abstract: This thesis describes a synthetic task environment, CyberCog, created for the purposes of 1) understanding and measuring individual and team situation awareness in the context of a cyber security defense task and 2) providing a context for evaluating algorithms, visualizations, and other interventions that are intended to improve cyber situation awareness. CyberCog provides an interactive environment for conducting human-in-loop experiments in which the participants of the experiment perform the tasks of a cyber security defense analyst in response to a cyber-attack scenario. CyberCog generates the necessary performance measures and interaction logs needed for measuring individual and team cyber situation awareness. Moreover, the CyberCog environment provides good experimental control for conducting effective situation awareness studies while retaining realism in the scenario and in the tasks performed. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.C.St. Computing Studies 2011

abstract: By extracting communication sequences from audio data collected during two separate five-person mission-planning tasks, interaction patterns in team communication were analyzed using a recurrence-based, nonlinear dynamics approach. These methods, previously successful in detecting pattern change in a three-person team task, were evaluated for their applicability to larger team settings, and their ability to detect pattern change when team members switched roles or locations partway through the study (Study 1) or change in patterns over time (Study 2). Both traditional interaction variables (Talking Time, Co-Talking Time, and Sequence Length of Interactions) and dynamic interaction variables (Recurrence Rate, Determinism, and Pattern Information) were explored as indicators and predictors of changes in team structure and performance. Results from these analyses provided support that both traditional and dynamic interaction variables reflect some changes in team structure and performance. However, changes in communication patterns were not detected. Because simultaneous conversations are possible in larger teams, but not detectable through our communication sequence methods, team pattern changes may not be visible in communication sequences for larger teams. This suggests that these methods may not be applicable for larger teams, or in situations where simultaneous conversations may occur. Further research is needed to continue to explore the applicability of recurrence-based nonlinear dynamics in the analysis of team communication. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Applied Psychology 2012

Um método para avaliação do uso de ganho adequado em ensaios de verificação de PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillations) é apresentado. As tarefas de manobra sintética (Synthetic Tracking Task) são utilizadas para demonstração. A teoria é baseada no conceito de entropia estatística proveniente da teoria da informação e no modelo estrutural do piloto humano. O método é apresentado para manobras executadas no eixo lateral e oferece uma medida do ganho humano utilizado durante a sua execução em malha-fechada. Para a modelagem da planta é utilizado modelo black-box com equacionamento de espaço de estados e identificação de parâmetros. Dados de ensaios em voo provenientes de uma aeronave de transporte certificada FAR-25 são utilizados para medir a razão entre o tempo gasto pelo piloto humano em uma malha fechada em posição versus o tempo em uma malha de derivada da posição (roll vs. roll rate). Esta medida é proposta como validadora da execução correta do ensaio. / A method is proposed to verify losed-loop adequate flight test piloting gain in PIO aircraft certification. The synthetic tracking task PIO flight test is used. The theory is based on the entropy concept from information theory and on the structural pilot model of the human pilot. The method is presented for single axis pilot tracking maneuvers and offers a measure of the human pilot gain employed during its execution. A black-box, state-space, parameter-identified model is used for the plant. Flight test data from a FAR-25 transport aircraft is used to verify the theory of how to determine a measure of the ratio between time spent by the human pilot in the error loop versus in the error rate loop to control the aircraft. This measure is proposed as a test point validation method for PIO flight testing.

Um método para avaliação do uso de ganho adequado em ensaios de verificação de PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillations) é apresentado. As tarefas de manobra sintética (Synthetic Tracking Task) são utilizadas para demonstração. A teoria é baseada no conceito de entropia estatística proveniente da teoria da informação e no modelo estrutural do piloto humano. O método é apresentado para manobras executadas no eixo lateral e oferece uma medida do ganho humano utilizado durante a sua execução em malha-fechada. Para a modelagem da planta é utilizado modelo black-box com equacionamento de espaço de estados e identificação de parâmetros. Dados de ensaios em voo provenientes de uma aeronave de transporte certificada FAR-25 são utilizados para medir a razão entre o tempo gasto pelo piloto humano em uma malha fechada em posição versus o tempo em uma malha de derivada da posição (roll vs. roll rate). Esta medida é proposta como validadora da execução correta do ensaio. / A method is proposed to verify losed-loop adequate flight test piloting gain in PIO aircraft certification. The synthetic tracking task PIO flight test is used. The theory is based on the entropy concept from information theory and on the structural pilot model of the human pilot. The method is presented for single axis pilot tracking maneuvers and offers a measure of the human pilot gain employed during its execution. A black-box, state-space, parameter-identified model is used for the plant. Flight test data from a FAR-25 transport aircraft is used to verify the theory of how to determine a measure of the ratio between time spent by the human pilot in the error loop versus in the error rate loop to control the aircraft. This measure is proposed as a test point validation method for PIO flight testing.