Design Research Tools for the Physical World In 2008 Rob presented an overview of the latest in digital user research technology, including the FieldCREW tablet concept. This year he is back to discuss tools and techniques to capture physical behavior, which is essential for the design of gestural, interactive devices.  The presentation includes: * An introduction to “observational ergonomics” so researchers can qualitatively identify design problems and opportunities * Demonstrations and reviews of the latest tech tools for conducting user research, including tactile sensing and wireless information tagging BIO Rob Tannen, PhD, is Director of User Research & Interaction Design at Bresslergroup (www.bresslergroup.com), an award-winning product design and development firm. He specializes in design research, human factors and interface design for consumer, commercial and medical products. Rob has provided design research expertise to a range of organizations including Black & Decker, Becton Dickinson, Kodak, Microsoft and the New York Stock Exchange. He has previously held positions at Electronic Ink, Siemens Medical Solutions and the Air Force Research Laboratory. He is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE). Rob created the Designing for Humans (www.designingforhumans.com) blog, focusing on methods and technology related to user research. He is a frequent contributor to FastCompany.com ( and other design-related publications. You can follow Rob on Twitter -