Prof. Dr. Mark Neerincx

Mark Neerincx is full professor in Human-Centered Computing at the Delft University of Technology, and senior research scientist at TNO Perceptual and Cognitive Systems. He has extensive experience in fundamental and applied research on human-computer interaction, among other things in the domains of health, security, defense, and space; as initiator and project leader, in large national and international research programs. Recent projects focus on the situated cognitive engineering of electronic partners (ePartners) that enhance the social, cognitive and affective processes in human-automation teams.

In three domains, the incremental developments of ePartners are providing new approaches to improve performance, resilience, health and/or wellbeing. First, Mark Neerincx is working on robotic and virtual assistants that help patients to cope with their chronic disease (e.g., diabetics) in different self-managements activities. A major part of the research was conducted in the EU-FP7 project ALIZ-E (Adaptive Strategies for Sustainable Long-Term Social Interaction) focusing on child-robot companionships in educative and engaging activities (e.g., a diary, quiz, and sorting game). This research will continue in the EU-H2020 project PAL (Personal Assistant for healthy Lifestyle), in which the support of the physical and virtual robot will be harmonized to the social support of family and caregivers (over extended periods of time and diverse environments).

A second research line aims at methods and prototypes for sharing situation awareness, harmonizing workload distributions, and supporting stress-coping to enhance performance and resilience in the safety and security domain. In the EU-FP7 projects NIFTi (Natural Human-Robot Cooperation in Dynamic Environments) and TRADR (Long-Term Human-Robot Teaming for Robot-Assisted Disaster Response), rescue robots are being developed to become a collaborative team-member to enhance complex and dynamic disaster response missions. For the Royal Netherlands Navy, Mark has been leading several projects on cognitive task load analysis for adaptive task allocation and computer support in naval ships. Currently, Mark coordinates two national projects for the FES Brain and Cognition Safety program: The Quick Results project “Better decision-making under high pressure” and the Innovative Program “Resilience and vulnerability after stress”.

Third, for the European Space Agency, Mark is leading the Mission Execution Crew Assistant (MECA) program to establish the requirements and prototypes of ePartners that enhance human-automation teams’ performance and resilience during exploration missions to the Moon or Mars.