Keynote: Keeping Humans in the Automation Loop

摘要

"We pretend that technology, our technology, is something of a life force, a will, and a thrust of its own, on which we can blame all, with which we can explain all, and in the end by means of which we can excuse ourselves."1 You have likely heard that the plant of the future would require two living creatures: an operator and a dog. The purpose of the operator is to feed the dog, while the purpose of the dog is to ensure that the operator did not touch anything lest they ruin the plant's operations. The joke is at least 20 years old but the sentiment it expresses is more poignant today than ever before. We are drowning in technology. Personal computers, tablets, digital assistants and smart devices are geographically and generationally universal. Today's software and applications are seamless and intuitive, and control room operators have an unparalleled exposure to technology.