Introduction EAM contents and objectives The EAM conference continues the tradition begun in 1981 of bringing young researchers from different disciplines of the human-machine system field together in an informal setting. The conference is designed to provide a forum for extensive discussions of new and on-going work among researchers working on the design, analysis and evaluation of human-machine systems (HMS). Those participating come from a variety of disciplines, including cognitive sciences, engineering sciences, and information and communication sciences. Consequently, EAM usually focuses on scientific papers and allots ample time for presentations and discussion, preserving an informal atmosphere for this conference of friends all working towards a common goal: a better adaptation of technical systems for human operators. Previous conferences have been organized all over Europe. The most recent host countries have been Ispra, Italy (2000); Lyngby, Denmark (2001); Glasgow, Scotland (2002); Linköping, Sweden (2003) The Hague, Netherlands (2004) Athens, Greece (2005)(http://www.annualmanual.org). This year marks the 25th edition of this annual meeting, and on this occasion, the University of Valenciennes has the extraordinary pleasure of welcoming EAM to France. Exceptionally, the 2006 conference will be more formal than usual. The Scientific Committee is international, invited sessions are encouraged, and expanded versions of selected papers will be published in a Special Issue of the international Journal, Cognitive Technology & Work (Springer-Verlag). Invited sessions will be organised and chaired by a senior researcher who facilitates discussion of work presented by young researchers. This 25th edition of EAM confirms the continued relevance of the HMS topic, which has occupied the attention of many universities and research centers for years. All papers presented at the conference will focus on the progress and requirements in the design, analysis and evaluation of future complex processes involving human factors. Thus, we would welcome the presence of people from the industrial world as well as the academic world. |