This course covers the general principles of human factors, or ergonomics as it is sometimes called. Human Factors (HF) is an interdisciplinary approach for dealing with issues related to people in systems. It focuses on consideration of the characteristics of human beings in the design of systems and devices of all kinds. It is concerned with the assignment of appropriate functions for humans and machines, whether the people serve as operators, maintainers, or users of the system or device. The goal of HF is to achieve compatibility in the design of interactive systems of people, machines, and environments to ensure their effectiveness, safety and ease of use.