Projects > Development Projects
Years 2009-2015
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Development of Uniform Standards for Cognitive Technologies (D1)
Principal Investigator: Peter Axelson
Staff: Seanna Kringen
Timeline: Years 1-5 (2009-2014)
The main goal of this project is build on technologies under development in international projects that address accessibility including Fluid##, AEGIS##, and the Raising the Floor initiative. This will enable a user with a cognitive disability to receive a presentation of a website tailored to their needs, with key information highlighted, and less important information moved to a backup screen. By including this provision in the OpenID definition, support for users with cognitive disabilities can spread more readily across the Web.
Development of Uniform Standards for Cognitive Technologies Brochure (D1)
- Interactive Animated Agents Platform Development for Cognitive Technologies at H ome, School, Work and Community (IAAP) (D2)
Principal Investigator: Sarel van Vuuren
Staff: Nattawut Ngampatipatpong, Robert Bowen, Taylor Str uemph, Cathy Bodine, Jim Sandstrum, Clayton Lewis
Timeline: Years 1-5 (2009-2014)
This project will focus on the development of a platform that can be used interchangeably with a number of highly relevant and highly sought after context-aware support technology projects within the RERC-ACT. Projects will explore the use of a socially interactive animated agent for assistance in the context of either soft or procedural skills.
- Non-Linear Context-Aware Prompting System (N-CAPS) for Adults with Cognitive Disabilities in the Workplace (D3)
Principal Investigator: Mike Melonis
Staff: Alex Mihailidis, Regan Zane, Sarel van Vuuren, Jim Sandstrum, Taylor Streumph, Paul Nishman
Timeline: Years 1-3 (2009-2012)
This project integrates non-linear prompting, animated agents, context-aware sensors, batteryless power sources for sensors, automated video recognition, and complex mathematical modeling to create a solution intended to assist people with cognitive disabilities to succeed in the workplace.
- Mobile Coach for Vocational Application (D4)
Principal Investigator: Clayton Lewis, Mike Melonis
Staff: Matt Lanning, Jim Sandstrum, Paul Nishman
Timeline: Years 3-5 (2011-1014)
This project builds on the basic platform developed in D2, (IAAP) and the Non-linear Prompting System built on the N-CAPS platform in D3, (N-CAPS). Specifically this project focuses on two key coaching challenges: coaching for workers who move around the workplace in the course of their jobs, such as custodial and grounds keeping staff; and it supports the “soft skills”, the interpersonal skills that are so critical in many employment settings.
- The Socially Interactive Early Childhood Robotics (SAR) Project (D5)
Principal Investigator: Jim Sandstrum
Staff: Gavin Philips, Mike Melonis, Clayton Lewis, Brian Burne, Shelly Elfner
Timeline: Years 3-5 (2011-1014)
There are many robotic toys and sensors currently available which are both effective and appropriate for our purposes such as, RoboBuilder, Lynxmotion, Spykee from Erector, Lego MindStorm, and Rovio Mobile Webcam. This project utilizes 1) off-the-shelf robotics kits paired with 2) advanced sensor technology, 3) control systems (Socially Assistive Robotics - SAR), and 4) improved human to robotic interfaces to facilitate early developmental milestones in children with significant delays in the areas of cognition, communication and movement.
The potential robotic toys identified fall into the Socially Assistive category which encompasses techniques developed in the field of Human Robotics Interaction (HRI). The main goal of this project is to design a prototype of a mini-tablet that will be used as the ‘button’ or HRI mechanism for two-way communication. The combination of the HRI and an array of commercially available sensors will facilitate elicitation of the targeted developmental milestones.
- Inclusive Collaboration Technology for Employment and Participation (D6)
Principal Investigator: Clayton Lewis
Staff/Collaborators: Fran Harris, Gregg Vanderheiden
Timeline: Years 1-2 (2009-2011)
Our aim is to shape ICT collaboration tools to give adults with cognitive disabilities the same ability to effectively participate in group discussions as people without disabilities.
Years 2005-2009
- Developing a system to help caregivers provide better service in a community living home.
- Principal Investigator: Jim Sullivan, PhD
- Creating a web-based tool called HealthQuest that will improve the health and well-being of people with cognitive disabilities.
- Principal Investigator: Dan Davies, MA
- Developing a standard set of common symbols and pictures that help people with cognitive disabilities complete different tasks.
- Principal Investigator: Dan Davies, MA
- Developing a wireless power source that does not use batteries or connect to a power source.
- Principal Investigator: Regan Zane, PhD
- Designing a virtual tutor to help people with cognitive disabilities succeed in the workplace by engaging them in the learning process.
- Principal Investigator: Ron Cole, PhD
- Building a device that will help persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) behave appropriately at home, work, school, and in their communities.
- Principal Investigator: Marcia Scherer, PhD
