Abstract
A computational human performance model was developed to analyze sonar operator workload using the legacy sonar system on the Royal Canadian Navy’s Victoria-Class Submarine. The paper describes key components of the model, including a task network for representing operator activities, the Visual, Auditory, Cognitive and Psychomotor (VACP) algorithm for characterizing task demand, and a discrete-event simulation for predicting operator workload. Results from a simulation experiment revealed high levels of task demand imposed by the adopted mission scenario and an uneven distribution of workload among four sonar operators under a specific contact assignment scheme. The results establish a set of performance benchmarks that will be used for evaluating workload predictions made by a future model of a new sonar system, supporting quantifiable assessment of crewing options for the future sonar system.
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