Engineering Design Innovationat the SEGAL DESIGN INSTITUTE, McCORMICK SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

In much of the human world, cars are a part of everyday life. While many researchers study people in cars to understand driving performance, or, more recently, trust or supervisory control of automation, the car can also be a way for better understanding a wider array of human-machine interaction issues. Cars are relatively easy to come by, easy to instrument, and enable relatively simple collection of longitudinal data across a diverse population of participants.

In my research group, we use the car to better understand human interaction at scale. For example, we address interruption, error recognition and recovery and multi-party interaction by using the car as a on-road laboratory to develop generalizable understandings of task, communication and social context. Additionally, we use driving simulation as a way to explore contingent interaction between multiple parties, and to explore how those interaction patterns differ across different geographical contexts. Most recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been using the car to gather large datasets of public activity, to better understand differences and patterns for example in social-distancing behavior. In this talk, I will survey my lab's research activity and detail novel methods we are developing to tackle the challenge of understanding interaction at large.

Wendy Ju is an Associate Professor at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech and the Technion and in the Information Science field at Cornell University. Her work in the areas of human-robot interaction and automated vehicle interfaces highlights the ways that interactive devices can be designed to be safer, more predictable, and more socially appropriate. Professor Ju has innovated numerous methods for early-stage prototyping of automated systems to understand how people will respond to systems before the systems are built. She has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford, and a Master’s in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT.

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DEVELOP NEW CONCEPTS USING A HUMAN-CENTERED APPROACH

Are you looking to solve complex problems through design thinking? Join our online information session to learn how a Master of Science in Engineering Design Innovation (EDI) from Northwestern will prepare you to lead cross-functional teams and design groundbreaking new products and services.

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Design, Technology, and Research (DTR) is a CS and Segal learning initiative that empowers students to drive cutting-edge research through the development of systems that shape new experiences with people and technology. The application to enroll in DTR (COMP_SCI 315/497) is out now and our upcoming Open House event is a great opportunity to understand what DTR is all about. The application is open to all students regardless of class standing/major, as long as they have some technical experience and are interested in design research.

Apply: http://dtr.northwestern.edu/Apply

Our Open House will take place at The Garage on November 5th from 3-4 PM. Students can come whenever they want and stay for however long they would like! We also will have FREE SNACKS for anyone who comes to the event. Come join us at our Open House to learn more about our research projects and the DTR community!

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Thanksgiving vacation begins 6 p.m.

Thanksgiving Day

Fall Classes resume 8 a.m.

Fall classes end

The ceremony takes place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 11 in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive.

Winter Recess - University Closed

Winter Recess - University Closed