
Design
Coventry University can trace a direct line of design heritage from the formation of a Design Institute in the city in 1843. Strong links to the automotive industry led to the development over 40 years ago of automotive specific design courses and we now deliver the largest undergraduate transport design course in the world, with alumni in every major manufacturer and design house. The Institute builds on that background to bring together experts in design, biomechanics, human system integration, ergonomics, big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning to research and develop future systems.
National Transport Design Centre
Our vision is to be recognised as a world leader in understanding the factors which influence transport design and how that understanding is articulated in physical and virtual form.
Future Cities
We research systems, vehicles and services with the aim of creating future cities in a rapidly changing global context (for example, increasing urbanisation and ageing societies with soaring levels of obesity). Mobility and transport in future cities is not just about new or better vehicles; it is about concepts such as ‘mobility as a service’ and above all, about sensors, information and data.
We have brought together social scientists and human factors specialists alongside experts in artificial intelligence, sensor development and machine learning in multidisciplinary projects.
We provide new knowledge around the user experience and mobility service design.
This group champions design and service concepts which are based on user requirements – derived through co- and participatory – design, real world trials and simulation studies.
We concentrate on improving accessibility and mobility particularly for traditionally hard to reach groups as new technologies such as electric, connected, highly automated and unmanned vehicles are introduced.
Current Projects include:
- UK Connected Intelligent Transport Environment (UK CITE) - Jun 2016-Sept 2018, Innovate UK, £5.5m, Coventry University £218, (O Haas PI, C Diels co-I)
- Intelligent Variable Message Systems (iVMS) - Jun 2016-March 2018, CW LEP, £2m, Coventry University £480k (O Haas PI, S Karanachos co-I, driver modelling and traffic simulation)
- IMPART - Transport Systems Catapult (TSC) - 2015 – 2018: The Intelligent Mobility Partnership – Midlands Competence Centre of Excellence (A Woodcock, O Haas ITS).
The team
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Professor Andree WoodcockUser-centred design, transport and mobility, human factors, health design, human technology |
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Professor John JostinsAutomotive design, hydrogen fuel cell, microcab, low carbon vehicles, automotive manufacturing |
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Professor Michael ToveyDesign pedagogy, socially aware design and CAD in transport design |
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Dr. Olivier HaasControl theory and control engineering |
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Dr. Louise MoodyHealth design, human factors, ergonomics in healthcare, patient safety, virtual reality and user centred design |
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Dr. Jane OsmondThreshold concepts in transport and product design, transport and product design |
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Dr. Rahat IqbalHuman centred technology |
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Dr Vasile PaledeFuture Cities |
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Dr. James ShippenHuman movement and mobility, muscles and biomechanics |
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Dr. Barbara MayBiomechanics, rehabilitation, whole-body muscle modelling, injury prevention within sport/p> |
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Dr. Bo TanSignal processing for radars and communications and wireless based localisation |
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Dr. Nazmul HudaRobotics for medical applications, capsule robots and control systems |
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Dr. Jianbing MaKnowledge, data representation, reasoning and analytics |
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Dr. Huma ShahArtificial intelligence and trust, social robotics, digital trust, digital identity, Turing test and deception-detection. |
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Dr. Sujan RajbhandariPhotonics, embedded system, signal processing, communication systems |
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Dr. Cyriel DielsMotion sickness, human-machine interaction and usability and user experience |
Human Systems Integration
Human Systems Integration (HSI) aims to embed Human Factors into all aspects of teaching and research in the Faculty of Engineering and Computing. The members of HSI have all been recruited on the basis of their international reputation in Human Factors, endowing Coventry University and the Centre for Mobility & Transport with a world-class capability in this area.
The activities of HSI do not just address the human aspects of the design of engineering solutions but provide a system-wide capability emcompassing:
- Requirements Analysis
- Human-Centred Design
- Performance Evaluation
- Training and Simulation
- Accident and Incident Investigation
By taking a system-wide approach to Human Factors, the early incorporation of Human System Integration principles can not only enhance safety and performance, but also significantly reduce through life costs. HSI services all areas of the Faculty’s activities including Aerospace, Automotive, Computing and Production Engineering sectors.
In addition to its research expertise, HSI provides Human Factors courses for several undergraduate degrees and Continuing Professional Development courses to industry along with bespoke consultancy activities for a range of clients. They also offer a dedicated Master’s degree in Human Factors in Aviation (by distance learning) specifically developed with industry practitioners in mind, further supporting Coventry University’s mission to engage in applied teaching and research. Details can be found here.
The team
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Professor Don HarrisHuman factors, user interface design, user centred design, accident investigation, helicopter safety |
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Dr. John HuddlestoneHuman factors |
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Dr. Cyriel DielsAutomotive and transport human factors |
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Dr. Alex StedmonHuman factors, transport and security, applied psychology and human-machine interaction |
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Dr. Dale RichardsHuman factors, cognitive psychology, autonomous systems, unmanned systems |
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Dr. Steve ScottAviation psychology, human factor concepts, safety management systems |
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Dr. Rebecca GrantHuman factors, human systems integration, aviation psychology, passenger and cabin safety |
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Dr. James ShippenBiomechanics, design analysis and structual dynamics for engineering designs |