HFASt Lab featured on Engineering Dimensions January/February Issue

Current issue of Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)’s bimonthly magazine, Engineering Dimensions, interviewed Birsen Donmez to discuss the importance of human factors engineering in automative industry. This interview highlights HFASt Lab’s research in transportation, and how research in human factors engineering is aiding the automative industry to improve designs of new technology. The article also includes an engaging discussion on the importance of human factors engineering.

Link to the article

Link to the current issue

Nazli Kaya (MASc 19) and team placed first in UTTRI Alumni Network “New Frontiers in Transportation” Competition

HFASt alumnus Nazli Kaya (MASc 19) and her team was placed first in UTTRI Alumni Network “New Frontiers in Transportation” Competition with their project “Reducing short-distance car trips in Toronto”.

The team engaged in collaborative work with planners, policy makers, or practitioners, supported by mentors from the UTTRI Alumni Network. They presented their final projects on November 14, analyzing a pressing issue and proposing innovative solutions.

More information on the competition can be found here.

Intersection safety study featured on CBC News

One of our research on driver attention failures at intersections rose certain public awareness. CBC news channel interviewed Prof. Birsen Donmez and Nazli E. Kaya, MASc student working under her supervision. This study, being the first of its kind, used eye-tracking equipment to accurately assess where drivers were looking when turning at an intersection. It was found that more than half of the participants failed to make necessary scans for pedestrians or cyclists at busy Toronto intersections.

Several articles published internally (university newsletters) and on international websites gave us the chance to reach out to more people. Please refer to the CBC website for further details regarding the interview.