Capabilities include: development of novel wearable sensors and devices, implantable sensor systems, and mobile/connected healthcare technologies to sense/process physiological signals for therapeutic/assistive devices, and disease diagnostics and management. Moreover, capabilities in occupational biomechanics and integrated sensor data processing involving machine learning algorithms for early prediction, human performance enhancements, monitoring, and management of occupation-related diseases that include musculoskeletal disorders, sleep disorders, and stress-related disorders.Development of human behavioral models that assess both individual and team differences and performance through cognition and metacognition, communication, human-computer interaction, user-experience, and macro-ergonomics in various domains, such as transportation (i.e., driving traditional and electric vehicles, eye-tracking and distraction), construction (i.e., collaborative workspaces, team cohesion, and organizational structure), sustainability (team behavior for high-performance outcomes), medicine (i.e., trans-theoretical model of change in hospitals) and military (i.e., human-computer interaction with anti-air warfare coordinators, measuring cognitive workload). Expertise in integrating operations research techniques and algorithms and advanced statistical methods with human factors and ergonomic problems for a holistic understanding and prediction of human behavior and performance.
Faculty Lead: Dr. Ki Chon, UConn
Facilities:
The UConn Human Performance Laboratory is a 1250 sq.ft. human performance and movement analysis laboratory that includes a 12 camera Vicon motion capture system; ten (10) wireless Noraxon electromyographic (surface EMG) system; ten (10) wireless foot pressure insoles; a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer; two (2) 400mm x 600mm Bertec force plates; an instrumented Bertect treadmill; Visual3D biomechanics software and OpenSim musculoskeletal modeling software. The Biodynamics Laboratory at UConn comprises 8000 square feet of renovated laboratory space. The laboratory is equipped with full electronics and machine shops including two 3D printers for electronic circuit development and construction, and mechanical fabrication. The lab has been recently equipped with a driving simulator for human performance monitoring.
In addition, there are appropriate instruments for electronic circuit signal testing and debugging, including oscilloscopes, network analyzers, LCR meters, power supplies, high precision analog amplifiers, various force sensing electrodes and devices for bio-force approximation. Major equipment includes 6 Qualisys IR DMC cameras, Monark ergometer with HR monitoring telemetry, a laser vibrometer, ultrasonic microphones and analyzers, Nicolet EMG measuring systems, and 8 channel EEG recording systems.
The facility also includes two environmental chambers, a rail-mounted and freestanding optoelectronic motion capture system, cranegantry systems for handling large equipment, including vibration exciter suspension, an ultrasonic laboratory and test booth, and wet and dry laboratory facilities. The Biodevices Laboratory at UConn is equipped with an HP ECG monitor, Holter monitors, blood pressure and respiration monitors, skin conductance amplifier, AC & DC preamplifiers, digital oscilloscope, Zeiss surgical microscope, data acquisition systems, blood flow recorders, pulse oximeters and telemetry system with biopotentials and blood pressure sensors. Optical Imaging and 3D Visualization Laboratory, includes major equipment and computing resources at 3D imaging systems, X-ray facilities at IMS and Booth Engineering Center for Advanced Technology. At URI, the Sustainable Innovative Solutions (SIS) Laboratory is a human behavior modeling and communication analysis laboratory featuring a collaborative workspace (large-touchscreen interfaces and floor-to-ceiling white boards) that captures interactions from a suspended, flexible audio/visual system with real-time audio/visual coding software. Equipped with a two-way mirror, the adaptable space separates based on group size and research study requirements. Additional audio/visual recording systems are portable for flexibility in location of study, as well as (6) iPads for survey canvasing. Further, at URI the Driving Simulation Laboratory is equipped with a TramSim VS IV (by L-3Communications, Inc.) driving simulator. The simulator was purchased with the support of Rhode Island Department of Transportation and URI Transportation Center.
It is a fixed-base driving simulator, consisting of a driving module (interchangeable, from a regular vehicle module to a truck module) and three 42" plasma monitors with 1024 x 768 image resolution. Five networked computers generate the simulation by processing the driver’s inputs to the vehicle’s controls while perpetually updating the audio stream and the driving scene on four visual channels. Three of the channels display the drivers’ forward view of 180° and one supports the LCD front panel. State-of-the-art software delivers sharp visuals and crisp images to enhance learning objectives. Subjects interacted with the simulator using the sedan’s steering wheel and pedals that provide force feedback. Force-loaded steering provides real-time feedback to augment muscle memory in situations such as tire blowout, sloshing loads or collisions.
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