AHFE International Conference on Human Factors in Design, Engineering, and Computing

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Market news

Latest updates from across the market.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE)

The discipline of designing work, products, environments and systems around human physical, cognitive and organizational capabilities. At AHFE Hawaii 2026, HFE research spans usability, safety, workload, training and human-technology integration.

2

Cognitive ergonomics

The study of mental processes such as perception, memory, reasoning and decision-making in human-system interaction. Conference sessions often apply it to interface design, automation, control rooms and human-AI teaming.

3

Physical ergonomics

The study of anatomical, anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical human characteristics as they relate to physical activity. It informs workspace layout, manual handling, seating, tools and repetitive-task design.

4

Organizational ergonomics

Also called macroergonomics, this area addresses sociotechnical systems, organizational structures, policies, communication and work processes. It connects human factors evidence to how teams, shifts and institutions actually operate.

5

Human-systems integration

The coordinated design of technology, tasks, procedures, training and staffing so that people and systems perform safely and effectively together. It is central to complex systems in aviation, healthcare, defense and industrial operations.

6

Situation awareness

A person's perception and comprehension of relevant elements in the environment, plus projection of how conditions will develop. It is a core concept in safety-critical work such as transport, medicine and control-room operations.

7

Mental workload

The cognitive demand a task places on an operator relative to available capacity. Researchers measure it to balance productivity with error risk, fatigue and training needs.

8

Usability

The extent to which specified users can achieve goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context. Usability work at AHFE often covers interfaces, devices, services and inclusive design.

9

Human error

An unintended action, omission or decision that deviates from expected performance. Human factors treats error as a system-design issue, looking at information, workload, procedures, equipment and organizational conditions rather than blaming individuals.

10

Anthropometry

The measurement of human body dimensions and variation across populations. Designers use anthropometric data to size workspaces, seats, protective equipment and reach zones for diverse users.

11

Digital human modeling

Computer-based simulation of human form, movement or behavior to evaluate designs before physical prototypes are built. It supports ergonomic assessment of vehicles, workplaces, tools and assembly tasks.

12

Human-AI teaming

Collaboration between people and AI systems in which roles, authority, transparency and handoffs are designed deliberately. Research in this area examines trust, explainability, automation bias and team performance.

13

Neuroergonomics

The study of brain and physiological activity in real-world work settings. It helps researchers understand attention, fatigue, workload and skill acquisition during tasks such as driving, flying or monitoring.

14

Inclusive design

Designing products and environments so that people with diverse abilities, ages and contexts can use them. It connects ergonomics with accessibility standards, universal design and equitable user experience.