Evaluation of complex and dynamic safety tasks in human learning using the ACT-R and SOAR skill acquisition theories

  • Authors:

  • Samuel A. Oyewole;Amey M. Farde;Joel M. Haight;Oladapo T. Okareh

  • Affiliations:

  • John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;Human Factors Branch, CDC-NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA;Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Venue:
  • Computers in Human Behavior
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

This paper provides a human-centered analytical approach to learning dynamic and complex tasks using the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) and the State, Operator And Result (SOAR) models by comparing the task times of the model and the subjects. Twenty-one full time assembly line workers at a local computer company (14 men and 7 women) from ages 18-32 (Mean=19.86years, SD=0.96years) were randomly selected for this analysis. The task involved the placement of printed circuit board (PCB) components on the flow line of the desktop computer mother board manufacturing process. The overall timed performance of the subjects indicated that the match between the model and the subjects was good, resulting in an R^2 - value of 0.94. At the unit task level performance, and R^2 - value of 0.96 for placing the PCBs on the flow line. For tasks involving picking and searching of PCBs, the obtained R^2 - value was 0.76 and R^2 of 0.68 at the keystroke level. Findings revealed that the model already started out with a complete strategy of performing the task, whereas the human participants had to acquire additional learning information during the trials. Efforts will be made in the future to determine how the performance of the human subjects could be enhanced to meet or the same level as the model performance.