Research
Labs
Listed below are brief synopses of the research groups.
The Auditory Research Group, led by Dr. Baldwin, is dedicated to research in all areas of Applied Auditory Cognition. This includes the design of auditory displays, (particularly collision avoidance and navigation systems for air and ground), communication systems, and strategies for improving speech intelligibility in adverse listening conditions and among those with hearing impairments. The laboratory includes two acoustically shielded chambers for recording and testing of auditory stimuli, a host of neurophysiological and physiological recording equipment and a suite of high quality sound generation, digital recording, analysis, and presentation equipment and software.
This research group is focused on human-automation interaction and the effects of different levels and types of automation (Parasuraman, Sheridan, & Wickens, 2000) on human operator attention, decision-making, and other aspects of cognition. We are also examining how adaptive automation can be designed effectively so as to be sensitive to changes in operational context and human operator workload. Of particular interest is the development of delegation interfaces (Miller & Parasuraman, 2007) as a form of adaptable automation.
This research group utilizes EEG and ERP systems to investigate the neural mechanisms of different aspects of cognition. Research focuses on several areas. One is that of visual attention andworking memory, including examining the role of genetic polymorphisms in modulating individual differences in ERP correlates of visual attention. Another focus explores neural mechanisms underlying recognition of human movement and pairing that with fMRI data. A final area examines cognitive development, especially in the changing role attention plays in shaping behavior from infancy through adolescence.
Interuptions/Displays
This research group focuses on two areas of interest within the lab. The first area focuses on understanding the cognitive components that underlying decrements in performance that occur as a function of interruptions. The second area is focused on the development of a framework that allows us to understand how global or trend information is extracted from graphs.
Neuroergonomics and Cognitive Neuroscience
This research group uses methods of cognitive neuroscience such as electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial doppler sonography (TCDS), eye movement recording, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genetic assays, and behavioral measures to explore the relationship between physiological and behavioral measures of attention, memory, and mental workload. Recent applied studies have used TCDS, eye movement recording, and behavioral measures to study how various levels of automated support tools alter the mental workload of operators in complex work enviroments such as air traffic control, aircraft piloting, command and control in the battlefield, and human management of multiple robotic elements. More basic work in the laboratory has focused on the neural basis of visuospatial attention and memory and the relationship between these two cognitive functions across the adult lifespan, with a particular focus on how Alzheimer's disease and healthy aging alter cognition.
Perception & Action Neuroscience Group (PANG)
The ability to see how other people move is essential for many aspects of daily life - from things as simple as avoiding collisions to detecting suspicious behavior or recognizing someone else's emotions. The research efforts of the Perception & Action Neuroscience Group are focused on examining how we recognize human movement and make sense of other peoples' actions, and how we code our own actions in relation to the external environment. We investigate these issues using a combination of behavioral paradigms, virtual reality, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and electroencephalography (EEG). The goal of the group's research is to further the understanding of how we see and act with others as part of everyday life, in specialized settings such as surveillance, and in conditions in which human movement recognition may be impaired.
This research group focuses on the transportation research being conducted in the Arch Lab. The majority of our work is currently focused on aviation applications; however, we are also doing some work on driving. In the aviation domain, we are interested in understanding the extent to which changes in the procedures mandated by an airline, coupled with improved training, can improve pilot performance. In the driving domain, we are interested in the characteristics of roadways that lead to increased driver satisfaction with driving on the road.
Visual Attention and Cognition
The visual attention and cognition group's research is concerned with (1) the control of attention, whether at a peceptual or higher level, and (2) how attention affects image extraction and scene comprehension. Topics include how environmental factors capture attention, how memory guides visual search, how attention affects scene perception, and how attentional control changes as we age.