A Reliable Computer/Human Interaction Environment

ARCHIE - 7283

Keywords user interfaces, safety-critical systems, workstations

Start Date: 01-JUN-92 / Duration: 36 months

Objectives

The objective of ARCHIE is to develop workstation technology for use in the broad field of control. The ARCHIE project aims to provide three functions to make a workstation environment more suitable for high-workload, time-critical, safety-critical operations:

detection of operator errors and their circumvention by software means
use of multiple channels and multiple media to avoid over-dependence on any particular interface medium
large-scale use of operator performance monitoring to detect overloads or inattention.

OMI results will be used in two major interrelated user interface demonstrators, for which a common methodology will be employed. This will involve the integration of the GRADIENT (857) project's methodology for error detection, circumvention and rejection with the advances in multi-channel interaction and operator monitoring currently being developed in the UK SERC-funded ECHO project.

As a new concept in human-computer interaction, ARCHIE can be demonstrated in a variety of applications representative of major real-time installations. It opens an expanding market for fast-response, high processing-power application of microprocessor chips and support environments. The demonstrators are selected to use complex software-intensive safety-critical environments to test the scope of OMI's software support tools.

Both demonstrators will be in safety-critical environments, which are demanding of human cognitive capacities, and for which multi-channel human-computer interaction and real-time monitoring of operator actions will be essential. One demonstrator will be in the fixed safety-critical environment of air traffic control; the other will be a mobile application adapting virtual cockpit techniques from the military sphere for the civil aviation flight-deck.

Further information about ARCHIE is available from the ARCHIE home page.

CONTACT POINT

Mr K. Mitchell
GEC-MARCONI Avionics Ltd.
Display Systems Group Rochester
Displays Division
Airport Works
UK - Rochester MEI 2XX
tel: + 44/634-816711
fax: + 44/634-816619
telex: 96333 GECROC

Participants

GEC-MARCONI AVIONICS LTD - UK - C
BERTIN & CIE - F - P
CRI A/S - DK - P
UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE - UK - P
SOFREAVIA - F - A
CAA (CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY) - UK - A

ARCHIE - 7283, December 1993

please address enquiries to the ESPRIT Information Desk

html version of synopsis by Nick Cook