USDOE Human Subjects Research Database, fiscal year 1995

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Project Identifier: ORNL-94-38

Project Title:

Advanced Robotics for Remanufacturing and Aircraft Support Functions

Principle Investigator: Dr. John V. Draper

Project started in: 1994

Fiscal Year 1995 Funding for Research on Human Subjects:

Project Funding Information:
Project received funding in Fiscal Year 1995.
Project did not use human subjects in Fiscal Year 1995.

Explanation:

Human subjects were not involved in FY95 because the equipment to be tested for human compatability was under development.

Funding Sources:

Non-DOE Federal: Air Force

Amount: $500,000 (Est.)

Information on Use of Human Subjects:

Project does not involve use of multiple protocols/subprojects.

IRB Review:
Type of Review: Full Board
Most Recent Approval: July 28, 1994

Number of Human Subjects in the Last Reporting Period for this Project: 0
(Reporting periods vary.)

Type of Human Subjects Involvement:

Instrument/Device/Product Testing or Man-Machine Studies:

Use of human subjects to develop/test instruments, materials, devices, or objects.

(a. Objectives, b. Methodology, c. Ionizing Radiation, Radioactive Substances, or Chemical Substances to which human subjects are exposed, d. Involvement of Human Subjects [d.1. procedures used, d.2. risks if any])

a. The data operated by research using human operators of robotic systems will help optimize the safety and efficiency of these systems. Human factors/ergonomics evaluations of control and display alternatives will be a critical part of this project.

b. A cockpit concept for the robotic system will be developed by human factors professionals at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Robotics and Process Systems Division (RPSD). Part of this research may require comparisons of alternative control and display methods. Comparative testing will be done in the form of realistic work sample tests. Subjects for the comparative testing will be volunteers drawn from the population of RPSD telerobot operators. Testing sessions will be no longer than 1 hour per subject and no more than 1 session per day per subject. Subjects manipulate controls and read/interpret displays.

c. None

d1. See b. above. Participation is voluntary, and confidentiality of the test results will be maintained.

d2. Fatigue: Test duration is designed to minimize fatigue. Pressure to continue: Participants will be protected from pressure to continue testing should they decide to change their minds about participating. Misuse of test scores: Confidentiality of information obtained will be maintained by assigning coded identifiers to subject's data. Only the principal investigator will be privy to the code key.