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About

Hannah Brendel is a leading voice in the human-centered design of advanced manufacturing systems, with her work squarely at the intersection of cognitive ergonomics, psychological well-being, and technology integration. Her research addresses a critical gap in the Industry 4.0 and 5.0 paradigms: while automation and collaborative robotics promise efficiency, they often undermine worker motivation, job satisfaction, and organizational culture. Brendel’s major contribution is the development of actionable, evidence-based design guidelines that prioritize the human operator. Her most influential work, “Evaluating Organizational Guidelines for Enhancing Psychological Well-Being, Safety, and Performance in Technology Integration” (2023), has garnered 44 citations, establishing a framework for managing the psychosocial impact of technological transitions. She further solidified this foundation with “Updating design guidelines for cognitive ergonomics in human-centred collaborative robotics applications” (2024, 43 citations), which refines these principles through expert consensus. By championing cognitive ergonomics—a field often neglected in favor of physical safety—Brendel is reshaping how industries design for human-robot collaboration, ensuring that productivity gains do not come at the cost of worker well-being. Her work is essential reading for anyone designing the factories of the future.