How does the human brain acquire or reacquire knowledge? How does it interact with technological objects or with other brains? The cognitive engineering course introduces some of the major concepts and findings of the study of the brain and its functions (perception, action, decision-making, consciousness, memory, language, social cognition, etc.) and illustrates how this fundamental knowledge can help to resolve complex engineering problems involving human operators.

The course takes place every Friday of the first semester. It is composed of a mix of lectures (morning and afternoon sessions) and practical session (during the lunch break). Students will be exposed to the theoretical bases and examples of application of cognitive engineering during the lectures sessions, through presentation and discussion by representants of academia and the industry. Student will read, present and discuss relevant materials during the lunch sessions, and work in small groups on practical fablab-like problems (eg, measuring stress using a webcam, etc). In addition, students will work on a project spanning the entire duration of the module (half a day per week).

There are no prerequisites, except some familiarity with computers and data analysis. Students are expected to learn about fundamental notions of cognitive science as it is relevant for cognitive engineering applications, and to acquire experience in setting up a collaborative interdisciplinary project in this area.