In this study, the understanding about multimodal perception from previous studies has been used to create a perceptually demanding visual search task inside a game. Also, a subtle multimodal cue was created to be in-directly informative about the visual search target’s location by attracting subjects’ attention. 20 subjects were divided equally among the experiments two conditions, one where the subjects had no access to the multimodal information and one where the subjects did have access to the multimodal information. The multimodal information conveyed to the subjects in this experiment was temporal synchrony between a visual light pulsating and a sound being modulated using level and low-pass filtering. Results showed that the subjects that were given the multimodal information improved more on the search task than the group without multimodal information, but the subjects in the multimodal group also perceived the pace of the task as higher. However, it is unclear exactly how the multimodal cue helped the subjects since the playing subjects did not seem to change their search movement pattern to favor the location of the search target, as was expected. Further, the difficulties and considerations of testing in a game environment is discussed and it is concluded that the gamer population is a very varied group which has big impacts on methodology of in-game experiments. To identify sub-groups, further research could study why different players use different search behaviors.

The effects of in-vehicle automation and driving assistant systems on the mental workload and situation awareness of drivers have been the interest of many studies; some of the implications of automation in such man-machine systems have been identified. Due to the introduction of advanced automated systems in agricultural machinery, farmers are currently working with semi-autonomous vehicles. A human factors perspective on the design of these systems will ensure safe and efficient operation of such man-machine systems. In this study, a systematic approach was utilized to address human factors issues associated with operating a semi-autonomous agricultural vehicle, and to provide design recommendations. The study was carried out in three stages. First, a task analysis was used to identify tasks associated with operating an agricultural vehicle and to select appropriate experimental variables. Next, a preliminary experiment was performed to validate the test procedure and measurement techniques. Finally, the main experiment was administered. Experiments were conducted using the Tractor Driving Simulator located in the Agricultural Ergonomics Laboratory at the University of Manitoba. Thirty young experienced tractor drivers participated in this study. The experiment investigated the effects of i) vehicle steering task automation (VSTA) and ii) implement control and monitoring task automation (ICMTA) on mental workload and situation awareness of drivers. It was found that ICMTA significantly affected situation awareness (and its underlying components) of the operator. The situation awareness of drivers increased as the automation support level increased, but the highest level of automation, where the participants were out of the task loop, resulted in low situation awareness, similar to the condition with no automation support. VSTA only reduced the attentional demand of the situation, one of the three components of the situation awareness, which had negative effect on overall situation awareness. Based on the results from a subjective mental workload measure, moderate levels of mental workload were reported when the participants were involved in the implement control and monitoring task loop. The highest level of ICMTA reduced the average mental workload by 18%. Reaction time of drivers and number of errors committed by drivers both decreased as the automation level increased. / October 2015

The current driving simulator study investigates the effect of 2 distinct levels of distraction on a drivers’ situational awareness and latent and inherent hazard anticipation. In this study, rear-end crashes were used as the primary crash configuration to target a specific category of crashes due to distraction. The two types of task load used in the experiment was a cognitive distraction (mock cell-phone task) & visual distraction (I-pad task). Forty-eight young participants aged 18-25 years navigated 8 scenarios each in a mixed subject design with task load (cognitive or visual distraction) as a between-subject variable and the presence/absence of distraction representing the within-subject variable. All participants drove 4 scenarios with a distraction and 4 scenarios without any distraction. Physiological variables in the form of Heart rate and heart rate variability was collected for each participant during the practice drives and after each of the 8 experimental drives. After the completion of each experimental drive, participants were asked to fill up a NASA TLX questionnaire which quantifies the overall task load experienced by giving it a score between 1 and 100, where higher scores translate to higher perceived task load. Eye-movements were also recorded for the proportion of latent and inherent hazards anticipated and mitigated for all participants. Standard vehicle data (velocity, acceleration & lane offset) were also collected from the simulator for each participants’ each drive. Analysis of data showed that there was a significant difference in velocity, lane offset and task load index scores across the 2 groups (between-subject factors). The vehicle data, heart rate data and TLX data was analyzed using Mixed subject ANOVA. There was also a logistic regression model devised which showed significant effects of velocity, lane offset, TLX scores and age on a participants’ hazard anticipation abilities. The findings have a major practical implication in reducing drivers’ risk of fatal, serious or near crashes.

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Title: Analysis of 5000 m runner's year training cycle. Objectives: Main goal of this thesis was evaluation of training progress of Vlastimil Sroubek, 5000 m runner, in the season 2014 / 2015. Training process in this period was analysed with content analysis composition from perspective of special training indexes and evaluation of dynamic changes of these indexes. The quality of core trainings was expertly evaluated and researched. These particular data were collected from training diary. Graphic evaluation by using Diagrams of the gained results is elementary part of this Thesis. The results of the research were compared with created model load characteristics for 5000m runner. Brief suggestions of continuous athlete preparation for next season, when we respect the results of content analysis and expert assessment, is in the conclusion. Methods: Content analyse of the training diary is the main method which I use to write this thesis with focus on general and specific training's indexes and expert assessment of growth training each special of running abilities. Percentage evaluation was used for quantitative comparison. Results: Thesis shows that different preparation from model characteristics load together with ineffective development trainings each special of running abilities and wrongly...

Esta tese aborda o problema de obtenção de um índice de carga ou de desempenho adequado para utilização no escalonamento de processos em sistemas computacionais heterogêneos paralelos/distribuídos. Uma ampla revisão bibliográfica com a correspondente análise crítica é apresentada. Essa revisão é a base para a comparação das métricas existentes para a avaliação do grau de heterogeneidade/homogeneidade dos sistemas computacionais. Uma nova métrica é proposta neste trabalho, removendo as restrições identificadas no estudo comparativo realizado. Resultados de aplicações dessa nova métrica são apresentados e discutidos. Esta tese propõe também o conceito de heterogeneidade/homogeneidade temporal que pode ser utilizado para futuros aprimoramentos de políticas de escalonamento empregadas em plataformas computacionais heterogêneas paralelas/distribuídas. Um novo índice de desempenho (Vector for Index of Performance - VIP), generalizando o conceito de índice de carga, é proposto com base em uma métrica Euclidiana. Esse novo índice é aplicado na implementação de uma política de escalonamento e amplamente testado através de modelagem e simulação. Os resultados obtidos são apresentados e analisados estatisticamente. É demonstrado que o novo índice leva a bons resultados de modo geral e é apresentado um mapeamento mostrando as vantagens e desvantagens de sua adoção quando comparado às métricas tradicionais. / This thesis approaches the problem of evaluating an adequate load index or a performance index, for using in process scheduling in heterogeneous parallel/distributed computing systems. A wide literature review with the corresponding critical analysis is presented. This review is the base for the comparison of the existing metrics for the evaluation of the computing systems homogeneity/heterogeneity degree. A new metric is proposed in this work, removing the restrictions identified during the comparative study realized. Results from the application of the new metric are presented and discussed. This thesis also proposes the concept of temporal heterogeneity/homogeneity that can be used for future improvements in scheduling polices for parallel/distributed heterogeneous computing platforms. A new performance index (Vector for Index of Performance - VIP), generalizing the concept of load index, is proposed based on an Euclidean metric. This new index is applied to the implementation of a scheduling police and widely tested through modeling and simulation. The results obtained are presented and statistically analyzed. It is shown that the new index reaches good results in general and it is also presented a mapping showing the advantages and disadvantages of its adoption when compared with the traditional metrics.

Esta tese aborda o problema de obtenção de um índice de carga ou de desempenho adequado para utilização no escalonamento de processos em sistemas computacionais heterogêneos paralelos/distribuídos. Uma ampla revisão bibliográfica com a correspondente análise crítica é apresentada. Essa revisão é a base para a comparação das métricas existentes para a avaliação do grau de heterogeneidade/homogeneidade dos sistemas computacionais. Uma nova métrica é proposta neste trabalho, removendo as restrições identificadas no estudo comparativo realizado. Resultados de aplicações dessa nova métrica são apresentados e discutidos. Esta tese propõe também o conceito de heterogeneidade/homogeneidade temporal que pode ser utilizado para futuros aprimoramentos de políticas de escalonamento empregadas em plataformas computacionais heterogêneas paralelas/distribuídas. Um novo índice de desempenho (Vector for Index of Performance - VIP), generalizando o conceito de índice de carga, é proposto com base em uma métrica Euclidiana. Esse novo índice é aplicado na implementação de uma política de escalonamento e amplamente testado através de modelagem e simulação. Os resultados obtidos são apresentados e analisados estatisticamente. É demonstrado que o novo índice leva a bons resultados de modo geral e é apresentado um mapeamento mostrando as vantagens e desvantagens de sua adoção quando comparado às métricas tradicionais. / This thesis approaches the problem of evaluating an adequate load index or a performance index, for using in process scheduling in heterogeneous parallel/distributed computing systems. A wide literature review with the corresponding critical analysis is presented. This review is the base for the comparison of the existing metrics for the evaluation of the computing systems homogeneity/heterogeneity degree. A new metric is proposed in this work, removing the restrictions identified during the comparative study realized. Results from the application of the new metric are presented and discussed. This thesis also proposes the concept of temporal heterogeneity/homogeneity that can be used for future improvements in scheduling polices for parallel/distributed heterogeneous computing platforms. A new performance index (Vector for Index of Performance - VIP), generalizing the concept of load index, is proposed based on an Euclidean metric. This new index is applied to the implementation of a scheduling police and widely tested through modeling and simulation. The results obtained are presented and statistically analyzed. It is shown that the new index reaches good results in general and it is also presented a mapping showing the advantages and disadvantages of its adoption when compared with the traditional metrics.

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