Atomos IV : enabling integrated decision support in the supervisory control of ships

TNO participated during eight years in a European Consortium ATOMOS IV (Advanced Technology ro Optimise Marine Operational Safety - Intelligent Vessels), performing research in the human-centred development of decision support systems for ship control centers. New concepts were developed and tested, and installed on board ofa real vessel. The current poster shows the various human factors research activities. (1) Evaluation and demonstration of decision support for the navigator. The benefits and drawbacks (in terms of performance, safety, and operator workload) of new integrated navigation display concepts were developed and evaluated in detall through mathematical modeling and part-task simulation studies. Experiments focused on information for grounding- and collision-avoidance support since these two aspects of the navigation task require a high degree of situation awareness of the navigaror. (2) Evaluation and demonstration of new HMI concepts that optimally support task-set switching in critical situations. Applications of an information handler, task scheduler, diagnosis guide and rule provider were lested in a laboratory experiment. (3) Performance assessment in full-scale trials. ATOMOS IV was implemented and installed on board of a Swedish icebreaker, and experimentally validated in a comparative study during full-scale trials in the Bothnic Golf. The current poster briefly shows the concepts and a selection of the main experimental results.