Human Systems Integration Division

The Human Systems Integration Division is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research organization which is part of the Exploration Technology Directorate at NASA Ames Research Center. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, in Mountain View, CA, the function of the Human Systems Integration Division is to advance human-centered design and operations of complex aerospace systems through analysis, experimentation, and modeling of human performance and human-automation interaction to make dramatic improvements in safety, efficiency, and mission success.

Division Overview and Objectives
People are the most critical element in system safety, reliability and performance. Their creativity, adaptability and problem-solving capabilities are key to resilient operations across the gamut of aerospace applications. Advances in computing power and communications, increased automation and access to distributed information resources for collaboration, monitoring and control, all contribute to new challenges for humans as critical decision-makers in complex systems. In aviation, people are the backbone of a national aviation system that is straining to meet growing consumer demands. In space, long-duration missions and reusable launch vehicles will increase the requirement for safe and effective human performance in the harsh environments surrounding our planet. Human-centered design must address the need for safe, efficient and cost-effective operations, maintenance and training, both in flight and on the ground.

The Human Systems Integration Division is creating and applying a new understanding of how individuals and teams assimilate and act on information in pursuit of goals critical to the success of NASA missions.

The Division comprises three research areas:

- Human-Machine Interaction. The Human-Machine Interaction Group contributes to the development of measurably better NASA software through careful application of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) methods. The group follows an iterative process that consists of user research, interaction design, software development, and usability evaluation. This approach enables us to deploy and integrate mission software, with the right functionality and user interfaces, for scientists and engineers on some of NASA’s largest programs.

- Human Performance. The Human Performance Group performs research and technology development to enhance health, productivity and safety in aerospace environments. The group develops advanced interfaces, models of human performance, tools for monitoring performance, and countermeasures to mitigate performance deficits. The group includes labs that focus on advanced multi-modal interfaces, auditory displays, human cognition, performance modeling, psychophysiology, telerobotics, virtual environments, vision science, and visuomotor control.

- Integration and Training. The Integration and Training Group is committed to improving the efficiency and safety of the Air Transportation System, with emphasis on mid-term and long-term requirements. This group develops and evaluates methods drawn from Human Factors and related disciplines for the integration of humans as intrinsic to the Air Transportation System as a whole. The group includes full-mission laboratories associated with air traffic management, flight deck and air-ground procedures, and surface operations. It also includes labs dedicated to fatigue countermeasures, training, and distributed team decision-making.

The strategic goals of the division are:

- To advance our fundamental understanding of how people process information, make decisions and collaborate with human and machine systems.

- To enhance aviation safety and performance by designing human-centered automation and interfaces, decision support tools, training, and team and organizational practices. "

- To extend human capabilities in space by advancing our knowledge of human performance during space missions and developing tools, technologies and countermeasures for safe and effective space operations."

Organization
The Division comprises the following research laboratories:

- Advanced Controls and Displays

- Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL)

- Ames Flight Deck Display Research Group

- Automation Interaction Design and Evaluation Group

- Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS)

- Emergency and Abnormal Situations Study

- Flight Cognition Laboratory

- Flight Operations Development Laboratory (FODL)

- Human-Centered Systems Laboratory (HCSL)

- Human-Computer Interaction Group (HCI)

- Human Vibration Laboratory

- Man Machine Integration Design and Analysis (MIDAS)

- Ocular Imaging Laboratory

- Psychophysiology Research Laboratory

- Vision Science and Technology

- Visuomotor Control Laboratory

History
- 1960s: Human-rated five degrees of freedom simulator

- 1970s: Aviation Safety Reporting System

- 1980s: Crew resource management and line-orientated flight training (LOFT), Human requirements for extended spaceflight

- 1990s: Automation design, Aviation safety monitoring and modeling

- 2000s: Human factors for Constellation

- 2010s: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Human-computer interaction (HCI), NextGen Air Transportation Systems.