Since its humble beginnings in the 1960s, automation has grown like the Grecian monster Hydra — exponentially — pervading all aspects of our lives in both latent and explicit ways. Automation has been responsible for reducing labor costs, increasing efficiency, improving system safety, and increasing profits in commercial markets. The principal reason for the success of automation in all these areas has been its ability to reduce both mental and physical human workload. This makes it an attractive solution for situations where operators are subjected to time stress or are required to perform multiple concurrent tasks. …

On a road trip to Philadelphia last December, I volunteered to fill up the tank every time we stopped for gas. I wanted to practice doing it; where I am from in India, there are gas-station attendants who do the filling, so I wanted to get the hang of the US’s self-service system. At one such stop, I accidentally closed the fuel cap incorrectly, leaving the screw rings misaligned. It was bitterly cold outside, and I was in a hurry to get back into the warm car, which may have contributed to my oversight.

In any case, an error had…

Forgetting to disengage the parking brake. Not turning on the aircraft’s anti-icing system. Lining up the wrong runway to land on. Having to attempt a landing three times on a windy day.

These are just some of the in-flight errors logged by NASA’s safety reporting system in recent months. Experts and regulatory authorities have attributed these seemingly ‘silly’ errors made by the pilots to ‘being rusty’. As a result of an unprecedented fall in air travel, pilots have had fewer opportunities to fly.

To the everyday reader who comes across such articles, the incidents are amusing; comical even. That’s perfectly…

Struggle, not just to survive; Compete, not just to win; Explore, not just to find; A breath of fresh air is; Just what you need, to clear your mind

This may sound pessimistic, but developing the COVID-19 vaccine is only one part of the larger fight against the pandemic. Even if we have a 100% effective vaccine, we still have to get people to take it. Without people on board, the vaccine could very well be sparkling water in a vial for all practical purposes.

Until this point, natural sciences such as biology, immunology, pharmacokinetics, etc. have played an invaluable role. Moving forward, it is time for psychologists to lead the messaging effort around the vaccines. …

“Find your passion.” We’ve all heard this term mentioned in some motivational speech or article way too many times. Throughout our lives, we are fed this idea that through extra-curricular activities, clubs, internships, university classes, or even jobs, we will discover our ‘calling’; that which we will love and can explore.

As romantic as this may sound, it may not be true for the majority of us. The phrase ‘finding your passion’ implies that your passion is something inherent or inborn — waiting to be found. However, a 2018 study done by psychologists from Stanford and Yale — NUS College…

Hands-free technology was supposed to make driving safer by allowing people to communicate using their cell phones without engaging their hands in holding the device.

Has this technology made driving safer than it was with handheld phones? Yes. Ample empirical evidence exists to suggest exactly that. Even if we move past empirical evidence, simple common sense would suggest that being able to have two hands at the wheel would be safer than one while negotiating a sharp turn. Not having to be visually engaged to dial a number and using voice dialing instead would obviously cause less interference than looking…

Have you ever stayed up late to watch a sports game? Pulled an all-nighter to study for a test? Woken up at 4 AM to catch a flight? Slept late after a crazy party? If your answer to any of these questions was yes, chances are that you have lost out on a full night’s sleep in the process.

All of these excursions are a natural and often regular part of our lives. Nevertheless, the sleep we lose for them is not without its repercussions. …