Co-DOT Laboratory

Université Laval, Québec, Québec
What the facility does

Cognitive sciences, cognitive engineering, human-technology relations

Areas of expertise

The Co-DOT Laboratory brings together researchers and students interested studying human cognition from three perspectives, namely cognition distribution across individuals, information organization and technologies for optimizing human performance. Co-DOT’s mission is to pursue innovative research on these themes and transfer the resulting methods and knowledge to the field of cognitive ergonomics. To this end, the laboratory operates multifunctional infrastructure unique in Canada, comprising cutting-edge equipment (information wall, panoramic screens, 3D audio spatialization, mobile oculometric systems) and computer simulations of various dynamic complex situations (or microworlds) related to public security. The infrastructure also features a room for faithful reproduction of crisis management centre conditions. Carried out in collaboration with public agencies and industrial partners, the laboratory’s research projects, based on an approach combining engineering and cognitive science, are aimed at understanding cognitive factors that play a role in dynamic decision-making and the conditions that favour optimum team performance, as well as optimizing relations between human agents and the technology systems that assist them. This knowledge contributes to the design of systems to assist decision-making and methods for maximizing human performance.

Research services

Oculomotor; ergonomic assessment

Sectors of application
  • Defence and security industries
  • Information and communication technologies and media
  • Transportation
EquipmentFunction 
Analysis stations (Noldus Observer)High-performance computer equipment used for sophisticated analyses using Observer software
Physiological measurement system (Biopac)System for taking and analysing physiological measurements, including an electrocardiogram, electrodermal response measurement and respiratory amplitude measurement
Oculometric systems (ASL Mobile Eye, Tobii and Smart Eye)Systems for tracking and recording eye movements. Behavioural measurements of gaze displacement and psychophysiological measurement of mental effort
Christie Digital information wallInformation display wall enabling realistic reproduction of operational and control centres, equipped with video and audio management amplifiers
Audio-video systemVideo recording system, display screen and speakers for communication between the simulation room and the control room, as well as dedicated recording cameras
Acoustic panelsSound-absorbing panels to reduce ambient noise inside the simulation room
Interactive boardsBoards for displaying and directly controlling computer content
TabletsTablets for issuing the participants computerized questionnaires
Control and display systemComputer system for programming and controlling experiment content
Software for recording user/system interaction (Morae Manager)System for recording dialogue between participants during simulations
Crisis management software (C3Fire)Computer simulation of team crisis management (fighting a forest fire)
Crisis management software (SYnRGY)Computer simulation of a public security crisis
  • Thales
  • Ubisoft
  • CAE
  • Centre Apprentiss UL
  • Tech3Lab
  • Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada
  • HEC
  • Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espacede Toulouse
  • Service de Police de la Ville de Québec
  • QinetiQ
  • Cardiff University
TitleURL
Co-DOT Laboratory presentation as part of the 50th anniversary of the School of Psychologyhttp://www.psy.ulaval.ca/50e/?pid=1305
Happy in the service of sciencehttp://www.contact.ulaval.ca/article_magazine/heureux-au-service-de-la-science/
Cognitive Ergonomics - Team Cognitionhttp://www.co-dot.ulaval.ca/en/team-cognition