Classification framework to identify similar visual scan paths using multiple similarity metrics.

Analyzing visual scan paths, the time-ordered sequence of eye fixations and saccades, can help us understand how operators visually search the environment before making a decision. To analyze and compare visual scan paths, prior studies have used metrics such as string edit similarity, which considers the order used to inspect areas of interest (AOIs), as well as metrics that consider the AOIs shared between visual scan paths. However, to identify similar visual scan paths, particularly in tasks and environments in which operators may apply variations of a common underlying visual scanning behavior, using solely one similarity metric might not be sufficient.

Designs and Algorithms to Map Eye Tracking Data with Dynamic Multielement Moving Objects.

Design concepts and algorithms were developed to address the eye tracking analysis issues that arise when (1) participants interrogate dynamic multielement objects that can overlap on the display and (2) visual angle error of the eye trackers is incapable of providing exact eye fixation coordinates. These issues were addressed by (1) developing dynamic areas of interests (AOIs) in the form of either convex or rectangular shapes to represent the moving and shape-changing multielement objects, (2) introducing the concept of AOI gap tolerance (AGT) that controls the size of the AOIs to address the overlapping and visual angle error issues, and (3) finding a near optimal AGT value. The approach was tested in the context of air traffic control (ATC) operations where air traffic controller specialists (ATCSs) interrogated multiple moving aircraft on a radar display to detect and control the aircraft for the purpose of maintaining safe and expeditious air transportation.

Dimensions of air traffic control tower information needs: from information requests to display design.

In an effort to determine the information needs of tower air traffic controllers, instructors from the Federal Aviation Administration's Academy in Oklahoma City were asked to control traffic in a high-fidelity tower cab simulator. Information requests were made apparent by eliminating access to standard tower information sources. Instead, controllers were required to ask for precisely the information they needed during the scenarios.

Linking task analysis to information relevance.

Objective: The main objective of this study is to present a methodology for computing information relevance.

Background: Relevance is a pervasive term used in several domains, such as pragmatics, information science, and psychology. Quantifying the relevance of information can be helpful in effective display design.

The use of flight progress strips while working live traffic: frequencies, importance, and perceived benefits.

The Federal Aviation Administration's effort to automate air traffic control (ATC) requires that the functionality provided today be captured in future systems. We report the first quantitative naturalistic observation of paper flight progress strip interactions during operational use. Strip use was similar in a variety of situations, but some uses varied as a function of altitude, staffing, or the cooperative style used by controller teams.

Individual differences in working memory capacity predict visual attention allocation.

To the extent that individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) reflect differences in attention (Baddeley, 1993; Engle, Kane, & Tuholski, 1999), differences in WMC should predict performance on visual attention tasks. Individuals who scored in the upper and lower quartiles on the OSPAN working memory test performed a modification of Egly and Homa's (1984) selective attention task. In this task, the participants identified a central letter and localized a displaced letter flashed somewhere on one of three concentric rings.