Research facilities
The Cognitive Systems Laboratory (CSL) focuses on cognitive engineering, where the challenge is to understand and improve the capacity of joint human-technology systems. This research has considered technology insertion in the maritime industry, ground transportation, tele-operation, and process control.
Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support Systems Laboratory
The Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies (the Center) is a growing and dynamic mission-driven organization directed by Dr. David Gustafson. Focused on improving health and quality of life through organizational and individual change projects and research, the Center consists of two primary initiatives:
- NIATx (Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment) is dedicated to improving the quality of addiction and mental health services.
- CHESS (Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System) is focused on helping individuals with chronic or life-threatening illnesses improve their quality of life through Web-based support or other kinds of technology.
Flexible Manufacturing Cell Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory
The state-of-the-art is exemplified in the industrial engineering department's flexible manufacturing cell teaching laboratory. The process it supports, from computer design to manufacture and assembly, is completely automated using CAD and CAM systems, a material-handling conveyor and robots, and an assembly robot able to recognize parts with the help of tactile sensors and up to six vision cameras.
Human-computer Interaction Laboratory
The Wellness and Health Enhancement Engineering Lab (WHEEL), focuses on improving health and wellness systems, and technologies using user-centered design and usability engineering approaches. The lab's mission is to conduct exploratory, experimental and field research involving human interaction with computers, technologies and systems.
Laboratory for Electronic Commerce Decision Technologies
Our research mission is to investigate and design a comprehensive, rigorous, and standard set of theoretical methodologies, computer-integrated technological systems, and organizational processes that will lead to fundamentally new decision-making paradigms and business models for Electronic Commerce and Internet-enabled supply-web interactions in the manufacturing industry.
Laboratory for Manufacturing Processes Analysis and Control
In this laboratory, we focus on interdisciplinary research on new methodologies of data analysis, knowledge discovery, and control of manufacturing processes for quality and productivity improvement.
Large System Advanced Planning and Scheduling Laboratory
The LSAPS lab is led by Prof. Leyuan Shi and consists of her PhD students and visiting scholars. The researches include developing theory and methodologies for design and optimization of complex systems such as supply chain networks, manufacturing systems, transportation systems and healthcare delivery systems. Researches in this lab consist of modeling, optimization and implementation of solutions to various systems integration problems. Problem categories include, discrete vs. continuous, deterministic vs. stochastic and prescriptive vs. descriptive.
MacroErgonomic Safety and Health Laboratory
The MESH Lab focused on using industrial and human factors engineering theories, design principles and methodologies to improve patient safety and health care employee safety. As the Figure below helps to demonstrate, the studies we undertook seek to understand how the fit or misfit of healthcare system components contributes to patient and clinician outcomes such as adverse drug events, medication safety protocol violations, medical errors, health information technology acceptance and use, clinician job satisfaction and burnout, and clinician mental workload.
Manufacturing Systems Analysis Laboratory
Students and faculty perform research on new techniques for modeling and analysis of manufacturing systems, and investigate ways to improve the application of such techniques in industry. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art analysis tools, including spreadsheets, rapid modeling tools, simulation and animation packages.
Naturalistic Decision Making and Simulation Laboratory
The Naturalistic Decision Making and Simulation Laboratory covers a broad spectrum of research interests, primarily within the aviation and health care industries. Some recent areas of study include interruptions and distractions during surgery, simulated flight training, and cognitive ergonomics for universal design.
Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Laboratory
The mission of the Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Laboratory is to research innovative ways of measuring, quantifying and understanding human physiological and biomechanical capacities to do productive, quality, and healthful work.
Professor Bier administers the Stochastic Systems Laboratory, which provides office space and needed computer facilities for graduate students working in her research area. Computer facilities located in the Stochastic Systems Laboratory include several PC-compatible computers and software.