Examining the Visual Attention of Pairs of Operators during a Low to High Workload Change

Abstract

Dynamic and data-rich domains, like those found in the military, primarily rely on multiple operators’ visual attention. Of interest is to understand how shared visual attention impacts performance when workload changes and whether this informs the adaptation process between collaborators. Ten pairs of participants completed a simulated Unmanned Aerial Vehicle control task under two different workload conditions - first under low workload and then under high workload. The best and worst performing pairs were identified and further analyzed by assessing pairs’ percent gaze overlap and strategy when workload changed. The findings showed the best performing pairs not only had higher levels of percent gaze overlap on average, but also increased their percent gaze overlap as workload increased. Additionally, the best performing pairs engaged in the adaptation process with not only their actions, but their overall visual attention allocation strategy. These findings suggest systems and technology in these domains should allow operators to have access to their collaborator’s visual data, in order to provide the opportunity to adapt and dynamically collaborate under different workload conditions.