Exploring Head-Tracking for use in Overview Display study in a Nuclear Control Room Setting

Human performance in control room environments has traditionally been assessed using expert observations, task-based performance measures, and operator self-reports. Recent advances in sensing technologies enable the collection of biometric data that can complement these established methods. However, a key challenge lies in bridging the gap between data capture and meaningful interpretation: while computer vision and sensor technologies provide new means for measuring operator behavior, valid interpretation requires domain knowledge from human factors and process experts. This paper presents a study investigating the use of head-orientation tracking as a non-intrusive, biometric measure for evaluating operator interaction with digital displays in a nuclear control room. Certified operators participated in simulated scenarios at the Halden Man-Machine Laboratory, including an unexpected loss of a large overview display. Head-orientation data, captured through computer vision and mapped into a digital twin of the control room, was analyzed alongside operator self-evaluations and process expert assessments. The results indicate that head-orientation tracking provides objective and scalable indicators of display usage and visual engagement, aligning more closely with expert evaluations than with self-reports in several cases. The biometric data also revealed behavioral patterns not captured by traditional methods, such as continued visual attention toward the overview display after its removal. These findings demonstrate the value of biometricdriven analysis as a complementary tool for human performance evaluation and highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing robust interpretation frameworks for biometric data in safety-critical environments.

Keywords: Headtracking, human assessment, overview display, nuclear control room.