Human oversight of an automated system

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Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Which statement about a highly automated factory is correct?

A Once it is switched on, no people are ever needed

B People are still needed to set it up, monitor it and fix faults

2. Who decides the stored value (such as 22°C) that an automated heating system compares sensor readings with?

A A person sets it when the system is set up

B The sensor works it out by itself

3. A sensor in an automated greenhouse stops sending readings. What should happen?

A The system repairs itself so nobody needs to check

B A technician checks and repairs the faulty sensor

4. What is a manual override?

A A person takes control and stops the automatic system, for example in an emergency

B The microprocessor switches itself off to save power

5. An automated train is heading towards an obstacle that its sensors did not detect. Which human action is the best example of oversight?

A A controller uses the emergency stop to override the system

B The controller waits because the system is automated

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1manual override		AWrong because in an emergency a person should use manual override to stop the system, not wait for it
2maintenance check		BWrong because people still set up, monitor and maintain the system and fix faults
3A person decides the stored value that the sensor reading is compared with		CA control that lets a person stop or take over an automated system, for example in an emergency
4A person monitors the system and acts if a fault is found		DA person inspects, cleans or replaces parts such as sensors and actuators so the system keeps working
5Automated means no people are needed		EIF alarm = ON THEN call_engineer
6IF emergency THEN wait_for_system		Fstored_temperature = 25

Definitions

human oversight

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

maxTemp ← 30 IF temperature > _______ THEN fan ← ON

IF emergencyButton = ____ THEN motor ← OFF ENDIF

IF fault = TRUE THEN ______ "Call engineer" ENDIF

INPUT __________ IF temperature < targetTemp THEN heater ← ON

IF override = TRUE THEN autoControl ← _____ ENDIF

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A limit ← 25

B reading ← READ_SENSOR()

C IF reading > limit

D fan ← ON

E ENDIF

Question 2

A OUTPUT new_limit

B stored_limit ← new_limit

C reading ← READ_SENSOR()

Question 3

A WHILE TRUE

B IF stop_button = OFF THEN

C motor ← OFF

D ENDIF

E ENDWHILE

Question 4

A status ← CHECK_SENSOR()

B IF status = FAULT THEN

C status ← OK

D ENDIF

Question 5

A max_flow ← 80

B IF flow < max_flow THEN

C alert_operator()

Answer Key

Human oversight of an automated system

Section A: Quick Questions

B — People are still needed to set it up, monitor it and fix faults

A — A person sets it when the system is set up

B — A technician checks and repairs the faulty sensor

A — A person takes control and stops the automatic system, for example in an emergency

A — A controller uses the emergency stop to override the system

Section B: Match the Pairs

manual override → A control that lets a person stop or take over an automated system, for example in an emergency

maintenance check → A person inspects, cleans or replaces parts such as sensors and actuators so the system keeps working

A person decides the stored value that the sensor reading is compared with → stored_temperature = 25

A person monitors the system and acts if a fault is found → IF alarm = ON THEN call_engineer

Automated means no people are needed → Wrong because people still set up, monitor and maintain the system and fix faults

IF emergency THEN wait_for_system → Wrong because in an emergency a person should use manual override to stop the system, not wait for it

Section C: Definitions

human oversight — People set up, monitor and maintain an automated system, fix faults and can override it in an emergency, so automated does not mean no people are needed.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

maxTemp ← 30
IF temperature > maxTemp THEN
    fan ← ON

IF emergencyButton = TRUE THEN
    motor ← OFF
ENDIF

IF fault = TRUE THEN
    OUTPUT "Call engineer"
ENDIF

INPUT targetTemp
IF temperature < targetTemp THEN
    heater ← ON

IF override = TRUE THEN
    autoControl ← FALSE
ENDIF

Section E: Spot the Error

C — An IF statement must end with THEN. The stored value (limit) set by a person is compared with the reading, so the line should be IF reading > limit THEN.

A — A person must set the stored value, so the program has to take it in with INPUT. OUTPUT would only display a value that does not exist yet. It should be INPUT new_limit.

B — The manual override should act when a person presses the stop button, so the test must be stop_button = ON. With OFF, the motor would stop when nobody had pressed the button.

C — When a fault is found, a person such as a technician must be told so they can fix it. Setting the status to OK hides the fault. It should be SEND_ALERT(technician).

B — The operator should be alerted when the flow goes above the stored maximum, not when it is below it. The test should be flow > max_flow.