Driving Simulator
The driving simulator lab is located at the CSU Powerhouse Energy Campus. The simulator is a National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) MiniSim, with 140 degree horizontal field of view. It has customizable scenarios and customizable interface displays capable of responding to user input. The simulator can simulate manual, semi- and fully-autonomous driving. We use this lab to perform human factors evaluations of driver behavior, in a safe and controlled environment.
Test Track
Field testing on a closed track is conducted at Christman Airfield, which is located at the CSU Foothills Campus. The facility, which is a decommissioned airport, has a 4000 ft by 60 ft runway and controlled airspace, all of which can be used for controlled testing. We use this facility to provide real-world context in validating and evaluating advanced vehicle systems and human-machine interactions.
Virtual Reality
A Meta Quest 2 headset is used for virtual reality research applications, allowing us to conduct immersive and interactive experiments. This headset is used for virtual simulations, cognitive and behavioral research, training and education, and data visualization exploration. Our team has experience developing in Unity, which allows us to create fully customizable and from scratch simulations.
Physiological Instruments
We have a variety of instuments we use to measure and quantify human cognitive load, workload, and state, which are derived from physiological data recording. The lab is equipped with an Ergoneers Dikablis Glasses 3 eye tracker, Empatica E4 wearable, and Muse 2 headband. With these devices, we can measure eye glance behavior, heart rate variability (EKG), brain activity (EEG), and skin conductance (EDA).
Flexible Lab Space & Equipment
The majority of the lab equipment and space are mobile and flexible, allowing for a variety of human factors experimental designs. This includes several high-powered computers, large monitor displays, tablets, portable desks, open spaces, and physiological monitoring devices. The lab team is skilled in application development in a variety of programming languages, allowing for custom interface designs, data collection, data reduction, and data analysis.