Prof Joseph Giacomin

Joseph Giacomin is Director of the Human Centred Design Institute (HCDI) which performs research leading to products, systems and services which are physically, perceptually, cognitively and emotionally intuitive to their users. He teaches modules in Human Factors and in Perception Enhancement. Joseph Giacomin performs research in the area of perception enhancement. The goal is to identify the key ambient stimuli which stimulate the detection and classification of real world events. The knowledge is built into the interfaces of products, systems and services, increasing interaction and emotional response. Perception enhancement is a multi-disciplinary activity involving elements of artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, digital signal processing, interaction design, philosophy, psychophysics, receptor physiology and social science. A particular emphasis of the research has been the information carrying potential and the sensory branding of automotive stimuli, such as those of the steering. Mostly recently the emphasis has been on energy sixth sense, a new design approach for achieving energy and carbon emissions reduction though perceptual characteristics which stimulate emotion and emotional intelligence. Joseph Giacomin has a Ph.D. from Sheffield University in the United Kingdom and has both Master's and Bachelor's degrees from the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. U.S.A.. He has worked for both the American military and the European automobile industry, where, as the head of the Human Factors Group of the Centro Ricerche Fiat in Turin he studied problems of vehicle ergonomics. Over the years he has participated in numerous EU and UK research projects and has produced more than 60 publications. Most recently he has published his book Thermal - seeing the world through 21st century eyes. Joseph Giacomin is a member of the editorial boards of Ergonomics in Design, Ergonomics, and the International Journal of Vehicle Noise and Vibration (IJVNV). He is a Fellow of the UK Ergonomics Society (FErgS), a member of the Societá Italiana di Ergonomia (SIE), of the Associazione Per Il Disegno Industriale (ADI) and of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS). He is both a member of the management committee of the Doctorate Research Programme in Human Sciences of Universitá di Torino and a grant reviewer for the Italian Ministry for University Research (MUIR).

Professional qualifications

F.Erg.S, PhD, MME, BME

Personal websites

http://hcdi.brunel.ac.uk
http://www.perceptionenhancement.com/
http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/joseph-giacomin/9/537/273
http://www.jotta.com/jotta/artists/Joseph?project=505843
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist_profile/a/110842.html

Research Interests

• Human Centred Design
• Perception Enhancement
• Energy Sixth Sense
• Sensory Metaphysics

Teaching

• Physical Human Factors in Design
• Perceptual Human Factors in Design

• Associate Editor of Ergonomics in Design
• Associate Editor of Ergonomics
• Associate Editor of the International Journal of Vehicle Sound and Vibration (IJVNV).
• Fellow of the UK Ergonomics Society (F.Erg.S.)
• Member of the Societá Italiana di Ergonomia (SIE)
• Member of the Associazione Per Il Disegno Industriale (ADI)
• Member of the Associazione Tecnica dell'Automobile (ATA)
• Member of the Management Committee of the Doctorate Research Programme in Human Sciences of the University of Torino.
• Member of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS)

Publications

Journal Papers

(2010) Giacomin, J., The sixth sense, NEW SCIENTIST 208 (2791) : 26- 26

(2010) Berber Solano, TP., Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Facilitating the driver detection of road surface type by selective manipulation of the steering-wheel acceleration signal, Proceedings of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automotive Engineering 224 (10) : 1321- 1333

(2009) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Non-linear dependancy of the subjective perceived intensity of steering wheel rotational vibration, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 39 (1) : 58- 67 Download publication

(2009) Antonelli, MG., Zobel, PB. and Giacomin, J., Use of MMG signals for the control of powered orthotic devices: development of a rectus femoris measurement protocol, Assistive Technology 21 (1) : 1- 12

(2009) Abbott, M., Holland, R., Giacomin, J. and Shackleton, J., Changing the affective content in brand and product attributes, Journal of Product and Brand Management 18 (1) : 17- 26

(2009) Jeon, B., Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Effects of gender differences on the subjective perceived intensity of steering wheel rotational vibration based on a multivariate regression model, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 39 (5) : 736- 743 Download publication

(2009) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., A survey study of steering wheel vibration and sound in automobiles at idle, Engineering Integrity 26 6- 14 Download publication

(2007) Hacaambwa, TM. and Giacomin, J., Subjective response to seated fore-and-aft direction whole-body vibration, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 37 (1) : 61- 72 Download publication

(2007) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Effect of automobile operating condition on the subjective equivalence of steering wheel vibration and sound, International Journal of Vehicle Noise and Vibration 3 (2) : 197- 215 Download publication

(2007) Giacomin, JA., Apparent mass of small children: Modelling, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 37 (3) : 183- 195 Download publication

(2007) Giacomin, J., Perception enhancement for steer-by-wire systems, ATA Ingegneria dell'autoveicolo 58 (8/9) Download publication

(2007) Giacomin, J., Life and soul, Newdesign 49 32- 35 Download publication

(2006) Gnanasekaran, S., Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Driver estimation of steering wheel vibration intensity: laboratory-based tests, Engineering Integrity 20 (1) : 25- 31 Download publication

(2006) Abdullah, S., Choi, JC., Giacomin, J. and Yates, JR., Bump extraction algorithm for variable amplitude fatigue loading, International Journal of Fatigue 28 (7) : 675- 691 Download publication

(2005) Giacomin, J., Absorbed power of small children, Clinical Biomechanics 20 (4) : 372- 380 Download publication

(2005) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Human subjective response to steering wheel vibration caused by diesel engine idle, Proceedings of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automotive Engineering 219 (4) : 499- 510 Download publication

(2005) Giacomin, J. and Woo, YJ., A study of human ability to detect road surface type based on steering wheel vibration feedback, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering 219 (11) : 1259- 1270 Download publication

(2005) Giacomin, J. and Gnanasekaran, S., Driver estimation of steering wheel vibration intensity: Questionnaire-based survey, Engineering Integrity 18 (1) : 23- 29 Download publication

(2005) Giacomin, J. and Fustes, F., Subjective equivalence of steering wheel vibration and sound, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 35 (6) : 517- 526 Download publication

(2005) Scarpa, F., Giacomin, J., Zhang, Y. and Pastorino, P., Mechanical performance of auxetic polyurethane foam for antivibration glove applications, Cellular Polymers 24 (5) : 253- 268 Download publication

(2005) Giacomin, J. and Screti, A., Upper body discomfort due to driving: effect of driving experience, gender and vehicle age, Zeitschrift Arbeitswissenschaft 5/2005 409- 418

(2005) Giacomin, J. and Woo, YJ., Steering system vibration: Information and perception enhancement, Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift 107 (5) : 422- 429 Download publication

(2005) Giacomin, J., Self-reported upper body discomfort due to driving: Effect of driving experience, gender and automobile age, Zeitschrift fur Arbeitswissenschaft 5 409- 418 Download publication

(2004) Giacomin, J., Apparent mass of small children: Experimental measurements, Ergomomics 47 (13) : 1454- 1474 Download publication

(2004) Giacomin, J. and Woo, YJ., Beyond comfort: Information content and perception enhancement, Engineering Integrity 16 (1) : 8- 16 Download publication

(2004) Giacomin, J., Shayaa, MS., Dormegnie, E. and Richard, L., Frequency weighting for the evaluation of steering wheel rotational vibration, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 33 (6) : 527- 541 Download publication

(2004) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Human perception of diesel engine idle vibration, ATA Ingegneria dell'Autoveicolo 57 (5/6) : 52- 56 Download publication

(2004) Abdullah, S., Giacomin, JA. and Yates, JR., A mission synthesis algorithm for fatigue damage analysis, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering 218 (3) : 243- 258 Download publication

(2003) Giacomin, J. and Gallo, S., In-vehicle vibration study of child safety seats, Ergonomics 46 (15) : 1500- 1512 Download publication

(2003) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Analysis of variations in diesel engine idle vibration, Proceedings of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automotive Engineering 217 (10) : 921- 933 Download publication

(2002) Steinwolf, A., Giacomin, JA. and Staszewski, WJ., On the need for bump event correction in vibration test profiles representing road excitations in automobiles, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering 216 (4) : 279- 295 Download publication

(2002) Giacomin, J., A practical guide to usability testing by Dumas, JS and JC Redish. Exeter: Intellect, pp.404, ISBN 1-84150-020-8, Ergonomics 45 (1) : 82- 83

(2001) Giacomin, J. and Mackenzie, TJP., Human sensitivity to gearshift loads, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 27 (3) : 187- 195 Download publication

(2000) Bocking, J., Giacomin, J., Heidrich, M., Kyprianou, A. and Worden, K., Differential evolution based identification of automotive hydraulic engine mount model parameters, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers - Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering 214 (3) : 249- 264

(2000) Giacomin, J., Steinwolf, A. and Staszewski, WJ., An algorithm for mildly nonstationary mission synthesis (MNMS), Engineering Integrity 7 44- 56 Download publication

(2000) Giacomin, J., Some observations regarding the vibrational environment in child safety seats, Applied Ergonomics 31 (2) : 207- 215 Download publication

(1997) Giacomin, J. and Quattrocolo, S., An analysis of human comfort when entering and exiting the rear seat of an automobile, Applied Ergonomics 28 (5-6) : 397- 406

(1991) Giacomin, J., Neural network simulation of an automotive shock absorber, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence 4 (1) : 59- 64

Conference Papers

(2007) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Hand-arm equal sensation curves for steering wheel rotational vibration, 11th International Conference on Hand-Arm Vibration Download publication

(2006) Giacomin, J. and Berber-Solano, TP., Effect of transient event frequency content and scale on the human detection of road surface type, Joint Baltic-Nordic Acoustics Meeting Download publication

(2006) Ajovalasit, M. and Giacomin, J., Effect of automobile operating condition on the subjective equivalence of steering wheel vibration and sound, International Conference on Noise and Vibration Engineering (ISMA2006) Download publication

(2006) Antonelli, M., Zobel, PB. and Giacomin, J., The muscle myogram as a control signal for use in powered limb orthosis, 8th Biennial Conference on Engineering Systems Design and Analysis

(1997) Staszewski, WJ. and Giacomin, J., Application of the wavelet based FRFs to the analysis of nonstationary vehicle data, 15th International Modal Analysis Conference - Current Horizon for Structural Damage Detection (IMAC), P SOC PHOTO-OPT INS (3089) : 425- 431