Dr. R. Darin Ellis Ph.D.

Biography

I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Kettering University (formerly GMI Engineering & Management Institute) in 1990, and his M.S.(1991) and Ph.D. (1994) in Industrial Engineering from Penn State. Since 1994 I have been on the faculty of the Department of Industrial Engineering at Wayne State University, Detroit MI.

Education

Courses Taught

IE 3120 -- Work Design (Every Fall)
IE 5995 / 7995 -- Special Topics in Human Factors (Even-year Winter)
BE 2100 -- Basic Engineering III: Probability and Statistics for Engineers (Year-round)

Contact me for a syllabus or more information

Recent Projects

Principal Investigator.  Warfighter-Focused UGV System Design: Augmented Reality-Enhanced Human-Robot Interaction for UGV Operations.  Sponsor: US Army Joint Robotics Center.  Total costs: $200,000.  Period: 07/01/08 - 06/30/09.
 Principal Investigator. Warfighter-Focused UGV System Design: Human Factors Engineering & ATO Experimentation. Total costs: $100,000.  Source: US Army Joint Robotics Center.  Period: 07/01/08 - 06/30/09.
Principal Investigator. Development and Human Factors Evaluation of Augmented Reality-Enhanced Human-Robot Interaction for UGV Operations. Department of Defense. Total budget: $180,432. Time Period: 07/01/08 – 06/30/09.
Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Auner).  Data Driven Optimization of Surgeon Skills for Enhanced Training, Simulation and Assessment.  Sponsor: US Army TATRC, via subcontract to Beaumont Hospitals.  Total: $ not available.  Time Period: 07/18/08-07/18/09
Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Ssemakula).  Collaborative Research: A Flexible Adaptation Framework For Implementing 'Learning Factory' - Based Manufacturing Education.  National Science Foundation DUE 0817391.  Total: $239,958.00.  Time Period: 09/01/2008 – 08/31/2011
Principal Investigator.  Human Factors in Space Exploration: Fitts' Law Activities for Middle School Girls. Sponsor: NASA-MSGC.  Total: $10,000.  Time Period: May 1, 2007 – April 31, 2008.
Principal Investigator.  Support for instructional programs at Focus:HOPE.  Sponsor: Focus:HOPE. Total: $155,063. Time period: 11/15/06 – 11/14/07.
Principal Investigator.  Production management leadership program at WSU.  Sponsor: SME Education Foundation.  Total:  $140,000.  Time period: 7/16/05 – 7/15/07.
Principal Investigator (Chelst, co-PI).  Production management leadership program.  Sponsor: General Motors (Index 441864). Total:  $270,000.  Time Period:  1/15/04 – 12/31/07.
Principal Investigator (Chelst, co-PI).  Production management leadership program.  Sponsor: Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Visteon (Index 445107).  Total:  $110,000.  Time Period:  1/15/04 – 12/31/07.
Co-Principal Investigator (10% share, Pandya, PI)  "Real-Time Augmented Reality Development and Human Factors Assessment for Space Station Robotic Mockups"  Agency: NASA-JSC  Total: $1,591,915.  Time Period: July 2004 – June 2006.
 

Publications

1.    Cao, A., Chintamani, K., Pandya, A., & Ellis, R.D. (Accepted).  The NASA TLX: Software for Assessing Subjective Mental Workload.  Behavior Research Methods, Instruments and Computers.       

2.    Chintamani, K, Cao, A., Ellis, R.D., Pandya, A.K. (Accepted).  Improved Tele-manipulator Navigation with Augmented Coordinate Frames. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics (Part A)

3.    Shah, R.D., Cao, A., Golenberg, L., Pandya, A.K., Ellis, R.D., Auner, G.A., and Klein, M.D. (2008).  Performance of Basic Manipulation and Intra-corporeal Suturing Tasks in a Robotic Surgical System: Single vs. Dual Monitor Views. Accepted:  Surgical Endoscopy. (DOI: 10.1007/s00464-008-0046-2)

4.    Kim, K.Y., Chin, S., Kwon, O. & Ellis, R. D. (2008). Ontology-based integration of morphological information of assembly joints for network-based collaborative assembly design.  Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing.

5.    Cao, A., Ellis, R.D., Klein, E.D., Auner, G.W., Klein, M. D., and Pandya, A.K. (2008).  Comparison of a supplemental wide field of view vs. a single field of view with zoom on performance in minimally invasive surgery.  Surgical Endoscopy, 22(6):1445-1451 (DOI:10.1007/s00464-007-9627-8).

6.    Golenberg, L., Cao, A., Ellis, R.D., Klein, M., Auner, G., & Pandya, A.K. (2007).  Hand position effects on precision and speed in telerobotic surgery.  International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, 3(3) pp 217-223. DOI: 10.1002/rcs.148.

7.    Park, N., Youn, C., & Ellis, R. D. (2007).  A use-case driven approach to systematic functional decomposition — a case of the biopsy procedure in breast cancer treatment. International Journal of Service Operations and Informatics, 2(1): 18-37.

8.    Camci, F., Chinnam, R. B., & Ellis, R. D.  (2007). A robust kernel-distance multivariate control chart using support vector principles.  International Journal of Production Research (DOI: 10.1080/00207540500543265).

9.    Cao A, Ellis R.D., Composto A, Pandya A, Klein MD (2006). Supplemental wide field of view monitor improves performance in surgical telerobotic movement time. Int J Med Robotics Comput Assist Surg, 2(4), 364-369.

10.    Khasnabis, S., Bartus, J., & Ellis, RD, (2004). Asset management strategy for state departments of transportation to meet long-term transit fleet needs. Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, n.1887, p. 45-54.

11.    Witus, G. & Ellis, R. D. (2003). Computational modeling of foveal target detection.  Human Factors, 45(1), 47-60.

12.    Khasnabis,S., Bartus, J., & Ellis, R.D. (2003). An asset management framework for state DOT’s to meet transit fleet requirements.  Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board, n.1835, pp. 74-83.

13.    Kurniawan, S. H., Zaphiris, P. & Ellis, R.D. (2002). Older and younger adults’ time spent & errors made in expandable and sequential hierarchies.  Gerontechnology, 2(2), 203-205.

14.    Kurniawan, S.H., Ellis, R. D., & Allaire, J.  (2002). The impact of web ability, age, and web experience on bookmark usage. Universal Access in the Information Society. 1(3), 207-222.

15.    Khasnabis, S., Alsaidi, E. & Ellis, R. D. (2002). Optimal allocation of resources to meet transit fleet requirements. Transportation Engineering Journal of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 128(6), 509-518.

16.    Khasnabis, S., Alsaidi, E., Liu, S. L., & Ellis, R. D. (2002).  Comparative study of two techniques of transit performance assessment: AHP and GAT.  Transportation Engineering Journal of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 128(6), 499-508.

17.    Zaphiris, P., Kurniawan, S.H. & Ellis, R.D. (2001).  Usability and accessibility comparison of governmental, organizational, educational & commercial aging/health-related web sites.  WebNet Journal, 3(3), 45-52.

18.    Witus, G., Gerhart, G. & Ellis, R. D. (2001).  A contrast model for 3D vehicles in natural lighting and search performance analysis. Optical Engineering, 40 (9), pp.1858-1868.

19.    Ellis, R. D. & Kurniawan, S. H. (2000). Increasing the usability of online information for older users: A case study in participatory design.  International Journal of Human Computer Interaction, 12(2), 263-276.

20.    Ellis, R. D., Meitzler, T., Witus, G., Sohn, E., Bryk, D., Goetz, R. & Gerhart, G. (2000).  Computational modeling of age-differences in a visually demanding driving task: Vehicle  Detection.  IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man & Cybernetics, 30(3), 336-346.

21.    Ellis, R. D. & Allaire, J. (1999).  Modeling computer interest in older adults:  The role of age, education, computer knowledge, and computer anxiety.  Human Factors, 41(3), 345-355.

22.    Hess, S., Detweiler, M.C., & Ellis, R.D. (1999).  The utility of display space in keeping-track of rapidly changing information. Human Factors, 41(2), 257-281.

23.    Ellis, R. D. (1999).  Patterns of e-mail requests by users of an internet –based aging-services information system.  Family Relations: Special Issue on Technology, 48(1), 15-21.

24.    Ellis, R. D. (1999).  Participatory design of an Intranet for providers of aging-services.  New Technology in the Human Services, 11 (3), 2-7.

25.    Ellis, R. D., Pines, E., & Allaire, J. (1999). Performance Implications of Older Workers in Technological  Manufacturing Environments:  A Task-Analysis / Human Reliability Perspective. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 12(2), 104-112.

26.    Ellis, R. D., Jankowski, T. B., & Jasper, J.E. (1998).  Participatory design of an Internet-based information system for aging services professionals.  The Gerontologist, 38(6), 743-748

27.    Ellis, R. D., Jankowski, T. B., Jasper, J. E., & Tharuvai, B. S. (1998).  Listener: a tool for client-side investigation of hypermedia navigation behavior. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments & Computers, 30(6), 573 – 582.

28.    Ellis, R. D., Jankowski, T. J., Jasper, J. E. & Abdul, A. (1996).  Gero-informatics and the internet:  Locating gerontology information on the World Wide Web (WWW).  The Gerontologist, 36(1), 100-105.

29.    Ellis, R. D., Goldberg, J. H., & Detweiler, M. C. (1996).  Predicting age-related differences in visual information processing using a two-stage queuing model.  Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 51B(3), P155-165.

30.    Ellis, R. D., & Chandra, M. J. (1996).  A two-stage stochastic model of limitations in human visual information processing.  IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man & Cybernetics, 26(2), 248-253.

Professional Memberships

• Association of Computing Machinery
• Institute of Industrial Engineers
• Human Factors & Ergonomics Society
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers

Research Interests

Papers and Conferences

Chapters
1.    Ellis, R. D., Mayhorn, C. & Shehab, R. L. (2007).  Human factors engineering.  In J.E. Birren (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Gerontology (2nd Edition), pages 720-728.  Elsevier: Oxford, UK.
2.    Ellis, R. D. & Talbot, G. (2006).  Implications of Universal Design in the automobile.  In J. M. Pellerito, Jr. (Ed.), Driver rehabilitation:  Principles and Practice, pages 345-356.  Philadelphia: Mosby-Elsevier.
3.    Kurniawan, S.H., Zaphiris, P., & Ellis, R.D. (2003) Age-related differences in subjective ratings of hierarchical information. In C. Stephanidis (Ed.), Universal Access in HCI, pp. 857-861. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mehwah, USA.
4.    Zaphiris, P., Kurniawan, S.H., & Ellis, R.D. (2003). Mathematical formulation of age-related differences in mouse movement tasks. In C. Stephanidis (Ed.), Universal Access in HCI, pp. 917-921. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mehwah, USA.
5.    Zaphiris, P., Kurniawan, S.H., & Ellis, R.D. (2003). Age related differences and the Depth vs. Breadth trade-off in hierarchical online information systems. Lecture Notes in Computer Science: Universal Access: Theoretical Perspectives, Practice, and Experience, 2615, pp. 23-42. Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.
6.    Ellis, R. D. & Kotani, K. (1997).  Modeling age-differences in isometric elbow flexion using Hill's three-element visco-elastic model.  In W. A. Rogers (Ed.), Designing for an aging population: 10 Years of human factors/ergonomics research (pp 45-48). Santa Monica: HFES.
7.    Detweiler, M. C., Hess, S. M. & Ellis, R. D. (1996).  The effects of display layout on keeping-track of visual-spatial information.  In W. A. Rogers, A. D. Fisk & N. Walker (Eds.), Aging and skilled performance: Advances in theory and applications (pp.157-184).  Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
8.    Goldberg, J. H. & Ellis, R. D. (1996).  Human factors engineering. In J. E. Birren (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Gerontology: Volume 1 (pp. 715-725).  New York: Academic Press.

Papers Published in Conference Proceedings (bold italics indicates WSU student)

1.    Chintamani, K., Overgaard, T., Ellis, R.D., Pandya, A., & Tan, C.A. (2008).  Physically Based Augmented Reality for Remote Robot Teleoperation: Applications in Training and Simulation.  Proceedings of the 2008 Industrial Engineering Research Conference (J. Fowler and S. Mason, eds.), May 17-21, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
2.    Porobic, L., Pines, E., & Ellis, R.D. (2008). Modeling Decision Making Process of Human Operators in Manufacturing.  Proceedings of the 2008 Industrial Engineering Research Conference (J. Fowler and S. Mason, eds.), May 17-21, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
3.    Ellis, R.D., Edwards, T.G., Golenberg, L. & Pandya, A.K. (2008).  Human Factors in Space Exploration: Fitts' Law Activity for Middle School Girls.  Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, New York NY, September 22-26, 2008.
4.    Li, Y.-S., Hunt, S., Popovici, C., Walter, S., Witus, G., Ellis, R.D., Auner, G., Cao, A., & Pandya, A. (2008).  Development of an extendable arm and software architecture for autonomous and tele-operated control for mobile platforms Unmanned Systems Technology X: SPIE Proceedings Vol 6962. Grant R. Gerhart; Douglas W. Gage; Charles M. Shoemaker, Eds. (Abstract only)
5.    Hunt, S., Witus, G., & Ellis, D. (2008). Computer assisted robotic examination swab sampling (CARESS).  Unmanned Systems Technology X: SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6962. Grant R. Gerhart; Douglas W. Gage; Charles M. Shoemaker, Eds.
6.    Hunt, S., Li, Y., Witus, G., Walter, S., Ellis, R.D., Cao, A., Auner, G. & Pandya, A. (2007). Integration of New Communications and Mast Subsytem on an Omni-Directional Inspection Robot (ODIS). Proceedings of SPIE Europe Optics & Photonics in Security and Defense, Florence, Italy, 17-19 September 2007.
7.    A. Nawab, K. Chintamani, R. D. Ellis, G. Auner, & A. Pandya, (2007). Joystick mapped augmented reality cues for end-effector controlled teleoperated robots. Proceedings of the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference, Charlotte, NC, USA, 2007.
8.    Witus, G., Hunt, S., & Ellis, R. D. (2007).  Experiments in augmented teleoperation for mobile robots – I.  SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, April 9 – 13, 2007, Orlando, Florida USA.
9.    Guinn, J., Witus, G., Ellis, R. D., Case, B., Janicki, P., & Bosscher, D. (2007). GDLS Visual Perception Laboratory Calibration and Initial Validation.  Military Sensing Symposium on Camouflage, Concealment, and Deception (MSS CC&D), 2007.
10.    Chintamani, K., Nawab, A., Pandya, A., Ellis, R. D., Cao, A., & Auner, G.W. (2006). Comparing two kinematics methods for telerobotic control applications.  Proceedings of the 50th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (pp.126-130).  Santa Monica, CA: HFES.
11.    Ssemakula, M.E., Liao, G., & Ellis, R.D. (2006). Hands-on manufacturing processes laboratory for future production supervisors.  Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Engineering Education (Session M4G: Laboratory Innovations), San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 23-28, 2006.
12.    Ellis, R.D., Lee, M.D., Liao, G., Ssemakula, M.E., Stack, H. & Chelst, K.R. (2006). Production Management Leadership Program at Wayne State University.  Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Engineering Education (Session M5B: Industry-University-Government Collaborations 1), San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 23-28, 2006.
13.    Ellis, R.D., Cao, A., Pandya, A., Composto, A., Klein, M.D., & Auner, G. (2005). Minimizing movement time in surgical telerobotic tasks.  Proceedings of the 49th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (pp. 1099-1103), Orlando FL, September 26-30, 2005.
14.    Ellis, R.D., Cao, A., Pandya, A., Composto, A., Chacko, M., Klein, M., & Auner, G. (2004).  Optimizing the surgeon-robot interface: the effect of control-display gain & zoom level on movement time.  Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (pp. 1713-1717), New Orleans LA, September 20-24, 2004. 
15.    Cao A., Ellis R.D., Composto A., Pandya A., Klein M.D., & Auner G. (2004). Optimizing the surgeon-robot interface: the effect of index of difficulty & control-display gain on movement time. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Computing, Communication & Control Technologies, Vol. IV (pp. 308-313), Austin TX, August 14-17, 2004.
16.    Kurniawan, S.H., Zaphiris, P., Ellis, R. D.  (2001).  Involving Seniors in Designing Information Architecture for the Web.  Proceedings of HCI International, 2001, appearing in C. Stephanidis (Ed.), Universal Access in HCI (pp. 496-500).  Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
17.    Zaphiris, P. & Ellis, R.D. (2001). Website Usability & Content Accessibility of the top USA Universities. Proceedings of WebNet 2001 Conference, October 23-27, 2001, Orlando, FL.
18.    Witus, G., & Ellis, R.D. (2001). Visual Search & Cued Detection Performance. Proceedings of the 15th International SPIE Symposium on Aerospace/Defense Sensing, Simulation & Controls, Vol. 4370, April 2001, Orlando, FL.
19.    Witus, G., & Ellis, D., (2000). Perception testing for development of computer models of ground vehicle visual discrimination performance. Proceedings of the 14th International SPIE Symposium on Aerospace/Defense Sensing, Simulation & Controls, Vol. 3699, April 2000, Orlando, FL.
20.    Ellis, R.D., & Witus, G. (1999).  A robust data set for visual detection model Calibration and validation.  Proceedings of the 10th Annual Ground Target Modeling & Validation Conference (pp. 230-232).  Houghton, MI:  Signature Research.
21.    Hess, S.M., Detweiler, M. C., & Ellis, R. D. (1999).  Spatial distribution and integrated information display:  effects on memory for rapidly changing information.  Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society.  pp. 443-446.  Santa Monica, CA:  Human Factors & Ergonomics Society.
22.    Witus, G., Ellis, D., Gerhart, G. &  Karlsen, R. (1998). Internal Texture or Object Boundary? Disambiguating the Interpretation of Spatial Modulation.  Proceedings of SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering v3699, pp. 207-216, April 5-7, 1999,  Orlando, FL.
23.    Witus, G., Ellis, D., &  Gerhart, G. (1998). Perception Metrics for Target Discrimination.  Proceedings of the 9th Annual Ground Target Modeling & Validation Conference, 1998, Houghton, MI, pp. 48-53.
24.    Witus, G., & Ellis, D. (1998). Imaging and Display Luminance Calibration and Validation for Laboratory Visual Perception Testing.  Proceedings of the 9th Annual Ground Target Modeling and Validation Conference, 1998, Houghton, MI,  pp. 28-35.
25.    Meitzler, T. J., Ellis, D., Sohn, E., Bryk, D., Hepfinger, L., Rock, K., & Singh, H. (1998).  A perception test of infrared images of soldiers in camouflaged uniforms. SPIE Conference on Targets and Backgrounds:  Characterization and Representation IV (SPIE Vol. 3375), pp. 2-16.  Orlando, FL, April 13-15, 1998.
26.    Jasper, J. E., Ellis, R. D., Jankowski, T. B., Nagarajan, R. & Wajahath, S. (1997).  Using cooperative design to introduce ORDBMS-driven Intranet applications to Collaborating social service agencies.  Proceedings of the Human-Computer Interaction International Conference (21A), pp. 97-100.  San Francisco, CA August 1997.
27.    Ellis, R. D. & Goldberg, J. H. (1995).  Training older workers in industry.  Proceedings of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.  Santa Monica, CA:  Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
28.    Hess, S. M., Detweiler, M. C., & Ellis, R.D. (1994).  The effects of display layout on monitoring and updating system states.  Proceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.  pp. 1336-1339.  Santa Monica, CA:
29.    Ellis, R. D. & Kotani, K. (1993).  Modeling age-differences in isometric elbow flexion using Hill’s three-element visco-elastic model.  Proceedings of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society.  pp. 202-205. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society.
30.    Ellis, R. D., & Goldberg, J. H. (1992).  Introductory human factors engineering Courses:  What is currently being taught?  Proceedings of the 36th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society.  pp. 556-560. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society.
31.    Yun, M. H., Kotani, K., & Ellis, R. D. (1992).  Using force sensitive resistors to evaluate hand tool grip design. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society. pp.806-810. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society.
32.    Goldberg, J. H. & Ellis, R. D. (1991).  Human factors evaluation of  high volume visual Inspection.  Proceedings of the 35th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, pp. 776-780.  Santa Monica, CA:  Human Factors Society.

 

Academic/professional activities

From 2007-2009, Dr. Ellis was the Great Lakes Region Vice President for the Institute of Industrial Engineers

Personal Interests

Guitar, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu