$16M+
Research funding
Federal and industry sponsors fund britelab's work across human-AI interaction, medical simulation, engineering design, and intelligent built environments.
See funded projects
We start with problems people actually have and build the solution with the people who'll use it.
We study how people work with emerging technology, and turn federally funded research into tools that train clinicians, shape buildings, and support learning.
Explore Our ResearchResearch that changes how people learn, decide, and build
britelab (Bridging Research in Innovation, Technology & Engineering) studies how people work with emerging technology, and builds tools that help them do it better.
We start with problems people actually have, in medicine, the built environment, and education, and we design solutions with the people who will use them. Our work in AI, virtual and augmented reality, robotics, and simulation is funded by NSF, NIH, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. State Department, and it is built to leave the lab. Our simulation research has trained nearly 1,000 medical residents, reduced errors by as much as 46%, and launched a company, Medulate®.
The goal is simple: turn federal research investment into a safer, more capable workforce and a better-built world.
Why britelab
“britelab has given me the opportunity to take ownership of my own research while working through real, open-ended engineering design challenges.”
Areas of Expertise
Our Research Pillars
Featured story · Commercialization
From NIH-funded research to Medulate®
- More than a decade of NIH-funded research on medical simulation.
- Patented haptic simulation technology.
- Clinical results showing up to 46% error reduction.
- A spinout company, Medulate®, bringing the technology to clinical training.
1,000+
Residents trained
Residents practice central line placement on the lab's simulators and receive objective feedback before they reach the patient.
Central Line Simulation project46%
Fewer medical errors
Clinical results show simulator training reduces errors by up to 46%.
See the research230+
Peer-reviewed publications
The lab's findings are published in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
Browse publications4
Patents
Patented haptic simulation technology came out of the lab's medical training research.
1
Startup company
Medulate® carries the lab's simulation research to hospitals and training programs.
Visit Medulate
Lab Director
Led by Scarlett Miller, Ph.D.
- Advanced Realty Investors Director, Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation
- Paul Morrow Professor of Engineering Design & Manufacturing
- Founder & CEO, Medulate®
Director, britelab · Penn State
Expertise
Human-Centered AIEngineering DesignHuman FactorsSimulationVR/AR
Insights + Impact
Latest Insights
Evidence-based perspectives on people and emerging technology.
Research Announcement
$3.7M NIH grant to further improve patient safety in central line placements
A five-year NIH grant will advance personalized simulation and automated feedback to help medical residents place central lines more safely.
Photo: Penn State College of Engineering / Penn State
Penn State News · Oct 15, 2026Read
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Research Insight · Human–AI Interaction
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