Thomas B. Sheridan – författare

Human factors, also known as human engineering or human factors engineering, is the application of behavioral and biological sciences to the design of machines and human-machine systems. Automation refers to the mechanization and integration of the sensing of environmental variables, data processing and decision making and mechanical action. This book deals with all the issues involved in human-automation systems from design to control and performance of both humans and machines.

Telepresence: Actual and Virtual explores the history of telepresence from the 1948 developments of master–slave manipulation, through to current telepresence technology used in space, undersea, surgery and telemedicine, operations in nuclear and other hazardous environments, policing and surveillance, agriculture, construction, mining, warehousing, education, amusement, social media, and other contexts. It also describes the various operator hand and body controls and the corresponding telerobotic actuation of robotic hands, arms, and locomotion. This book reviews the sensing and control technology, its history and likely future, and discusses the many research and policy issues that are raised. The book also takes up key questions relating to social and ethical issues, given that a person’s mechanical reach is becoming unlimited, enabling one to perform mischievous or harmful acts without identification, and what that portends for future developments in telepresence, including regulation and recommended directions of development. The primary audience for this book is professionals interested in human–robot interaction, human factors engineering, virtual reality, applications to space and undersea exploration, telemedicine and telesurgery, firefighting, mechanized agriculture, policing, drone surveillance, warehouse parts' fetching, mining, and military operations.

Telepresence: Actual and Virtual explores the history of telepresence from the 1948 developments of master–slave manipulation, through to current telepresence technology used in space, undersea, surgery and telemedicine, operations in nuclear and other hazardous environments, policing and surveillance, agriculture, construction, mining, warehousing, education, amusement, social media, and other contexts. It also describes the various operator hand and body controls and the corresponding telerobotic actuation of robotic hands, arms, and locomotion. This book reviews the sensing and control technology, its history and likely future, and discusses the many research and policy issues that are raised. The book also takes up key questions relating to social and ethical issues, given that a person’s mechanical reach is becoming unlimited, enabling one to perform mischievous or harmful acts without identification, and what that portends for future developments in telepresence, including regulation and recommended directions of development. The primary audience for this book is professionals interested in human–robot interaction, human factors engineering, virtual reality, applications to space and undersea exploration, telemedicine and telesurgery, firefighting, mechanized agriculture, policing, drone surveillance, warehouse parts' fetching, mining, and military operations.

This book presents theories and models to examine how humans interact with complex automated systems, including both empirical and theoretical methods. Provides examples of models appropriate to the four stages of human-system interactionExamines in detail the philosophical underpinnings and assumptions of modelingDiscusses how a model fits into "doing science" and the considerations in garnering evidence and arriving at beliefs for the modeled phenomenaModeling Human-System Interaction is a reference for professionals in industry, academia and government who are researching, designing and implementing human-technology systems in transportation, communication, manufacturing, energy, and health care sectors.

This is a study of God as a concept, not from the perspective of any religious tradition, but rather as belief in an all-powerful, all-knowing and loving supernatural entity as has prevailed through the ages. The book reviews arguments throughout history for and against the idea of such a God. One unique perspective is to ask what can be modeled about God in denotative language of rationality (much as modeling in science, medicine and economics) in contrast to connotative language (e.g., myth, metaphor, art and music).Since the early Greeks there have been skeptics concerning God, with progressively more questioning since the Enlightenment. Today’s “new atheists” are seen as being even more assertive, and as having little respect for religious and philosophical traditions and the natural longing for some kind of supreme being. However, as demographic trends continue to diminish the influence of the church, there is opportunity for atheism to gain respect by respecting the beliefs of others. The book ends with some considerations of what it means to respect others’ beliefs and cultural traditions without abandoning a sincere disbelief in a supernatural being.