Bj. Melloy et al., Predicting the accuracy of visual search performance in the structural inspection of aircraft, INT J IND E, 26(2), 2000, pp. 277-283
The predominant tasks in aircraft inspection are those that require visual
search. Speed and accuracy characterize visual search tasks. Since the trad
e-off between speed and accuracy directly affects the safety, dependability
acid affordability of air transportation, there is considerable motivation
to express this relationship in quantitative terms. Although models of thi
s trade-off have been previously proposed for various search tasks, the app
licability of these models to the tasks typically required of aircraft insp
ectors is limited. Thus new models of visual search that typify aircraft in
spection are adopted here in order to examine the explicit trade-off betwee
n speed and accuracy in this environment.
Relevance to industry
The models adopted here, specifically applicable to aircraft inspection, co
nsider the trade-off between speed and accuracy - a trade-off that ultimate
ly affects the affordability, dependability, and safety (and therefore publ
ic perception of) air travel - in quantitative terms. These models also def
ine the extent to which accuracy can be improved. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science
B.V. All rights reserved.