Martin Backlund completes his master’s thesis within Novia’s project on human factors

Martin Backlund is writing his master’s thesis at Tampere University as part of Novia’s research project on remote pilotage, within the framework of MVP Remote Pilotage, funded by Business Finland. In his thesis, Backlund focuses on human factors and user interface design in remote pilotage, with particular emphasis on information exchange between pilots and ship officers in a remote operating environment.

Backlund holds an engineering degree from Novia and is currently employed at Wärtsilä. His interest in marine technology, safety, and so-called human factors led him to pursue further studies in computer science. At Tampere University, he is completing a master's degree with a specialization in Human–Technology Interaction.

Found Novia via a search engine

Backlund explains that he found Novia by searching for human factors in a search engine, where Novia stood out as one of the few actors in Finland clearly highlighting expertise in the field of human factors.

“A central question in my research concerns how we can support pilots in conveying their experience-based and often tacit knowledge in situations where the pilot is no longer onboard the vessel, but instead operates remotely,” says Backlund.

In traditional pilotage, much of the communication and shared understanding occurs naturally through physical presence. In remote pilotage, situational awareness risks being reduced, which places new demands on technology and interfaces. Backlund’s research explores how graphical user interfaces can be designed to strengthen communication and support the development of shared mental models between the pilot and the ship’s master.

Scepticism toward technology and connectivity at sea

“The design effort is based on cognitive task analysis and participatory design, including interviews and workshops with pilots and other experts. The goal is to develop design proposals that are both technically realistic and grounded in the users’ actual needs.”

“There is some scepticism, particularly regarding the reliability of the technology and connectivity at sea, but the pilots have also contributed many valuable insights into how such technology could support their work,” says Backlund.

Backlund receives supervision from both Tampere University and Novia, where he collaborates closely with researchers involved in the remote pilotage project. His master’s thesis began in autumn 2025, with the goal of completing the thesis in spring 2026.

In the longer term, Backlund hopes to continue working in research or development related to human factors and marine technology.

“This is an area where there is a great need for interdisciplinary expertise, and I hope to continue contributing where my skills are needed,” he says.