MIDAS - ISIS Crew Exploration Vehicle FAMSS Model Development Effort

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MIDAS-ISIS Crew Exploration Vehicle FAMSS Model Development Effort

This MIDAS simulation was conducted in collaboration with the Intelligent Spacecraft Interface Systems (ISIS) lab (Rob McCann) to produce a computational representation of pilot performance in response to advanced caution and warning system concepts being proposed for the Crew Exploration Vehicle display designs using the Fault Management Support System (FAMSS) (conceptual displays). The MIDAS-FAMSS project required four development phases. The first phase was to create a baseline scenario where the astronaut was set to replicate human performance as collected in the ISIS human-in-the-loop simulation. The second phase was to augment the baseline scenario to include the conceptual FAMSS displays suite and predict the performance of the astronaut in response to the new conceptual displays and verify the model's predictions with the human-in-the-loop performance collected in the ISIS laboratory. The third phase was to generate a simulation that incorporated the first computational representation of an information-seeking model using probabilisitic transition matrices to guide the visual areas of interest consulted by the virtual MIDAS Astronaut. The fourth phase is a to-be-completed phase that involves refining the information seeking model to be more robust to contextual sensitivity.
	MIDAS-FAMSS Phase 1 The first phase of the MIDAS-FAMSS simulation development effort was to replicate the human performance of an astronaut responding to an alert on the Caution and Warning System during an ascent using a paper-based checklist as done in current day operations. The MIDAS visualization of this scenario demonstrates the MIDAS astronaut responding to the auditory alert, completing a series of visual fixations of variable durations onto different equipment components in response to the alert, completing a series of cross-checks between information sources (including a paper based flight data file on the MIDAS astronaut's leg) and control inputs as driven by empirical, human-in-the-loop simulation data collected by the ISIS laboratory. The upper left portion of this file demonstrates the view and the specific areas of interest from the astronaut's eyes, the upper right demonstrates a timeline of the predicted workload (visual input, auditory input, spatial cognitive, spatial verbal, verbal output and psychomotor output), and the lower portion of this movie file demonstrates a profile view of the MIDAS Astronaut completing the sequence of activities characteristic of current day response to a Caution and Warning alert.


	MIDAS-FAMSS Phase 2 The second phase of the MIDAS-FAMSS simulation development effort was to predict the human performance of an astronaut responding to an alert on the Caution and Warning System on ascent using an advanced caution and warning system display suite designed to replace the standard paper checklist used in current operations. It is proposed that the new display suite will enable faster response times, and more accurate performance than current day operations. The MIDAS visualization of this scenario demonstrates the MIDAS astronaut responding to an auditory alert on the Caution and Warning System by interrupting their nominal internal scan pattern to respond to the off nominal condition as generated by the MIDAS environment, and resuming their nominal scan pattern when the simulation returned to a nominal condition. The upper left portion of this movie file demonstrates the view and the specific areas of interest from the astronaut's eyes, the upper middle screen shows the MFD of the FAMSS, the upper right demonstrates a timeline of the predicted workload (visual input, auditory input, spatial cognitive, spatial verbal, verbal output and psychomotor output), and the lower portion of this movie file demonstrates a profile view of the MIDAS Astronaut completing the sequence of activities. This simulation was compared with the performance profile produced by the MIDAS-FAMSS Phase 1 and demonstrated a singificant time saving by using the FAMSS display suite using human-in-the-loop experiments that collected eye fixation data.


	MIDAS-FAMSS Phase 3 The third phase of the MIDAS-FAMSS simulation development effort was to predict the human performance of an astronaut responding to an alert on the Caution and Warning System during an ascent using the FAMSS concept display suite. This third simulation phase involved augmenting the simulation to include a probabilistic scan pattern that represented a closer approximation of the manner that humans seek information. A probabilistic scan pattern is one that transitions to a new area of interest based on the previous fixation/location. The MIDAS visualization of this scenario demonstrates the MIDAS astronaut completing a sequences of visual scans and physical inputs, responses to the auditory alert, variable visual scan and fixation patterns onto different equipment components in response to the context in the environment. The upper left portion of this file demonstrates the view and the specific areas of interest from the astronaut's eyes, the upper middle screen shows the MFD of the FAMSS, and the upper right demonstrates the procedures shown in the Sherpa window as represented by the Apex, the lower left portion of this movie file demonstrates a profile view of the MIDAS Astronaut completing this sequence of activities, and the lower right view demonstrates a timeline of the predicted workload (visual input, auditory input, spatial cognitive, spatial verbal, verbal output and psychomotor output). Differences in the information seeking and performance profile of the MIDAS Astronaut were found to exist depending on the phase under study.

POC- Brian Gore