Human in the loop

Abstract

It is a common fallacy to think of automation as either fully manual or fully automatic. The situation Is rarely so simplistic or so clear-cut. Instead the reality is that for most industrial automation systems a continuum of control ranging from fully manual to fully automated Is adopted. There can also be different modes of operation which may be automated to different extents. Humans play a central role in modern industrial automation systems and their role in the future will be more important than ever before. The human operator also represents the most vulnerable element in the system and the one most easily overlooked. Understanding and optimising the overall performance of industrial process control systems relies on a systematic and holistic approach, taking care both of the rapid development of technology and the special role that the human fulfills.