August 2004

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

HFES 48th Annual Meeting highlights innovative human factors/ergonomics work

2004 conference will be held in New Orleans

SANTA MONICA, CA—The technical program is set for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society's 48th Annual Meeting. Starting on September 20, the week-long conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, will spotlight groundbreaking research in cognitive task analysis, driver behavior, homeland security, and other human factors/ergonomics areas.

Nearly 120 technical sessions will focus on a broad range of topics, including these highlights:

Keynote Address by Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Director James E. Champagne
Next-Generation Workstations for Homeland Security Intelligence Analysts
Effect of Hands-Free Cellular Telephone Conversation
The Challenges of Long?Duration Spaceflight
3rd User-Centered Product Design Award Winner
Effect of Modern In-Vehicle Navigation Systems on Driver Distraction
An Evaluation of Seat-Belt Usage Rates
New Technology Assisting Older Adults Use the Web
Using Robotic Surgical Systems
The Future of E-Commerce
Cognitive Engineering in Software Systems Development
Human-Robot Interaction
The Role of Human Factors in Healthcare in 2020

This year's meeting will be headquartered at the New Orleans Sheraton Hotel. The meeting begins on Monday, September 20, with 12 hands-on workshops and the Student Career and Professional Development Day, a full day devoted to topics of interest to students. Technical sessions run Tuesday through Friday, September 21-24.

Technical facility tours include Belle Chasse Naval Air Station and Joint Reserve Base, City of New Orleans Offices of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security, Tulane University Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Industrial Safety and Rehabilitation Institute, and Jefferson Parish Emergency Operating Center. The HFES Placement Service will be available to help match job seekers and employers. Exhibits featuring products and services such as Micro Analysis and Design and NASA Human Factors Research are open Tuesday through Thursday afternoon.

Registration Packets are available by mail or the Web (see below). The searchable On-Line Preliminary Program and a secure on-line registration form can also be found at the Web site. For details, contact HFES, P.O. Box 1369, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1369, USA; 310-394-1811, fax 310-394-2410, [email protected], http://hfes.org.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is the largest multidisciplinary professional organization for human factors/ergonomics professionals in the world. It consists of 4800 persons in areas such as psychology, engineering, design, and other sciences, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems, tools, consumer products, and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them.