University of Pittsburgh

National Science Foundation Funding

Connecting Research and Teaching Through Product Innovation: Quality of Life Technology RET Site

Principal Investigator: Jonathan Pearlman, PhD
Co-Investigator: Christian Schunn
Submitted to: National Science Foundation
Awarded Amount to Date: $583,652
Timeframe: 2012-2015

This award provides funding for a 3 year continuing award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Site program at the University of Pittsburgh entitled, "Connecting Research and Teaching Through Product Innovation: Quality of Life Technology RET Site under the direction of Dr. Jonathan L. Pearlman. 

This RET Site is a renewal of a successful RET Site program hosted by the University of Pittsburgh, which will continue to draw upon the aggregate strengths in the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC) and the Quality of Life Technology (QoLT) Engineering Research Center. This site will recruit a total of up to 39 science and math teachers, as interdiscipliary pairs from high needs urban high schools, who will complete: 

1) A 12 week experience in engineering labs in across-district teams of 4 to perform fundamental scientific research and then translate that research into innovative products, involving QoLT topics. 

2) A course on product innovation that includes design, development, and evaluation of technolgies in addition to the processes of bringing these products to market.

3) A redesign of design-based learning (DBL) units originally developed in the LRDC, and modified via iterative design by RET teachers over time to incorporate product development economics and other math concepts related to innovation.

4) A comprehensive professional development series providing teachers with classroom implementation and assistance of DBL units. 

This site will directly impact approximately 39 teachers and 400 underrepresented students including those from high need urban high schools in the Pittsburgh region, with a particular focus on high schools comprised almost entirely of minority and low socio-economic status students, and girls. In addition, by focusing on QoLT, this site improves awareness and develops technology for a growing segment of the U.S. population that is often overlooked-people with reduced functional capabilities due to aging or disability.

Quality of Life Technology Engineering Research Center

Principal Investigators: Rory A. Cooper, PhD; Takeo Kanade, PhD
Co-Investigators: Dan Ding, PhD; Chris Atkeson, PhD; Dan Siewiorek, PhD; Martial Herbert, PhD; Katherine Seelman, PhD
Submitted to: National Science Foundation
Total Requested Funding: $20,000,000
Timeframe: 2006-2011

We envision intelligent systems, ranging from individual devices to comprehensive environments, that will monitor and communicate with a person and understand his/her needs and task goals. The systems compensate for or replace diminished capabilities, as required, while adapting to the changing situation so that tasks are performed safely, reliably and graciously. A person’s level of function is complex, comprised of multiple determinants that have effects at many levels and involve various dimensions. These Quality of Life Technology (QoLT) systems will especially impact those with partial loss of perception, cognition, and fine and large motor skills. Examples include the Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appliance (PerMMA), which is a robotic mobility device that also allows users with upper extremity impairment to manipulate objects object using two robotic arms. PerMMA provides several control methods including a local user control, a remote user control mode, an autonomous control mode, and a unique cooperative control mode that blends the previous three methods of control.  Another example is a “Virtual Coach” (VC) that encourages compliance with clinicians’ prescribed regimen of usage of powered seat function on electric powered wheelchairs.  The VC is more than a simple reminder; it senses the actions of the user and the environmental context, providing reminder only when appropriate to the situation.  User preference studies have been complete with both potential end users and clinicians to help ensure the device meet their needs.  A prototype of a self-tuning environment has also been completed.  This unique environment features a novel wall system made up glass panels that can be made opaque using computer controlled switches to make the environment feel more open or more private depending on the situation.  Sound and LED lighting can also be controlled, which can be used to influence people mood.  This concept has potential to greatly help people with cognitive disabilities including TBI.  Another technology under development is the DriveCap system that focuses on accurate, low-cost, real-time measurement of capability metrics. The logical extension is direct feedback on driver capability. This will allow drivers to better self-regulate driving behaviors and become aware of shifts in capability. QoLT systems need to work daily in unstructured dynamic environments. They must work naturally with people; be neither overpowering nor overwhelming, but rather enable people to do what they want to do whenever and wherever possible. QoLT systems must be safe and reliable, and users must be able to trust that their privacy is protected and modesty respected. 

Studies funded by this grant

  • Referral Pathways to the Adaptive Driving Program and Client Outcomes
  • Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appiance (PerMMA)

 

An Instrumented Glove for Quantitative Hand Assessment and Neurorehabilitation

Principal Investigator: Bambi Brewer, PhD
Co-Investigators: Corinna Lathan
Submitted to: National Science Foundation
Total Requested Funding: $199,811
Timeframe: 2011-2013

 

International Training and Research on the Impact of Assistive Technologies for People with Disabilities in India

Principal Investigator: Rory A. Cooper, PhD
Co-Investigators: Jonathan Pearlman, PhD; Nahom Beyene, MS; Alexandra Jefferds, BS
Submitted to: National Science Foundation/International Research Engineering Experience
Total Requested Funding: $49,000
Timeframe: 2007-2009

 

International Training and Research on Assistive Technologies for India and Other Low-Income Countries (HyPoV Grant)

Principal Investigator: Rory A. Cooper, PhD
Co-Investigator: Jonathan Pearlman, PhD
Submitted to: National Science Foundation
Total Requested Funding: $22,063
Timeframe: 2006-2009

Studies funded by this grant

  • Expert Assessment of the Barriers to Powered Wheelchair Mobility in India (India Chair Project)
  • Evaluation of the Environmental Constraints of Rural and Urban India for Wheeled Mobility
  • User Trials of the Low Cost Powered Mobility Design

 

American Student Placements and Internships in Rehabilitation Engineering (ASPIRE) - Competitive Renewal Award

Principal Investigators: Alicia Koontz, PhD, RET; Rory A. Cooper, PhD
Co-Investigator: Mary Goldberg, MEd
Submitted to: National Science Foundation
Total Requested Funding: $320,400
Timeframe: 2009-2012

 

STTR Phase II: Low-Cost Portable Telerehabilitation System for Intelligent Stretching and Remote Assessment of Hypertonic Arm Joints

Principal Investigator: Yupeng Ren (Rehabtek LLC)
Co-Investigator: Bambi Brewer, PhD
Submitted to: National Science Foundation
Total Requested Funding: $199,364
Timeframe: 2009-2010