These are projects that are currently ongoing in the lab, which may or may not involve external funding sources. Projects are associated with different streams (or research areas) and one or more members of the lab. Projects may or may not be directly related to various publications.
This project seeks to improve modular delivery of undergraduate or graduate research class material in a hybrid learning environment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools and universities had to pivot from an in-person learning experience to one that existed either partially or entirely online. This project studies the methods that instructors have used to make this transition as efficiently as possible.
SciTube Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J8LLspjjQk
Cassandra M. McCormack (2021). Information Architecture and Cognitive User Experience in Distributed, Asynchronous Learning: A Case Design of a Modularized Online Systems Engineering Learning Environment.
Link to publication
Cassandra M. McCormack & Barrett S. Caldwell (2022). Learner-Centered Design of Online Courses: A Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering Case Design.
Cassandra M. McCormack & Barrett S. Caldwell (2022). Creating a Novel Hypermedia Interface for an Interdisciplinary Systems Engineering Course.
Link to publication
GROUPER Lab is supporting a NASA-funded research project with Harvard University and University of California Davis to study and model team performance and problem-solving for long-duration spaceflight. The project will analyze how individuals and teams operate and communicate in time-sensitive, event-based extreme environments such as healthcare and emergency response systems. The responses from the interviews will help in the development of information flow models for task coordination and performance.
An FAA-funded human factors study designed to analyze the challenges pilots face when estimating weather conditions in unknown regions. Participants will be presented with weather condition information maps of varying resolutions and detail from known weather stations. The goal of the study is to assess how well pilots predict flight conditions in the regions between the reporting weather stations, despite uncertain terrain and varying weather phenomena as well as the level of confidence in the prediction. Additionally, recommendations for what additional information would have been helpful for making a prediction and how/when that information is presented will be collected.
Undertaken in collaboration with the Purdue Sleep Equity Lab, this project aims to guide the development of a continuous melatonin monitoring device. This device will ultimately support real-time self-care and intervention to improve sleep outcomes in populations experiencing circadian disruption, especially in conjunction with other chronic conditions affecting both physical and cognitive health. Melatonin has properties unlike other biomarkers that have been previously targeted for continuous physiological monitoring, necessitating a new approach to information presentation. Effective information presentation and support for a range of sleep health literacy levels will ultimately improve patient situation awareness and empower them to create intervention plans to improve their sleep health.
In simple terms, this research focuses on how people perform tasks in virtual reality (VR) and how the sense of touch (haptic feedback) through VR controllers affects their performance. The study finds that when users experience a moderate and consistent level of haptic feedback, they feel that their performance is better and experience less frustration. The researchers aim to contribute to the knowledge about how haptic feedback in VR influences cognitive performance, ultimately helping improve virtual experiences.
Randall Spain, Benjamin Goldberg, Shannon Bailey, Stephanie Fussell, Allison Bayro, Kelly Hale, Aaron Jones, Rachel Regina, Bob Thomas, Kevin Owens, Nathan Lau, Abhraneil Dam, Karen Chen, Luke Sturgeon, Monifa Vaughn-Cooke, & Nuela Chidubem Enebechi (2023). Human Factors Extended Reality Showcase.
Link to publication
Exploring the operating range and quality of human performance, with a focus on the incorporation of issues of neurodiversity variation in cognitive and physical sensitivities that may provide challenges for these individuals in the alignment and covariance of their performance alongside their peers. Analysis techniques from statistical quality control and feedback control analysis will be considered in the context of human performance capabilities, environments, and response dynamics.
Mackenzie A. Richards, Antonella Campos Iannacone, & Barrett S. Caldwell (2022). Social Justice and Equity as Operating Range: Enriching Success Pathways for Underrepresented Minority Students.
Link to publication
Discussion on the applications of cognitive human factors focused on group communication and information flow in automotive manufacturing setting.
The goals of the Weather Technology in the Cockpit (WTIC) Program are to improve pilot decision making relative to adverse weather, enhance crew awareness and coordination relative to turbulence, specify minimum weather service for meteorological (MET) information in cockpits, and report National Airspace System (NAS) inefficiencies (NextGen) not attributable to resolved MET information in the cockpit shortfalls.
For more information, see: https://www.pegasas.aero/projects/project-4-weather-technology-in-the-cockpit
The project consists of integrating a physiological monitor into NASA's Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) research program in order to monitor extravehicular crew workload and performance.
For more information, see: http://spacescience.arc.nasa.gov/basalt/
Jordan R. Hill,
Barrett S. Caldwell,
Michael J. Miller,
David S. Lees (2016). Data Integration and Knowledge Coordination for Planetary Exploration Traverses.
Link to publication
Jordan R. Hill, Barrett S. Caldwell (2019). A bootstrap method for the analysis of physiological data in uncontrolled settings.
Link to publication
Michelle Jahn Holbrook (2019). A Systems Engineering Analysis of Opportunities for Pharmacists on Diabetes Care Teams.
Link to publication
Jordan R. Hill, Barrett S. Caldwell (2018). Toward Better Understanding of Function Allocation Requirements for Planetary EVA and Habitat Tasks.
Link to publication
Jordan Hill (2019). Information Requirements for Function Allocation during Mars Mission Exploration Activities.
Link to publication
Incident response teams in cyber defense (CSIRTs) play a critical role in mitigating security events. Advancement in the field requires integrating approaches from social and behavioral sciences to better understand the humans in the system. This research investigates incident response (IR) tasks and the humans that perform them, and uses Human Factors methods to determine functional requirements for possible automated solutions. Findings presented in a systems engineering language will inform algorithmic development from other scientific fields currently addressing cyber defense with computational methods.
Megan Nyre-Yu (2019). Determining System Requirements for Human-Machine Integration in Computer Security Incident Response.
Link to publication
This project explores the effects of cognitive diversity and expertise distribution on team performance using simulation in Java.
Megan Nyre (2016). Developing Agent-Based Simulation Models of Task Performance of Cognitively Diverse Teams.
Link to publication
This work evaluates two different technologies (automated prescription trackers and mobile pharmacy applications) in community pharmacy systems with respect to information flows and work processes. The outcome was the creation of the Community Health Integration through Pharmacy Process and Ergonomics Redesign (CHIPPER) framework, which is continuing to be used for mapping other technologies and projects in community pharmacy settings (e.g., PharmaSim, Secure Messaging for Medication Reconciliation Tool).
For more information, see: http://perceptimed.com/products/scripclip-will-call-solution/
Michelle A. Jahn (2015). Information technology impacts on flows of information and task coordination on outpatient medication delivery processes.
Link to publication
Michelle A. Jahn, Barrett S. Caldwell (2015). Improving Patient Safety via Human Factors Engineering and Medication Delivery Simulation.
Michelle A. Jahn, Barrett S. Caldwell, Kyle E. Hultgren (2015). Developing Medication Safety Training Applications with Software Patients for Human Teams.
Michelle A. Jahn, Barrett S. Caldwell (2017). Community Health Integration through Pharmacy Process and Ergonomics Redesign (CHIPPER).
Link to publication
Evaluate the type and storage of data available in current traumatic brain injury rehabilitation care, and evaluate the potential use of subjective mental workload measurement in this setting.
Siobhan M. Heiden, Barrett S. Caldwell (2014). Behavioral and Cognitive Performance Baselines for Tailored, Integrated TBI Rehabilitation.
Link to publication