Design of Gaze-Based Alarm Acknowledgement by Parameter Characteristics

Alarms in industrial control rooms are defined by their ability to alert an operator of abnormal events that require prompt response. However, when vigilant, operators may anticipate upcoming alarms, rendering those alarms less informative if not a nuisance. Three gaze-based alarm acknowledgement methods were designed by estimating operator awareness based on their eye fixations on the parameter/area of interest and parameter behavior shortly before the alarm. The three designs differed in acknowledging the types of parameter behaviors, which could be: a) near the alarm threshold, b) fluctuating drastically, or c) trending towards an alarm threshold. These three parameter behaviors correlate with increased visual sampling, which suggests higher operator awareness or expectation of alarms. In a simulator study comparing the three gaze-based acknowledgement methods against no gaze acknowledgement, 24 participants completed 24 trials of alarm monitoring task while maintaining a single parameter within a predefined range. Analysis of variance revealed that usability ratings were higher for conditions with than without gaze acknowledgements, demonstrating promise for this alarm management approach.