Bridging Research in Innovation, Technology, and Engineering Lab

The Bridging Research in Innovation, Technology, and Engineering Laboratory (britelab) is directed by Scarlett Miller, associate professor of engineering design and industrial engineering, and is located in 343 Leonhard Building (with additional space in 359 Leonhard).

The britelab sees design as both a process and an end product. As such, the group has two main research thrusts.

The first focus of the britelab is on exploring ways to support the flow of creative ideas throughout the design process through the development of new cognitive models, design methods and technologies that support these processes.

The second thrust of the group is on how to take the lessons learned on the design process and apply them developing innovative products using user-centered design techniques, particularly in the medical field. Specifically, the research is focused on minimizing human error in the operating suite and improving patient outcomes by developing new training tools for resident surgeons.

Both of these research paths are deeply rooted in the engineering, decision-making, psychology, and human-computer interaction domains. This research is currently funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.