The present study examined a diagnostic medical decision aid developed to help inexperienced operators to diagnose and treat a simulated patient. Diagnosis and treatment accuracy using the tool were assessed and compared across both physicians and non-physicians. Initial analysis revealed more accurate diagnostic and treatment choices for non-physicians, but upon further investigation, physicians were found to have recognized signs for another diagnosis and correctly diagnosed and treated based on the limited information in the patient simulation. This fit with other noted behaviors, such as non-physicians opening the diagnostic support tool within the aid more often than physicians, and frequently returning to the tool during the task. In general, non-physicians were supported in choosing the correct diagnosis and treatment by the aid, while physicians disregarded the aid’s recommendations to make decisions based on their own expertise. These results have implications for the development of future decision support aids for non-physicians performing medical procedures.

Within distracting environments, it is difficult to maintain attentional focus on complex tasks. Cognitive aids can support attention by adding relevant information to the environment, such as via augmented reality (AR). However, there may be a benefit in removing elements from the environment, such as irrelevant alarms, displays, and conversations. De-emphasis of distracting elements is a type of AR called Diminished Reality (DR). Although de-emphasizing distraction may help focus on a primary task, it may also reduce situational awareness (SA) of other activities that may become relevant. In the current study, participants will assemble a medical ventilator during a simulated emergency while experiencing varying levels of DR. Participants will also be probed to assess secondary SA. We anticipate that participants will have better accuracy and completion times in the full DR conditions but their SA will suffer. Future applications include the design of future DR systems and improved training methods.

Fast-paced environments require operators who perform in them to use their cognitive abilities such as perception and memory to complete tasks. Individual differences in ability can result in different outcomes. Previous research has shown that common errors in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) can be reduced if individual differences in cognition, such as attentional ability, are addressed. The goal of this research is to understand how cognitive aids in the form of Augmented Reality (AR) can reduce errors and perceived workload, as well as mitigate differences in performance and attentional ability between individuals.

Due to an abundance of available methodologies and research guidelines, it can be difficult to pinpoint and correctly choose a suitable method for answering human factors-centered research questions. This is especially true for novice researchers who may lack the requisite knowledge to identify and implement methods within the domain that could be most appropriate for solving a specific problem. To address this issue, a human factors methods website was designed and created using an iterative four-stage developmental process consisting of investigation, planning, design, and evaluation phases. This website will serve as a tool for users (i.e., novice researchers) to select, learn, and implement a variety of methods that can be tailored to properly address their research questions and achieve valid results.

Many environments contain visual and auditory distractions. Cognitive aids help limit these distractions, support attention, and improve task performance. One way this is done is by adding information to the environment via Augmented Reality (AR). Attention may also be supported by removing distractors using Diminished Reality (DR), a form of AR that computationally erases, de-emphasizes, or otherwise diminishes external stimuli. However, there was no research investigating the design of the control and display system for DR technology and the question of how to redirect or gain someone’s attention when their environment is diminished had not been addressed. This study explored the acceptability and effectiveness of notifications with varying attributes and fills that gap in research. Results indicated that low specificity notifications in a diminished environment are rated as being subjectively better than notifications of other formats; low specificity messages were also recalled at a greater rate.