Realistic Expectations from HVHF

Scientists are studying human-systems interactions in order to design systems that are compatible with human behavioral limitations in stressful moments. This field of study is called High Velocity Human Factors (HVHF) and it seems that more developments are on the way.

This morning, during a friendly chat with one of my friends who is a researcher at a technology research institute, we talked about the future of technologies, especially what may be unfolded by VHHF in the near future. In fact, the conversation took place when he asked me “You've never heard of Human Factors Sciences (HFS), have you?” I remembered a project that was done by Moin Rahman a researcher at Motorola about two years ago. So I replied: “Yes, I’ve read something about it. I think that it deals with a better understanding about human performance during peak and critical moments of a decision or a mission.” Seeing that I knew something about HFS, my friend gave a brief about his current activities and what is going on at their research lab for the future. I found a part of this chat useful enough to shape this post.

The VHHF is an emerging specialty within the discipline of Human Factors Sciences and Psychology (HFSP). It combines and applies knowledge about human senses (including vision, hearing and touch), cognition/thinking (such as memory and decision-making) and physiology (load bearing, force exerting capacity and so on) to maximize the human-machine fit.

One of the greatest challenges that the technologists are facing today is inventing technologies that may enhance human capabilities and reduce his limitations. These technologies may shape the next generation of technology that we’ll surely need in the coming future. For example, HFSP finds that the size of the text on a cell phone should be at least 2.5 cm tall – to be readable at arm’s length by a person with normal vision. Other applications include everything from the optimal placement-location-size-form of control buttons on a kitchen stove to configuring the information displays inside the cockpit of an F-16. The goal is make the technology and the technology-user interface as sensible and easy to use as possible.

Now HVHF takes HFSP to a higher level or a new environment. The purpose of HVHF is to address human performance in the contexts of mission critical domains such as military combat, law enforcement, fire fighting and etc., when it experiences nonequilibrium. The domain in the human factors standpoint is said to experience nonequilibrium when the situation is perceived by the human agent as being volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. This is usually accompanied by stress caused by time pressure and emotional reactions (high stakes, little time) inherent to the event or situation. In such situations even the most sensitive and accurate technologies become ineffective due to human inefficiency.

The HVHF analyzes human performance by positing three dimensions:
1. Velocity differential (lag in information processing between situational demands and capacity of the human agent);
2. Psychophysiological reactions (cardiac defense, attentional tunneling, functional decortication, etc.); and
3. Decision making (heuristics, recognition-primed decision making).

Knowing my love for neuroscience, my friend asked about my real expectations from the future developments of this field of study. Remembering that the HVHF looks at ways to manage a detrimental speeding up or to maintain adequate function despite the increased velocity in human behavior, I arranged my expectations and prospects as following:

1. Aversive emotions of high-stress situations like fear and anger affect cognition and therefore affect behavior and performance in such situations in a negative way. So, the first challenge is psychological, rather than just a technological one. How such emotions can be controlled intentionally by the person who experiences them? And how this kind of control may be evolved in the future? Will it be available to all, or only to a limited number of people who are skillfully trained or utilized with certain equipments?

2. Events or aspects of events that have a high emotional intensity can “grab attention” or distract a person from more critical aspects or important information in the situation. So, situational awareness should be a typical area of research in HVHF. In fact, HVHF should aim at finding new ways to prevent or counteract such distractions. How reliable a new method can appear? Stressful events may be inevitable, but can we really reduce the side effects of such events on our behavior?

3. This new area of study can be compelling, fascinating and useful for those with a view to the next generation of technologies: Futurist Technologists. Certainly, input and ideas from the HVHF scientists may help futurist technologists experience a new field of research. Meanwhile, the futurists may share their concerns with the HVHF scientists through a fruitful mutual partnership. How can we shape a certain framework of cooperation between the scientists and the futurists?

We are in the midst of a revolution. A meaningful combination of cognitive science, psychology, neuroscience and even nano-robotics will realize many of our old dreams. In my point of view; the HVHF has provided a new opportunity for the advancement of technology, realizing new technologies that might seem as magic in past decades. How can we set up our expectations in a realistic frame?

Alireza Hejazi is the founder and developer of “FuturesDiscovery.com” and the author of e-books: “Futures Discovery”, “ATLAS of futures links”, and “Top 10 Cases of Futures Studies Syllabus”. His most recent e-book “Writing for the Future” is available at:
http://www.futuresdiscovery.com.