(PRLEAP.COM) Cambridge, Chemnitz (Germany), 17 July 2005. Prof. Dr. Birgit Spanner-Ulmer of Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany) is the leading female engineering professor in the male dominated world of car and product design. The newly created Usability Lab with 38 staff is highly sought after and of growing importance as it investigates the user friendliness of increasingly complex devices like cars, mobile phones and electro domestic products, which many users don’t find friendly anymore. This month the lab is moved into new, purpose build US$1.5 million (EU€ 1.2 million) premises at the University. In parallel, a new global scientific "Usability and Ergonomics" community starts at http://www.academici.com/net/usability/, where specialists are invited to network, discuss and exchange ideas, prepare and announce conferences, call for scientific papers and help make technical devices usable. Prof. Spanner-Ulmer previously worked for the car maker Audi, world renown for its superb design and user friendliness. To enhance its product design, Audi donated a brand new A8 to the lab.

Prof. Dr. Markus Vinzent of the University of Birmingham and Director of academici states: “When industry advertises devices as user friendly they tend to be as friendly to use as my easy ironing shirts are “easy to iron” – or not at all”. Academici is delighted to welcome the usability icon Prof. Spanner-Ulmer and the "Usability and Ergonomics" specialist community on academici.

The academic online network’s aim is to improve the global communication in research and higher education and between universities and industry. According to Klaas Brumann, Head of International Communication at http://www.academici.ac: “the usability lab, which researches for many car and consumer goods companies is well ahead in turning academic research into tangible benefits for industry and consumers alike”.

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Note to editors about academici Ltd.

academici Ltd is a privately funded company registered in England & Wales. It operates an online interactive network for academics/business, improving communication across disciplines and across borders. The platform also offers links and forums with a number of free services useful to research and higher education at http://www.academici.ac.

Basic membership to academici is free. For you as an opportunity to test the features of the first release of academici, please feel free to use academici with this invitation link:
http://www.academici.com/go/invuid/ContactHub_Press.
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For Academici Ltd:
Prof. Dr. Markus Vinzent, Managing Director
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Birmingham, B13 9RX UK
http://www.academici.com/hp/Markus_Vinzent/
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For the Technische Universität Chemnitz
Prof. Dr. Birgit Spanner-Ulmer, Professor of Human Factors and Work Design
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D-09107 Chemnitz, Germany
http://www.academici.com/hp/Birgit_SpannerUlmer/
Tel. +49 (0) 3715 315308


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Keywords: Usability, ergonomics, product design, human factor, production design, car design, Audi, woman in the car industry, mobile phones, electronic devices, user interface, user friendliness, University of Technology, usability lab, engineering, Academici, scientific community.