Allocating human-system interfaces functions by levels of automation in an advanced control room

Abstract

Human factors engineering (HFE) focuses on the design of human-system interfaces (HSIs). The HSIs, those NPPs parts that personnel interact with in performing their tasks, included control switches, red, green, amber, and white indictor lights, mimic displays, lighted annunciator panels, and hand-written status boards. The advanced technology has introduced the capability of integrating information from numerous plant systems and supplying needed information to operations personnel in a timely manner. Challenges of the well-integrated computerized control room include ensuring reduced staffing does not treat with increased task complexity, achieving a consistent user interface, ensuring increased automation does not adversely affect the operator's mental model of the plant, and systems actually support the operator. This study investigated the process of the HSI functions allocation by considering which functions should be automated and to what extent, which is also called the level of automation (LOA). © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.