Design Ergonomics Research Group
People
Academic and Research Staff
Dr Diane Gyi
Diane has significant experience of research in health ergonomics and applying this knowledge to design. This has involved close collaboration with industry in the automotive, construction and general manufacturing sectors. Her research also addresses the development of methods and tools to encourage user participation in design decisions.
Current research projects include; the role of good design and ergonomics in workability, increasing user participation through prototyping, and collecting ergonomics data for future customer needs in vehicles and sports products.
Professor Roger Haslam
Roger's research is concerned with optimising the 'fit' between people and the products, equipment, systems and environments with which they interact. Areas of attention have included work systems and worker health and safety; construction tools and materials and worker well-being; designing personal load carriage systems for comfort and performance; and the interaction between home design and occupier behaviour.
Current research includes a 4 year cross-Research Council funded study examining workplace design and older workers; and an investigation of factors affecting the functioning and performance of crowds and other gatherings.
Dr Russell Marshall
Russell's research background spans design and ergonomics and includes digital human modelling, modular product design, and drawing and visualisation.
Over the last decade Russell has been working with researchers and practitioners to address needs for improved data on older and disabled people together with tools to exploit these data for assessing user centred and inclusive design issues.
Other current research includes: accessible online journey planning with TfL, kitchens throughout the life course in collaboration with the OU, and direct and indirect field of view assessments for the DfT. Russell is also principal developer of both SAMMIE and HADRIAN.
Dr Samantha Porter
Samantha's background is in ergonomics, applied psychology and design ergonomics. Her research reflects the breadth of her interests; these include product pleasure, tools and methods for designing for emotion, the design of the person/product interface of medical/medical related products and personalisation and product attachment.
Her recent research projects have been funded by the AHRC, the EU and EPSRC, and various industrial partners.
Dr Ruth Sims
Ruth has experience of research in ageing and disability, applying this to product and transport design. She has been involved in close collaboration with design professionals, transport planners and older and physically impaired people. Her research includes the development of methods and collection of data to support 'design for all' / inclusive design.
Current research projects include; investigating the use of kitchens over the life course and in older age, and the information needs of transport users, both before and during journeys.
Dr Steve Summerskill
Steve has a background in industry that combines the industrial design and ergonomics skills sets. Subsequently these skill sets have been applied to a number of EPSRC research projects that explored a range of issues from the design of tactile car controls to reduce visual load, and the use of digital human modelling in the simulation of abilities of disabled users.
Current research areas include the design of accessible Journey Planner websites with Transport for London, vehicle packaging design and evaluation, and the design of car seating to reduce musculoskeletal disorders.
Dr Patrick Waterson
Patrick's background is in applied psychology, sociotechnical systems design and cognitive ergonomics. His work encompasses a range of research topics including: analyses of the causes of large-scale infection outbreaks in hospitals; organisational aspects of the design of e-health systems; the measurement of patient safety culture; situation awareness and decision-making in complex work environments; and, the history of ergonomics.
Research Students
- Firdaus Abdullah
- Michelle Fava (Michelle is registered and sponsored by the School of the Arts and is working collaboratively with the Design School)
- Harris Hamid
- Matt Head
- Setia Hermawati
- Amjad Hussain (Amjad is registered and sponsored by the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and is working collaboratively with the Design School)
- Himan Punchihewa
- Andre Salles