Citation

Young MS, Stanton NA, Walker GH, Jenkins DP, Smart W. Cogn. Technol. Work 2008; 10(3): 231-236.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10111-007-0095-7

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Global Positioning System (GPS) looks set to replace the traditional map and compass for navigation tasks in military and civil domains. However, we may ask whether GPS has a real performance advantage over traditional methods. We present an exploratory study using a waypoint-plotting task to compare the standard magnetic compass against a military GPS unit, for both expert and non-expert navigators. Whilst performance times were generally longer in setting up the GPS unit, once navigation was underway the GPS was more efficient than the compass. For medium- to long-term missions, this means that GPS could offer significant performance benefits, although the compass remains superior for shorter missions. Notwithstanding the performance times, significantly more errors, and more serious errors, occurred when using the compass. Overall, then, the GPS offers some clear advantages, especially for non-expert users. Nonetheless, concerns over the development of cognitive maps remain when using GPS technologies.

Language: en