Cognitive virtualization: Combining cognitive models and virtual environments

3D manikins are often used in visualizations to model human activity in complex settings. Manikins assist in developing understanding of the range, scope and timing of various human activities. They are applicable to a wide range of environments.. One such environment, the nuclear power plant control room, is a setting where manikins can be used to simulate more precise ergonomic assessments of human work stations. Next generation control rooms will pose numerous challenges for system designers. The manikin modeling approach by itself, however, is insufficient for dealing with the technical advancements and performance demands associated with proposed next generation control rooms. Uncertainty regarding effective staffing levels; and the potential for negative human performance consequences in the presence of advanced automated systems (e.g., reduced vigilance, poor situation awareness, mistrust or blind faith in automation, higher information load and increased complexity) call for further research. One approach to managing design uncertainty is through complementary analysis that merges ergonomic manikin models with models of higher cognitive functions, such as attention, memory, decision-making, and problem-solving. This paper will discuss recent advancements in merging a theoretical-driven cognitive modeling framework within a 3D visualization modeling tool to conduct next generation control room human factors and ergonomic assessments. Though this discussion primary focuses on control room design, merging 3D visualization and cognitive modeling can be extended to various areas of focus such as training and scenario planning.