NEWSBRIEFS February 2026 The global IEA community is hard at work organising many exciting events, including conferences and webinars, in 2026. Keep up to date with the latest events and news to ensure that your 2026 is filled with all things HFE. In this edition, the ‘Announcements’ section shares some exciting HFE news. The ‘Upcoming Events’ section includes information on several HFE events and conferences taking place in 2026. In the Spotlight on IEA Technical Committees feature, we showcase the Human System Integration TC and the compelling work they are doing to better understand and enhance human system interactions in complex environments. As always, we appreciate the ongoing support and commitment of the global IEA community to share updates that will be of interest to our community. Please continue to share news and updates with us newsbriefs@iea.cc. ANNOUNCEMENTS Webinar in Costa Rica on ergonomics and human factors The IEA President, Andrew Thatcher, gave an online presentation to the Occupational Health Council, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, and the Occupational Health and Environment Engineering degree program of the National Technical University in Costa Rica on Thursday, 26 February 2026. The title of the webinar was "Ergonomics and human factors from the perspective of the International Ergonomics Association." The session was very well attended with more than 220 attendees. The interest in ergonomics and human factors is particularly encouraging given that Costa Rica is looking to develop its own Masters' programme in ergonomics and human factors and perhaps its own society. First IEA virtual Council gathering of 2026 on 5 March (two alternate times) The next Virtual IEA Council Gathering of 2026 will take place on 5 March with two 90 minute sessions planned (0700 and 1600 UTC) to accommodate participation from around the world. This is the third day web-based gathering to support informal sharing amongst representatives of Member Societies, Networks, and Sustaining members of IEA led by the IEA President Andrew Thatcher and supported by Executive Committee members. During this March Gathering will focus on the question: “What can IEA do that a federated society can’t do on its own in this global challenging environment?” To support these discussions, Andrew Thatcher start with a reminder of IEA's mission and goals. Dr Shengli Niu of the Occupational Safety and Health and Working Environment Branch of the International Labour Organization (ILO) will then present that organization’s work and collaboration with IEA on HFE matters. Member Society representatives, Network representatives, Sustaining members and Executive Committee members will then share in break-out groups, with a final sharing period to complete the gathering. All IEA Council Representatives, (from Federated and Affiliated Societies and Networks), Executive Committee members and Sustaining Members are invited. Watch for the invitation to indicate your intention to attend and the link to these Zoom gatherings by email. News from group on standardization – TC 159/SC4 part 1 ISO TC159/SC4 (Subcommittee 4: Human-System Interaction) was established in 1983 and currently has nine working groups (WGs). The secretariat of this SC is the BSI (British Standards Institute), Convener is Jonathan V. Earthy and committee manager is Andrew Barrett. The last plenary meeting (40th) was held on 19th to 21th of November, 2025 virtually. Dr. Armet Cakir retired as WG3 convener and Dr. Levent Caglar became a new convener. The scope of SC4: Standardization in the field of ergonomics/human factors, in particular the interaction between and within systems (often computer-based) and the people (who use, operate, and are affected by them as well as those who develop, manufacture, evaluate, install and maintain them). Areas of standardization include: hardware ergonomics (including input, display, and interactive devices), software ergonomics (including interaction and interface design), ergonomics of the context of use (including tasks, environments, and workplaces), and human-centred design processes and methods (including usability engineering, accessible design, and participative design methods). SC4 has more working groups than other SCs, with a total of 10 active working and study groups. This month, we will focus on the activities of WG2. We will also be introducing the remaining eight WGs and SGs in separate NewsBriefs beginning next month onwards. 1) Working Group 2 “Visual display requirements” Scope: The standardization of the ergonomics/human factors of human-system interaction for electronic visual displays, to prepare standards concerning terminology, visual ergonomics requirements, optical laboratory test methods, user performance test methods, field assessment methods, analysis and compliance test methods for electronic visual displays, and to issue technical reports relevant to the above area. Convener: Dr. Hiroyasu Ujike Secretary: JISC (Dr. Hiroyasu Ujike (JISC) and Mr. Ju-youn KWON(NEN)) Current main topics: - ISO/PWI 9241-381: Inter-ocular optical properties of head-mounted displays related to human-system interaction
- ISO/AWI 9241-383: Physical parameters of head-mounted displays for optimal user interaction
Join the Ergonomics and Manufacturing Technical Committee The IEA is reactivating and reorganizing the Ergonomics and Manufacturing Technical Committee and is currently seeking new members. The committee had been temporarily inactive and is now being relaunched. This committee leads efforts to ensure that manufacturing systems—from workstation and tool design to robotics integration, production planning, and supply chain operations—are optimized for safety, efficiency, quality, and worker well-being. We welcome ergonomists, human factors specialists, engineers, researchers, safety professionals, operations managers, and industry practitioners committed to advancing human-centered manufacturing. As a member, you will contribute to key objectives, including: - Promoting the integration of ergonomics principles into the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing systems and technologies.
- Identifying and addressing critical human factors challenges in areas such as automation, human–robot collaboration, manual materials handling, cognitive workload, and Industry 4.0 environments.
- Fostering collaboration among ergonomists, manufacturers, regulators, technology developers, and workers to advance human-centered standards and best practices.
- Supporting the IEA community through technical initiatives, knowledge exchange such as webinars, and contributions to relevant tracks at the IEA Triennial Congress.
- This is a valuable opportunity to connect with global experts, influence industry practices, and contribute to safer, more productive, and sustainable manufacturing systems worldwide.
How to Join:
If you are passionate about ergonomics in manufacturing, we welcome your expertise. Please express your interest and briefly outline your relevant background by emailing stpchair@iea.cc IEA Fellow Award Applications open: Deadline 30 April 2026 The call for nominations for the 2026 IEA Fellow Awards is currently open. The IEA Fellow Award is given to recognize extraordinary or sustained, superior accomplishments of an individual. To be considered for the IEA Fellow Award, the candidate must have been a Full Member in good standing of a Federated or Affiliated Ergonomics Society for at least the preceding 10 years, and the candidate must have served the ergonomics community at an international level. In addition, the candidate's distinction as a Human Factors/Ergonomics professional must be demonstrated. Please nominate deserving colleagues by 30 April 2026. Download the application here: https://iea.cc/awards/fellowship-of-the-iea/ Exciting news about IEA2027! The Chartered Institute Ergonomics and Human Factors is excited to share the venue for IEA2027 in London. The next IEA Congress will take place at Excel London from the 23rd to the 25th of August 2027. We are excited to share some important dates for this event: Bookings open on 29 April 2026 Call for papers opens on 1 July 2026 Be the first to hear news about the congress! Start by scanning the QR code: |