In the Department of Industrial Engineering , ergonomics research is now a rapidly expanding area which interests a wide segment of both business and industry. By measuring the ergonomic characteristics of a computer workstation, industrial engineers determine factors that affect an employee's health and a company's productivity. The women are involved in a workplace ergonomic study for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. As part of their ongoing project, they conduct ergonomic evaluations and assess work conditions such as keyboard height, screen angles and chair comfort levels. Other data-collection methods include interviewing employees, ergonomic surveys and videotaping.
Video cameras help evaluate factors such as posture and hand positions.
A large part of their research, says Carayon, is evaluating the effectiveness of participatory ergonomic interventions over time. This will greatly aid the ERC in its role as an Army Center of Excellence for Advanced Propulsion. The college's space deficit limits growth in several key research areas including microelectronics, manufacturing and production. The ECB will house strategic research and technology programs in the areas of manufacturing and production, with special emphasis on engineering centers. It will also include space devoted to undergraduate student activities.