Measurement and Perception in “Man-Machine” Systems pra-0087

Full Title Measurement and Perception in “Man-Machine” Systems Tech Area / Field

• BIO-OTH: Biotechnology and Life Sciences / Other

• INF-SIG: Information and Communications / Sensors and Signal Processing

Brief Description of Technology The research is aimed at the solution of a fundamental problem that lies at the junction of psychology, physiology of sensor systems and biological physics – and is also connected to the objective determination of the sensor aptitude of man affecting his ability to adapt to a natural and technogenic environment. The novelty of the approach suggested is associated with the fact that the link between a stimulus and sensation is determined not by statistic processing on subjective answers of the examinee concerning the presence or absence of the stimulus sensation, or concerning the difference between two related stimuli, but by studying a link between an instrumentally measured error in the solution of the control problem and the value of the stimulus that serves as a control signal. Thus, the possibility is shown of using (at least for a muscle analyzer) a psycho-physical sensor scale, which was empirically verified more than a century ago by Helmholz, Weber and Fechner.

The present research is continued with support derived from the Russian Fund for Fundamental Research (Grant 97-06-80286). Muscle and acoustic systems were taken as objects for the investigation. Such a choice is explained by the fact that, during the last decade, we witnessed a rapid development of ergonomic studies in the field of designing, constructing and testing of man/machine systems (including man/computer systems) and microprocessor systems intended to control the operation of prostheses of different organs. These fast-operation methods are expected to facilitate the development of new man/machine interfaces having both a system capable of diagnosing the state of the human sensor sphere, and optimizing the interaction between a man and a machine (prostheses with microprocessor control included).

Legal Aspects No patent was sought.

Special Facilities in Use and Their Specifications None.

Scientific Papers Antonets V.A, Kovaleva E.P., “Evaluation of the static skeletal muscle control over its micromovements,” Biophysics, v.41, vyp.3, pp.711-717 (1996).

Antonets V.A., Kovaleva E.P., “Statistic modeling of spontaneous microvibrations of extremity,” Biophysics, v.41, vyp.3, pp.704-710 (1996).

Antonets V.A., Zeveke A.V., Malysheva G.I., Polevaya S.N., ”Investigation of sensor code space from the point of view of the possibility to synthesize additional sensor channels in man/machine systems,” v.37, pp.1156-1161 (1994).

Antonets V.A., Kovaleva E.P., Zeveke A.V., Malysheva G.I., Polevaya S.N., “New man/machine interfaces,” Nonlinear waves. Synchronization and structures. Ed. M.I.Rabinovich, M.M.Sushik, V.D.Shalfeev/ Nizhny Novgorod State University Publishers, pt.2., pp.87-98 (1985).

Shvatchkina M.T., Sherbakov V.I., Yashnova O.K., “Space sensation of stimuli during unilateral cold switch-off of temporal section of neocortex,” Journal of Higher Nervous Activity. v. 25. N 1. pp.144-148 (1975).