Closing the Loop Human Factors When We Remove the Human

There has been considerable study and discussion regarding the appropriate role of the human operator in automated systems. Closed-loop systems are commonplace in manufacturing, power plant control, and aircraft control, and there is a growing body of research and public discussion related to automobile control. Closed-loop systems are less common in healthcare with some notable exceptions. The Artificial Pancreas Project is an example of a medical technology where system designers are facing difficult decisions related to removing the human from the control loop. This panel presented an opportunity for open, professional discussion on such closed-loop systems in healthcare that included subject matter experts not only from healthcare human factors, but also from the nuclear, automotive, and aviation human factors domains.