Thales is an European high-technology group renowned worldwide for its expertise in electronics-based defence systems and services, particularly for naval forces. The Group is a leading systems prime contractor and integrator with industrial operations in ten countries and clients in 50.

Thales Netherlands creates high-tech defence solutions for naval and ground-based environments. We combine our extensive and long experience with an ongoing search for new techniques and possibilities. This has resulted in a vast expertise in the fields of radar, infrared, weapon control, display technology and communications equipment. The product range of Thales Naval Netherlands comprises systems suitable for all classes and types of naval vessels, any weapon system and any mission. Modern and highly capable sensor suites, together with our combat management system TACTICOS, equip new generations of frigates, corvettes and fast attack craft throughout the world. Our naval capabilities include sophisticated Anti-Air Warfare systems, featuring APAR, SMART-L and SIRIUS. Thales Ground Based provides solutions for integrated air defence surveillance, track and fire control purposes, as well as for border and battlefield surveillance.  

In 2002, Thales Naval Netherlands, the Royal Netherlands Army and the Dutch Department of Defence joined forces in the project "Hybrid Fire Control". Purpose of the project is to test a new concept of a ground based air-defence system. In the human factors lab, The Observer Video-Pro facilitates the usability testing of this particular system. During the usability test, teams of two users are operating the system, while a team of observers is marking important and/or special events using The Observer. After the test, the observations are evaluated with both the users of the system and the system developers.

Researchers use The Observer to:

• repeatedly analyze video recordings at specific points;
• observe used procedures and communication between the users;
• analyze the use of different input (and some output) devices and compute response time, rate, frequency, etc.

Thales Naval Netherlands
Combat Systems
Haaksbergerstraat 49
P.O. Box 42
7550 GD Hengelo
The Netherlands
URL: www.thales-nederland.nl  

System diagram. Two video cameras film the behavior and sound of the test subjects. Two scan converters convert the signal from the computer screen into a normal video signal. The mixer (quad unit) combines these four video signals into one video signal. This combined video image is then recorded on the computer's hard disk (MPEG-format). 

The test room. Here two participants work as a team to operate the "Hybrid Fire Control" station.

The observation room. In the observation room a team of observers evaluate the participants’ actions.