Human factor research applies human psychological and physiological principles of human to human-machine interaction and makes it possible for a system choose the most appropriate action that is matched to the current user state/situation. To achieve such an interaction, we first need to understand the cognitive ergonomics of human and design human-machine interfaces matched to the principles. In addition, the system needs to monitor user’s situational, emotional and belief states in real time and choose the best behavior that can provide the best benefit for the user based on the current situation.

On the basis of human studies and interaction data analyses, HRI-US human factor research aims to make computational models that achieve a real-time human state tracking and an optimal action selection. By combining human research with state-of-the art AI technology, we create human-centered intelligences that empower and expand human abilities. The technology can be applied to many applications such as trustworthy driver assistance systems that can adapt its behavior based on the trust status of human as well as human assistance robots that understand user preference and change their behaviors.