HUMAN FACTORS LIAISON II

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B05171A000600060047-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 7, 2003
• Sequence Number: 47
• Publication Date: May 24, 1967
• Content Type: MFR

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NPIC/TDS/D-834-67
24+ May 1967
1. The purpose of this memorandum is to supplement the previous mem-
orandum submitted for the record reporting liaison accomplished in support
of the NPIC Human Factors contract with the The previous
documentation reported visits of a technical nature made between October
1966 and February 1967. The present report will deal both with technical
consultation and with administrative liaison accomplished both in and out
of the Washington area.
25X1
25X1 2. As reported in less detail elsewhere, considerable consultation
has been accomplished between NPIC human factors research monitors and Dr.
I land part time a
25X1 consultant is one 25X1
of the country's most prominent specialists in visual perception and per-
ceptual, learning. He has published widely on his research findin s in many
psychological journals. Additionally, his consul.tantship with has 25X1
brought him into intimate contact with many disciplines relevant to imagery
interpretation. His specific task being performed in conjunction with II 25X1
is one which involves a fresh look at the image interpreter function from the
point of view of the science of visual perception. Although a formal con-
tractual arrangement has not yet been finalized between TDS and 25X1
he has contributed many valuable hours of donated consultation time in connec-
tion with our Human Factors contract. His expertise has proven especially
25X1 valuable in connection with tasks involving investigations of lighting
characteristics as they influence interpreter performance and also in con-
nection with a task involving the assessment of various human visual mechanisms
25X1 as they affect interpreter output. personnel have consulted directly
25X1 with an v a the telephone. His primary inter-
action, however, has been with Technical Development Staff personnel both via
the telephone and during personal visits to VPIC. His fully cleared, blue-badge
Declass Review by NIMA/DOD
SECRET
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25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
8U CT: Human. Factors Liaison II
status has permitted to be in a unique position from which
to comlaare Center problems as they correspond or conflict with Department
of Defense problems in image intervret , with which he has had contact
through the In general, he has reaffirmed
our position r Lill , e en er as interpretation environnt is
significantly different from those encountered in tactical situations
such as those with which the Army has dealt in numerous interpretation
si
n
fi
t
.. ,.
g
i
can
conclusions regarding
the optimisation of interpretation has been that perceptual training may
be the most fruitful route toward sizable image interpreter performance
improvement. The implementation of such a conclusion, if borne out under
future scrutiny, would be both economical, and easily achieved. Numerous
other psychologists and educators familiar with our major problems at
NPTC have arrived at similar conclusions; that is, that within the training
field probably lie the most productive resources with which to solve our
most critical, problems. Preparations for procuring formally the consulting
services of are currently under
1
ith
1N'
_
WV
w
PIC approval channels.
It is hoped that he will be officially available to TDS by the beginning of
Fiscal 1968.
3. The original auspices under which I came to the atten-
tion of the Technical Development Staff was through the Office of the Assis-
tant Director of Intelligence and Reconnaissance of the Defense Department's
Deputy Directorate for Research and Engineering (DDR&E),
25X1 and his aaasiaant It is from this offic the majority
of image interpretation research within all br of the Department of
25X1 Defense is controlled. Both are Intimately famil-
iaar with NPIG operations as a ro scope of DOD interpre-
tation -ol i , . They have expressed on numerous occasib s the desire
for close cooperation between MC authorities responsible for interpreta-
tion research and those analogous officials within DOD. The area of Haan
factors, especially, has been pin-pointed as one which is in need of urgent
coordination. It has been with this goal. in mind that rized
25X1the time of of the
suit With t e cal Development Sts tors
25X1 is one of the most prominent human factors scientists
in the country. He has had many years of ionasl experience both in
25X1industry,when he was with and also with =n close
2M
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
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association with the Department of Defense. He is currently in the final
stages of blue-badge clearance processing. It is hoped that his expert
advise will become available to TDS within the near future or. a regular basis.
4. As briefly referred to in the previous memorandum, liaison has
been continually maintained, with the Human Factors capability at the Rome
Air Development center in the person of
in not currently blue-badge cleared but has been conducting several signirl-
cant human factors efforts in support of Air Force tactical imagery inter-
pretation. He has been designated by the Air Training Command Headquarters
25X1 at Lowry Air Force Base as the chief scientist responsible for conducting
Air Force image interpreter training research. Particularly relevant efforts
25X1 initiated, by have involved the formulation of programmed instruc-
25X1 tion for teac n 3 ng interpreters the fundamental techniques involved in the
25X1
evaluation of records derived from sensors. 25X1
25X1 acka a has alre been mplleted for by 25X1
he development of a =instructional package is 25X1
25X1 soon to be initiated byl primarily at their
facility. Another of projects extremely relevant to
25X1 a operations is a project being conducted by the 25X1
involving the use of carefully-controlled photo grap c c nips known as
25X1 GEMS for the assessment of how interpretability of missile site intelli-
gence varies as a function of resolution and contrast. This effort is simi-
lar to one conducted by 25X1
Ofor the Technical ev opmen Staff last year. Our sponsored study,
25X1 however, was more carefully controlled in terms of objective performance
measurement in that fins ,;;,? interpreter output was assessed by Agency inte"-
igence7analysts. The criteria used by RADC for evaluating interpreter output
have been purely subjective and thats somewhat subject to doubt. 25X1
has expressed his regrets at not being able to conduct his stud
in the care-
y
controlled manner which w--were fortunate enough to have available.
25X1 fully '..
An additional contract of significant interest to NPMC is one entitled "Multi-
25X1 Sensor Interpretation Training" which is running currently with
This research program
25X1 has just recently begun but promises to have much in common with 25X1
ed its tr ,n' ng su -
as s subcontracted o Other extremely relevant although
25X1 not wholly applicable studies con uc rough R.&DC have included 'color
versus black-and-white imagery interpretation assessment and stereo versus
monoscopic viewing efforts. It is hoped that imminent clearance 25X1
into the T-KH System will further enhance liaison a ween RADC and NPIC re-
garding research of mutual interest.
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ins direct visual reconnaissance environment.
the Aviation Ordnance Department was contacted, one o
25X1
primary activities of interest to NPIC has been his consultantship to Joint
Task Force II a large target acquisition study being conducted at the
for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Under
JTF II0 Sub-Task 4.4 concerning non-briefing search for military targets
(otherwise known as targets of opportunity), objective B is "to measure
the relative information collection capability of visually-acquired and
voice reported, (real-time and post flight debriefing) reconnaissance infor-
mation and sensor-accu red information requiring processing and interpre-
25X1 tation (photography in terms of: 1) quantity of information as
compared to ground truth. 2 quality of information as compared to ground.
25X1 truth. 3) accuracy of information as compared to ground truth. 4+) timeli-
areas of information." addition-to NOTS su rt for JTF II contributions
are also coming fro
is also Involved In severs
in epe ent endeavors of extreme relevance to C interests. Among others,
his investigations of visual search performance as a function of peripheral
visual acuity is most apropos. Two very significant findings to date con-
cerning peripheral acuity have shown it to be directly correlated with visual
search performance and also to be trainable over time. An additional dis-
2 5X1 covery by during the course of his work has been that operator
smoking is negatively correlated with search time. This phenomenon, however,
25X1 has not yet been confirmed in a controlled experiment either at NOTS or at
Ip where it has also been preliminarily identified. Another relevant
25X1 Merest of is one which he shares with the Human Factors
Engineering Branch at the Naval Missile Center at Pt. Mugu, California and
concerns video target detection. The extraction of target signals from
video display noise is a potential area of concern for many military oper-
ations including reconnaissance interpretation. although not
a psychologist by background, has become heavily involved in the fields of
human factors and visual perception as related to his duties with the Navy.
Another interest of his in common with those of TDS & NPIC is in the use of
terrain models. The NOTS application is somewhat different from ours in
5. On 30 March 1967, the Naval Ordnance Test Station at China Lake,
Calif. was visited regarding human factors research ongoing there as
applied to the field of ground to air target acquisition and recognition
of
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
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SUDl CT: Human Factors Liaison II
that the interest there is in target acquisition characteristics as they
influence aircraft weapon delivery. However,-this application is certainly
partially analogous to that of NPIC interest, the variables that affect
image interpreter. identification an recognition of targets encountered on
25X1 strategic photography. s interested in constructing in the
near future a realistic terrain model to be used outside in natural sun-
light, an implementation which may be a solution to our problems encountered
when trying to simulate scale and geometry :~aM relevant to satellite photog-
raphy. Continued close liaison is planned with regarding the po-
TDSD
Distribution:
Orig - Prof. file
2 - NPIC/TDS/DS
25X1 C/TDS/D~
(l0 May 67)
25X1
25X1
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