Proceedvlgs of The First Joint BMESlEMBS Conference Serving Humanity, Advancing Technology Od 1516. W, AWh.
GA, USA
Ah' INFORMATIC MODEL OF HUMAN OPERATOR CONTROL
C.A. Phillips' and D.W. Repperger"
*BHE/WSU,Dayton, OH 45435;"AFRLJHECP, WPAFB, OH 45433
Abstract
A preliminary mformatic model has previously
accounted for information processing that represents the
movement time of the buman operator. However, the buman
operator response time is the s u m of both reaction time (RT)
and movement time (MT). The human informatic model
described herein now also accounts for the additional
information processing that occnrs during choice RT. The
fmal human operator informatic model (accounting for both
MT and RT) is a transfer function of a linear and time
invariant system (LTQ and is of single input-single output
(SISO) configuraion and has been applied to descrihe a feed-
forward human control system.
Introduction
A preliminary informatic model has accounted for
information processing that represents the movement time
(MT) of the human operator [l]:
YO - aM
(1)
YIN SfaM
The movement informan'c frwuency (a,.,)in units of
Hem is:
aM= 1 /TM (2)
where: T~ = movement time constant (sec.)
The human operator response (action time, AT) is
the sum of both reaction time (RT) and movement time;
Mathematically this may be expressed as follows:
AT=RT+MT (3)
where: AT = action time (seconds)
RT = reaction time (seconds)
and MT = movement time (seconds).
Background
Choice reaction time may be mathematically related
to the information content of the stimulus event (Hs) by
means of the Hick-Hymen las:
RT= a + bHs (4)
where: a = sjm& reaction time (Hs = 0);
b = a proportionality constant analogous to a
reciprocal baud rate (second per bit):
b=I/P (5)
where p = choice reaction time baud rate (bits per second).
Methods
The f m l development of the human operator
informatic model beings by approxiouting the information
processing associated with choice reaction time as a pure
time delay (To). Such a representation is reasonably
appropriate in an operational setting, and mathematically well
defmed in control systems theory.
Equation (4) may then be restated as:
TD=a+hHs (6)
0-7803-5674-8/99/$10.000 1999 IEEE 1009
The human operator informatic model is a transfer
function of an LTI systems (SISO). We first defme the
reaction time (TD) information processing block [from
equation (6)] and the movement time (first order lag)
information processing block [from eqnation (l)] with both
blocks in cascade. Combining the two blocks in cascade
results in the transfer function for the human operator
informatic model:
a e-sT~
YO - M
(7)
YlN s+aM
For a unit-step input of magnitude A, the output
Laplace transform of this coutrol system is:
..
The inverse Laplace transform of equation (8) is a
function, f (t-To) where TD> 0 and
Fort 5 To:
Yo=O (9)
Fort > TD:
Results
Y o = ~e lUM(~-TD)
[-- I (10)
An example application is a ship's sonar operator
sitting at a console viewing a sonar screen with an
information content of approximately Hs=5 bits. The
operator will press an alert button (response output) when a
suspect object (stimulus input) is seen. Two different
operators (A=high skill [p=9.2 bits per second] and B=low
skill [p=5.0 bits per second]) are evaluated. Operators A and
B interact with two different alert push button (PB)
confisurations (#l=arm movement [a&S Hz] and
R=!iier movement [aFlOHz]).
The #2 PB configuration improves A and B response
time by an average twenty-five percent. In addition, B (using
the #2 PB confguration) has a response time comparable to
A (using the #1 PB configuration).
Discussion
The human operator informatic model demonstrates
a trade-off between the choice RT information processing
rate ((3) and the MT information processing rate (ad.The
model bas effectively described a feed-forward human
control system (e.g. the sonar operator), and can also be
applied to a feedback human control system when certain
approximations are utiliid.
Reference
111. Phillips, C.A., Repperger, D.W.,andchelette, T.L.: A
fust approximation of the human operator describing function
model based upon an information theoretic of buman
performance. ' 16367-383, 1998.