TIME: 3:30 PM

LOCATION: GMCS 314

SPEAKER: Juhyeon Bae, San Diego State University (Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering)

ABSTRACT: Fatigue and heat strain are persistent challenges in construction work, posing significant threats to workers’ health, safety, and productivity. Wearable technology offers new opportunities to monitor these physiological risks in real time and to design personalized interventions that prevent incidents before they occur. In this talk, we will talk about research on wearable-based fatigue and heat strain monitoring and intervention in construction. By integrating physiological sensing, data analytics, and human-centered design, this study aims to enhance workers’ situational awareness and enable timely recovery actions. In particular, the intervention incorporates knowledge of social norms—the informal expectations that guide how workers perceive and respond to others’ behaviors—into the design of technology. By aligning technological feedback with these normative patterns, the system promotes cooperative and proactive safety behaviors, transforming safety management from an individual task into a shared, team-oriented effort.

BIO: Dr. Juhyeon Bae received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2024 and joined the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering the same year. His research takes an interdisciplinary approach to addressing both social and technical challenges in construction. He leverages wearable technology, robotics, and automation to enhance human performance and safety. His current work focuses on wearable-based monitoring of physical risks—such as fatigue—and psychological issues, including stress and depression. He is also conducting research on the application of robotics in construction work to improve productivity, safety, and worker well-being.

HOST: Jose Castillo