80th Digitaldialog: Human Factors - people at the heart of technological innovation
The consideration of human factors is becoming increasingly important in the development and design of products, processes and systems. The increasing complexity of technical systems also increases the complexity of interactions between humans and technology.
"We deliberately chose this topic together with the organizers because we believe that the advent of digital technologies, especially when it comes to interaction, particularly affects people," said Dr Heinz Mayer, Director of the Institute DIGITAL of JOANNEUM RESEARCH.
Dr Mayer moderated and opened the event, which was attended by nearly 100 people, with a survey: "What do you expect from Human Factors". This confirmed that "Human Factors" is a research area that contributes to many issues in the development of digital systems.
Word cloud resulting from the question: What do you expect from Human Factors? Credit: JOANNEUM RESEARCH
The Lectures
Dr Lucas Paletta, Head of the Human Factors Laboratory, gave an insight into the field of human factors, cognitive sensor technology and interaction and introduced the Human Factors Laboratory, which was opened last year.
What is the mission of the Human Factors Lab?
"We want to incorporate Human Factors principles into the development of digital systems. Above all, to map behavioural analyses and constructs from psychology into interactions with the help of innovative sensor technology. With the aim of creating better interfaces, new measurement technologies and new models that we can use in the respective application areas," said Dr Paletta.
The Institute DIGITAL of JOANNEUM RESEARCH has been conducting research in the field of "Human Factors" for many years and is involved in several international research projects. The newly designed Human Factors Lab combines state-of-the-art measuring instruments with innovative evaluation software for conducting studies in the field of "Human Factors and Ergonomics". With newly developed measurement and assistance technologies that unobtrusively measure data on human behaviour, the team led by Dr Lucas Paletta from DIGITAL is developing digital systems that can optimally support people in stressful situations. These can be emergency services, employees, or even elderly or sick people.
In his lecture on "Action-related analysis of psychophysiological sensors for the optimisation of training in flight simulators", Professor DDr Wolfgang Kallus, a long-standing expert and professor at the Institute for Accompanying Research and Psychological Quality Management (https://www.uni-graz.at/de/), explained the goals, advantages and results of psychophysiological measurement in human factors analyses in the field of flight simulation.
Dr Sandra Schüssler, expert at the Medical University of Graz, Institute of Nursing Science, highlighted the aspect of applying human factors research in nursing in her presentation on "Innovative assistance technologies from the perspective of nursing science".
Maria Fellner, MBA, CEO of DigitAAL Life presented an example of the entrepreneurial implementation of joint research results in a spin-off company and showed economic and social aspects of Human Factors in the areas of care and dementia.
At the end of the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arno Eichberger, who is responsible for vehicle dynamics at the Institute of Automotive Engineering and has been working on the topic of automated driving for many years, presented important aspects in the implementation of new socially relevant technologies in his lecture "Human Factors in Automated Driving: A Solvable Dilemma?"
Last but not least, Ana Beatriz Lopez, PhD, expert of the European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting, focused on the topic of the working environment and presented results of the OptimaSteel project, which aims to implement state-of-the-art technologies to optimise the workplace in the steel industry.
The "Digitaldialog" is a series of events organised by the Silicon Alps Cluster in cooperation with its partners FH Campus 02, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, IT Community Styria and FH Kärnten. At this series, which was launched in 2011 by the Styrian Business Promotion Agency SFG, recognised technology experts provide insights into their field of activity.