RETROFITTABLE TRAIN ALERTER DEVICE REQUIRING COGNITIVE RESPONSE

SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO TRAIN ALERTER DEVICES SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE "DEAD-MAN PEDAL." THERE CONTINUES TO BE ROOM FOR ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN THE FIELD OF ERGONOMICS AND HUMAN FACTORS. ONE AREA OF POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENT LIES IN THE RESPONSE THAT THE DEVICE REQUIRES FROM THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER. DEVICES CURRENTLY IN USE HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO ELICIT RELATIVELY UNCOMPLICATED RESPONSES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE ENGINEER'S WORKLOAD AT A REASONABLE LEVEL. IT IS NOW BELIEVED THAT THE REQUIRED RESPONSE MAY BE TOO SIMPLE, AS THE ENGINEER CAN RESET IT WITH A REFLEX-LIKE REACTION WITHOUT BEING FULLY ALERT. THE DESIGN OF AN IMPROVED PRODUCT REQUIRING A COGNITIVE RESPONSE IS THOUGHT DESIRABLE. WE PROPOSE TO COMBINE HUMAN FACTORS PRINCIPLES WITH OUR EXPERTISE ACQUIRED THROUGH SERVING AS A MANUFACTURER OF ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS FOR THE RAIL INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP AN IMPROVED TRAIN ALERTER. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A PRODUCT THAT WILL REQUIRE A COGNITIVE RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINEER WHICH WILL NOT INTERFERE UNDULY WITH HIS OTHER TASKS. WE THINK THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH A RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE DEVICE WHICH BE CAPABLE OF BEING RETROFITTED TO EXISTING DEVICES.