Human Subject Research
Our services ensure the highest standards of research integrity and data quality. Our research team has experience with a wide range of study designs conducted both in-lab and field-based environments. We have expertise in usability studies, developing and refining new technologies, answering neuropsychology-based research questions, and collecting biological samples.
Our Services
We have refined our processes to ensure efficiency, transparency, and the highest quality of research. Our services include:
Project Management: We work closely with clients to define project objectives, timelines, and budgets, ensuring a clear and collaborative partnership from the start. We carefully track project progress and resources during the life of a study and communicate project status using project management programs and data dashboards.
IRB and OMB Package Development: We collaborate closely with our clients to design studies that address their specific research questions. Our team of experts includes experienced psychologists, research scientists, and engineers who help create robust study designs. We adhere to all ethical guidelines and regulations and protect participant rights and privacy throughout the research process.
Data Collection: Our experienced researchers and data collection teams follow standardized procedures, minimizing errors and ensuring the reliability of collected data.
Data Analysis: Our team of skilled analysts utilizes advanced statistical techniques and software to analyze collected data, providing clients with meaningful insights and actionable results.
Data Management: We implement secure data storage and management systems to protect sensitive information and maintain data integrity.
Reporting: We generate comprehensive reports that clearly communicate research findings, allowing our clients to make informed decisions based on the study outcomes.
Assurance: Rigorous quality control measures are in place at every stage of the research process to maintain the highest standards of data quality.
Sample Projects
DADSS
Under the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) Program, KEA leads all in-clinic and field-based testing activities with human subjects. These studies involve precisely dosing eligible participants with alcohol to test and refine novel-alcohol sensing technologies that are being designed to be implemented in consumer vehicles in the United States.
This testing occurs both in a clinic environment where researchers are able to collect blood and other biological samples as well as in the field in research based vehicles.
Learn more about our research efforts below:
Learn more about the DADSS Program
Habituation to Auditory Alerts in a Locomotive Cab
As part of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-funded human factors research, KEA Technologies Inc. utilized the Cab Technology Integration Lab (CTIL) at the Volpe Center located in Cambridge, MA to investigate the effects of various auditory alerts on experienced locomotive engineers. Researchers were primarily interested in whether habituation to in-cab audio alerts may occur as observed in other sectors.
The simulator track was programmed to have areas of both high and low workload and lasted for a prolonged period. Throughout the duration of the study, a few novel tones were introduced randomly, and researchers instructed operators to acknowledge this tone by pressing a button in the simulator. The goal of this study was to do a preliminary investigation on an aspect of locomotive operations that has not been fully researched with regard to performance, workload, and alerts.
Learn about more projects related to this field here.