Human-Machine Interaction: is there a strategic direction towards space exploration?

Abstract

Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on enhancing how humans and computers interact. It covers many different areas of knowledge, such as computer science, behavioural and cognitive sciences, ergonomics, psychology, and education. The growing interest in HMI has led to a wide range of applications across different domains, including industrial, medical, educational, and entertainment sectors. Human factors, which involve improving human performance in challenging environments, have also gained attention in this field. This study aims to identify the trends in the developments in HMI for space exploration by conducting a quantitative bibliometric analysis. Two citation indexes (Web of Science and Scopus) were combined to search for documents on the topic. The search was born on January 10th, 2023, yielding 203 documents after eliminating duplicates and for other reasons. The inclusion criteria considered conference papers, articles and book chapters, and the English language. A descriptive analysis was attained, allowing for a ‘big picture’ of the data distribution regarding the scientific area, countries, chronological evolution of the publications, keywords, citations, and other relevant information. The study results provide a better understanding of the current state of HMI in space exploration, identifying trends and areas for future research.

Keywords: Human, Machine Interaction, Human, Machine Interface, Human Factors, Space exploration

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1003922