Theodore J. Rosenthal

Program Manager for STISIM Drive® Driving Simulator

Chief Technologist

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, 1984

M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, 1990

Mr. Rosenthal joined STI in 1984 and although he came to STI with a background in aerospace, he quickly made the transition into research dealing primarily with ground vehicles and their drivers. Aspects of this research led him into the areas of computer programming, hardware implementation, ground vehicle dynamics, human factors, and clinical studies. Based on these areas of expertise Mr. Rosenthal was heavily involved in the development of STI’s Vehicle Dynamic Analysis Non-Linear (VDANL) software that is used to simulate ground vehicle dynamic performance up to and including limit maneuvers such as spin outs and rollovers.

The development of VDANL was expanded and led to the development of a fully interactive, personal computer based, driver in the loop simulator, STISIM. Mr. Rosenthal currently serves as the Technical Director and lead programmer for STISIM Drive® STI’s current version of the driving simulator. During his more than 25 years at STI, Mr. Rosenthal has also developed software packages for ground vehicle tripped rollover analysis, linear system modeling, real-time data acquisition and analysis, psychomotor performance testing, and other packages. Research that he has been involved with covers a wide and diverse range of topics including pharmaceutical studies; assessment and rehabilitation of cognitively and physically impaired people; hepatic encephalopathy; sleep and fatigue; alcohol; radar warning systems and cockpit displays; highway safety design; tire, vehicle and driver modeling; helicopter cross-coupling and more.

Honors and Awards:

• Sigma Gamma Tau, National Aerospace Engineering Honor Society
• Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society

Selected Bibliography

G. D. Park, R. W. Allen, and T. J. Rosenthal, “Flexible and Real-time Scenario Building for Experimental Driving Simulation Studies,” presented at CHI 2011, Palo Alto, CA, February 13-16, 2011. (STI-P-756)

R. W. Allen, T. J. Rosenthal, and M. L. Cook, “A Short History of Driving Simulation,” in Handbook of Driving Simulation for Engineering, Medicine, and Psychology, D. Fisher, Ed.: Taylor and Francis, 2010, pp. Chapter 2. (STI-P-737)

G. D. Park, J. C. Ware, J. F. May, T. J. Rosenthal, M. R. Guibert, and R. W. Allen, “The effects of sleep deprivation on simulator driving as compared with other psychomotor tests,” presented at 4th International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training and Vehicle Design, Stevenson, WA, July 9-12, 2007. (STI-P-687)

T. D. Marcotte, Ph.D., T. J. Rosenthal, E. Roberts, J. C. Scott, R. Meyer, and R. W. Allen, “Driving Simulator Performance Across the Lifespan:  A Preliminary Study,” presented at 4th International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training, and Vehicle Design, Stevenson, WA, July 9-12, 2007. (STI-P-692)

G. D. Park, M. L. Cook, T. J. Rosenthal, D. D. Fiorentino, and R. W. Allen, “Simulator Assessment of Older Driver Proficiency,” Advances in Transportation Studies An International Journal, Special Issue, pp. 75-86, 2006. (STI-P-688)

S. L. Nyberg, J. P. Bida, F. T. B. Enders, M. M. Mitchell, M. Shimota, T. J. Rosenthal, W. K. Kremers, and C. A. Stewart, “Cognitive Impairment Predicts Difficulty Driving:  A Pilot Study Using HEADS (Hepatic Encephalopathy Assessment Driving Simulator),” Liver Transplantation, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. C-7, 2006. (STI-P-670)

T. D. Marcotte, Ph.D., T. J. Rosenthal, J. Corey-Bloom, E. Roberts, S. Lampinen, and R. W. Allen, “The Contribution of Cognition and Spasticity to Driving Performance in Multiple Sclerosis,” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, no., 2005. (STI-P-657)

E. B. Stern, E. Schold-Davis, W. K. Durfee, T. J. Rosenthal, and J. Wachtel, “Discriminating between brain injured and non-disabled persons: a PC-based interactive driving simulator pilot project,” Advances in Transportation Studies An International Journal, Special Issue, 2004. (STI-P-650)

T. D. Marcotte, Ph.D., T. Wolfson, T. J. Rosenthal, R. K. Heaton, R. Gonzalez, R. J. Ellis, and I. Grant, “A Multimodal Assessment of Driving Performance in HIV Infection,” Journal of Neurology, vol. 63, no. October, pp. 1417-1422, 2004. (STI-P-645)

T. D. Marcotte, Ph.D., J. C. Scott, D. Lazzaretto, M.S., and T. J. Rosenthal, “Long Term Stability of Standard Deviation of Lateral Position in Neurocognitively Normal and Impaired Individuals,” Advances in Transportation Studies An International Journal, Special Issue, pp. 57-65, 2004. (STI-P-651)

T. J. Rosenthal, R. W. Allen, J. P. Chrstos, Ph.D., and B. L. Aponso, “A Driving Simulator for Testing the Visibility and Conspicuity of Highway Designs and Traffic Control Device Placement,” presented at TRB Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 2003. (STI-P-618)

T. D. Marcotte, Ph.D., E. Roberts, T. J. Rosenthal, R. K. Heaton, H. Bentley, and I. Grant, “Test-Retest Reliability of Standard Deviation of Lane Position as Assessed on a PC Based Driving Simulator,” presented at 2nd International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training and Vehicle Design, Park City, Utah, July 21-24, 2003. (STI-P-622)

R. W. Allen, T. J. Rosenthal, G. D. Park, M. L. Cook, D. D. Fiorentino, and E. Viirre, “Experience with a Low Cost, PC Based System for Young Driver Training,” in Driver Behaviour and Training, vol. I, L. Dorn, Ed. Hampshire, UK: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2003. (STI-P-614)

R. W. Allen, D. H. Klyde, T. J. Rosenthal, and D. M. Smith, “Estimation of Passenger Vehicle Inertial Properties and their Effect on Stability and Handling,” Journal of Passenger Cars - Mechanical Systems, vol. 112, no., 2003. (SAE 2003-01-0966, STI-P-600)

E. B. Stern, J. Wachtel, W. K. Durfee, T. J. Rosenthal, and E. Schold-Davis, “Low-Cost Simulation as a Tool to Assess the Driving Ability of Persons with Cognitive Impairments from Brain Injury,” in Contemporary Ergonomics 2002, P. T. McCabe, Ed. London: Taylor and Francis, 2002. (STI-P-624)

R. W. Allen, J. P. Chrstos, Ph.D., J. G. Howe, D. H. Klyde, and T. J. Rosenthal, “Validation of a Non-Linear Vehicle Dynamics Simulation for Limit Handling,” Journal of Automobile Engineering, Special Issue on Vehicle Dynamics, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, vol. 216, no. D4, pp. 319-327, 2002. (STI-P-598)

R. W. Allen, T. T. Myers, T. J. Rosenthal, and D. H. Klyde, “The Effect of Tire Characteristics on Vehicle Handling and Stability,” SAE Transactions Journal of Passenger Car - Mechanical Systems, vol. 109, no., 2000. (SAE 2000-01-0698, STI-P-563)

R. W. Allen, T. J. Rosenthal, D. H. Klyde, and J. R. Hogue, “Computer Simulation Analysis of Light Vehicle Lateral/Directional Dynamic Stability,” 1999 Transactions, Journal of Passenger Cars Section 6, vol. 108, no., pp. 482-497, 1999. (SAE 1999-01-0124, STI-P-552)

R. W. Allen, T. J. Rosenthal, and J. P. Chrstos, Ph.D., “A Vehicle Dynamics Tire Model for Both Pavement and Off-Road Conditions,” presented at SAE International Congress & Exposition, Detroit, MI, February 24-27, 1997. (SAE 970559, STI-P-532)

R. W. Allen, T. J. Rosenthal, B. L. Aponso, D. H. Klyde, F. G. Anderson, and J. P. Chrstos, Ph.D., “A Low Cost PC Based Driving Simulator for Prototyping and Hardware-In-The-Loop Applications,” presented at SAE International Congress & Exposition, Cobo Center, Detroit, MI, February 23-26, 1997. (SAE 980222, STI-P-541)

R. W. Allen, Z. Parseghian, S. Kelly, and T. J. Rosenthal, “An Experimental Study of Driver Alertness Monitoring,” NHTSA Office of Crash Avoidance Research, STI-P-508, September 1994.

R. W. Allen and T. J. Rosenthal, “A Computer Simulation Analysis of Safety Critical Maneuvers for Assessing Ground Vehicle Dynamic Stability,” presented at 1993 SAE International Congress & Exposition, Detroit, MI, March 1-5 1993. (SAE 930760, STI-P-487)

R. W. Allen, D. Ziedman, T. J. Rosenthal, A. C. Stein, J. F. Torres, and A. Halati, “A Human Factors Simulation Investigation of Driver Route Diversion and Alternate Route Selection Using In-Vehicle Navigation Systems,” presented at SAE Vehicle Navigation and Information Systems, Dearborn, MI, October 20-23, 1991. (SAE 912731, STI-P-471)

R. W. Allen, H. T. Szostak, D. H. Klyde, T. J. Rosenthal, and K. J. Owens, “Vehicle Dynamic Stability and Rollover,” Systems Technology, Inc., Hawthorne, Final Report, DOT-HS-807-956, STI-TR-1268-01, September 1991.

R. W. Allen, A. C. Stein, D. Ziedman, T. J. Rosenthal, J. F. Torres, and A. Halati, “A Human Factors Study of Driver Reaction to In-Vehicle Navigation Systems,” presented at 1991 SAE Future Transportation Technology Conference, Portland, OR, August 5-8 1991. (SAE 911680, STI-P-469)

R. W. Allen, A. C. Stein, B. L. Aponso, T. J. Rosenthal, and J. R. Hogue, “A Low Cost, Part Task Driving Simulator Based on Microcomputer Technology,” Transportation Research Record, no. 1270, pp. 107-113, 1990. (TRB 890669, STI-P-438)

R. W. Allen, H. T. Szostak, T. J. Rosenthal, and D. H. Klyde, “Steady State and Dynamic Properties of All Terrain Vehicles Related to Lateral/Directional Handling and Stability,” presented at SAE Government & Industry Meeting, Washington, D.C., May 2-4 1989. (SAE 891105, STI-P-435)

R. W. Allen, J. R. Hogue, T. J. Rosenthal, and Z. Parseghian, “A Data Acquisition and Analysis System Based on a Lap-Top Computer,” presented at Transportation Research Board, TRB/A3B06 Midyear Meeting, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., Hopkinton, MA, June 1989. (TRB No. 1213, STI-P-423)

R. W. Allen, H. T. Szostak, T. J. Rosenthal, and D. E. Johnston, “Test Methods and Computer Modeling for the Analysis of Ground Vehicle Handling,” presented at West Coast International Meeting, Sheraton Universal City Hotel, Universal City, CA, August 4-7 1986. (SAE 861115, STI-P-388)