DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM TO AID COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES OF OPERATORS

Abstract

As digital and computer technologies have grown, human-machineinterfaces (HMIs) have evolved. In safety-critical systems, especiallyin nuclear power plants (NPPs), HMIs are important for reducingoperational costs, the number of necessary operators, and theprobability of accident occurrence. Efforts have been made to improvemain control room (MCR) interface design and to develop automated ordecision support systems to ensure convenient operation andmaintenance. In this paper, an integrated decision support system toaid operator cognitive processes is proposed for advanced MCRs offuture NPPs. This work suggests the design concept of a decisionsupport system which accounts for an operator's cognitive processes.The proposed system supports not only a particular task, but also theentire operation process based on a human cognitive, process model. Inthis paper, the operator's operation processes are analyzed accordingto a human cognitive process model and appropriate support systems thatsupport each cognitive process activity are suggested.