Human Spaceflight

This experimental research on human input systems for commercial space transportation was conducted in a microgravity head down tilt cockpit simulator. Different input and control devices were evaluated in nominal and microgravity positions to test their effects on human task performance and neuro-ergonomics.

• Client: Federal Aviation Administration
• Categories: Bio-sensing / Research / Spaceflight

Student Telehealth

The interactions of AI systems in human-autonomy teams are designed to support user understanding, confidence, and trust. This research puts autonomy and trust-building techniques in a broader context of how the team should work to best meet the goals of the human user. The use of technology including AI and…

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Artificial Intelligence / Healthcare / Research

Research Methods

This course explores the principles and techniques of effective research methods for human-centered design. The instruction guides and develops students’ abilities to conduct research using quantitative and qualitative research methods. The class provides students with the opportunity to apply research topic selection, research question selection, hypothesis generation, experiment design, experiment…

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Education / Research / Training

Foraging for Flow

The most valuable asset of a 21st-century institution, whether business or nonbusiness, will be its knowledge workers and their productivity (Drucker, 1999). In this project, we conducted pilot interviews and an informal focus group with knowledge workers in order to: identify heuristics, biases, rituals, and habits that are adopted by knowledge workers; compare patterns and trends among groups of knowledge workers; generate user personas and anti-personas that are relevant to productivity multiplier tools; and, recommend knowledge work practices that yield high-quality outcomes, good health, and wellbeing.

• Client: Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute
• Categories: Bio-sensing / Research / Training

Choice Architecture

Human agents that are involved in work activities employ their attention and decision-making resources in exchange for experiences and rewards that may be physically, socially, economically, and emotionally valued. When the human agent attains the flow state during work, their perception of physical effort diminishes, and their perception of emotional rewards increases. In this work, we develop a computational model called the flow choice architecture, and simulate different approaches to policy-based utility-maximization using targeted choice recommendations. The results demonstrate a flow choice architecture that provides timely nudges to human agents in order to establish and maintain the flow state in a way that increases their productivity and sense of work accomplishment.

• Client: Cognitive Economics Society
• Categories: Artificial Intelligence / Bio-sensing / Research / Simulation

Deep Work Humanoid

High performance is desired in the workplace, even with swarms of robots on their way in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Our research focuses on the population of knowledge workers, who are typically expected to sit in one space for extended periods while performing deep, intellectual, and creative work. For those who work predominantly using computers, there is growing scope to augment task performance using artificial virtual agents. This trend is evident in the adoption of voice-based, and gesture-based applications that allow users to issue vocal or gestural commands while their hands are occupied on primary tasks. We propose the modeling of a smart motivational humanoid assistant that is personalized to interact with human users without explicit commands, and instead via wireless sensors that can perceive the operator’s brain activity. The humanoid engages with the human using effective nudges via neurofeedback.

• Client: Florida Conference on Recent Advances in Robotics
• Categories: Artificial Intelligence / Bio-sensing / Research / Robotics / Simulation

Design Thinking

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of design thinking for human-centered design of new products, processes, and organizations. Students apply principles of design thinking to problems in different domains and learn which design thinking techniques should be applied for different types of problems in order to address the needs of the users being designed for. This is a “hands-on” course where students will be generating numerous designs and evaluating not only the quality of those designs but the effectiveness of the design process that generated them. Students will learn an iterative process of how to identify the needs of different users, constraints on effective designs, how to collaborate with users and other designers to create innovative solutions, and how to evaluate solutions against each other and against the needs of the users.

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Education / Training

Intro to HCD

This course is designed to be the first course incoming students in the Human-Centered Design program take to understand the discipline in general. This class explores the processes and principles of the Human-Centered Design (HCD) approach to the development of efficient, useful, satisfying, and safe interactions between people and automation. These interactions will enhance the effectiveness of human performance while reducing the cognitive load of the user during operation.

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Education / Research / Training

Ideation Assistant

Good ideas are intellectual assets, and in today’s world of business, the design of new products, features, processes, or brand names can be monetized through patents, copyrights, and trademarks. Traditionally, focus groups and brainstorming sessions are used to elicit ideas. Our solution for this space is an agent-based participatory design methodology. The main challenges of these approaches and their variants are predicated on the complex social dynamics that are inherent to group decision-making.

• Client: Human Centered Design Institute
• Categories: Artificial Intelligence / Bio-sensing / Data / Research / Simulation

Affective Assistant

We propose an interactive smart assistant that is designed to playfully augment user performance in the workplace without the user having to say anything. Universally, humans express emotions and feelings through their faces (Ekman, 1997). Our smart assistant observes a human user, infers emotional state, and reasons to effect relevant feedback. The assistant embodies an affective model of the subject for advising more effective actions, behaviors, and work practices.

• Client: Human Centered Design Institute
• Categories: Artificial Intelligence / Bio-sensing / Research / Simulation

Humanoid SLAM

While the Nao humanoid is among the most advanced intelligent robots accessible to the global public, it lacks high-level support for advanced intelligent walking activities. The robot has remarkable lower-level intelligence embedded into itself, such as artificial life with breath motions, and reasonable situation awareness with human face recognition and tracking. It also has motion control support in terms of unreliable distance or velocity-based commands for walking. However, building high-level intelligent applications on such robots still requires significant research and effort. In this work, we propose a framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models that create a platform for easy high-level tasks specification and implementation. The models are trained using a Nao humanoid undergoing experimentation and the results are evaluated based on a set of high-level tasks implemented with standard AI algorithms. The models are described as well as the test-beds and benchmarks used for their evaluation. The work proves the large potential that humanoids hold in the area of applications offering human support in daily activities.

• Client: Florida Conference on Recent Advances in Robotics
• Categories: Artificial Intelligence / Data / Research / Robotics / Simulation

Visualizing Research

Traditional keyword searches of journal databases are not guaranteed to result in the discovery of seminal research. Actionable insights and research intelligence can be derived from the exploratory visualization of bibliometric data of peer-reviewed literature. We designed an interactive and accessible platform based on the needs of the scholarly research community.

• Client: Human Centered Design Institute
• Categories: Data / Digital Media / Research / Web

Remote Robotics

We created a mobile interface to manipulate a 5-DOF serial chain R-12 Firefly robotic arm. The objective was to utilize algorithms for object detection followed by forward-kinematics and inverse-kinematics. This remote robotics prototype successfully manipulated the camera to scan target objects.

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Robotics / Simulation

Digital Brainwriting

This research project outlines an enhanced version of the GEM, which is purposefully designed to boost the effectiveness and efficiency of the traditional method while enhancing the experiences of the facilitator and participants. The enhanced GEM leverages the Internet and digital media to reduce implementation costs, increase the reusability of assets, enable remote participation, and archive results from multiple GEM sessions for comparison. The web application, which encapsulates the enhanced GEM procedure, utilizes instructional videos to guide the process as well as gamification concepts such as avatars, progress bars, stages, and points to motivate participants.

• Client: Human Centered Design Institute
• Categories: Artificial Intelligence / Digital Media / Web

Radiation Shields

The title of this project was “Mass Production of Radiation Shields and Solar Electro-Magnetospheres In Situ”. Acute and chronic exposure to radiation can increase risks to astronaut health and well-being. The proposed solution is a cost-effective pre-walk robotic mission that autonomously fabricates radiation shield components for generating localized magnetospheres in order to deflect cosmic radiation and enhance the well-being of astronauts and biological habitability on Mars.

• Client: Aldrin Space Institute
• Categories: Data / Research / Simulation / Spaceflight

Optimal Engagement

This project was titled “Human-Centered Optimizations of Course Management and Teaching at Florida Tech”. It explores how course management and teaching can be optimized to enhance the success of graduate students at Florida Tech. An anonymous student survey was used to elicit common trends and perceptions within the context of student engagement, learning outcomes, and effective teaching practices. While empirical evidence supports the fact that numerous students prefer the application of Canvas® as a course management system, there are instances where some faculty members have been resistant to and others have underutilized the technology. The project concludes with the recommendation of five human-centered design optimizations that are supported by survey results.

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Education / Research

Agri-IoT(AR)

The title of this project was “Enhancing Sustainability in Agricultural Production Systems using IoT and AR”. Augmented reality (AR) can be a powerful visualization tool, but can AR help conserve water, rejuvenate the soil, and protect persons involved in the agricultural production system (APS)? Can AR help prevent wastage of energy, and spur sustainable economic development in agriculture? Perhaps AR alone can’t do these things, but with inputs from an integrated Internet of Things (IoT) network of sensors, AR can help human agents to reach sustainability targets of an APS. This research project outlines a human-centered design (HCD) approach to multivariate data visualization within the agriculture domain. It addresses the problem of sustainability in APSs. An important aspect of data visualization is that it can allow human agents to quickly discover new insights through novel interactions and critical analysis of inert data. An interactive AR prototype is developed to facilitate the display of real-time and historical APS data using a web browser or mobile device. In this project, IoT sensors are used to generate data streams that feed into economic, environmental, and social sustainability metrics. When the metrics are visually compared to sustainability targets and production trends, human agents can be supported to make more reliable decisions. Usability evaluation results of the visualization tool are discussed.

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Agriculture / Data / Digital Media / ICTs

Innovating UX Design

The title of this project was “Exploration of a Web-based Platform for User Experience Design and Evaluation”. In ethnographic design with groups of domain experts, the Group Elicitation Method (GEM) is used to facilitate dynamic interaction and participation around a specific design question with the aim of generating creative innovations. This research project outlines an augmented version of the GEM, which is purposefully designed to boost the effectiveness and efficiency of the traditional method while enhancing the experiences of the facilitator and participants. The augmented GEM leverages the Internet and digital media to reduce implementation costs, increase the reusability of assets, enable remote participation, and archive results from multiple GEM sessions.

• Client: Florida Institute of Technology
• Categories: Data / ICTs / Research / Web

Aerodrome Certification eManual

The Aerodrome Certification eManual was developed to define the regulations that govern aerodrome certification. The electronic version of the manual helped to enhance airport safety management by optimising search and navigation of the standards and procedures while providing a robust and scalable training tool. eManual can be customised to host any content and target the requirements of the stakeholders. eManual provided an economical, user-friendly and task-oriented version of hard-copy manuals.

• Client: Grantley Adams International Airport - GAIA Inc.
• Categories: Aviation / ICTs

e-Audit Software Application

International aviation consultants from Ska Tecnica Ltd. were midway through their project when it became clear they had to find a way to reach multiple companies in different time zones. The e-Audit solution was developed to be immune to the distance constraints that had earlier threatened the project. The e-Audit software allowed the consultants to cost-effectively collect critical aviation safety information from the airlines and airport partner organisations.

• Client: Ska Tecnica Ltd.
• Categories: Aviation / Data / ICTs / Web

Simulated Flight Environment

Avidyne Corporation’s R&D involved conducting flight tests in experimental aircraft with computerized avionics. Flight tests were expensive, dependent on the weather conditions and unpredictable. We conducted a detailed analysis of the Cirrus SR-22 aircraft and fabricated a high fidelity flight simulator to evaluate human-in-the-loop performance in a safe and cost-effective manner.

• Client: Avidyne Corporation
• Categories: Aviation / Data / ICTs / Research / Simulation

Technology in Agriculture

• Client: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resource Management
• Categories: Agriculture / ICTs / Training

Quality Assurance Digital Media

The main objective of the Quality Assurance Unit is the deepening of UWI’s concept of quality. The officers of the unit are tasked with lengthy travels across the Caribbean to deliver presentations on the quality management system. This project involved the decomposition of the comprehensive quality management system and the development of digital multimedia resources. The digital content delivery method was employed to reduce travel costs and give more interactivity and control to the University’s stakeholders.

• Client: The University of the West Indies
• Categories: Digital Media

Photoshop Design Training

• Client: Computer Knowledge and Business Studies
• Categories: Digital Media / Training

Jamaica E-Learning Integration

The e­Learning Jamaica Company Limited, has embarked upon the Tablets in Schools pilot project. The objective is to integrate ICTs in the primary schools using tablet devices. Our intervention targeted the training of primary school teachers in basic ICT skills and integrating the technology in instructional delivery to students.

• Client: e­Learning Jamaica Company Limited - Ministry of Education
• Categories: Education / ICTs / Research / Training

CropGuard ICT Platform

CropGuard is an agriculture-centric ICT platform. We made it to build the capacity of farmers to control pests and reduce crop loss. The solution was a direct response to the CTA AgriHACK Talent Caribbean initiative and was developed under a coordinated team effort. CropGuard features a Mobile App, Web Dashboards and an Open Data API to connect agricultural stakeholders, promote knowledge management and encourage youth in agriculture.

• Client: Addis Alem Co-operative Society Limited
• Categories: Agriculture / Data / ICTs / Mobile / Research

Code Island Kids Summer Programme

There is a growing global demand for computer scientists to create tools that improve the quality of life and advance human development. Innovation and entrepreneurship in ICT has been identified in the Human Resource Development Strategy of Barbados as an essential enabler of national competitiveness. Effective technology education on all…

• Client: SIRIUS
• Categories: Education / Mobile / Training

Bespoke e-Training Course Platform

Corporate Learner seeks to bridge the growing gap between job skills requirements and availability that is being experienced in the labour market. Companies require a workforce with increasingly higher levels of skills if they are to drive competitiveness and advance in economic and social development goals. Corporate Learner responds to this urgent need with an innovative bespoke e-training platform to build human capital.

• Client: Corporate Learner Inc.
• Categories: Education / ICTs / Training

SVG E-Learning Integration

Integrating ICT and digital content into classrooms has proven to improve teaching efficiency, simplify learning management and streamline teaching operations within a student­-centred environment. EZLearner has conducted this ICT intervention to introduce teachers and Ministry of Education officials to EZLearner within the context of current trends in e-­Learning.

• Client: St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Ministry of Education
• Categories: Education / ICTs / Training

Compute Online Learning App

• Client: EZLearner Inc
• Categories: Digital Media / Education / ICTs / Web

StoryVille Mobile Learning App

• Client: EZLearner Inc
• Categories: Digital Media / Education / ICTs / Mobile / Web

Comprehend Online Learning App

• Client: EZLearner Inc
• Categories: Digital Media / Education / ICTs / Web

Composer Online Learning App

Composer is a unique learning solution that helps students to become confident writers, to enjoy reading and to benefit from the support of teachers and personal online tutors. Composer is one of the apps on the award-winning EZLearner platform. Composer is compliant with national curriculum standards. Its learning content showcases relevant Caribbean culture and values.

• Client: EZLearner Inc
• Categories: Digital Media / Education / ICTs / Web