Federal Project Grant Award Summary

West Virginia University Research Corporation received a $409,667 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Computing and Communication Foundations under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.070) program, effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031. This CAREER award funds research to develop a framework for calibrating human trust in artificial intelligence (AI) systems used in high-stakes healthcare decision-making environments, including emergency care and intensive care units. The project delivers a mathematical model representing trust as a dynamic internal state, real-time machine learning algorithms that estimate user trust states using behavioral and physiological data (eye movements and brain activity), and targeted interface feedback strategies designed to align clinician reliance on AI recommendations with system reliability. Research outputs include controlled simulation studies with clinician participants, validated models of human-AI interaction dynamics, and open-source data and resources for future human-centered AI research.

The award integrates education and research by engaging students in simulation-based learning and providing training in human-centered AI design. Products generated through this funding will advance clinician decision quality and patient safety by enabling more appropriate use of AI support systems, while contributing empirical evidence and methodologies to the broader field of human factors in AI-assisted healthcare and decision-making contexts.