• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.247-270
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• 2009

This paper reviews studies on information searching behavior in process control systems and discusses some implications learned from previous studies for use in human factors studies on nuclear power plants (NPPs) main control rooms (MCRs). Information searching behavior in NPPs depends on expectancy, value, salience, and effort. The first quantitative scanning model developed by Senders for instrument panel monitoring considered bandwidth (change rate) of instruments as a determining factor in scanning behavior. Senders' model was subsequently elaborated by other researchers to account for value in addition to bandwidth. There is also another type of model based on the operator's situation awareness (SA) which has been developed for NPP application. In these SA-based models, situation-event relations or rules on system dynamics are considered the most significant factor forming expectancy. From the review of previous studies it is recommended that, for NPP application, (1) a set of symptomatic information sources including both changed and unchanged symptoms should be considered along with bandwidth as determining factors governing information searching (or visual sampling) behavior; (2) both data-driven monitoring and knowledge-driven monitoring should be considered and balanced in a systematic way; (3) sound models describing mechanisms of cognitive activities during information searching tasks should be developed so as to bridge studies on information searching behavior and design improvement in HMI; (4) the attention-situation awareness (A-SA) modeling approach should be recognized as a promising approach to be examined further; and (5) information displays should be expected to have totally different characteristics in advanced control rooms. Hence much attention should be devoted to information searching behavior including human-machine interface (HMI) design and human cognitive processes.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.265-271
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• 2006

Purpose: To analyze the newly developed vacuum assisted auto-lancing technique applied to the forearm for the purpose of obtaining an adequate blood sample for glucose test with minimal pain. Methods: Visual and facial pain measures were introduced to compare lancing pain between the forearm and fingertip in 58 normal females. Sampled blood volumes were accurately measured by computer scanning technique. Results: Visual pain measure demonstrated significant pain reduction effect of the forearm sampling compared with the traditional fingertip sampling, which was also consistent with facial pain measure results. Blood volume more than $0.5{\mu}L$, enough for blood glucose testing with modern glucometers, was collected in 399(86%) of 464 forearm samples. Conclusions: Capillary blood sampling could be performed with minimal pain on the forearm by the newly developed vacuum assisted auto-lancing technique. With some resampling when necessary, the forearm sampling seemed very useful, considering almost no pain felt by the patients.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.283-290
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• 2020

For visual inspection-based wood identification, optical microscopy techniques typically require a relatively large sample size, and a scanning electron microscope requires a clean surface. These novel techniques experience limitations for objects with highly limited sampling capabilities such as important and registered wooden cultural properties. Synchrotron X-ray microtomography (SR-µCT) has been suggested as an effective alternative to avoid such limitations and various other imaging issues. In this study, four pieces of wood fragments from wooden members used in the Manseru pavilion of Bongjeongsa temple in Andong, Korea, wereused for identification. Three-dimensional microstructural images were reconstructed from these small wood samples using SR-µCT at SPring-8. From the analysis of the reconstructed images, the samples were identified as Zelkova serrata, Quercus sect. Cerris, and Pinus koraiensis. The images displayed sufficient spatial resolution to clearly observe the anatomical features of each species. In addition, the three-dimensional imaging allowed unlimited image processing.