General Archives -

New DFG project: Audio-visual perception in virtual and real 3D environments

Virtual realities (VR) open up completely new possibilities for psychological experiments compared to classical laboratory environments. However, it must be ensured that virtual environments represent reality as validly as possible. This will be investigated in a new research project at IfADo within the DFG priority program „Audictive“: The focus is on spatial perception and attention in three-dimensional space.

2nd German Summer School for Human Factors 2020

This September young scientists gathered three days within the German Summer School for Human Factors to discuss their research. The summer school is an annual event that is initiated by the Section of Engineering Psychology of the German Psychological Association. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the summer school was hold virtually; this time organized by IfADo-scientists.

Thorsten Plewan-Blombach appointed professor

Thorsten Plewan-Blombach was appointed professor of psychology in the department of „Business & Media“ at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences at the end of July. Thorsten Plewan-Blombach has been working as a PostDoc in the IfADo research department „ergonomics“ for eight years. He is investigating basic concepts of perception and attention as well as human-machine interaction with a focus on digital assistance systems in workplaces.

New research laboratory: Work research at IfADo strikes out in a new direction

The IfADo research is on the move: with a Gait Real-Time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL). In it, the gait movement of the entire body can be analyzed in three dimensions in a virtual environment. The laboratory enables researchers to analyze phenomena of human information processing while moving. “The GRAIL allows us new and realistic research approaches“, says Prof. Dr. Gerhard Rinkenauer.

Special Issue: Current Perspectives on Neuroergonomics

The journal Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425; IF=2.786) is currently running a Special Issue entitled Current Perspectives on Neuroergonomics. We are serving as the Guest Editors for this issue.

Gerhard Rinkenauer: Associate Professor

Gerhard Rinkenauer has recently been appointed „Associate Professor“ at the Faculty of Education, Psychology and Sociology at the TU Dortmund University. At IfADo, he has been researching the interface between man and technology since 2005. Besides, he has been a lecturer at the TU Dortmund University in the Department of Psychology since 2008.

Virtual Working Memory Symposium

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring forth alternative formats for researchers across the globe to connect. Based on the observation that early career researchers, who are even more dependent on conferences and in-person meetings for networking opportunities, Edward Ester (Florida Atlantic University) and Jarrod Lewis-Peacock (University of Texas at Austin) set out to organize a virtual working memory symposium as a venue for trainees to present their work.

Communication in times of COVID-19

COVID-19 has substantially changed the way scientists can communicate. Probably for another couple of months, conferences as well as larger meetings with colleagues will be impossible due to travel and assembly restrictions. Therefore we decided to share a new channel of communication with our partners, friends and everyone who is interested in ergonomics research. Hopefully on a regular basis, news from our department will be presented in this blog. We will inform you about our projects, plans and publications. This cannot replace conferences or meetings but it will be a possibility to stay in touch.