Presenters & Bios

Julie A. Adams, Oregon State University

Robotics Track - The Lack of Realistic Workload Models for Single Human Supervising Multiple (Semi)Autonomous Drones

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Dr. Adams, Oregon State University’s College of Engineering’s Dean’s Professor, was the founder of the Human-Machine Teaming Laboratory at Vanderbilt University, prior to moving the laboratory to OSU. She is also OSU’s Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CoRIS) Institute’s Associate Director of Research. Adams has worked in the area of human-machine teaming for over thirty years. Throughout her career she focused on human interaction with unmanned systems, as well as manned civilian and military aircraft at Honeywell, Inc. and commercial, consumer and industrial systems at the Eastman Kodak Company. Her research, which is grounded in robotics applications for domains such as first response, archaeology, oceanography, the national airspace, and the U.S. military, focuses on distributed artificial intelligence, swarms, and human-machine teaming. Dr. Adams is an NSF CAREER award recipient, an Army Mad Scientist, ANA Avatar XPRIZE judge, and HFES Fellow. 

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Fahrudin Alagic, Amazon Robotics

Robotics Track - Safe and Efficient Human-Robot Collaboration: Enabling Technologies

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Fahrudin Alagic has over 20 years of experience in new technology development, system architecture and design, hardware design, and new product introduction across multiple industries. Fahrudin is currently a Principal Engineer at Amazon Robotics. He has led multiple product development and early technology development programs across the Amazon Robotics portfolio, including technologies behind Amazon Tech Vest and Proteus AMR. You can actually find information about these on YouTube.  Previously, Fahrudin has held positions at Sun Microsystems, Oracle and multiple startups, specializing in signal integrity and high-speed hardware design.  He holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Boston University.

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José Baca, Ph.D., Texas A&M University

Robotics Track - Human-Machine Interaction Strategies For Controlling Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

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He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), USA. He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Matamoros Institute of Technology, Mexico; his M.Sc. in Mechatronics from University of Applied Sciences in Aachen, Germany; and his Ph.D. in Automation and Robotics, from Technical University of Madrid, Spain. He was a Postdoctoral research fellow in the Computer Science Department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha before joining TAMU-CC. His research interests include the coordination and control strategies for Unmanned Autonomous Systems and the integration of Modular Systems across different domains such as in Robotics, Search and Rescue, Space, Industry, HealthCare, and Education.

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Dr. Baca has worked in the Unmanned Autonomous Systems and Modular Robotics fields for over a decade and his work has led to multiple publications in leading conferences and journals. He has organized and co-chaired international conferences and workshops in the field and has been involved in projects funded by Federal agencies including NASA, Office of Naval Research, and National Science Foundation, as well as from the Nebraska and Texas Space Grant Consortiums, the Peter Kiewit Institute, and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station. Dr. Baca likes to promote and engage new generations of student in STEM careers with a series of outreach programs developed by his group.

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William “Bill” Billotte, ASTM International

Exoskeletons Moderator - Research Methods 3 - Standards to Research to Practice

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Dr. William “Bill” Billotte is the Executive Director of the Exo Technology Center of Excellence and Director of Global Exo Technology Programs at ASTM International. Bill leads a dynamic team that pursues a vision of people of all ages free to pursue high-quality life and participate fully in work and society thanks to safe and reliable exo technologies. He is a member of Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits and a board member for the Automotive Exoskeleton Group (AExG). Prior to joining ASTM, Bill spent the past 17 years providing scientific and technical advice to federal agencies, first responders, and international organizations on topics including exoskeletons, critical infrastructure protection, CBRNE detection, and first responder equipment. 

Bill holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Dayton, a Master in Science in Engineering from Wright State University, and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from The Georgia Institute of Technology. 

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Gwen Bryan, Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition

Robotics Track - The Challenges of Collaboration in a Hybrid Human-Robot Workforce

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Dr. Gwen Bryan is a research scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). She leads the exoskeleton team at IHMC which focuses on lower-limb wearable robotic devices aimed at augmenting human performance in clinical, occupational, and military applications. The team intends to maximize exoskeleton benefits through a human-centered research approach. They are currently developing an augmentative exoskeleton for DOE-EM sites and continuing to research a rehabilitative device for people with spinal cord injuries. Gwen received her Ph.D.  in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on lower-limb exoskeletons from Stanford University and her B.S.  in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Mexico.

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Seth Burt, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada
Exoskeleton Track - Evaluation and Implementation of Industrial Exoskeletons as an MSD Control

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Seth has practiced Ergonomics and Safety in various industries such as energy generation/distribution, municipality, and automotive supplier manufacturing.  Currently Seth works as a Health and Safety professional and manager at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc (TMMC) an organization with 10,000+ employees. Seth manages a team who develops and supports safety/ergonomic tools, standards, and procedures for use at TMMC and other Toyota North America facilities. He more recently lead manufacturing ergonomics practices for new Toyota/Lexus models built in Canada. Seth is a member on the Automotive Exoskeleton Group (AExG) formed and lead by Toyota North America and sponsored via the Wearable Robotics Association. Seth is also a committee member for the F48 Exoskeleton and Exosuit Standard developed by American Standard and Testing Methods (ASTM). Seth holds a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist (CCPE) designation and has a BSc in Kinesiology with an Ergonomics Specialization from the University of Waterloo.

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Karen B. Chen, North Carolina State University

Robotics Track - Toward A Safer Work Environment: Robot Posture Adaptation in Human-Robot Collaboration

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Karen B. Chen is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University in the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (NCSU-ISE). She received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2015 (M.S. 2010 UW-Madison, B.S. 2009 UW-Madison), with an emphasis on human factors, virtual reality, and human-machine interfaces. She was a postdoctoral researcher at Healthcare Systems Engineering Institute at Northeastern University. She joined NCSU-ISE in August 2016, and she currently directs Virtual and Augmented Reality Laboratory at North Carolina State University (go.ncsu.edu/chen).

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Chen leverages virtual reality scenarios to study human performances and behaviors. Her current research thrusts include examining the improvements to the understanding of abstract concepts (e.g., size, scale, mechanical forces) using virtual reality, understanding human performances and behaviors while interacting with collaborative robots in virtual environments, and studying the effects of avatar embodiment on perception.

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Chen is funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) and by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Education and Research Center (ERC). She also collaborates with The Ergonomics Center of North Carolina for industry projects. Her work on virtual and augmented reality technologies is also disseminated via local media (WRAL5, CW22), outreach for K-12 students underrepresented in STEM, and panels at North Carolina Comicon.

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Marvin Cheng, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Robotics Track - Understanding Safety and Trust of Human-Robot Interaction

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Dr. Cheng is the Assistant Coordinator of the Center for Occupational Robotics Research with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). His research interests cover studies of workspace safety using collaborative and exoskeleton robots and cyber-physical systems with the concentration in the following areas: worker safety, human-robot interaction in collaborative workspaces, machine vision and motion recognition, and multiaxial control of exoskeleton robotic devices. The goal of his robotic research activities is to create a safer collaborative workspace by avoiding injuries caused by potential collisions between the robotic devices and the human workers in the shared workspace. As the team lead of the Safety Control Team at NIOSH, Dr. Cheng is also actively involved in research projects in the fields of virtual reality simulation, motor vehicle safety, and industrial safety with the consideration of ergonomic engineering. Dr. Cheng is currently a member of the RIA R15.06 and R15.08 committees. He has actively participated in the review and revision of the safety standards on collaborative and mobile robotic devices since 2020.

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Suman K. Chowdhury, Texas Tech University

Robotics Track - Human Gait and Motor Performance in a Physics-Based Virtual Reality Simulation Testbed

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Dr. Chowdhury is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at Texas Tech University.  His research areas include traumatic brain injury, neuro-biomechanics, sensorimotor training and rehabilitation, virtual reality biomechanics, and helmet, exoskeleton, and prosthetic designs.  He received his Ph.D. in occupational biomechanics from West Virginia University in 2016.  He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh from 2016 to 2017 and an Assistant Research Scientist at Texas A&M University from 2017 to 2019.  He is currently serving as the Chair-Elect of the Occupational Ergonomics Technical Group of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, USA.  So far, he has secured $1.6 M funding from different federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Securing and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.   Professor Chowdhury’s research vision is to discover new scientific knowledge and techniques and instantiate them in product and work design processes in order to augment human capability, performance, and safety. 

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Jose ‘Pepe’ Contreras-Vidal, PhD, University of Houston

Exoskeleton Track - Brain-machine Interfaces to Powered Exoskeletons to Improve Quality of Life and Independence in People with Disabilities

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Jose ‘Pepe’ Contreras-Vidal, PhD (Fellow IEEE, Fellow AIMBE) is Cullen Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the NSF Research Center for Building Reliable Advances and Innovations in Neurotechnology (IUCRC BRAIN) at the University of Houston. He has pioneered noninvasive brain-machine interfaces and wearable exoskeletons to restore motor function in individuals with disabilities. He is co-chair of the IEEE SA Industry Connections group on standards for neural interfacing. His career development in biomedical engineering was highlighted by the journal Science. Dr. Contreras-Vidal is a member of the National Advisory Board for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NABMRR) at the National Institute of Health. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, DARPA, Industry and Philanthropy. His research has been highlighted in The Economist, Nature, Science, Der Spiegel, and Wall Street Journal, among others.  

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Justin Croyle, Amazon Robotics

Robotics Track - Safe and Efficient Human-Robot Collaboration: Enabling Technologies

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Justin Croyle has spent over 16 years in industry as a safety engineer.  He holds a B.S. in Aerospace Studies and M.S. in Safety Science, both from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.  His safety engineering career has included work on spacecraft, missile systems, autonomous vehicles and robotics.  He is currently a Principal Functional Safety engineer at Amazon robotics, with a focus on mobile robots.  His work at Amazon has resulted in certified safety systems deployed in over 520,000 robots to date.

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Masoud Gheisari, University of Florida

Robotics Track - Safe Human-Drone Collaboration in Construction

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Dr. Masoud Gheisari is an Associate Professor in the Rinker School of Construction Management at the University of Florida. He leads the Human-Centered Technology in Construction (HCTC) research lab: https://hctclabs.wixsite.com/hctclab. His research focuses on the theoretical and experimental investigation of human-robot interaction in construction and technology-supported education innovation. He earned his Ph.D. in Building Construction from the Georgia Institute of Technology (2013). To date, he has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers in the fields of virtual/augmented/mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) and safe human-drone interaction in construction. His work has received support worth over $1.6m in grants from external funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Labor, NIOSH’s Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), and ELECTRI International. Dr. Gheisari is the recipient of Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) International Outstanding Researcher Award (2021), ENR Southeast’s Top Young Professional (2020), UF DCP Undergraduate Faculty Teaching Award (2019), BCN Nancy Perry Teaching Award (2019), Russell J. Alessi ELECTRI International Early Career Award (2018), UF DCP Faculty Research Award (2018), ASC Southeast’s Excellence in Teaching Award (2018), and ASCE ExCEEd Fellowship (2015). He also serves as an Associate Editor for ASCE’s Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering.

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Matthew Gombolay, Georgia Institute of Technology

Robotics Track - The Present and Future of Collaborative Robotics

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Professor Matthew Gombolay is an Assistant Professor of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Gombolay is the director of the Cognitive Optimization and Relational (CORE) Robotics Lab, which seeks to place the power of robots in the hands of everyone by developing new computational methods and human factors insights that enable robots to learn from interaction with diverse, non-expert end-users to perform assistive tasks and coordinate in human-robot teams in applications from healthcare to manufacturing. In just four years, Dr. Gombolay’s lab has produced over 40 peer-reviewed papers, including best paper awards at the ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, a best paper finalist at the 2020 Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL), and a best student paper finalist at the 2020 American Controls Conference (ACC). Dr. Gombolay is a NASA Early Career Fellow and a DARPA Riser and has raised over $4 million in research funding, including support from the government agencies (i.e., NSF, NIH, NASA, ONR, and NRL) and industry partners (i.e., Lockheed Martin, Konica Minolta, and Google) alike. Dr. Gombolay received a chaired assistant professorship form the College of Computing at Georgia Tech. Dr Gombolay is an Associate Editor of Autonomous Robots and the ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction.

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Kevin W. Hansen, The Boeing Company

Exoskeletons Track - Deployment and Sustainment Methods of Industrial Exoskeletons in the Workplace

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Kevin Hansen currently works as an Environmental Health & Safety Ergonomist for The Boeing Company’s 747 & 767 program.  Kevin has worked at The Boeing Company for 10 years, initially as physical therapy aide in their P.T. clinic, an Exercise Physiologist in their injury prevention program and most recently as the 747/767 program ergonomist and Everett site exoskeleton SME. Kevin has a B.S. in Exercise Science from California State University, Monterey Bay and has most recently completed the online HF/E program from University of California, Berkeley: Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH).  Initially pursuing an advanced degree in physical therapy, Kevin changed course and pursued career fields that prevented injury rather than treating it. 

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Boyi Hu, University of Florida

Robotics Track - Ergonomics in Robotic-Assisted Manufacturing and Remanufacturing

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Dr. Boyi Hu serves as an assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Florida since 2018 Fall.

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His research background includes mechanical engineering, robotics, human-robot interaction (HRI), human factors and ergonomics. He has published numerous papers on human factors and ergonomics, machine learning, and robotics. As a member of the engineering faculty at the University of Florida Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, he investigated HRI, Human System Safety, and human motion prediction.

The primary outcome of much of his research is the prevention of injuries and promote system productivity.  His research study designs are both observational/descriptive and experimental, based in both the laboratory and the real environment.

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Lixiao Huang, Arizona State University

Robotics Moderator - Human-Centered Design

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Dr. Lixiao Huang is an Associate Research Scientist at the Center for Human, Artificial Intelligence, and Robot Teaming (CHART) within Global Security Initiative (GSI) at Arizona State University. She completed her Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition from North Carolina State University in 2016 and Postdoc in the Humans and Autonomy Lab (HAL) at Duke University in 2018. She is the founding chair of the Human–AI–Robot Teaming (HART) technical group at Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, advocating cutting-edge HART research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and advanced testbeds and analytics. She has worked on ARL, ONR, and DARPA research projects as a research lead. Dr. Huang's research interests include 1) Human–AI–Robot Teaming effectiveness; 2) Humans’ responses (i.e., emotional states, behavioral patterns, and cognitive processes) to robots and technologies, especially emotional attachment, intrinsic motivation, coordination, trust, and metacognition; 3) The design of human-robot systems using Human Factors methods to make AI and robots effective, safe, user-friendly, trustworthy, and engaging. 

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Bochen Jia, University of Michigan

Exoskeleton Track - The Application and Precautions of Using Digital Human Modeling Technology in Exoskeleton Design and Evaluation

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Dr. Bochen Jia is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and works on occupational ergonomics issues related to changes in worker abilities due to various risk factors, such as obesity and aging. His recent works focus on modeling and quantifying the impacts of intelligent interventions, i.e., exoskeleton on worker performance and safety, and further apply to develop guidelines for human-robot interaction for future complex work environments. Armed with strong research advantages for the automobile industry in Michigan, his research efforts also extend to ergonomic issues associated with road users (e.g., drivers and pedestrians) performance and safety under complex driving conditions with advanced technologies, such as connected and automated vehicle technologies. He is working on modeling the driver's fatigue development model under prolonged automated driving with the transition between manual and automated control. 

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Charles Kemp, Georgia Tech University

Robotics Track - Mobile Manipulation for Healthcare 

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Charles C. Kemp (Charlie Kemp) is an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech in the Department of Biomedical Engineering with adjunct appointments in the School of Interactive Computing and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In 2007, he founded the Healthcare Robotics Lab, which focuses on enabling robots to provide intelligent physical assistance in the context of healthcare. He earned a BS, an MEng, and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the areas of computer science and electrical engineering. In 2017, he co-founded Hello Robot Inc. with Dr. Aaron Edsinger to commercialize technology from his lab. Charlie owns equity in Hello Robot, earns royalties from Hello Robot’s sales, and works part time at Hello Robot where he is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). You can learn more at Charlie’s personal website: https://charliekemp.com 

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Sunwook Kim, Virginia Tech University 

Exoskeleton Track - Field Assessment of an Arm-Support Exoskeleton in Automotive Assembly

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Sunwook Kim received the M.S. degree in aerospace and ocean engineering and the Ph.D. degree in industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA, in 2004 and 2012, respectively. He is currently a Research Assistant Professor of industrial and systems engineering with Virginia Tech. His research interests include occupational biomechanics, human-exoskeleton interaction, ergonomic intervention, postural balance assessment, and neurodiverse workplace.

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Borislav Marinov, ASTM International

Exoskeletons Track - Closing Discussion from Track Chairs & Moderators

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Borislav “Bobby” Marinov is the co-founder of the Exoskeleton Report (ExR) news and information website and a founding member of the ASTM International Exo Technology Center of Excellence (ASTM ET CoE). 

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William S. Marras, Ohio State University

Exoskeletons Track Co-Chair & Moderator - Research Methods 1 - Human Research Evaluations: Lab & Field Findings

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William S. Marras is the Distinguished University Professor and holds the Honda Chair in Integrated Systems Engineering at the Ohio State University. He serves as the Director of the Spine Research Institute at the Ohio State University where he leads NIH, NSF, DoD and privately funded research efforts.  Dr. Marras also holds joint academic appointments in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, the Department of Neurosurgery, and the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. His research is focused on understanding multidimensional causal pathways for spine disorders through quantitative epidemiologic evaluations, laboratory biomechanical studies, personalized mathematical modeling, and clinical studies of the lumbar and cervical spines. His findings have been published in over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles, hundreds of refereed proceedings, and numerous books and book chapters including a book entitled The Working Back: A Systems View. Professor Marras has been active in the National Research Council (NRC) having served on over a dozen boards and committees and has served as Chair of the Board on Human Systems Integration for multiple terms. He has also served as Editor-in-Chief of Human Factors and is currently Deputy Editor of Spine. Dr. Marras holds Fellow status in six professional societies and is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering (the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine), recorded a TEDx talk entitled “Back Pain and your Brain” and has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered. 

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Joe Manganelli, xplr design, llc

Robotics Track - Modeling Computer-Based Agent Behaviors According to Rasmussen's Abstract Decomposition Space in Various Hybrid Work Contexts

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Joe Manganelli is the founder of xplr design, llc, a human factors research and design consultancy focused on human-systems-environment symbiosis. Regarding research activity, he is a co-author of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's, Internet-of-Things-Enabled Smart-City Framework and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship studying distracted driving (phone GUIs) at CU-ICAR. More recently, he is involved in research projects related to human-centered cyber-physical systems, smart infrastructure and smart environment technology and strategy, and human-systems performance modeling.

Joe is a Certified Human Factors Professional (CHFP) with areas of focus on user experience research, requirements development and validation, information architecture, usability, and the cognitive performance and decision making and human-systems integration dimensions of human factors. He is also a licensed architect in the states of Georgia and South Carolina, focused on the design of commercial, institutional, industrial, and biotech/pharma facilities.

In addition to Joe's role developing xplr design, llc, Joe is also Part-Time Faculty teaching graduate UX courses in Kent State University's School of Information, and a Senior Architect with Fluor leading the design of mission-critical biotech/pharma, advanced manufacturing, and laboratory facilities.

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Jeremy A. Marvel, U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Robotics Track - Applications of Digital Twin for Modern Industrial Robotics

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Jeremy A. Marvel is a research scientist and project leader at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, MD. Dr. Marvel received the bachelor’s degree in computer science from Boston University, Boston, MA, the master’s degree in computer science from Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, and the Ph.D. degree in computer engineering from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Prior to NIST, Dr. Marvel was a research scientist at the Institute for Research in Engineering and Applied Physics at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. He joined the Intelligent Systems Division at NIST in 2012, and has over fifteen years of robotics research experience in industry, academia, and government. His research interests include intelligent and adaptive solutions for robot applications, with particular attention paid to human-robot and robot-robot collaborations, multirobot coordination, industrial robot safety, machine learning, perception, and automated parameter optimization. Dr. Marvel currently leads a team of scientists and engineers in metrology efforts at NIST toward the performance evaluation of human-robot teams, and developing tools to enable small and medium-sized enterprises to effectively deploy robot solutions.

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Jennifer Neugebauer Sperlein, DEVCOM Analysis Center

Exoskeleton Track - Human-System Integration and Performance Assessment of Exoskeletons for Military Applications

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Dr. Jennifer Neugebauer Sperlein is a biomedical engineer in the Weapons Branch of the Human Systems Integration Division of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Analysis Center (DEVCOM DAC), located in Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.  Jen’s work is focused on investigating dismounted Soldier performance during operational tasks including marksmanship and exoskeleton technologies.  Over the last decade, Jen has been heavily involved assessing exoskeleton technologies specifically for military applications. These assessments included early prototypes to commercial solutions for lower and upper body applications. Jen earned her MS and PhD from the University of California, Davis.  She completed a post-doctoral fellowship with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) prior to assuming a civilian role with ARL.  Most recently, Jen has co-led the formation of biomechanics and human-system integration assessment capabilities within DAC.

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Vy Nguyen, Hello Robot Inc.

Robotics Track - Achieving Functional Independence in Daily Activities with the Stretch Mobile Manipulator

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V is an occupational therapist who strives to have others see greatness in themselves while engaging in lifelong active learning that enriches both her experiences and those she serves. As an OT Clinical Research Lead at Hello Robot Inc., she's promoting ways the Stretch mobile manipulator can support people with and without disabilities to Live in Place and engage in their meaningful daily activities. Her main field of interest is advocating for accessibility in healthcare, community resources, and technology - especially for underserved and rural populations. 

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Donald R. Peterson, Northern Illinois University

Exoskeleton Track - Development of Safe and Practical Exoskeleton Standards​

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Dr. Donald R. Peterson is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and serves as the Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University.  He is also an affiliated professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University and a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).  Dr. Peterson is a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, earning degrees in Aerospace Engineering (BS) and Biomechanical Engineering (BS) and a graduate of the University of Connecticut, earning degrees in Mechanical Engineering (MS) and Biomedical Engineering (PhD).  Dr. Peterson’s experience in biomedical engineering and medical research has been focused on measuring and modeling injury biomechanics and human, organ, and cell performance, including exposures to various physical stimuli and the subsequent biological or physiological responses.  His research has involved the investigation of injury mechanisms and human–device interaction and has led to the generation of new technologies and systems, such as personal protection technologies, occupational exoskeleton systems, robotic exoskeleton assist devices for hemiplegic rehabilitation, long-duration biosensor monitoring and reporting systems, novel surgical and dental devices and instruments, smart medical devices for home patient care, and biotechnology systems.  Dr. Peterson currently serves as the Chair of the ASTM International Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits and as the Chair of ANSI S2 W39, and S3 WG39, both on Human Exposure to Mechanical Vibration and Shock, and serves as a US delegate on the ISO Technical Committee (ISO/TC) 108/SC4 on Human Exposure to Mechanical Vibration and Shock.  Dr. Peterson has published over 130 peer-reviewed scholarly works and is an Editor-in-Chief for The Biomedical Engineering Handbook, published by CRC Press.

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Ryan Porto, General Motors

Exoskeleton Track - Adoption and Implementation of Exoskeletons in the Automotive Industry

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Ryan Porto is a Technical Specialist in Ergonomics at General Motors. Mr. Porto received a Bachelor of Human Kinetics and a Masters in Human Performance from the University of Windsor in Canada. Ryan has over 20 years of experience working with design and manufacturing engineering, managing ergonomic requirements, and supporting new program launches in all sectors of the vehicle development including Assembly, Powertrain, and EV. Ryan was also the special assigned Ergonomist on the General Motors-Ventec critical care Ventilator program in 2020. Since his career began at General Motors, Ryan has been the Subject Matter Expert in Digital Human Modelling and has led the advancement of virtual human simulation in Product and Manufacturing for GM’s Global Ergonomics program. For the past 6 years, he has led the development and implementation of evolving wearable technologies and manages the Research in Ergonomics at GM. Ryan is a Co-Chair of the Automotive Exoskeleton Group (AExG), sponsored via the Wearable Robotics Association. And a member of the Ergonomic task force at the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR).

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Robert G. Radwin, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Robotics Moderator - Trustworthy of Human-Robot Interface

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Professor Radwin is the Duane H. and Dorothy M. Blumke Professor in industrial and systems engineering and biomedical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He specializes in the physiological and biomechanical aspects of work with a view to improving the design of jobs, equipment, products and environments. Professor Radwin frequently works with a range of industry and government organizations. He has received awards as an innovator and researcher, is a fellow of six professional societies, has served on numerous national committees, and is Editor-in- Chief of the journal Human Factors. Professor Radwin is founding chair of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Biomedical Engineering and is a Discovery Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery.

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Menekse Salar Barim, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Robotics Moderator - Human-Robot Interface Simulation 

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Dr. Menekse Salar Barim was born in Monterey, CA in 1988. She earned her doctorate degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering with an emphasis in Occupational Injury Prevention in fall of 2017 from Auburn University. She also earned a MISE with an emphasis in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics in 2013 from Auburn University. She has 2 undergraduate degrees, Industrial Engineering (BS) and Management (BA) from Atilim University in Turkey. As a student, she conducted cutting edge MRI research to better define and estimate biomechanically relevant low back structures to improve ergonomic modelling. She has won numerous academic awards and was the captain of the “Ergo Divas” team that won the international Ergonomic Design Competition for Student Teams besting over 50 teams from more than 35 universities. She is active in professional societies such as American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) where she has served as student chapter president. As a doctoral student, she organized and ran an international safety and health workshop that brought 4 Auburn OSE faculty to Turkey where they conducted multiple workshops and exchanged safety and health information with Turkish academics and safety professionals.

In 2018, she joined the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a research fellow. Since 2018, she has been with the Human Factors and Ergonomics Team (HFET). Her current research interest includes biomechanics, musculoskeletal disorders, motion analysis, ergonomics, human performance and exoskeletons. She recently works on projects related to ergonomics surveillance, the development of next generation ergonomic assessment tools, the effect of back assist exoskeletons in manual handling in WRT sector and longitudinal effects of shoulder exoskeletons on company injury records in the manufacturing sector. 

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Craig Schlenoff, U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Robotics Moderator - Human-Drone Collaboration

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Dr. Craig Schlenoff is the Group Leader of the Cognition and Collaboration Systems Group, the Program Manager of the Measurement Science for Manufacturing Robotics Program, and the Project Leader of the Agility Performance of Robotic Systems project and the Embodied AI and Data Generation for Manufacturing project in the Intelligent Systems Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. His research interests include knowledge representation/ontologies, intention recognition, and performance evaluation of autonomous systems and industrial robotics. He has led multiple million-dollar projects addressing performance evaluation of advanced military technologies and agility performance of manufacturing robotic systems. He has published over 150 journal and conference papers, guest edited three journals, guest edited three books, and written four book chapters. He is the co-chair of the NITRD Artificial Intelligence Interagency Working Group, the Associate Vice President for Standardization in the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, the co-chair of the IEEE Robot Task Representation Working Group, and was previously the chair of the IEEE Ontology for Robotics and Automation Working Group. He has also served as the Program Manager for the Process Engineering Program at NIST and the Director of Ontologies at VerticalNet. He also teaches two courses at the University of Maryland, College Park: “Calculus” and “Building a Manufacturing Robot Software System.” He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, his Master’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (both in mechanical engineering), and his PhD from the University of Burgundy in computer science.

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Paul Slaughter, Vanderbilt University

Exoskeleton Track - Developing and Field-Testing Back Exosuits with U.S. Army Soldiers 

Paul Slaughter is a mechanical engineering Ph.D. student in the Center for Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology at Vanderbilt University where he specializes in the design and evaluation of occupational exoskeletons and exosuits. He has been deeply involved in developing and field-testing exosuits in close collaboration with U.S. Army Soldiers. Paul received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2019, an American Society of Biomechanics Undergraduate Research Award in 2019, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship in 2020. 

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Robert (Bob) Sugarman, PhD, PE, FHFES, Stavatti Aerospace

Exoskeleton Track - Human Factors Practice for Developing Standard Test Methods

(All the Things about Testing People Your Professor Never Told You)​

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While studying graduate physics at Purdue, Dr. Sugarman was captivated by a course in human factors (HF) engineering. He switched to experimental psychology to study with one of the founders of HF, earned a masters from Purdue and a second from MIT before completing his PhD at SUNY at Buffalo. In 15 years at CALSPAN (formerly Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory) he was Head of Human Factors, led training development programs for major military aircraft, and served on HFES’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission project to develop a 5-year research plan. His leadership was rewarded with election as an HFES Fellow. Starting his own company in 1982, Dr. Sugarman did pioneering work in computer-based instruction for national companies. For the last two decades he has provided expert testimony as a forensic accident analyst. Dr. Sugarman’s latest career is Chief Scientist and Director, Human Factors at Stavatti Aerospace. He serves on several ASTM Main Committees, and is technical lead for a “Human Factors Practice for Developing Standard Test Methods”.

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Mikell Taylor, Amazon Robotics

Robotics Track - Safe and Efficient Human-Robot Collaboration: Enabling Technologies

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Mikell Taylor has spent two decades making useful robots - from a robotic senior prom date to autonomous underwater vehicles to cutting-edge industrial robotic systems. She is currently a Principal Technical Program Manager at Amazon Robotics, where she leads the Autonomous Mobility technology and product development program. She is passionate about building robots that are practical, reliable, and good partners for the people that work with and around them. In 2018 Mikell was part of Accomplice VC’s Rev4 class highlighting the top women in the Boston tech community, and recognized as a Woman to Watch by Mass High Tech in 2011. Outside of work she volunteers for various STEM outreach and education initiatives. She holds a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Olin College, where she was a member of the first class of graduates.

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Delia Treaster, PhD, CPE, The Boeing Company

Exoskeleton Track - Ergonomics Considerations of Industrial Exoskeletons 

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Dr. Delia Treaster is Ergonomic Team Lead for Boeing in Charleston, SC, with over 25 years in industrial ergonomics. She recommends practical and effective strategies to assist companies in reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. She has implemented ergonomics for many industrial manufacturers, as well as in healthcare, construction, meat-packing, and offices. Dr. Treaster received her BA in psychobiology from Oberlin College, MS in Human Factors and Ph.D. in Occupational Biomechanics from Ohio State University, and is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE). One of the original members of ASTM F48, Dr. Treaster is the technical contact for “WK73074: Application of Ergonomics to Prevent Injury during Exoskeleton Use,” currently under development.  

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Sascha Wischniewski, German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)

Robotics Track - Advanced Robotics and its Impact on Safety and Health at Work 

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Dr. Sascha Wischniewski is head of the unit "Human Factors, Ergonomics" at the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA). He co-leads the interdepartmental focus programm "Occupational Safety & Health in the Digital World of Work" at BAuA. His fields of expertise are anthropometry and digital human modelling, ergonomics of smart information and communication technologies and human factors in robotics. Sascha is a graduate engineer in mechanical engineering and holds a doctoral degree in industrial engineering. His work focuses on human-technology interaction in the working world with special emphasis on innovative technologies for physical and cognitive work assistance. He is active in standardization and currently chair of the Technical Committee Human Factors in Robotics of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA). Sascha is the general chair for the 2023 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Robotics and Its Social Impacts (ARSO).