High school students gather around the MINDxAI Lab driving simulator during the 2025 ISE Summer Camp.
High school students explore driving safety in the MINDxAI Lab during the 2025 ISE Summer Camp.

On July 22, 2025, the MINDxAI Lab hosted 19 high school students for a hands-on Driving Simulator session during Human Factors Day at the University of Louisville's ISE Summer Camp.

The session explored how distraction can affect driving safety and introduced wearable sensors and AI technologies as tools for understanding driver state. Students experienced the challenges of staying focused behind the wheel while learning how human factors research can help make roads safer.

Four Roles, One Shared Driving Experience

Students took an active part in the demonstration through four roles:

  • Drivers got behind the wheel of the simulator to experience how distractions can make it harder to stay focused.
  • Passengers chatted and interacted with the driver, recreating the kinds of distractions that can arise when traveling with friends.
  • Traffic controllers changed traffic flow and weather conditions during the simulation, challenging drivers with unexpected situations.
  • Physiological-signal monitors watched live heart rate and skin conductance data to explore how stress and attention changed during driving.

By combining driving simulation, wearable technology, and an introduction to AI, the session gave students an opportunity to explore engineering research while building awareness of safe driving before earning their licenses.

Thank You to Our Lab Team

Special thanks to MINDxAI Lab members Yan Chen, Moajjem Hossain Chowdhury, and Udit Kumar Das for leading the demonstration with energy and creativity, and to the students for their enthusiastic participation.