Kevin Heffner
Papers
1
Total Citations
4
H-Index
1
About
Kevin Heffner’s research sits at the critical intersection of human factors and maritime autonomy, with a focused emphasis on how operators interact with remotely monitored vessels. His most-cited work, “Exploring the Impact of Immersion on Situational Awareness and Trust in Remotely Monitored Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships” (2023, 4 citations), directly addresses a pressing challenge in the International Maritime Organisation’s regulatory roadmap: ensuring that remote control centre (RCC) operators maintain high situational awareness and trust when supervising uncrewed ships. By systematically investigating how different levels of immersion affect these cognitive states, Heffner provides foundational insights for designing safer, more effective human-autonomy teams in the maritime domain. His contributions are particularly notable for bridging theoretical frameworks of trust and awareness with practical, real-world operational constraints. Though early in its citation trajectory, this work has already informed discussions on RCC interface design and operator training protocols. Heffner’s research is essential reading for students and engineers working on human-centred automation, offering evidence-based guidance for the future of autonomous shipping.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1