About Us

The MIT2 Laboratory performs diverse Human Factors Psychology research under the guidance of Dr. Peter Hancock.   We focus on the implications of human cognition, behavior, and physiology on man-made systems.  The basic problem of how humans and their technology interact is examined in driving simulators, battlefield simulations, through robotic surrogates and virtual environments.

MIT2 brings together a highly interdisciplinary team, including Psychologists, Physiologists, Computer Scientists, Engineers, and Modeling & Simulation Professionals. Theoretical and methodological advances, together with empirical investigation, have allowed our researchers to make celebrated and groundbreaking achievements.  Every day, Human Factors research brings us closer to understanding stress, vigilance, cognitive decision making, time perception, and many other underpinnings of the fascinating and complicated relationships between humans and their tools.

Investigating the Prevalence and Directionality of Time Distortion During Stressful Events

Ibarguren, M., Galliano, M., & Brosnihan, A. (March, 2022). Investigating the prevalence and directionality of time distortion during stressful events. Presented at the UCF Student Scholar Symposium, Orlando, FL.

Effects of Anthropomorphism on Trust in Human-Robot Interaction

MacArthur, K. M., Shugars, W. T., Sanders, T., & Hancock, P. A. (August, 2017). Effects of anthropomorphism on trust in human-robot interaction. Presented at the 125th Annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D. C.

Jenny Walker – Accepted into NSF program

MIT2 undergraduate Jenny Autumn Walker was recently accepted into the competitive Career Advancement and Mentoring Program for Young Entrepreneurs and Scholars (CAMP-YES) under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Hancock Ph.D. CAMP-YES is a National Science Foundation S-STEM project that supports promising researchers on the track to graduate school.

For more information

Drivers, Don’t Trade in Your Smartphone for Google Glass . . . Yet

The MIT2 laboratory has had the first scientific look at using Google Glass to text while driving. The results clearly show Google GlassTM, used in this way, to be a driving distraction. There is a twist, however: Google GlassTM is superior to a smartphone in some regards.

Glass1

A press release was issued September 24th by the University of Central Florida’s press office. If you would like a copy of the article ahead of journal printing, you may request it by clicking HERE or you may email Ben D. Sawyer at sawyer@inhumanfactors.com.

Researchers associated with this project include:

Ben D. Sawyer – Principal Investigator

Keith R. MacArthur – Research Assistant

Sarah Greenstei – Research Assistant

Jessica Siler – Research Assistant

Jenny Walker – Research Assistant

Daniellys Diaz – Research Assistant

Rebecca McKeog – Research Assistant

Texting With Your Own Phone Does Not Improve Driving Performance

Texting With Your Own Phone Does Not Improve Driving Performance

Niederman, E., Siler, J., Diaz, D., Sawyer, B., & Hancock, P. A. (2014). Texting With Your Own Phone Does Not Improve Driving Performance. Poster presented at the 60th annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Nashville, TN.

Knightly News: Texting, Driving & Google Glass

The MIT2 Laboratory was visited again by University of Central Florida’s Knightly News. Knightly News was interested in MIT2 Laboratory’s new experiment that looks at the effects of texting and driving while using Google Glass.

Knightly News: Driving Simulator Research

The MIT2 Laboratory had the privilege of being interviewed by the University of Central Florida’s Knightly News. Knightly News was interested in how the MIT2 Laboratory uses a driving simulator in experiments, as well as how undergraduate researchers are involved in conducing research.

Driving Safety Forward

Driving Safety Forward

Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2013). Driving Safety Forward: Transportation Human Factors Research in UCF’s MIT2 Laboratory, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society: National Ergonomics Month Expo 2013, San Diego

Piloting with the PSUM Scale: Establishing Usability First

Piloting with the PSUM Scale

Greenstein, S., Sawyer, B. D., Niederman, E., Oppold, P., & Hancock, P. A. (2013). Piloting with the PSUM Scale: Establishing Usability First. Poster presented at the 2013 Meeting of the International Academy, Research, and Industry Association, Vehicular 2013, Nice, FR

Neatness of Dress Affects Perceived Personality

Niederman, E., Price, J., Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2013, May). Neatness of Dress Affects Perceived Personality. Poster Presented at the 25th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.

Niederman, E., Price, J., Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2013, May). Neatness of Dress Affects Perceived Personality. Poster Presented at the 25th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.

Surprising Effects of Priming on Incidence of Simulator Sickness

LaBorde, P., Perkins, S., Niederman, E., Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2013, May). Surprising Effects of Priming on Incidence of Simulator Sickness. Poster Presented at the 25th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.

LaBorde, P., Perkins, S., Niederman, E., Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2013, May). Surprising Effects of Priming on Incidence of Simulator Sickness. Poster Presented at the 25th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.

Contribution of Physiological Limitations of Vision to Change Blindness

Niederman, E., Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2013, April). Contribution of Physiological Limitations of Vision to Change Blindness. Poster presented at the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

Niederman, E., Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2013, April). Contribution of Physiological Limitations of Vision to Change Blindness. Poster presented at the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

T9 in a Different Time

T9 in a Different Time

Siler, J., Hinton, D., & Ortiz-Diaz, K. (2013). T9 in a Different Time. Poster presented at the Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference, Daytona Beach, FL.

Generation and the Google Effect: Transactive Memory System Preference Across Age

Generation and the Google Effect

Siler, J. (2013). Generation and the Google Effect: Transactive Memory System Preference Across Age. Poster presented at the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence, Orlando, FL.