2014 Southwest Regional Symposium

Human Factors Work is Fun!

Tour sizes are limited so please register soon! To register for tours, email the tour co-ordinators at swhfestours@houstonhfes.org.

Tour Name: Tour Time: Limit of people: Description:
Fire School Disaster City 1:00 - 3:00 30 Disaster City®, is a 52-acre training facility is situated adjacent to the world-renowned Brayton Fire Training Field and delivers the full array of skills and techniques needed by today’s emergency response professionals. Created by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), a member of the Texas A&M System, the mock community features full-scale, collapsible structures designed to simulate various levels of disaster and wreckage that can be customized for the specific training needs of any group. Emergency responders from across the globe venture to Disaster City® for unparalleled search and rescue training and exercises. Simply put, Disaster City® is the most comprehensive emergency response training facility available today.
ErgoGenesis 3:00 - 4:30 15 ErgoGenesis creates solutions to workplace comfort by using ergonomic engineering and technology to optimize an employees working environment. During this tour, you will be introduced to the BodyBilt™ ergonomic seating and ErgoFusion™ ergonomic accessories built by the company. BodyBilt chairs were designed utilizing research developed through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space program. By applying space-age designs to chair components, BodyBilt chairs allow the seated user the ability to emulate the same stress-free posture assumed by the body in a weightless environment.
Human Factors & Cognitive Systems Lab 3:30 - 4:30 15 The Human Factors & Cognitive Systems (HF&CS) Lab at Texas A&M University, under the direction of Dr. Thomas Ferris, studies human cognition in sociotechnical engineered systems, and designs means of supporting humans in “cognitively challenging” contexts. Much of this research involves human information processing and supporting attention and task management to maximize multitasking performance. Recent work includes investigating novel interface design techniques, employing alternative display modalities such as the sense of touch. Other research interests include modeling humans in complex systems, human error, human-automation interaction, and the effects of stress and time pressure on cognitive functions such as attention and decision-making. Dr. Ferris and the HF&CS lab have experience in applying their research to the domains of medicine, military operations, aviation, and ground transportation.
Ergonomics Center 3:30 - 4:30 15 At the Ergonomics Center, we focus on the impacts of aging, sedentary behavior, obesity, and technology design on the health and productivity of the current and future workforce. Some of the current research in the ErgoCenter is focused on commercialization efforts and emphasizes design and evaluation of commercial products in both field and lab settings. Visitors will see office and school equipment used to reduce sedentary behaviors along with the wearable monitors used to track performance. Other research is focused on how the different physical and cognitive requirements of different interaction designs of software may contribute to Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) and methods that software designers can use to mitigate any risks found. Part of this work has involved the development of a reliable self-report measure of ergonomic impacts for Office Ergonomics. The Ergo center also offers basic science capabilities within the domain of neuroergonomics (study of brain and behavior at work), psychophysiology and biomechanics. Research in these domains include examining the role of the brain in fatigue development in extreme stress conditions, determining the impact of obesity in the aging brain, and developing brain health interventions to improve physical and cognitive competencies in older adults.



Please direct your questions to the program committee - submissions@houstonhfes.org