Relationships Between Experience, Sleepiness, Height, Reported Task Load, and Performance Scores in Teleoperators for the JET

Nuclear fusion laboratories typically require advanced teleoperation systems for maintenance, repair, and experimentation within the extreme conditions of fusion reactors. Operators of these systems must perform a wide variety of tasks, often with a high risk associated with failure; therefore, insight into operator behaviors and influencing factors could be used to reduce risks in industrial teleoperation. This study analyses and discusses the relationships between several operator factors and objective task performance metrics in teleoperation tasks at the JET fusion laboratory in UKAEA RACE. The primary aims of this study are to identify and analyze factors that predict task performance metrics, to examine measures for validity, and to validate the study design. Data were collected from 13 MAnipolatore Servo COntrollato Transistorizzato (MASCOT) teleoperators performing tasks as a part of a training exercise. Relationships between metrics were analyzed using correlational and regression analysis, as well as standard statistical tools for data screening and assessment. Study results indicate that operator sleepiness and experience are significant predictors of reported performance, and that operators can reliably self-evaluate task performance accurately. These results suggest that the task design is suitably sensitive to an operator’s ability and, therefore, can be used for meaningful analysis, and implies that this skill-based test is a valid method of operationalizing operator performance. This study highlights areas for further research by indicating significant factor relationships and validates aspects of the study design, informing research and development strategies for enhancing human–robot interactions and teleoperation system design.