Situation Awareness Rating Technique Research Articles

Augmented Reality Order Picking Aid for Foreign Workers in Warehouses

Background: In warehouse logistics, picking work comprises roughly 60% of the costs, emphasizing the need for efficiency (Matsumoto et al., 2019). Traditionally, workers utilize written instructions, which can be challenging for those less language proficient. The integration of augmented reality (AR) head- mounted displays (HMDs) may enhance accuracy and efficiency (Matsumoto et al., 2019). However, AR HMDs may come with some drawbacks—after extended use, some users report discomfort and decreased performance (Vidovič & Gajšek, 2020). Despite promising improvements in warehouse operations, HMDs’ long-term impacts remain uncertain (Fang et al., 2019). Furthermore, the influence of language proficiency on HMD effectiveness needs exploration (Murauer et al, 2018). In order to fully comprehend the potential and limitations of HMDs, further research is necessary, targeting effective strategies for implementation and optimal AR user interface (UI) design. Objective: This study aims to evaluate an AR HMD system against traditional methods, focusing on its potential to aid non-native English-speaking warehouse workers and boost efficiency and accuracy in picking tasks. Our goal is to ascertain whether an AR aid system, utilizing universal and conformal design principles, can yield superior results in user performance, usability, and situational awareness compared to written instructions. Method: We identified the language-related challenges faced by foreign workers through interviews. Guided by these insights and Ganapathy’s mobile AR guidelines (Ganapathy et al., 2013), we designed an AR solution with universal symbols and intuitive interactions. The AR solution was prototyped using Microsoft HoloLens 2. To evaluate user experience with the proposed system, we conducted a within-subject experiment in a controlled laboratory environment, comparing this AR headset instruction with traditional written instructions. We employed the situation awareness rating technique (SART) questionnaire (Taylor et al., 2017) and system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire (Brooke et al., 1995), along with performance measures, to assess the effectiveness of the proposed system. Results: Our study with 17 participants indicated no significant difference in task completion time between traditional and AR headset instructions. However, AR significantly reduced package identification time ( M=6.89, SE=0.40 vs. M=10.15, SE=0.61). Moreover, people with the AR instructions had no errors while with the traditional written instructions had a total of 2 errors. The proposed AR aid also resulted in enhanced worker situation awareness by allowing them not to divide their attention across job instructions and the dynamic warehouse environment ( M=2.41, SE=0.24 vs. M=3.70, SE=0.35). The AR headset was perceived as easier to use ( M=4.35, SE=0.16 vs. M=3.35, SE=0.17) and better integrated various functions ( M=3.94, SE=0.16 vs. M=2.70, SE=0.19), despite some participants reported a need for technical assistance. Conclusion: The human-subject experiment demonstrates that the proposed AR aid system is effective in eliminating errors, improving ease of use, and enhancing situation awareness of foreign workers in warehouses. This study also underscores the importance of a user-centered approach in leveraging technology for users in diverse contexts. Application: Our proposal holds promising prospects beyond the scope of the study. Its potential extends to various safety- critical domains, including transportation, construction, and military operations, where operators’ awareness of the dynamic environment is crucial (Kim et al., 2020).

Quantification of cognitive ergonomic factors and task performance for the use of passive upper limb exoskeleton while performing overhead tasks.

Exoskeleton has been proposed as a solution for musculoskeletal problems. Designed for physical attributes, it is crucial to determine the effect of its usage on cognitive aspects during task execution. This study aims to quantify cognitive ergonomic factors and task performance for the use of passive upper limb exoskeleton while performing overhead tasks. Ten male participants (mean age of 23.2 years (SD= 0.6)) took part in single and dual-task experiments. Subjective ratings using NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and Situation awareness rating technique (SART), physiological measure using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and task performance (number of error) were measured. The dual-task setup reveals that there were strong positive correlations between the overall workload and number of errors percentage, which was statistically significant (r = 0.822, n = 10, p = 0.004). This finding is crucial as a reference for designers, developers, and policymakers in optimizing and sustaining task performance.

The Influence of Presentation Frames of Visualization Information for Safety on Situational Awareness under a Three-Level User-Interface Design.

To explore the influence of the construction and presentation frames of visualization information for safety (VIS) on people's situation awareness (SA), we designed a three-level user interface (UI) of VIS based on the three-stage SA theory, including perception (SA1), comprehension (SA2), and projection (SA3). Then, 166 subjects were recruited and divided into three groups to participate in the experiment, in which SA was measured by the situation-present-assessment method (SPAM) and situation-awareness-rating technique (SART), and eye-movement data were recorded. The results show that the level-3 UI design could effectively improve the subjects' SA levels. Although the increase in VIS displayed caused by the higher UI level led to a decrease in the perception-stage score of SA, the level-3 UI fully considered the three stages of human information processing, and helped improve the SA of the subjects; the overall SA score measured using the SART method was not significant, but the result was consistent with the SPAM. There was a framing effect on the presentation of VIS, and subjects perceived different degrees of risk under different presentation frames; that is, less risk under the positive frame, more risk under the negative frame, and a higher level of SA under the positive frame compared with the negative frame. To some extent, the nearest-neighbor-index (NNI) algorithm could be utilized to quantify subjects' eye-tracking fixation mode. While the frames were guided by the high-level interface and the positive presentation frame, the distribution of the subjects' gaze points was more discrete; they could grasp the relevant information more comprehensively and had a relatively high level of SA. To some extent, this study can provide a reference for the design and optimization of the VIS presentation interface.

Effects of Reading Text on an Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Display During Treadmill Walking in a Virtual Environment

This study evaluated the effects of reading text on an optical see-through head-mounted display during treadmill walking in a virtual environment. Thirty participants were recruited to perform Chinese reading tasks by reading six types of text layouts in two polarity settings. A virtual environment was displayed on a projection screen to simulate a walking situation in which obstacles were encountered. High- and low-density obstacles were applied. Objective measures included reading performance, gait variability, and the error count of obstacles. The subjective measures were the situational awareness rating technique (SART) and NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) scores. The results indicated that font size and polarity affected the gait variability, reading performance, situational awareness, and mental workload ratings. The obstacle density affects gait variability and situation awareness rating. The layout with 32-point text and positive polarity yielded faster reading speed, better subjective ratings, and less variability in minimum foot clearance.

The Level of Measurement of Subjective Situation Awareness and Its Dimensions in the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART)

Situation awareness (SA), a measure of how well a person understands the situation, is frequently used to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of critical systems that depend on human behavior. While there are objective ways of measuring SA, subjective assessments, such as the SA rating technique (SART), are still widely used. However, it is not clear what the level of measurement is for SART-measured SA or its constituent dimensions This is a significant gap because the level of measurement determines what mathematics and statistics can be meaningfully used to synthesize and evaluate measures. This research uses a previously developed method for determining the level of measurement of psychometric ratings to evaluate the level of measurement of SART and its elements. Results show that all of the dimensions of SA can be treated as interval in most situations, but that each is on a separate interval scale. This result casts doubt on the validity of the formula SART uses to compute SA from its subcomponents. We ultimately discuss our results and explore future research directions.

Surgical Adaptation of the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (S-SART): Assessing Situational Awareness Among Medical Students

Situational awareness (SA) impacts team dynamics and patient care. However, few formal curricula and tools exist to teach and assess longitudinal SA in surgical environments. We sought to evaluate medical students' SA in the operating room (OR) during surgical clerkships over time. We prospectively administered pre- and post-rotation surveys using a surgical adaptation of the previously validated Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART). Surgical SART (S-SART) scores were calculated as: Situational Awareness = Understanding - (Attentional Demand - Attentional Supply) + 14. Each of 10 questions was scored from 1 to 7, with a maximum possible score of 60. Two-tailed two-sample and paired t-tests were conducted to determine differences in S-SART scores. Sixty-nine of 75 second- and third-year medical students rotating in Surgery and Obstetrics/Gynecology clerkships at a tertiary academic medical center from September 2018 to September 2019 completed the surveys for a response rate of 92.0%. The mean baseline pre-rotation baseline S-SART score was 29.5 (SD=8.3), which increased by 20.9% to 35.9 (SD=6.9) post-rotation (p<0.001). Significant predictors of higher baseline S-SART scores included age ≥25 (p=0.02), surgical career interest (p=0.01), completion of prior surgical rotations (p<0.001), confidence about pre-procedural OR steps (p<0.001), and knowledge of OR item locations (p<0.001). There were increases in each of the subdomains of Understanding-including OR familiarity (3.2 to 4.3, p<0.001), knowledge of the medical student OR role (3.5 to 5.7, p<0.001), and knowledge of others' OR roles (4.1 to 5.9, p<0.001)-along with increases in alertness within Attentional Supply (5.1 to 5.5, p=0.001). SA is a learnable skill with increases in S-SART scores from pre- to post-rotation, with the greatest gains in the domain of Understanding. More advanced aspects of SA such as Attentional Demand may require further surgical training or curricular innovations to address these needs.

Using eye movements to evaluate the effectiveness of the situation awareness rating technique scale in measuring situation awareness for smart manufacturing

Physiological indicators, including eye-tracking measures, may provide insight into human internal states in many domains, such as smart manufacturing. The Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART) scale has been criticised for not assessing situation awareness (SA) accurately. In this study, we investigated the precision of the SART scale for assessing SA by comparing the scores to eye movement data. Thirty participants were recruited to complete a process plant monitoring task. Participants’ eye movements and SART scores were recorded and analysed. Our results moderately supported the idea that the SART scale did not accurately measure SA. We found that four dimensions in the SART scale need to be revised to reflect real SA, which may partially solve the divergence between objective and subjective SA measurements. Moreover, these findings provided solutions for designing a revised SART scale to measure the internal states of operators for smart manufacturing. Practitioner summary: Situation awareness (SA) is a critical component of decision-making and performance for smart manufacturing. The present study examines the relationships among eye movement, the SART scale, and SA for smart manufacturing in a refinery control room.

The effect of working memory training on situation awareness in a flight simulator

The close relationship between working memory and situation awareness (SA) has been confirmed and further empirical investigations are lacking. The main aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of working memory training for improving SA. Thirty-eight participants completed a challenging flight scenario in a high-fidelity flight simulator and were randomized into a training group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 18). The training group engaged in an adaptive dual N-back task for 2 weeks, while the control group was given a negative control task. Three-dimensional situation awareness rating technique (3D-SART) scores and situation awareness global assessment technique (SAGAT) scores were recorded to evaluate pretest and posttest SA. The results showed that both situational understanding dimension scores in the 3D-SART and SAGAT scores were significantly increased from the pretest to the posttest in the training group, while the control group showed no significant differences. It was concluded that working memory training can effectively improve individuals’ SA, which has important implication for future research.

Situational awareness of navigators in high-speed craft bridge navigation operations

ABSTRACT Navigation is a joint operation between humans and technology. Navigating high-speed craft (HSC) is a more critical and risky task than other types of ship navigation due to high speed and time limitations. Situational awareness (SA) is the understanding of what is going on around the navigators. HSC navigator who has an insufficient level of SA may lead to wrong decisions and even accidents. In this study, an analysis of Turkish HSC navigators’ SA levels has been carried out in their working environment. Situational Awareness Rating Technique (SART) and pairwise comparison of the effects of Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA), Automatic Identification System (AIS) and autopilot on SA questionnaires were applied. According to SA, navigation operations, factors that mostly affect SA and suggestions that would increase SA were sorted in accordance with the navigators’ perceptions. The results show that the level of HSC navigators’ SA is high and sufficient. Finally, considerations are introduced to keep acceptable levels or increase SA on HSCs.

Periodic Resuscitation Cart Checks and Nurse Situational Awareness: An Observational Study

IntroductionThe periodic check of the function and integrity of the resuscitation cart is very important to ensure that the cart is prepared for use to provide emergency care to critical patients. Little is known about situational awareness during the periodic inspection of resuscitation carts. The purpose of this study was to measure hospital clinical nurses’ situational awareness immediately after completion of a check of the resuscitation cart content and to directly observe and assess the resuscitation cart readiness in the selected hospitals. MethodsAn observational correlational study with a self-report measure design was used in which the Situation Awareness Rating Technique was collected immediately after the completion of checking of the resuscitation cart. ResultsAmong the 332 nurse participants, the mean situational awareness score was 16.42 (standard deviation 5.26), reflecting an average situational awareness during the task of checking and inspection of the resuscitation cart. Knowing the policies and guidelines relating to resuscitation and the resuscitation cart is associated with the participants’ situational awareness (F3,33 = 3.70, P = .04). In addition, working in critical areas and the number of years of working experience are associated with the participants’ situational awareness (F2,33 = 3.24, P = .04 and F3,33 = 3.00, P = .02, respectively). Assessing the resuscitation cart readiness revealed several issues such as empty oxygen tanks (32%); drained batteries and equipment failure (16%); incorrect size of equipment (16%); and missing, expired, and unavailable equipment (15%). Some of these issues were noted even though the carts were checked several times by different participants. DiscussionMuch work needs to be done, because inadequate situational awareness during the periodic check of the resuscitation cart content can affect patient safety in life-threatening emergencies.

Gender Characteristics on Gaze Movement in Situation Awareness

In large systems, such as nuclear power plants, the operator’s situation awareness is vital to the system’s safety. Since gaze movement is closely related to situation awareness, various studies have evaluated it through gaze movement. The number of female workers is increasing even in large systems, such as nuclear power plants, so it is relevant to compare and analyze the situation awareness and gaze movement characteristics of men and women. In this study, an experiment was conducted to compare and analyze men’s and women’s situation awareness and gaze movement characteristics by making a simulator for emergency scenarios in nuclear power plants. Gaze entropy was used as a measure to indicate gaze movement, while the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART) was utilized to measure situation awareness. A total of 20 engineering college students (10 male, 10 female) participated in the experiment. Loss of coolant accident (LOCA), steam generator tube rupture (SGTR), steam line break (SLB), and loss of voltage (LOV) were the nuclear power plant accident situations used as task scenarios for the experiment. For all accident scenarios, the SART score did not show a significant difference between men and women. Shannon entropy, dwell time entropy, and heat map entropy did not show a significant difference between men and women, but Markov entropy was found to be significantly higher in women. In conclusion, there was no significant difference between men and women in awareness of accident situations. In addition, there was no significant difference between men and women in the ratio of viewing the necessary information elements in the situation awareness process. However, it was found that women had more gaze movements between necessary information elements than men.

Investigating the validity of subjective workload rating (NASA TLX) and subjective situation awareness rating (SART) for cognitively complex human–machine work

Subjective workload and situation awareness measures, such as the NASA task load index (TLX) and the situational awareness rating technique (SART), are frequently used in human–system evaluation. However, the interpretation of these ratings is debated. In this study, empirical evidence for the measures' theoretical assumptions was investigated by comparing operators' ratings collected immediately after performing a scenario and ratings collected after operators' acquisition through a video review of the scenario, knowledge of actual system states. Eighteen licensed control room operators participated in the simulator study, running 12 relatively challenging scenarios. It was found that the interpretation of TLX items involving introspection remained stable after operators acquired factual scenario knowledge, while the interpretation of items involving the perception of external events, such as situation awareness and performance, depended on the operators' scenario knowledge. The result shows that operators’ ratings could discriminate between mental effort, performance, frustration, and situation awareness. No clear evidence for the SART index as a measure of situation awareness was found. Instead, a subjective situation awareness measure developed for this study was distinct from workload and related to operator performance, showing that this type of measure warrants future investigation of its validity. The study findings help in developing measurement procedures and interpreting subjective measures. Finally, the study reveals that informing operators about the scenario can provide useful subjective ratings of situation awareness and performance. Future research should include procedures for how to inform participants adequately and efficiently in subjective assessments.

Developing an Improved ACT-R Model for Pilot Situation Awareness Measurement

According to a previously built situation-awareness (SA) model based on attention allocation, with the ACT-R (Adaptive Control of Thought, Rational) theory for analyzing pilot cognitive processes for situation elements, an SA mathematical model was improved to predict pilot SA during exposure to different display interfaces and missions. An indicator-display monitoring task was performed under different experimental conditions for SA model verification, while the SA global assessment technique (SAGAT), performance measures, 10-dimensional SA rating technique (10-D SART), and eye movement measures were adopted to comprehensively assess the operator’s SA. The experimental results revealed that theoretical prediction values calculated using the improved SA model were strongly correlated with the operation performance, and thus confirming the model validation. The SAGAT was shown to be a more effective method than SART in this research, and the overall SAGAT accuracy rate, as well as the accuracy response time, are effective indices for SA measurement. Eye-movement indices, such as the fixation/saccade ratio, which corresponds to the mode of information perception and extraction, was examined to be sensitive to operator’s SA changes. The Advances of the improved SA model have been achieved in predicting and indicating SA by using human behaviors, including operation performance, SAGAT response behaviors, and visual behaviors. Thereby, it provides a new auxiliary tool for quantitative characterization of pilot’s SA during cockpit interface design optimization and ergonomic evaluation.

Flight Evaluation of Helicopter Curved Point-in-Space Approach Procedures

Helicopter point-in-space instrument procedures are key to enabling simultaneous noninterfering procedures and enhancing all-weather access in dense airspace and remote locations. This paper describes the flight evaluation of navigation and human performance in helicopter curved point-in-space procedures as part of Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research. An experimental procedure was designed at Donauwörth heliport including radius-to-fix legs with descent gradients and airspeed variations in the terminal segments, followed by a steep, straight-in final approach segment. Two strategies were evaluated for vertical descent profiles: fixed flight path angle, and fixed vertical speed. Three test pilots were instructed to execute the entire approach until the missed approach point in simulated instrument meteorological conditions using advanced autopilot modes and head-down flight and navigation displays. Navigation performance was measured using cross-track and vertical-track deviations. Pilot workload and situational awareness were measured using the task load index and the situational awareness rating technique, respectively. The results showed that flight paths were maintained within the required navigation performance limits despite strong crosswinds, and the final approach glidepath was successfully captured in all cases. All pilots reported low workload, adequate spare capacity, and high situational awareness in all cases. Furthermore, the fixed flight path angle descent was found to induce lower workload and required fewer crew actions compared with the fixed vertical speed descent. Owing to the small sample size, conclusions with statistical significance cannot be established.

Effect of Neurofeedback and Simulation-based Training Interventions on Radiation Therapy Therapists’ (RTTs) Mental Workload, Situation Awareness, and Performance

To help with ongoing quality assurance (QA) and patient safety improvement efforts in radiation therapy (RT) the objective of this research was to assess the impact of validated Alpha-Theta neurofeedback and simulation-based training interventions on radiation therapy therapist (RTT) mental workload, situation awareness and performance during routine treatment delivery tasks. 32 RTTs completed routine QA and treatment delivery tasks on clinical scenarios in a simulation laboratory. Participants, equally randomized to 4 groups (+/- neurofeedback, +/- simulation-based training; 8 per group) had pre- and post-intervention assessments of mental workload, situation awareness, and performance. We used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the four study groups. Mental workload was quantified subjectively using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). Situation awareness was quantified subjectively using the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART) and objectively using Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT). Performance was quantified based on procedural compliance (adherence to pre-set/standard QA time-out tasks) and error detection (detection and correction of embedded treatment planning errors). Both neurofeedback and simulation-based training interventions were associated with significant improvements in performance (p<0.01), but had no significant impact on mental workload or subjective or objective quantification of situation awareness. Innovative interventions like simulation-based training and neurofeedback might be effective tools to improve RTTs performance; which in turn can lead to improvements in patient safety.

Impact of Simulation-Based Training on Radiation Therapists’ Workload, Situation Awareness, and Performance

PurposeThis study aimed to assess the impact of simulation-based training intervention on radiation therapy therapist (RTT) mental workload, situation awareness, and performance during routine quality assurance (QA) and treatment delivery tasks. Methods and MaterialsAs part of a prospective institutional review board–approved study, 32 RTTs completed routine QA and treatment delivery tasks on clinical scenarios in a simulation laboratory. Participants, randomized to receive (n = 16) versus not receive (n = 16) simulation-based training had pre- and postintervention assessments of mental workload, situation awareness, and performance. We used linear regression models to compare the postassessment scores between the study groups while controlling for baseline scores. Mental workload was quantified subjectively using the NASA Task Load Index. Situation awareness was quantified subjectively using the situation awareness rating technique and objectively using the situation awareness global assessment technique. Performance was quantified based on procedural compliance (adherence to preset/standard QA timeout tasks) and error detection (detection and correction of embedded treatment planning errors). ResultsSimulation-based training intervention was associated with significant improvements in overall performance (P < .01), but had no significant impact on mental workload or subjective/objective quantifications of situation awareness. ConclusionsSimulation-based training might be an effective tool to improve RTT performance of QA-related tasks.

Assessment of Radiation Therapy Technologists’ Workload and Situation Awareness: Monitoring 2 Versus 3 Collocated Display Monitors

PurposeThis study aimed to assess the effect of monitoring 2 versus 3 collocated displays on radiation therapist technologists’ (RTTs) workload (WL) and situation awareness (SA) during routine treatment delivery tasks. Methods and MaterialsSeven RTTs completed 4 simulated treatment delivery scenarios (2 scenarios per experimental condition; 2 vs 3 collocated displays) in a within-subject experiment. WL was subjectively measured using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Task Load Index, and objectively measured using eye activity measures. SA was subjectively measured using the SA rating technique, and objectively measured using the SA global assessment technique. Two-tailed paired t tests were conducted to test for differences in means when parametric assumptions were satisfied, otherwise Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted. A .05 level of significance was applied to all statistical tests. ResultsNo statistically and clinically significant differences were observed between monitoring 2 versus 3 monitors on eye tracking measures (blink rate: 9.4 [4.8] vs 9.6 [4.0]; task evoked pupillary response: 0.16 [0.14] vs 0.21 [0.15]; NASA Task Load Index: 34.7 [19.8] vs 35.3 [20.4]; SA rating technique: 19.3 [6.2] vs 19.5 [7.0]; and SA global assessment technique scores: 100 [0] vs 100 [0]). ConclusionsOur preliminary findings suggest that monitoring 3 collocated displays by 1 RTT does not impact WL and SA compared with monitoring 2 collocated displays. Only 2 of many possible configurations were investigated. If institutions removed the 3rd display based on the results of this study, there could be unforeseen error(s) if that display helped in situations not assessed in this study.

Effect of Simulation-Based Training and Neurofeedback Interventions on Radiation Technologists’ Workload, Situation Awareness, and Performance

PurposeOur purpose was to assess the effect of a combined intervention – simulation-based training supported by neurofeedback sessions – on radiation technologists’ (RTs’) workload, situation awareness, and performance during routine quality assurance and treatment delivery tasks. Methods and MaterialsAs part of a prospective institutional review board approved study, 32 RTs previously randomized to receive versus not receive simulation-based training focused on patient safety were again randomized to receive versus not receive a 3-week neurofeedback intervention (8 sessions of alpha-theta protocol) focused on stress reduction as well as conscious precision, strong focus, and ability to solve arising problems. Perceived workload was quantified using the NASA Task Load Index. Situation awareness was quantified using the situation awareness rating technique. Performance score was calculated using procedural compliance with time-out components and error detection. ResultsRTs randomized to simulation-based training followed by neurofeedback sessions demonstrated no significant changes in perceived workload or situation awareness scores, but did have better performance compared with other study groups (P < .01). ConclusionsThis finding is encouraging and provides basis for using neurofeedback as means to possibly augment performance improvements gained during simulation-based training.

Evaluating Fatigue, Stress, Workload and Situation Awareness Among Electrical Substation Construction Workers

Many accidents occur due to various factors when undertaking construction projects. One of the most important achievements when undertaking a construction project is to accomplish the project without major accidents. This paper studies the effect of stress, fatigue and workload on construction contract worker in term of their safety performance results using the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART), with reference to how it relates to the root causes of accidents. Investigating the factors associated with accidents helps to identify and minimize the associated mistakes or causes and reduce or avoid accidents and improve safety performance in construction projects. Data were collected using a SART survey of employee of 18 contractors working on construction of electrical substations in the western area of Saudi Arabia. It was found that most accidents occurred at the worker level because of their lack of awareness and training. It is apparent that SART affects the safety performance of contractors and it varies with the position, age and experience of workers. To implement a safe working environment free of accidents, it is necessary to improve all job levels according to their insufficient area and activate a full safety management system with periodic reviews to improve it and make it more effective.

Attention allocation in pilots based on climbing and circling mission behavior.

Exploration of changes in eye movement at different flight conditions can enrich scholarly understanding of situation awareness (SA) and inform new scanning behavior training techniques for efficient and effective pilot education. The SA requirements for pilots vary from mission to mission. Eye tracking is often used to analyze various attention allocation and SA acquisition processes at work in different missions. Pilot eye movements were measured during a climbing task and circling task using a cockpit-based simulator. Results of situation awareness rating technique (SART) tests show that there are significant differences between attention processes during climbing versus circling flight tasks. Fixation frequency during climbing is lower than in the circling task. Additionally, saccade frequency and average fixation time in the climbing task are markedly higher than those in the circling task. Wilcoxon test results show that the pilot has a higher fixation count and fixation time during the circling phase in out-view (OV) areas of interest (AOI) than during the climbing phase. Notably, the attention probability is higher in climbing task than in circling task when the current area of fixation (AOF) is in the head-up display (HUD) AOI and the next fixation area is in the instrumentation panel left (IPL); when the current AOF is in the out-view right (OVR) and the next AOF is HUD, the attention probability is higher in climbing task than in circling task; when the current fixation is in the IPL and the next fixation probability is to the out-view left (OVL), the attention probability is higher in task climbing task than in circling task. In terms of the Markov stationary distribution, the Wilcoxon test shows that, when IPL AOI is the area of the maximum probability of fixation in both tasks, the attention probability of HUD AOI and instrumentation panel right (IPR) is higher in climbing task than in circling task. Circling tasks require efficient eye movement patterns accompanied by strict attention distribution, which yields high SA level and flight performance when performed properly. This paper summarizes the attention characteristics at different flight phases and various requirements of different tasks according to pilot eye movement tracking results. Similar activities, as routine training, can enhance the efficiency of a novice pilot's attention distribution.