Department of
Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering
 

Robert Houghton

Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering

Contact

Biography

Robert Houghton is a member of the Human Factors Research Group.

Teaching Summary

Module convenor

  • MMME4045 Work systems and safety
  • MMME4082 Ergonomics research methods

I also contribute to the teaching on:

  • MMME4071 Studying human performance
  • MECH3026 Management, professional practice, certification, safety and reliability
  • MMME2055 User-centred research and design

Project Supervision

  • BEng, MEng, HF/E (pgt), HCI (pgt), HF/E (pgt distance learning)

Course Management and Teaching Administration

  • MSc Human-Computer Interaction (co-director)
  • M3 Exam officers team (PGT courses)

Research Summary

Made smarter innovation: Centre for people-led digitalisation with University of Bath and Loughorough University.

Digital technologies have the potential to transform manufacturing by increasing productivity and opening up new business opportunities. However, the UK has had lower levels of adoption than some of our competitors. While this may appear a purely technical challenge to overcome, in practice many of the most pressing barriers are because of the 'human' element. For example, a digital skills gap, implementation that fails to support human capability, employee resistance, or a lack of senior management support or vision. We aim to be the world leader in providing people-led solutions to enable the manufacturing sector to have right-first-time digitalization.

I also carry out general Human Factors research as a member of the Human Factors Research Group (HFRG), and in collaboration with the Institute for Aerospace Technology (IAT) and Transport, Mobility and Cities (TMC@Nottingham).

Selected Publications

Past Research

HUMAN AND SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH CAPABILITY I was involved in the development of tools to give insights into future Human-Machine Interaction. This includes the interactive Human Interface Horizons tool.

--> Human Interface Horizon Tool

GO- SCIENCE I co-authored an evidence review on the human factors of shared transport for Government Office for Science (UK)

--> published report available here: Future of mobility: human factors of exclusive and shared travel

Future Research

I welcome enquiries from potential PhD candidates from Home, EU and international countries who are interested in the following research areas: Human Factors, Systems Ergonomics, Development of Ergonomics Methods.

Department of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Materials Engineering

The University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD


telephone: +44 (0) 115 95 14081