Engineering Psychology
Why Major in Engineering Psychology?
Have you ever used a “user-friendly” piece of equipment only to find out it was not or had a hard time learning to use something that should have been relatively simple?
Engineering Psychology explores the relationship between humans and the tools, systems, and machines they use. By focusing on human users; how they sense, perceive, think, act, and on what they want from their systems; Engineering Psychologists are able to maximize the relationship between humans and the systems they use
Our cadet run real research projects that you may have participated in during PL100. Our efforts include work with the following:
Active Authentication via Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Modes of Cognitive Processing
Auditory Versus Tactile Navigation in a Virtual Environment
Determining Relationship between Changes in Circulating p11 levels to Seasonal Changes in Mood
ISIS Graphical User Interface Workload Assessment
Modeling Soldier Search and Target Acquisition: Integration of Situation Awareness
A Comparison of Hearing Intelligibility in a Ruptured Eardum Using Bone Conduction & Air Conduction
A Comparison of Land Navigation Proficiency (iPad vs. Traditional Map)
A Study of the Effects of the Olfactory Sense on the Hydration of United States Army Soldiers
An Evaluation of an Expanded Language Design for Telehaptic Assistance for Tactical Operations (THATO)
Cued Multitasking and Performance
Habituation in the Virtusphere
Improving Learner Performance
IOTV: Improved Fit and Performance for Female Soldiers
Study on Bone Conduction Technology: Analysis of Intelligibility and Comfort of Ear Protection
Engineering Psychology Research Laboratories
The Engineering Psychology Department at West Point possesses extensive research laboratories that make the facility one of the most capable in the nation for undergraduate teaching and research in Engineering Psychology. Each laboratory supports classroom instruction as well as cadet and faculty research. The Engineering Psychology Department houses six laboratories: a Visual Psychophysics Laboratory, a Biopsychology Laboratory, an Anthropometrics and Biometrics Laboratory, a Simulations Laboratory, an Eye-Tracking Laboratory, and a Usability Laboratory.
The Engineering Psychology’s Simulations Laboratory
Engineering psychologist live in a target-rich environment. We are surrounded by devices, tools, and systems that could be vastly improved and made easier to use. Research in engineering psychology allows cadets to use knowledge of human behavior and systems to real-world domains in military and civilian environments. Cadets will design, build, and evaluate a solution to a practical human factors problem.
Engineering psychology seeks to dig deeper and examine the incident in terms of contextual factors such as competing activities, hidden information, and organizational goals and conflicts. Not seeking to blame any party, we try to understand how the event unfolded and examine ways to prevent it from happening again.
The Engineering Psychology’s Simulations Laboratory possesses an Air Traffic Control Simulation, a Virtusphere, a Sound Chamber, and a Tactile Belt Station. Along with the Virtusphere, the Engineering Psychology Department possesses the capabilities to immerse cadets in a virtual reality within Second Life and Virtual BattleSpace (VBS2).
The Engineering Psychology’s Eye Tracking Laboratory
Think of all the ways that you will use your eyes today! You might drive a car. You might read a magazine. You might surf the Internet or search the aisles of a grocery store or play a video game or complete a training exercise or watch a movie or look at pictures on your mobile device. We use our eyes almost constantly, and understanding how we use them has become an extremely important consideration in research and design.
The Engineering Psychology’s Eye Tracking/ Usability laboratory provides cadets with four state-of-the-art eye tracking systems. Eye tracking data is collected using either mobile, desktop mounted, or head mounted eye tracker connected to a computer.
While there are many different types of no0intrusive eye trackers, they generally include two common components a light source and a camera. The light source (usually infrared) is directed towards the eye. The camera tracks the reflection of the light source along with visible ocular features such as the pupil. This data is used to extrapolate the rotation of the eye and ultimately the direction of gaze. Additional information such as blink frequency and changes in pupil diameter are also detected by the eye tracker.
Engineering Psychology Visual Psychophysics Laboratory
To maximize performance on the battlefield, we must take advantage of the sensory mechanisms and perceptual processes that obtain, interpret, and act upon information in our environment, In other words, if you can’t sense it or perceive it, you can’t act on it! Understanding the parameters of our sensory-perceptual capabilities is a crucial element in the affective design of human-machine interfaces.
With this thought in mind, the Engineering Psychology’s Visual Psychophysics Laboratory provides their cadets with the knowledge of sensory and perceptual processes that contributes to the design of effective systems. Additionally, this laboratory supports the exchange of information and ideas via video and teleconferencing. The Engineering Psychology Department is fully equipped to interact and communicate with second and third parties all over the world. With the use of Skype, Oovoo, and Second life, cadets can interact in a 3D world as an avatar, and visit and network with one another. In Skype and Oovoo, cadets can interface with others across the world without moving from their classroom. This laboratory also serves as a lecture and seminar room, with tons of distinguished lecturers educating the cadets on various topics in human factors.
Engineering Psychology Anthropometrics and Biometrics Laboratory
Virtually all of your activities require interaction with your environment. Much of the interaction involves physical movement. Anthropometrics in the study of human measurement while biomechanics is the study of forces on our muscular and skeletal systems.
The Engineering Psychology’s Anthropometric and Biomechanics Laboratory educates cadets of the fundamentals of both anthropometrics and biomechanics and provides the opportunity to apply the knowledge to a variety of military settings. Cadets will learn how to measure and model human activities and then use those results to design better human-machine systems or recommend improvements to training.
The laboratory consists of 1 AMTI Net Force Plate Walkway, 1 AMTI Net Force Plate Treadmill, a Lemond Fitness Bicycle, a Concept 2 Rowing Machine, a StayFit Treadmill, and a state-of-the-art Motion Capture System, Vicon Motus and Nexus.
The laboratory consists of 1 AMTI Net Force Plate Walkway, 1 AMTI Net Force Plate Treadmill, a Lemond Fitness Bicycle, a Concept 2 Rowing Machine, a StayFit Treadmill, and a state-of-the-art Motion Capture System, Vicon Motus and Nexus.
Would you like someone from the Engineering Psychology Major to contact you?
COL James Ness (845) 938-0239
Engingeering Psychology Goals
Engineering Psychology is a field that studies human - machine systems. The goal of Engineering Psychology is to better design these systems so that humans and machines function better as cooperative partners to accomplish this mission. Engineering Psychology is a discipline that goes by several other names, including: Human Factors, Cognitive Systems Engineering, Human Engineering, and Ergonomics.
Engineering Psychology draws upon theories and principles from many fields of psychology, as well as engineering, statistics, linguistics, biomechanics, and computer science. Engineering Psychology can be found in military, industrial, and academic settings. They can function as members of teams that design new systems. They often conduct both field and laboratory research designed to develop new theories and principles that can be applied to improving human machines.
- Apply knowledge of human performance to operational readiness and total system design
- Design, conduct, and analyze research in human performance and human-machine interface
- Evaluate research in human performance and human-machine interface
- Participate in a research project as the human factors representative of an interdisciplinary design team
- Report and defend research in written and oral formats