Date: March 2003

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Faculty Activities Summary

 

Name: Thomas Schnell                                                           

 

Academic Rank and Date Appointed (Mo/Yr): Assistant Professor (8/1998)

 

Date of First University of Iowa Appointment (Mo/Yr): 8/98

 

Department(s): Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

 

Office Address:          2135 Seamans Center                          Office Phone:(319) 384 0811

                                    Iowa City, IA 52242-1527

Home Address:          5 Wildberry Lane                                 Home Phone: (319) 466 0910

                                    Iowa City, Iowa 52240

 

Highest Academic Degree: Ph.D.

 

Special Fields of Knowledge:     Human Factors and Ergonomics, driver visibility, driver eye scanning,   visibility modeling, photometry, safety, risk taking, instrumented vehicles, aviation research, alternate control techniques, older driver performance motorist workload, synthetic and enhanced vision, situation awareness, aviation human factors

 

Present Research Interests:      Synthetic Vision and Enhanced Vision for Aircraft, Nighttime visibility, pavement marking visibility, older driver visibility, workload assessment, measurement of operator characteristics, traffic flow modeling, situation awareness, visibility and legibility of traffic signs, pedestrian visibility and safety, assessment of workload with physiological measurements.

 

Academic Background

 

Institution                                  Dates Attended                        Major               Degree             Date Awarded

 

Ohio University             6/94 – 6/98                              IE                     Ph.D.                           6/98

Ohio University             8/92 – 6/94                              IE                     M.S.                            6/94

Univ. of Applied Sciences         8/87 – 4/92                              EE                    B.S. Dipl.                     4/92

  Bern, Switzerland

           


           

Professional Background

 

Academic

 

University                                 Position                                    Dates                           Main Courses Taught

 

The University of Iowa  Assistant Prof.                          8/98 – current              56:163 Qual. Engr.

                                                                                                                                    56:140 Ergo. Design

                                                                                                                                    56:240 Human Perform.

                                                                                                                                    56:147 Human Factors II

                                                                                                                                    56:162 Quality Control

                                                                                                                                    56:244 HF in Transp.

                                                                                                                                    56:245 Assessing Visual

Performance

                                                                                                                                    56:160 Op. Systems Des.

                                                                                                                                    56:191 Graduate Seminar

Ohio University             Research Engineer                    2/94 – 1/99                  Human Factors

Ohio University             Research Assoc.                       8/92 – 2/94                  Human Factors Asst.

Univ. of Applied Sciences         Lecturer                                   12/2/96 – 12/14/96      Human Factors

   Bern, Switzerland

                                                                                                12/1/97 – 12/13/97      Human Factors

 

           

Industrial

 

Company                                 Position                                    Dates

 

Rockwell Collins                       Human Factors Consultant        6/01-Present
APP Informatik AG                  Software Consultant                 1/90 – 8/92

Ascom Bern                             Software Designer                    6/88 – 1/90

Ascom Bern                             Electronics Designer                 4/87 – 6/88

Ascom Bern                             Electronic Apprentice               4/83 – 4/87

 

 

Other

 

   Company

Firm, Agency                            Position                                                Dates

 

 

Professional Activities

 

Scientific and Professional Societies

(Give grade of membership. List committee memberships, chairmanships, or offices held   with inclusive dates)

 

1.      Member of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), 2002-Present

2.      Chairman of the Roadsign Technical Committee (TC 4-38) of the International Committee on Illumination (CIE) Division 4, Lighting and Signaling for Transport, 2/99 - current

3.      Member of the International Committee on Illumination (CIE) Division 1, Vision and Color 12/98 - current

4.      Member of the International Committee on Illumination (CIE) Division 4 Lighting and Signaling for Transport,  12/98 – current

5.      Member of the Transportation Research Board Simulation and Measurement Committee A3B06, 1997 – present

6.      Member of the Transportation Research Board Simulation and Measurement Committee A3B06, 1997 – present

7.      Member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 1992 – present

8.      Member of Iowa Traffic Control and Safety Association

 

 

Honors, Prices, Awards (Provide year of award)                   

                       

1992    Ascom Prize, Award for the highest GPA and the best of class on 1992 in the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Institute of Technology, Bern, Switzerland, 1992

                        1999    Old Gold Summer Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

                        1999    3M Traffic Control Materials Division, Faculty Award

                        2001    Old Gold Summer Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

                        2002    Best paper of session and of Track, Authors: Sohel Merchant , Yongjin Kwon, Tom Schnell, Tim Etherington, Tom Vogl, “Evaluation Of Synthetic Vision Information System (SVIS) Displays Based On Pilot Performance”, In Proceedings of the 20th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, October 14-18, Daytona Beach, 2001

 

 

 

Articles in technical journals with rigorous review procedures. (Include notes, discussions, letters to editor, etc., which are published in such journals and those articles or chapters in a meeting’s printed record if that record utilizes review procedures equivalent to those for archive journals.)

 

1.      Schnell T., Aktan F., “Driver Looking Behavior in School Zones with Fluorescent Yellow Green and Normal Yellow Signs”, Paper manuscript submitted for review and subsequent publication to the Human Factors Journal, August, 2002

 

2.      Schnell T., Etherington T., “Evaluation of Synthetic Vision Information Systems in the Simulator and in a Flight Test”, Manuscript submitted for review and subsequent publication in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, AIAA, 2002

 

3.      Schnell T., Kwon J., Merchant S., Etherington, T., Vogl, T., “Reduced Workload and Improved Situation Awareness in Flight Decks Equipped with Synthetic Vision Information System Displays”, Manuscript submitted to the International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 2002

 

4.      Schnell T., Aktan F., Lee Y., “Nighttime Visibility and Retroreflectance of Pavement Markings under Dry, Wet, and Rainy Conditions”, Paper submitted for review to the Transportation Research Board for presentation at the 82nd Annual Meeting and subsequent publication in the Transportation Research Record, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2002

 

5.      Zwahlen, H.T., Russ A., Schnell T., “Driver Eye Scanning Behavior While Viewing Ground-Mounted Diagrammatic Guide Signs before Entrance Ramps at Night”, Paper submitted for review to the Transportation Research Board for presentation at the 82nd Annual Meeting and subsequent publication in the Transportation Research Record, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2002

 

6.      Zwahlen, H.T., Russ A., Roth J., Schnell T., “Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Ground-Mounted Diagrammatic Advance Guide Signs For Freeway Entrance Ramps”, Paper submitted for review to the Transportation Research Board for presentation at the 82nd Annual Meeting and subsequent publication in the Transportation Research Record, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2002

 

7.      Schnell T., Mohror, J., Aktan F., “Evaluation Of Traffic Flow Analysis Tools Applied To Work Zones Based On Flow Data Collected In The Field”, Transportation Research Record 1811, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2002

 

8.      Schnell T., Zwahlen HT, Kwon Y., “Optimal Synthesis of Uppercase Text in Traffic Signs Using a Numerical Approach to Enhance Legibility in Nighttime Driving Conditions”, Manuscript Submitted for Review in the Human Factors Journal, 2001

 

9.      Zwahlen, HT, Schnell, T, Donahue T, Hodson N,  Johnson N, “Influence of Pavement Marking Angular Systems on Visibility Predictions Using Computer Models”, Transportation Research Record 1754, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2001

 

10.  Schnell, T., Bentley, K., Hayes, E., and Rick, M., “Legibility Distances of Fluorescent Traffic Signs and Their Normal Color Counterparts”, Transportation Research Record 1754, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2001

 

11.  Schnell, T., Aktan, F., McGehee, D.V., Dvorak, M., Hunt, J., Reyes, A., Sorak, D., “Pedestrian Visibility under Automobile Lowbeam Headlight Illumination, with and without Headlight Covers”, Transportation Research Record 1773, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2001

 

12.  Schnell, T., and Zwahlen, H.T., “Computer Based Modeling to Determine the Visibility and Retroreflectivity of Pavement Markings", 79th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, Preprint 001553, Transportation Research Record 1708, 2000

 

13.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Minimum In-Service Retroreflectivity of Pavement Markings", 79th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, Preprint 001479, Transportation Research Record 1715, 2000

 

14.  Allen, R.W., Francher, P.S., Levison, W.H.., Machey, J., Mourant, R.R., Schnell, T., Srinivasan, R., “Simulation and Measurement of Driver and Vehicle Performance”, Transportation in the new Millennium, Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 2000

 

15.  Schnell, T., and Zwahlen, H.T., “Driver Preview Distances at Night Based on Driver Eye Scanning Recordings as a Function of Pavement Marking Retroreflectivities”, Transportation Research Record 1692, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

16.  Schnell, Thomas and Zwahlen Helmut T. 1999. “Reflective Properties of Selected Road Surfaces for Automobile Headlamp Geometry”, Preprint 991510, Transportation Research Record 1657, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

17.  Zwahlen, H.T., and Schnell, T., “Visual Target Detection Models for Civil Twilight and Night Driving Conditions”, Preprint 991545, Transportation Research Record 1692, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

18.  Zwahlen, H.T., and Schnell, T., “Evaluation of Two New Crossbuck Designs for Passive Highway Railroad Grade Crossings”, Preprint 991067, Transportation Research Record 1692, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

19.  Zwahlen, H.T., and Schnell, T., “Driver-Headlamp Dimensions, Driver Characteristics, and Vehicle and Environmental Factors in Retroreflective Target Visibility Calculations”, Transportation Research Record 1692, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

20.  Zwahlen, H.T., Schnell, T., and Miescher, S., “Recognition Distances of Different Pavement Arrow Designs During Daytime and Nighttime, Preprint 980284, Transportation Research Record 1692, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

21.  Zwahlen, H.T., and Schnell, T., “Legibility of Traffic Sign Text and Symbols”, Transportation Research Record 1692, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

22.  Zwahlen, H.T., and Schnell, T., “The Visibility of Road Markings as a Function of Age and Retro-Reflectivity under Low-Beam and High-Beam Illumination at Night”, Preprint 980285, Transportation Research Record 1692, Transportation Research Record, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1999

 

23.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., “Visual Detection and Recognition of Fluorescent Color Targets Versus Non-fluorescent Color Targets as a Function of Peripheral Viewing Angle and Target Size”, Transportation Research Record 1605, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1997

 

24.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., “Visibility of New Centerline and Edge Line Pavement Markings”, Preprint 971166, Transportation Research Record 1605, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1997

 

25.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., “Driver Eye Scanning Behavior at Night as a Function of Pavement Marking Configuration”, Preprint 971194, Transportation Research Record 1605, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC., 1997

 

26.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., “Visibility of New Dashed Yellow and White Center Stripes as a Function of Material Retro-Reflectivity”, Preprint 961268, Transportation Research Record 1553, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1996, pp. 74-81.

 

27.  Zwahlen, H. T., Hagiwara, T., and Schnell, T., “Visibility of New Yellow Center Stripes as a Function of Obliteration”, Preprint 950933, Research Record 1495, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1995, pp. 77-86.

 

28.  Zwahlen, H. T., Sunkara, M., and Schnell, T., “A Review of Legibility Relationships within the Context of Textual Information Presentation”, Preprint 950888, Transportation Research Record 1485, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1995, pp. 61-70.

 

29.  Zwahlen, H. T., Schnell, T., and Hagiwara, T., “The Effects of Lateral Separation Between Double Center Stripe Pavement Markings on Visibility Under Nighttime Driving Conditions”, Preprint 950994, Transportation Research Record 1495, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1995.

 

30.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., “Loss of Visibility Distance Due to Automobile Windshields at Night”, Transportation Research Record 1495, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1995, pp. 128-139.

 

31.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., “Visibility of New Pavement Markings at Night Under Low Beam Illumination”, Preprint 940840, Transportation Research Record 1495, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1995

 

32.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., “A Knowledge Based, PC Software Package for the Application and Placement of Curve Delineation Devices”, Preprint 940789, Transportation Research Record 1495, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1995, pp. 107-116.

 

Articles, chapters, abstracts, and summaries in research monographs, conference/symposium/congress proceedings, handbooks, etc. (Generally most articles published in the cited media. Also papers printed by a society as a preprint/reprint and not published in any other form.)

 

1.      Schnell T., Etherington T., Vogl T., Postnikov A., “Field Evaluation Of A Synthetic Vision Information System Onboard The NASA Aries 757 At Eagle County Regional Airport”, Prepared for proceedings of 21st Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Air Traffic Management for Commercial and Military Systems, Hyatt Regency, Irvine, California, 27-31 October 2002

 

2.      Lemos K., Schnell T., Etherington T., Gordon D. “'Bye-Bye Steam Gages, Welcome Glass'; A Review of New Display Technology for General Aviation Aircraft”, Prepared for proceedings of 21st Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Air Traffic Management for Commercial and Military Systems, Hyatt Regency, Irvine, California, 27-31 October 2002

 

3.      Schnell T., Etherington, T., “Synthetic Vision Information Systems, NASA Flight Tests at Eagle County Regional Airport”, Paper Presented at the 50th Annual Convention of the Experimental Aircraft Association, July 20th-29th, 2002, Oshkosh, Wisconsin

 

4.      Aktan F., Schnell T., Li C., “A Theoretical Approach For The Derivation Of Legibility Threshold Luminance Contrast Data For Road Sign Applications”, in Proceedings of the 16th Biennial Symposium on Visibility and Simulation, June 2-4, 2002, Iowa City, Iowa

 

5.      Aktan F., Schnell T., “A Web-Based Legibility Threshold And Road Sign Luminance Contrast Calculator For Nighttime Driving Conditions”, in Proceedings of the 16th Biennial Symposium on Visibility and Simulation, June 2-4, 2002, Iowa City, Iowa

 

6.      Schnell T., Etherington T., “Simulation And Field Testing Of A Synthetic Vision Information System For Commercial Flight Decks”, in Proceedings of the 16th Biennial Symposium on Visibility and Simulation, June 2-4, 2002, Iowa City, Iowa

 

7.      Schnell T., Ohme P., “Evaluation of Various Strategies to Increase Pavement Marking Visibility for Older Drivers”, In Proceedings of the 81st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2002

 

8.      Sohel Merchant , Yongjin Kwon, Tom Schnell, Tim Etherington, and Tom Vogl, “Evaluation Of Synthetic Vision Information System (SVIS) Displays Based On Pilot Performance”, In Proceedings of the 20th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, October 14-18, Daytona Beach, 2001

 

9.      Schnell, T., Ohme, P., Gulyuva, K.F., Donaubauer, C., Wiese, E., Derby, E., and Noelting D., “Driver Looking Behavior in School Zones with Fluorescent Yellow Green and Normal Yellow Signs”, In Proceedings of the 80th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 2001

 

10.  Aktan F., Schnell T., “The Development Of A Nighttime Driver Visibility Model For Ultra-Violet Activated Pavement Markings”, In Proceedings of the 2001 Progress in Automotive Lighting (PAL), Darmstadt, Germany, 2001

 

11.  Ohme P., Schnell T., “Is Wider Better ? Enhancing Pavement Marking Visibility for Older Drivers”, In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 45th Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, October, 2001

 

12.  Aktan F., Schnell T., “TARVIP, A PC Based Visibility Model for Normal and UV-Activated Pavement Markings”, In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 45th Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, October, 2001

 

13.  Merchant S., Schnell, T., Kwon Y., Assessing Pilot Performance In Flightdecks Equipped With Synthetic Vision Information System, in proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Aviation Psychology, March 2001.

 

14.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Detection of Negative Luminance Contrast Targets During Day And At Night Under Lowbeam Illumination”, Paper presented at the 2000 Visibility Symposium, Transportation Research Board, in Review, Washington, DC, 2000

 

15.  Schnell T., Merchant, S., “Classification of Uniformly Spaced Surface Colors into Thirteen US Traffic Sign Color Categories Under D65 and Illuminant A Conditions”, Paper Presented at the DfwG-Jahrestagung 2000, October 20, 2000, Technische Hochschule Darmstadt, Fachgebiet Lichttechnik

 

16.  Schnell, T., “On the Effectiveness of Fluorescent Yellow Green School Zone Signs”, Paper presented and published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology, September 4-7, 2000, Bern, Switzerland

 

17.  Merchant, S., Schnell, T., “Applying Eye Tracking as Alternative Approach for Activation of Controls and Functions in Aircraft”, In proceedings of the 19th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Entering the Second Century of Powered Flight, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 7-13 October 2000

 

18.  Schnell, T., Wu, T., “Applying Eye Tracking As Alternative Approach For Activation Of Controls And Functions In Aircraft”, in Proceedings of the HICS 2000, Fifth Annual Symposium on Human Interaction with Complex Systems, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, April 30 – May 2, 2000

 

19.  Schnell, T., and Zwahlen, H.T., “Legibility Threshold Contrast of Uppercase Text Seen Against a Dark Background”, in Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 43rd Annual Meeting, September 27 – October 1, Houston, TX, 1999, pp. 1338-42

 

20.  Schnell, T., and Zwahlen, H.T., “Visibility of Rectangular Targets as a Function of Length and Width”, in Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 43rd Annual Meeting, September 27 – October 1, Houston, TX, 1999, pp. 1367-71,

 

21.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Nighttime Photometric Measurements of Different Crossbuck Reflectorization Designs under Automobile Illumination at Night", Proceedings of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, 1998 Annual Conference,2nd Transportation Specialty Conference, Operation and Safety, 4c, 1998 , pp. 149-163.

 

22.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Driver Risk Taking Behavior at Passive Railroad Highway Grade Crossings as a Function of Different Crossbuck Designs", Proceedings of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, 1998 Annual Conference,2nd Transportation Specialty Conference, Operation and Safety, 4c, 1998 , pp. 133-147.

 

23.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Advances in Passive Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Protection: The Photometric Performance of the Buckeye Crossbuck", Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety, University of Tennessee Transportation Center and Southeastern Transportation Center, 1998.

 

24.  Wentz, C., and Schnell, T., "Human Factors Considerations of Aircraft Displays", Proceedings of the Advances in Aviation Safety Conference, SAE Aerospace, Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE Aerospace, 1, 1998.

 

25.  Schnell, T., and Zwahlen, H. T., "Accident Trends at Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings in Ohio", Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety, University of Tennessee Transportation Center and Southeastern Transportation Center, 1998.

 

26.  Schnell, T., and Zwahlen, H. T., "Driver Risk Taking Behavior Measurements at Passive Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings Equipped With New Crossbuck Designs", Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety, University of Tennessee Transportation Center and Southeastern Transportation Center, In print, 1998.

 

27.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Field Evaluation of Crossbuck Designs for Passive Railroad Crossings using Violations and Near Collisions Recorded with a Train Borne Video Recording System", Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Railroad Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety, University of Tennessee Transportation Center and Southeastern Transportation Center, Vol. 1, 1997, pp. 297-319.

 

28.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Target Visibility During Civil Twilight", Proceedings of the Symposium on Vision at Low Light Levels, Photopic, Mesopic, and Scotopic Vision, EPRI Lighting Research Office, Vol. 1, 1997 , pp. 171-196.

 

29.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Superior Traffic Sign, Pedestrian, Bicycle and Construction Worker Conspicuity Through the Use of Retro-Reflective Fluorescent Color Materials", Proceedings of the 13th Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, International Ergonomics Association, Vol. 6, 1997.

 

30.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Visibility of Pavement Markings at Night", Proceedings of the 13th Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, Vol. 6, 1997, pp. 445-447.

 

31.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Superior Traffic Sign, Pedestrian, Bicycle and Construction Worker Conspicuity Through the Use of Retro-Reflective Fluorescent Color Materials", Proceedings of the Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 1997.

 

32.  Zwahlen, H. T., and Schnell, T., "Visibility of Yellow Center Line Pavement Markings as a Function of Line Configuration and Line Width", Proceedings of the 40th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Vol. 2, 1996, pp. 919-922.

 

33.  Zwahlen, H. T., Pracharktam, T., and Schnell, T., "A Method to Assign            W