Human performance

Professionals in the defence and security field face constant physical and mental challenges. HP develops knowledge, tools and technologies that help them stay safe, effective and sustainably deployable. Our work covers three main areas:

• Understanding human performance: Research into physical effort, heat, cold, sleep, stress, cognitive workload and environmental strain supported by climate chambers, wearables and advanced measurement setups.
• Predicting performance: Models, digital twins, algorithms and decision-support tools that forecast how people will perform under specific conditions.
• Improving human–technology integration: From helmet integration and cockpit design to equipment, exoskeletons and simulator-based research.

Our Facilities

The group makes use of various facilities with which the conditions of an end user can be simulated in a controlled manner. The facilities are clustered around physical, mental and cognitive performance, visual perception, (dis)orientation and motion sickness, thermophysiology and immersion in virtual environments. The department also specializes in field experiments.

Our expertise

Our expertise spans clothing & equipment, exercise and thermal physiology, nutrition & recovery, cognitive & mental performance, visual perception, and spatial disorientation & motion simulation.

We work through four specialised teams: Physical Performance, Brain, HSI (Human System Integration) and Models, combining forces to support our stakeholders with targeted research, advice and innovation.

HP collaborates closely with operational units and knowledge centres within Defence, conducting laboratory research, technology development, field experiments and evaluations. Our innovations contribute to safer operations, human-centered technology, more effective training, and sustainable human performance.

Our facilities

Our facilities allow us to simulate real-life operational conditions in a controlled environment. They cover physical, mental and cognitive performance, visual perception, (dis)orientation and motion sickness, thermal physiology and immersive virtual environments. We also conduct extensive field research to test concepts in practice.