From working machine operator to supervisor – the MIXER project develops human-machine interaction

Operating a mobile working machine may soon resemble driving an autonomous car: the operator may no longer need to manipulate the machine controls but simply assign new tasks. For example, a forest harvester operator could point out the next tree to be felled, and the machine would carry out most of the work independently.

“The role of the human operator is shifting towards that of a supervisor who monitors the machine’s performance and intervenes only when necessary. Many of the trends emerging in the development of heavy machinery echo those seen in the autonomous vehicle industry,” says Professor Roope Raisamo from Tampere University.

Raisamo leads the MIXER co-innovation project funded by Business Finland and partner companies. The project participants are developing new forms of interaction between human operators and mobile working machines.

According to Raisamo, safety is paramount in the development of both cars and heavy machinery, but working machines often operate in environments that are more complex than roads. They must be able to carry out automated operations under challenging conditions – and when they fail, the operator must know how to override the controls safely. 

“As all this requires seamless human-machine interaction, the MIXER project was set up to develop these interaction techniques,” says Raisamo.

New multisensory solutions – future interfaces to support operators’ decision-making 

Modern forest harvesters are technically advanced machines designed for demanding tasks. Continuously increasing efficiency and environmental requirements generate a cognitively demanding working environment for their operators.

“The MIXER project aims to ease operators’ cognitive load by developing alternatives to today’s visually heavy user interaction models. Our goal is to identify solutions that effectively support operators’ decision‑making,” says Panu Johansson, Manager UX, Systems and Connectivity at Ponsse Oy.

Fewer prototypes mean more agile R&D

Farmers expect the best possible user experience from their tractors. Manufacturers must respond not only to these expectations, but also to growing competition and the pressure to shorten product development cycles and bring new models to market more quickly. 

The MIXER project seeks to cut product development costs by reducing the required number of physical prototypes. This, however, means that user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design must begin at the very outset of the product development process. It must be possible to test and collect feedback on the proposed new UI solutions even before the first prototype tractor is built. 

“During the MIXER project, we are developing a toolchain to support this process and demonstrate its practical feasibility. Our goal is to ensure we can develop our future products quickly and cost-effectively while delivering market-leading user experience for our customer, the farmer,” says Mikko Rintoo, Department Lead of Validation & Simulation at Valtra Oy.