Allocating Human-System Interfaces Functions by Levels of Automation in an Advanced Control Room

  • Chiuhsiang Joe Lin
  • Chih-Wei Yang
  • Tzu-Chung Yenn
  • Lai-Yu Cheng
Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS, volume 5613)

Abstract

Human factors engineering (HFE) focuses on the design of human-system interfaces (HSIs). The HSIs, those NPPs parts that personnel interact with in performing their tasks, included control switches, red, green, amber, and white indictor lights, mimic displays, lighted annunciator panels, and hand-written status boards. The advanced technology has introduced the capability of integrating information from numerous plant systems and supplying needed information to operations personnel in a timely manner. Challenges of the well-integrated computerized control room include ensuring reduced staffing does not treat with increased task complexity, achieving a consistent user interface, ensuring increased automation does not adversely affect the operator’s mental model of the plant, and systems actually support the operator. This study investigated the process of the HSI functions allocation by considering which functions should be automated and to what extent, which is also called the level of automation (LOA).

Keywords

Human factors engineering human-system interface nuclear power plants type of automation level of automation 

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Chiuhsiang Joe Lin
    • 1
  • Chih-Wei Yang
    • 2
  • Tzu-Chung Yenn
    • 2
  • Lai-Yu Cheng
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Industrial and Systems EngineeringChung-Yuan Christian UniversityTaiwan, R. O. C.
  2. 2.Nuclear Instrumentation DivisionInstitute of Nuclear Energy ResearchTaoyuanTaiwan, R. O. C.

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