integrated into a serious game not only serving as an investigatory tool but also as a training utility for supply chain managers.
Practitioner Summary: This overview aims to be used as an entry point for engineers interested in usability and its applicability from a simulations and visualizations point of view. Factors that create complexity and how they can be reduced are presented. Usability methods are evaluated in regard to their applicability.

Calero Valdez, A., Brauner, P., Schaar, A.K., Holzinger, A., Ziefle, M.: Reducing Complexity with Simplicity - Usability Methods for Industry 4.0. In: 19th Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2015). Melbourne, Australia (2015).

DOI

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.4253.6809

Defective Still Deflective – How Correctness of Decision Support Systems Influences User’s Performance in Production Environments

philipp — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 08:30:45 +0000

Defective Still Deflective – How Correctness of Decision Support Systems Influences User’s Performance in Production Environments philipp Wed, 08/19/2020 - 10:30

Abstract

The increasing dynamic and complexity of todays global supply chains and the growing amount and complexity of information challenge decision makers in manufacturing companies. Decision Support Systems (DSS) can be a viable solution to address these challenges and increase the overall decision efficiency and effectivity. However, a thought-through design and implementation of these systems is crucial for their efficacy. This article presents the current state-of-the-art of Decisions Support Systems and highlights their benefits and pitfalls. Also, we present an empirical study in which we compared different levels of decision support and decision automation in a simulated supply chain game environment. We identify and quantify how human factors influence the decision quality and decision performance in this supply chain scenario. We show that an adequately designed system raises the overall performance. However, insufficiently designed systems have the reverse effect and lead operators to miss severe situations, which can have fatal consequences for manufacturing companies.

Brauner, P., Calero Valdez, A., Philipsen, R., Ziefle, M.: Defective Still Deflective – How Correctness of Decision Support Systems Influences User’s Performance in Production Environments. In: Nah, F.F.-H. and Tan, C.-H. (eds.) HCI in Business, Government, and Organizations (HCIGO), Held as Part of HCI International 2016. pp. 16–27. Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39399-5_2.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39399-5_2

Tags

Related Project(s):

Internet of Production (IoP)

Figures and Tables (selection):

Development and Evaluation of a Research Framework for Measuring the Reliance on Automation in Situations of Risk and Moral Dilemma

philipp — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 08:01:56 +0000

Development and Evaluation of a Research Framework for Measuring the Reliance on Automation in Situations of Risk and Moral Dilemma philipp Tue, 08/18/2020 - 10:01

Abstract

Digitalization is changing the working world of tomorrow and com- plex decisions are increasingly being made by hybrid teams of people and auto- mated decision support systems. The interaction of user, task, and interface plays a decisive role, but is insufficiently studied, especially in the context of decision making under uncertainty, risk, and moral dilemmas. In this article, we present a web-based research framework for exploring this factor space with empirical user studies. The framework builds on a combination of tools for linking a user model, with the outcome of game-based decision scenarios, and the participants’ evaluations. To validate the framework, we conducted a user study with N = 64 participants and found that the system responded sensitively to factors from each of the three areas user, task, and interface. Consequently, the framework facilitates the systematic investigation of the factor space, the identification and quantification of relevant factors and the description of interactions between the factors. A systematic understanding of these factors is necessary for the development of future joint cognitive systems and Decision Support Systems.

Liehner, G.L., Brauner, P., Schaar, A.K., Ziefle, M.: Development and Evaluation of a Research Framework for Measuring the Reliance on Automation in Situations of Risk and Moral Dilemma. In: HCII 2020, LNCS 12199,. pp. 280–295 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49907-5.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49907-5_20

Tags

Related Project(s):

Internet of Production (IoP)

Figures and Tables (selection):

User-Centred Design of a Process-Recommender System for Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Production

philipp — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 07:52:20 +0000

User-Centred Design of a Process-Recommender System for Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Production philipp Tue, 08/18/2020 - 09:52

Abstract

Today’sproductionismassivelyinfluencedbyfundamentaldigitalisa- tion. IoP as the industrial realisation of the IoT idea is mainly based on the further processing and analysis of the accruing data volumes, e.g. sensor data, as well as the direct connection of integrated technical and human entities. For the techni- cal implementation, this means that suitable infrastructures and concepts must be created that add value from the generated data. Furthermore, the integration of human operators, from the shop floor to the management level, is a central challenge in the implementation of the IoP vision. Possible integration measures could be so-called recommender systems (RSS), which can offer a human operator data-based decision support in target situations. It is necessary to design and implement RSS according to the human operator’s needs and capabilities to generate a real added value. In this paper, we present a design process for a support system in textile process planning. Corresponding evaluation results are shown and reflected regarding their added value. Results show that the chosen user-centred design approach is suitable for the design of recommender systems for process planning of textile production chains, as it highlights usability conflicts early and helps identify additional feature requests. The expert evaluations run in this study revealed that the designed app concept could contribute to easier and better planning, especially in the area of fibre-reinforced polymer production.

Schemmer, T., Brauner, P., Schaar, A.K., Ziefle, M., Brillowski, F.: User-Centred Design of a Process-Recommender System for Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Production. In: Human Interface and the Management of Information, HCII. pp. 111–127 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50017-7.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50017-7_8

Tags

Related Project(s):

Internet of Production (IoP)

Figures and Tables (selection):

What happens when Decision Support Systems fail? — The Importance of Usability on Performance in Erroneous Systems

philipp — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 08:33:11 +0000

What happens when Decision Support Systems fail? — The Importance of Usability on Performance in Erroneous Systems philipp Sun, 08/16/2020 - 10:33

Abstract

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) methods, smart decision support systems (DSSs) are becoming ubiquitous. Such systems help reduce complexity for operators by automating data integration tasks and recommending actions. However, these systems are sometimes flawed. It is not sufficiently understood whether, when and why operators comply with such systems in erroneous or correct cases. We empirically investigate compliance with correct and defective DSSs, the influence of correct and erroneous DSS’s on performance and subjective factors related to compliance. In the study, a business game was used as an experimental setting in which 40 users took part. The impact of system correctness on user acceptance, trust, compliance and overall performance was investigated. The results show that the defective system reduces trust in automation (−47%), reduces usefulness (−58%), reduces acceptance (−62%) and reduces overall performance (−32%). Overall, the defective system was less user- friendly (−27%). Nevertheless, users who rated the system’s usability higher, outperformed users who rated it lower. Usability is therefore an intermediary that compensates for the negative influence of erroneous DSSs.

Brauner, P., Philipsen, R., Valdez, A.C., Ziefle, M., Philipsen, R.: What happens when Decision Support Systems fail? — The Importance of Usability on Performance in Erroneous Systems. Behav. Inf. Technol. 38, 1225–1242 (2019).

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2019.1581258

Tags

Related Project(s):

Internet of Production (IoP)

Figures and Tables (selection):

Interactive FUrniTURE – Evaluation of Smart Interactive Textile Interfaces for Home Environments

philipp — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 08:24:23 +0000

Interactive FUrniTURE – Evaluation of Smart Interactive Textile Interfaces for Home Environments philipp Sun, 08/16/2020 - 10:24

Abstract

Ubiquitous computing strives to reach the \emph{calm computing} state where sensors and actuators disappear from the foreground of our surroundings into the fabric of everyday objects. Despite the great progress in embedded technology, artificial interfaces, such as remote controls and touch screens, remain the dominant media for interacting with smart everyday objects. Motivated by recent advancements in smart textile technologies, we investigate the usability and acceptance of fabric-based controllers in the smart home environment. In this article we describe the development and evaluation of three textile interfaces for controlling a motorized recliner armchair in a living room setting. The core of this contribution is the empirical study with twenty participants that contrasted the user experience of three textile-based interaction techniques to a standard remote control. Despite the slightly lower reliability of the textile interfaces, their overall acceptance was higher. The study shows that the hedonic quality and attractiveness of textile interfaces have higher impact on user acceptance compared to pragmatic qualities, such as efficiency, fluidity of interaction, and reliability. Attractiveness profits from the direct and nearly invisible integration of the interaction device into textile objects such as furniture.

Brauner, P., van Heek, J., Ziefle, M., Hamdan, N.A., Borchers, J.: Interactive FUrniTURE – Evaluation of Smart Interactive Textile Interfaces for Home Environments. In: Proceedings of the 2017 ACM International Conference on Interactive Surfaces and Spaces. pp. 151--160. ACM Press, Brighton, England (2017).

DOI

http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/3132272.3134128

Tags

Related Project(s):

Smart Interactive Textiles (IntuiTex)

Figures and Tables (selection):