A child’s first steps are a significant occasion – but I will never forget the first time our daughter did a complicated task. It was common to hear sounds when she turned over and bumped the interactive toy strapped to her crib, causing telltale squeaks. That day, however, we heard...
After an intense bid submission process, and a few weeks eagerly awaiting an award announcement from Public Works and Government Services Canada, we learned last week that we are the winning team for the newest Human Factors Engineering Support RFP for the Director Soldier Systems Project Management (DSSPM). This contract...
All thoughts of a stress-free, relaxing vacation have vanished. The luggage carrousel spit out the last piece of luggage ten minutes ago and you are the only one left watching the last few baggage items circle for the hundredth time. The representative at the lost luggage counter expects you to...
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have posted a video on YouTube promoting Defence Research and Development Canada’s CAN-LEAP combat mobility course. This course was developed by HSI® in conjunction with the United States Marine Corps (USMC), by using feedback from operations to design realistic obstacles with advanced sensors to quantify...
In military research and development, we often come across equipment specifications that have to be met to resolve technical issues and keep pace with the capabilities of other nations. Because new and exciting technologies are developed at an unprecedented rate, it’s easy to focus on the technological attributes of new...
Emily-Ana Filardo Developing an effective survey can be a form of art. I know what you’re thinking: how difficult can it be, right? You want to know how people feel about something, so you ask them a bunch of questions. Essentially that is what survey development is. But ensuring that...
Life is a series of choices. Some are simple, such as deciding to take an umbrella with you on a cloudy day forecast for showers. Others, however – such as which refrigerator to purchase from a wide selection of colour, configuration, brands, benefits and prices – are not. When trying...
If you’ve ever seen an action movie like ‘The Matrix’ it’s doubtless that you’re aware of weapon recoil. For some reason, every time someone pulls a trigger, their weapon dramatically kicks up and backwards, and a brass bullet casing falls to the ground in glorious slow motion. While action movies...
A police officer arrives at a crash scene with a motor-home wrapped around a tree. The dazed driver emerges from the vehicle and says, “I don’t know what happened…I just put it on cruise control and went back to make a sandwich…” In the next generation, kids will not find...
Stacey Campbell-Coady Recently my kids brought home their picture day order forms from school. Every year I question the price (crazy!) and the need for these photos. But, looking back on my own childhood, I recall my parents getting all excited to see how I’ve changed from year to year,...