The Arch Lab produces cutting-edge research in both basic and applied cognition. Agencies that have funded research in the Arch Lab include NIH, NSF, ONR, FAA, NASA, NTSB, DoD, and the Air Force.

Listed below are brief synopses of the research groups. To the left you can find links to the Arch Lab research groups, as well as examples of our recent publications and presentations.

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.

ERP Systems Lab

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.

Transportation

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.

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.

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.

Cognitive Dynamics

Research in the cognitive dynamics group is focused on the question of how cognition emerges from processes of self-organization. This question is studied through basic tasks of cognition such as word reading and dual tasking, and through neural network models of cognitive and language processes.

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.