Human–machine system

A man-machine system (MMS ) is the relationship of observable or measurable processes that occur in the performance of goal- directed, consciously controlled human activities to a given solution or self-selected tasks with the use of machines, to a system. MMSE therefore consist of at least two components: the acting person and the machine used. For a full description of MMSen also includes the description of the targeted activities in the form of job descriptions, objectives and action steps part.

• 4.1 Aspects of task processing
• 4.2 Temporal requirements of the task processing
• 4.3 Task Priority
• 4.4 task complexity

Basics

Successes required in performing a task activities gradually in several actions, it can be assumed that the reached in each step result of a single action with each compared and corrected in the following step, if necessary mentally is anticipated. According to Sheridan ( 1987) has to be distinguished in various forms of interaction between the persons involved (operators or operator inside ) and tasks: direct control, manual control, monitoring, control and fully automatic control.

Examples

Known examples of MMSE are found, where the interaction of people and technology is immediately apparent in the management of all types of vehicles ( bicycles, etc., cars, ships, aircraft). However, manufacturing facilities, operating theaters, research laboratories provide examples of MMSE.

Notes

Forms of interaction in the performance of targeted activities ( Sheridan, 1987)

Direct control

The processing of the task, ie the action of the operator on the process to be worked is continuous and immediate. The tasks and their respective processing state can be perceived directly by the operator or the Operateurin.

Manual control

Between Operateurin task and a machine is inserted. The influence on the process to be processed is carried out indirectly by the Operateurin operated controls, thus setting actuators ( actuators or actuators ) of the machine in motion, acting on the object. The object and its instantaneous processing status can be perceived either directly or mediated by corresponding sensors and display devices (displays).

Supervisory control

The creation of this task is largely automatically, with due care generated by sensor information by appropriate algorithms control signals that the actuators act on the process to be processed. Surgeon or Operateurin are included only indirectly; they monitor by reading the ads the processes and occasionally make a conflict or incidents.

Fully automatic control

The task is completely processed without any involvement of an operator of a vending machine.

All of these forms of interaction, including the fully automatic control, for example, encountered when driving.

Task characterization

Because of the variety of uses of MMSen in production, motion or information processes ( Johannsen, 1993), it is necessary to abstract from the concrete content. We will make it the steps that are typical of system formations. The processes occurring usually get signal in nature, ie the encountered in different processes MMSen be regarded as information flow and the corresponding MMSE as information handling systems.

Aspects of task processing

When editing a task three aspects can be distinguished:

• Processing state
• And processing means
• Processing target.

If one of these aspects only incompletely understood, one speaks of a problem; the processing of such a task then involves problem-solving processes.

Temporal requirements of the task processing

The time scale on which the task processing is carried out may range from fractions of seconds to hours, with management information systems, for example, even up to months. Crucially, at what intervals and within what period of time the intervention of the surgeon or the Operateurin be made. Furthermore, to distinguish between

• Unique,
• Repeated ( intermittent, ie not regular ) and
• Constant ( repetitive, ie regularly recurring, continuous or quasi-continuous )

Interventions. Only for one-time interventions may be assumed that the overall behavior of MMSs is static. In all other cases, there is a dynamic system before, characterized in that the current processing step - apart from the target - even of the (or the ) previous step ( s) is dependent.

Task priority

With the simultaneous occurrence of more than one task (multitasking) must be decided what is to do the tasks with precedence ( priority). This priority is a property of the associated processes and is closely connected with the time demands on their processing.

Task complexity

The complexity of a task depends partly on how many dimensions include their processing states. Secondly, it depends on the extent, degree of Determininiertheit and the complete description of the above aspects and their interdependencies.

Methods of investigation

Be knowledge about man-machine systems by observing in real situations (for example in the context of a task analysis), through the use of volunteers in simulated technical systems (for example, in vehicles, aircraft or process simulators ) or using models for won the men.