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Describes the ARMA concept, adaptive robotized multifunction assembly cell, as used at CTRI Robotics, a division of Dassault Aviation. The concept evolved in response to the demand for flexibility in automation system design, having recognized the inherent limitations of overspecialized equipment. Defines the mobility and placement corrective systems, the assembly process, information system, programming system, quality system, cell pilot, process control and man/machine interface. Concludes that the ARMA concept was implemented to provide the capabilities necessary automatically to assemble the Rafale fighter but, more importantly, is flexible enough also to assemble other and future aircraft.

AS industrial monitor and control systems grow in both size and sophistication, the demands placed upon the man‐machine interface (MMI) increase to the point at which there are significant advantages to be gained from separating the data distribution and display function from the rest of the system. One of the main benefits of such an approach is the elimination of ‘knock‐on’ effects from changes in the way the data is distributed, manipulated and displayed. In a system where data distribution and display are an integral part of the total monitor and control system, changes to one part of the system can result in unexpected and far reaching effects on the whole system. As a result, changes which would improve the MMI aspects of the system are often not implemented.

Looks at the design elements of an effective human interface. Outlines what makes a good interface and why so many are bad. Explains the importance of having a clear idea of what jobs are to be done and an understanding of the ways errors happen. Also explains the need to understand and involve the user and the importance of trying out the interface at an early stage. Concludes that bad interfaces cost money and can be dangerous and that the human interface should attract at least the same level of resources as any other major part of system design.

The growing density in air traffic and the consequential increase in the workload of air traffic controllers generates the need for a constant evaluation of the existing capabilities of control systems. A possible solution to this issue would consist in recommending a new organisation of the control unit. In this work, we limit ourselves to the presentation and evaluation of the “Interface Dialogue Contrôleur”: electronic stripping interface. This interface is suggested as a replacement for strip papers, which are information supports on planes that transit in specific sectors. An evaluation of this interface will be presented at the end of the paper.

This work aims to probe how interface designers concerned with human‐computer interaction of community networks might use the theoretical constructs of social capital and activity awareness.

A design model for community network interfaces is introduced that reconciles various computer‐mediated communication research contributions with support for typical community network scenarios of use. Using this model, an inspection is performed on existing community network implementations (available December 2002) and then the adequacy of the model for informing the design process is examined.

Based on the insight gained through this analysis, a generic prototype and new user evaluation method are introduced that allow survey of user reaction to community network design elements under differing conditions. It is shown how results obtained through this method frame a value‐chain understanding of conceptual tradeoffs.

To demonstrate the new user evaluation method in an analysis of critical design tradeoffs, the issues of persistent virtual identity implementation and usage motivation are probed. However, the evaluation method must be validated with other issues and tested by researchers that were not part of its creation process.

Contributions from this paper include tools (a design model, a generic prototype, and an evaluation method) linking theory with community design artifacts, building on previous work. Evaluators now have indicators for assessing community informatics.

Interface designers of community networks and those interested in social capital theory will appreciate the link between practice and theory provided by this approach.

This paper aims to make a case that with the appropriate use of human factors methods it is possible to design and develop a single crew commercial aircraft using largely existing technology.

From a review of the literature it is suggested that some of the functions of the non‐flying pilot would be better assumed by either onboard automation or ground‐based systems.

It is argued that the design of the flight deck and the role of the pilot require re‐conceptualising to accommodate the requirements for flying a highly automated aircraft single‐handed. With such re‐design, considerable efficiency gains will be achieved, but to fully realise these gains a system‐wide approach is required which extends beyond the design of the aircraft per se.

This is only a high‐level thought piece to stimulate debate. Much greater consideration of all the issues raised is required, as is a change in regulatory requirements.

If implemented, the single crew aircraft could result in a revolution in air transport, offering considerable cost savings, especially on shorter routes with relatively small passenger loads.

A first attempt to use human factors as a design driver to produce operational and economic efficiency by the novel use of existing technologies spun‐out from other areas of aircraft development.

To avoid harm to humans, environment, and capital goods, hazardous or explosive gases that are possibly escaping from industrial and infrastructure facilities of the gas and oil processing industry have to be detected and located quickly and reliably. Project RoboGasInspector aims at the development and evaluation of a human-robot system that applies autonomous robots equipped with remote gas detection devices to detect and locate gas leaks. This article aims to focus on the usability of telemanipulation in this context.

This paper presents four user studies concerning human-robot interfaces for teleoperation in industrial inspection tasks. Their purpose is to resolve contradictory scientific findings regarding aspects of teleoperation and to verify functionality, usability, and technology acceptance of the designed solution in the actual context of use. Therefore, aspects concerning teleoperation that were separately examined before are evaluated in an integrated way. Considered aspects are influence of media technology on telepresence, simulator sickness and head slaved camera control, usability of different input devices for telemanipulation, and identification of intuitive gestures for teleoperation of mobile robots.

In general, the implemented interaction concepts perform better compared to conventional ones used in contemporary, actually applied robot systems. Otherwise, reasons are analyzed and approaches for further improvements are discussed. Exemplary results are given for each study.

The solution combines several technical approaches that are so far separately examined. Each approach is transferred to the innovative domain of industrial inspections and its applicability in this context is verified. New findings give design recommendations for remote workplaces of robot operators.

This paper presents a brief review of potential developments in optical discs and online databases in the 1990s, and describes advances in technology that may affect our use of these media, changes in the market that will emerge in the next decade, associated problems that could arise as a result of these developments and finally, some pointers to future trends are illustrated by selected recently‐announced projects and services.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrated group decision support system (GDSS) that will select the appropriate human resource (HR) capabilities for a firm by using existing decision algorithms and information technology (IT) software systems.

The proposed GDSS is constructed by taking advantage of the characteristics of some existing analytical and mathematical methods, including electronic focus groups, value chain, HR scorecard, synergy analysis, gap analysis, analytic hierarchy process based on genetic algorithms (GA‐AHP), similarity measures, fuzzy set theory, and fuzzy mathematics programming. A case study is performed to test and evaluate the performance and usability of the GDSS and to identify whether or not it achieved its designed purpose.

The results show that the proposed GDSS can create a flexible and user‐friendly environment that aids managers and other relevant staff members in evaluating all relevant factors in selecting a firm's HR capabilities.

HR capabilities have a significant effect on business performance in the long term. However, not every firm can easily develop suitable HR capability strategies due to lacking of the adapted support tool. The proposed GDSS is proposed to provide a complete procedure to support managers using a strategy‐oriented perspective to decide the right HR capability to be developed. As the result of using the proposed GDSS, tasks are simplified and the time for HR capability analysis can be significantly reduced.

Few studies have discussed the application of IT to the selection of HR capabilities in facilitating managers in the strategic formulation process. This paper particularly focuses on the question of how firms can actually identify HR capabilities. Thus, the model‐developing nature‐oriented support system is provided for managers in solving such decision‐making problems.