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108.
5.5
Operator's Updated Display
As reported in the results from the user survey the operator's updated
display (see Figure 10, section 4.4.2) is the option most frequently in
use during the normal running of the system. This display provides the
following information:
Current time of day.
Machine position: chock number or metres.
Direction of machine movement.
Steering status of machine (i.e. auto, degraded auto, manual).
Machine speed.
Report of system errors.
Duration of current delay.
From the results of the user survey, the perceived usefulness of this
display would be enhanced if it also provided the following information:
Reason for delay.
Number of passes so far in the shift.
Total yards or metres cut so far in the shift.
All of the data on the current display was reported as being required
for the operator's task of monitoring current machine performance with
the exception of "system error reports". These reports normally
indicate some problem with the data transmission system or errors on
which the operator is not required to act. Although it may be useful
for the operator to be aware of such errors, as the currently displayed
data may possibly be erroneous, there would seem to be little need to
require such messages to be acknowledged by needing the space bar of the
terminal to be pressed to clear the message. Any such superfluous
requirements may in fact cause excessive annoyance and discourage
further use of the display.
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The control room operator is not permanently seated in front of the MSS
display. Hence, the display needs to be readable from a distance of up