Abstract
Digital transformation of work expands in manual labor areas, providing the need to assess cognitive ergonomics of smart devices. Evaluating cognitive workload imposed on the worker and attentional processes are especially relevant. We compared human performance between two smart devices in the context of a simulated order picking task. To this end, we combined a task switching paradigm with a flanker task. Response times, error rates and subjective task load indices were registered. Participants were slower in using smart glasses compared to a headset, however, with smart glasses they were less distraction-prone and more flexible in their responses. The performance differences may be explained by modality-specific transformations from sensory input to manual responses. In sum, results suggest that smart glasses may be more suitable for conveying information in rather complex tasks relying on visual information whereas headsets may be more suitable for simple tasks in uncluttered environments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Lee, J.D., Wickens, C.D., Liu, Y., Boyle, L.N.: Designing for People: An Introduction to Human Factors Engineering. CreateSpace, Charleston (2017)
Theis, S., Mertens, A., Wille, M., Rasche, P., Alexander, T., Schlick, C.E. (eds.) Effects of Data Glasses on Human Workload and Performance During Assembly and Disassembly Tasks (2015)
Guo, A., Wu, X., Shen, Z., Starner, T., Baumann, H., Gilliland, S.: Order picking with head-up displays. Computer 48, 16–24 (2015)
Kreutzfeldt, M., Stephan, D.N., Willmes, K., Koch, I.: Shifts in target modality cause attentional reset: evidence from sequential modulation of crossmodal congruency effects. Psychon. Bull. Rev. 23, 1466–1473 (2016)
Kiesel, A., Steinhauser, M., Wendt, M., Falkenstein, M., Jost, K., Philipp, A.M., Koch, I.: Control and interference in task switching—a review. Psychol. Bull. 136, 849 (2010)
Hart, S.G., Wickens, C.D.: Workload assessment and prediction. In: Booher, H.R. (ed.) Manprint, pp. 257–296. Springer, Dordrecht (1990)
Eriksen, B.A., Eriksen, C.W.: Effects of noise letters upon the identification of a target letter in a nonsearch task. Percept. Psychophys. 16, 143–149 (1974)
Petersen, S.E., Posner, M.I.: The attention system of the human brain: 20 years after. Ann. Rev. Neurosci. 35, 73–89 (2012)
Grosse, E.H., Glock, C.H., Neumann, W.P.: Human factors in order picking: a content analysis of the literature. Int. J. Prod. Res. 55, 1260–1276 (2017)
Funk, M., Shirazi, A.S., Mayer, S., Lischke, L., Schmidt, A.: Pick from here! An interactive mobile cart using in-situ projection for order picking. In: Mase, K., Langheinrich, M., Gatica-Perez, D., Gellersen, H., Choudhury, T., Yatani, K. (eds.) The 2015 ACM International Joint Conference, pp. 601–609 (2015)
Renner, P., Pfeiffer, T.: Attention guiding techniques using peripheral vision and eye tracking for feedback in augmented-reality-based assistance systems. In: 2017 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI), Proceedings, 18–19 March 2017, Los Angeles, CA, USA, pp. 186–194. IEEE, Piscataway (2017)
Grosse, E.H., Glock, C.H., Jaber, M.Y., Neumann, W.P.: Incorporating human factors in order picking planning models: framework and research opportunities. Int. J. Prod. Res. 53, 695–717 (2015)
Zijlstra, F.R.H.: Efficiency in Work Behaviour: A Design Approach for Modern Tools. Delft University Press, Delft (1993)
Hart, S.G., Staveland, L.E.: Development of NASA-TLX (Task Load Index): results of empirical and theoretical research. In: Hancock, P.A., Meshkati, N. (eds.) Human Mental Workload, North-Holland, vol. 52, pp. 139–183 (1988)
Logan, G.D., Schneider, D.W.: Interpreting instructional cues in task switching procedure: the role of mediator retrieval. J. Exp. Psychol. Learn. Mem. Cogn. 32, 347–363 (2006)
Baddeley, A., Chincotta, D., Adlam, A.: Working memory and the control of action: evidence from task switching. J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 130, 641–657 (2001)
Emerson, M.J., Miyake, A.: The role of inner speech in task switching: a dual-task investigation. J. Mem. Lang. 48, 148–168 (2003)
Meiran, N.: Modeling cognitive control in task-switching. Psychol. Res. 63, 234–249 (2000)
Logan, G.D., Gordon, R.D.: Executive control of visual attention in dual-task situations. Psychol. Rev. 108, 393–434 (2001)
Kreutzfeldt, M., Stephan, D.N., Willmes, K., Koch, I.: Modality-specific preparatory influences on the flexibility of cognitive control in task switching. J. Cognit. Psychol. 29, 607–617 (2017)
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the National Centre of Excellence for Logistics and IT, Dortmund, Germany. We would like to thank Linda Tchuendem for data collection.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this paper
Cite this paper
Kreutzfeldt, M., Renker, J., Rinkenauer, G. (2019). The Attentional Perspective on Smart Devices: Empirical Evidence for Device-Specific Cognitive Ergonomics. In: Rebelo, F., Soares, M. (eds) Advances in Ergonomics in Design. AHFE 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 777. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94706-8_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94706-8_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-94705-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-94706-8
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)