Towards Integrating Cognitive Models and Digital Human Models

Duffy, V., & Carruth, D. W. (2005). Towards Integrating Cognitive Models and Digital Human Models. In Proceedings of HCI International. Las Vegas, NV: MIRA Digital Publishing.

This study examines the use of a cognitive model as a driver for a comprehensive digital human model in a simple task. The goal of the project is to integrate cognitive models with digital human models in comprehensive simulations generating both cognitive and ergonomic data for human-machine interactions with completely virtual designs. The intent is to create systems that allow designers to generate data for designs without incurring the expense of experimentation with human subjects or the cost of creating physical prototypes. A working integrated system would not eliminate the need for considerations of statistical models in initial design nor would it eliminate the need for testing of human subjects with actual physical prototypes. Rather, it may provide an intermediary tool that allows more complex and dynamic testing than statistical models and without the necessity of human subjects and physical prototypes. The design of an integrated model of human motion and cognition and an initial study of the model’s validity in a simple reaching motion task will be presented.