Standoff Handheld PBIED Detection System — Human Factors & Ergonomic Assessment

Client: Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) / Rapid Prototyping, Development and Evaluation (RPDE)
Period: 2016
Focus: Human factors, ergonomics, human engineering and equipment design

The Australian Army was considering a handheld system for detecting person-borne improvised explosive devices (PBIEDs). The equipment was intended to be operated by soldiers in demanding operational environments, creating a human-engineering challenge: the capability had to work effectively as part of the soldier’s existing equipment, movement and operating environment.

IGOR was engaged to undertake a comprehensive human-factors and ergonomic assessment of the capability. The work examined not only the equipment itself, but how it would be carried, handled and operated by soldiers in realistic conditions.

This included assessing the weight and carrying requirements of the system, options for carrying and supporting the equipment, the implications of additional equipment such as a tripod, and whether soldiers could move effectively while carrying it. IGOR considered practical activities such as entering and leaving combat vehicles, marching for extended periods and securing the equipment to the body when both hands were required for other tasks.

The assessment also examined the detailed interaction between the soldier and the equipment. IGOR reviewed the design and tactility of controls, the distinction between operating and sleep modes, the potential for confusion when making rapid decisions, the wrist strap and carrying arrangements, connector cables and their support, and the interface between the equipment’s sighting system and other items of personal equipment.

Particular attention was given to the realities of military use. The assessment considered operation while wearing helmets and other protective equipment, the interaction with night-vision equipment, the need to maintain effective visual access to the sight, and the physical and cognitive demands placed on the soldier while operating the system.

IGOR worked with a former Defence scientist and human-factors specialist, bringing together practical Defence knowledge and specialist human-engineering expertise. IGOR led the project and integrated the detailed ergonomic assessment into recommendations for changes to the capability.

The assessment resulted in a series of specific design recommendations, including changes to controls, carrying arrangements, eye and face interfaces, and connector support. Importantly, the work also contributed to changes in the Defence design criteria being applied to this type of equipment.

The project demonstrated the value of examining military technology from the perspective of the person who must actually carry, operate and rely upon it. A technically capable device can still fail as a capability if it is too heavy, difficult to manipulate, confusing to operate, or incompatible with the soldier’s other equipment and movements.

IGOR’s contribution: IGOR applied human-factors and human-engineering expertise to assess a new military detection capability as an integrated soldier–equipment system, translating the realities of operational use into specific design changes and contributing to the evolution of Defence design standards.