Eyes on the bridge: The effect of a systematic viewing protocol in remote nautical object control

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of using a systematic viewing protocol for scanning closed-circuit television (CCTV) during a simulation of remote nautical object (bridge/lock) control. For nautical object control, systematic viewing is assumed to mitigate the risk of observer errors, such as missing a road user in CCTV streams. However, previous research has reported mixed results on the benefits of systematic viewing for performance. A total of 42 professional operators were asked to operate a bridge control simulator where, unknown to the operators, critical events had to be detected. Half of the group received protocol instructions, the other half did not. The protocol group showed significantly longer dwell times and higher coverage of protocol-related CCTV areas than the no-protocol group. Critical event detection rates were identical for the two groups. While timing of the first fixation on the critical events did not significantly differ between groups, the no-protocol group responded significantly faster to the events. Although protocol application did not improve or impair detection performance, the combined results suggest that the protocol group took more time to scan the scene before acting. As nautical object control prioritises safety over speed, increased dwell time and coverage are beneficial.