Cognitive Ergonomics The Interaction on Human Sensory System and Mach

Question: Discuss about theCognitive Ergonomics for the Interaction on Human Sensory System and Machines. Answer: Introduction Interaction of people all over the world has facilitated sharing of information and the integration of ideas and cultures. This has led to the interaction of economies and markets hence increasing the level of competition faced organisations. In an attempt to have a competitive advantage, technology has developed providing firms with the ability to develop new products and production methods. Machines have been assembled to make work easier and reduce overall operational costs. It is, therefore, necessary to ensure that the human workforce interacts effectively with machines. This paper explores the human sensory system and how it can interact with the computer system to improve productivity. A sensory system comprises of receptors and neural pathways that facilitate the transmission of stimuli to the part of the brain responsible for perception. There exist various neural systems responsible for vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell and movement. The human sensory responds to both internal and external stimuli where vision is responsible for eighty percent of a persons information while hearing accounts for fifteen percent. The human eye forms the largest part of the vision sensory system. The eye acquires details of an object such as its size and colour. To determine the size and shape of an object, the cornea absorbs light, and the pupils adapt accordingly to illumination. The lens, in turn, adjusts to focus the form to the retina. The retina also includes receptors that identify colour before transmitting this data to the occipital lobe responsible for processing the data into information necessary for perception. The following are crucial properties of the receptor cells; Visual acuity- this relates to the amount of detail that a human can resolve Sensitivity- it refers to the amount of light that the human eye requires to stimulate the receptor cells. Colour sensitivity- it is the ability of the eye to differentiate colours by their wavelengths. Adaptation- the receptors cells adapt differently to the amount of light they get exposed to. This sensory system has been incorporated in developing machine systems such as traffic lights. They aid in running traffic to avoid delays and accidents. The colours used to denote various signs have long wavelengths making them easily visible. This ensures that despite one's ability to differentiate colours, they can still react as expect (Bach-y-Rita, Kercel, 2003). Contrast sensitivity has also been incorporated by using luminous colours that are used to marks roads and bumps and for life jackets worn by road construction workers and motorcycle riders. Light colours are easy to see at night. The auditory system, on the other hand, is responsible for hearing. The ear contains the receptor cells while the temporal lobe is process data collected. The hearing process starts in the outer ear that receives information on the location of a sound. The middle ear amplifies the sound waves while the inner ear transforms the sound energy into electrical nerve energy. It differentiates various sounds by vibrating according to the audio frequency received. The receptor cells in a human ear provide data on; Frequency- this is the perceived pitch. The human eye can see sounds of frequencies between 20Hz- 20000Hz Intensity- this relates to the loudness of a sound. Alarms employ the working of a human ear to ensure that the desired information is received. The loudness and frequency of the sound they produce ensure that the perception of the message facilitates people to run away from the danger. The sense of touch identifies stimuli such as the change in pressure and temperature in the environment and detects pain. Receptor cells are located in the skin. Touch can be subdivided into soft and hard contact. Tactile (soft) sensing is responsible for discrimination and manipulation of objects. It does so by detecting contact, identifying the texture of the surface, and manipulating the tool identified. Hard touch, on the other hand, relates to the amount of force that should be applied in the manipulation of an object. It relays information on properties of an object to the brain. Touch is employed in operating all sizes of devices. Smartphones work by sensing direct contact. The pressure applied in them determines the activity that a user is willing to carry out. Besides, large machines operate by employing mechanical energy (Bach-y-Rita Kercel, 2003). The amount of force to be applied depends on the information the hard touch relays to the brain. Pilots control planes by using their hard touch to operate the control panel. Vestibular senses are responsible for movement and balance. They detect motion, acceleration, and turning. Otoliths are small particles contained in the saccule and utricle. They are responsible for detecting motion and stimulating vestibular reflexes that maintain balance. The utricle is sensitive to lateral acceleration while saccule provides information on vertical acceleration. Devices such as cars work on the ability of humans to maintain balance. They stimulate vestibular reflexes that are utilised it controlling them (Bach-y-Rita Kercel, 2003). Vestibular senses have also been seen in action where a person performs a task without looking and by little stimulation. Having understood the visual systems of human beings, technology has developed incorporating the working of these senses thus creating machines that people can easily manipulate. A human- machine system has, therefore, come into existence making it easier to work. The system has helped divide task between people and machines (Ellis, 2015). The human system employs its sensory, cognitive and motor ability while the machine system compliments the utilisation of these skills by processing data, displaying it and making control easier. Human system Machine system Sensory Display Cognitive Interface Processor Motor Control Human-machine system. People are actively involved in developing all kinds of devices. They make designs, use these machines to make their work easier and ensure that they are maintained to ensure their efficiency. Besides, they are responsible for identifying failures in technology and eliminating the errors. In developing machines, humans take into account how they fit with the human system. There are two main approaches employed to ensure a perfect fit; Display and control interface method- this is aimed to fit the machine system into the human system. It involves using human senses to provide data and create a link. This is evident in the working of communication technology. It also helps to monitor devices to avoid excessive workload. Training and selection- this entails fitting the human system into the machine system. This is achieved by training the users of devices on how to operate them and selecting those who are most qualified to run complex tools. Cognitive ergonomics studies work settings with the aim of optimising the operation of the human-machine systems. It considers the welfare of humans to improve the performance of the scheme. It focuses on matching the cognitive abilities and limits of people with the task at hand, the machine being used and the working environment. It also designs a sign that stimulates the general population to behave in a particular manner (Kaber, 2011). For example, a fire alarm ensures that people understand the danger and rush to the nearest exit of a building. The objectives of cognitive ergonomics; Reducing the time taken to accomplish a task, Minimize the number of mistakes made, Reduce time necessary to learn, Improve peoples appreciation of systems Cognitive ergonomics has, therefore, played a role in enhancing the performance of tasks by ensuring that the human-machine system is user centred. It has designed an information system that supports execution of tasks and developed programs to train users. Besides, it has created functions in a way that ensures that the input by people is reliable (Kaber, 2011). It ensures that the working environment has minimal distractions hence enhancing productivity and efficiency. Various models have been developed to support cognitive ergonomics. They all contain three basic dimensions which are usefulness, usability, and acceptance. Cognitive ergonomics ensures that users of a device can perform tasks with desired efficiency, effectiveness and achieve satisfaction. A cognitive system involves three main activities. Perception- this is utilisation of senses to acquire and process data into useful information Memory- this is the ability to remember and recognise information. It involves retrieving information from its storage. Thought- it involves processing information in working memory. In conclusion, cognitive ergonomics aims at ensuring smooth interaction of human functions and machine performance to achieve cognitive work. It is mainly user-centered to make sure that people can use machines efficiently, perform tasks with utmost efficiency and improve user satisfaction. It provides training programs that facilitate learning how to use devices. References Bach-y-Rita, P. W. Kercel, S. (2003). 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