Human factors engineering tools for amusement attraction design and evaluation

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The goal of this research program is to identify, develop, and evaluate applications of human factors engineering (HF) to the amusement park and carnival domain and create tools to promote use of HF. We will develop computer models to predict overloads and under-loads in rider “workload” and test these with virtual amusement rides modelled in our NSERC-funded Mixed-reality Immersive Motion Simulator (MIMS) facility. We will also design, prototype, and evaluate various environmental manipulations to align illusory boundaries of amusement attractions with real safety boundaries. For operator interfaces, we will also design modified controls to capture intuitiveness of direct manipulation and experimentally evaluate effect on speed and accuracy of operation performance using models and prototypes, and we will begin to study control tasks and interfaces in major attractions that use control rooms. Complementing this, we will continue to analyze amusement accident data to acquire more insight into HF elements of accidents that should be incorporated in our models. . Importance. Rider injuries are often linked to thrill-seeking or failed coping with thrill. Design tools that identify vulnerable fluctuations in rider “workload” in the design stage can save costs of post-installation modifications as well as human cost of performance failure. Attraction design that elicits safe behaviour without situation awareness (SA), preserving surprise, illusion, and disorientation, will improve attraction quality and safety. Other domains might be able to apply similar approaches to complement SA. Control interfaces that are more intuitive will promote efficient and accurate control performance. While not a predominant etiology, some notable ride accidents have involved control operation errors. Operator-interface design guidance will be important to designers of amusement devices and will also be relevant to other complex mechanical equipment. Initial studies of control rooms will be important to us to plan future research. . Anticipated outcomes. In addition to professional and scholarly dissemination, all of the project elements include developing and evaluating design tools and guidance for industry, to ensure end users can apply the findings without HF specialist assistance. Practical HF knowledge transfer will help professionals who are not HF specialists make good human-centred design decisions. Good HF will reduce hazardous behaviour by guests, improve speed and accuracy of ride control operation in routine and non-routine tasks, and maintain or improve quality of amusement. We will disseminate through input to international standard practices and directly to end users. . Benefits. HF has considered control interface design from its earliest days, but the HF literature has left unanswered questions in relation to prevention of mistakes in control of directly observable complex multi-axial motion such as rides, particularly for exception handling and manual control. Rider behaviour is a complex and novel application of HF. A common approach to human performance improvement is improved SA, but amusement design needs to work despite illusions, without SA, and for untrained users of a wide range of ages, sizes, and abilities. Thus, this project will expand HF design strategies. Many Canadians work in the amusement sector delivering services and producing widely distributed products that make enjoyable leisure experiences for families in Canada and around the world. Improvements in the quality and efficiency of design will economically benefit manufacturers whose customers will choose more usable products, operators who can deliver excellent entertainment more reliably, and most importantly, protect the health and safety of the public.