New wristband could predict aggressive outbursts in people with autism

Posted on 21/08/2019 by Engadget RSS Feed

Researchers are hoping a new wearable wristband will help predict aggressive outbursts in people with autism. The device monitors heart rate, sweat production, skin surface temperature and arm movements. It can predict outbursts 60 seconds ahead of t...

TRAQ quadricopter locates and hones in on radio signal sources (video)

Posted on 13/06/2013 by Sarah Silbert

Move over, Parrot AR.Drone; there's a new (prototype) quadrocopter in town. For their senior project, electrical engineering students at Northeastern University developed TRAQ, an autonomous aircraft that tracks down the sources of radio transmissions. That functionality comes thanks to a four-element antenna array, and the team envisions such a device being used in disaster, rescue and surveillance situations, where drones could prove faster to respond than us earthbound humans. The next step would be getting multiple aircraft to work together to improve location accuracy. Who doesn't love an imposing swarm of quadrocopters, after all?

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RISE:2013 highlights: Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed tech and more

Posted on 22/03/2013 by Brian Heater

RISE2013 hightlights Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed embedded tech and more

We were excited and honored when the administration at Northeastern University asked us to help judge its RISE:2013 Research, Innovation and Scholarship Expo. The event, held at the physical education center on the school's Boston campus, brings together an incredibly diverse array of research projects covering a impressive number of fields, including physical and life sciences, engineering, humanities, arts & design, computer and information sciences, health sciences, law, business and social sciences.

As you might imagine, scoring works across such a diverse array of concentrations is no easy task. We did, however, manage to pull out a handful of projects that will no doubt be of particular interest to our own readership. The list includes the use of a Kinect camera and PC for physical rehabilitation, the 3D printing of embedded electrical technologies, a Lego set that helps bridge the gap between crustacean and robot and a device that employs an Arduino board and video games to help stroke victims recover motor skills. Check out a video of all of the above just after the break.

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RISE:2013 highlights: Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed tech and more

Posted on 22/03/2013 by Brian Heater

RISE2013 hightlights Kinect rehab, Lego lobsters, 3D printed embedded tech and more

Filed under: Cameras, Misc, Robots, Science, Internet, Software

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Nexi robot helps Northeastern University track effects of shifty body language (video)

Posted on 12/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

MIT's Nexi robot has been teaching us about social interaction for years, and has even done a stint with the US Navy. Its latest role, however, involved studying those moments when society falls apart. Northeastern University researchers made Nexi the key ingredient of an experiment where subjects were asked to play a Prisoner's Dilemma-style game immediately after a conversation, whether it was with a human or a machine. Nexi showed that humans are better judges of trustworthiness after they see the telltale body language of dishonesty -- crossed arms, leaning back and other cues -- even when those expressions come from a collection of metal and plastic. The study suggests not just that humans are tuned to watch for subtle hints of sketchy behavior, but that future humanoid robots could foster trust by using the right gestures. We'll look forward to the friendlier machine assistants that result... and keep in mind the room for deception when the robots invariably plot to take over the world.

Continue reading Nexi robot helps Northeastern University track effects of shifty body language (video)

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Nexi robot helps Northeastern University track effects of shifty body language (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 08:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WiFi-Extending Robot is built like a tank — we talk to the people behind the project (video)

Posted on 06/08/2012 by Brian Heater

It's a fairly menacing sight, an aluminum robot sporting big tank treads -- that is, until you watch one of its creators do a handstand on top of the thing in a pair of cargo shorts. And really, while the 'bot wouldn't look too out of place with a small machine gun strapped to its front, its intentions are peaceful, seeking to extend the WiFi connections to hazardous places lacking in network infrastructure. We first heard about the project last week, when the team of computer and electrical engineers at Northeastern University that created it first revealed their work to the media. A visit this weekend to our favorite Somerville, Massachusetts-based hackerspace provided the opportunity to check out the beast in-person and discuss the project with a couple of its creators.

After the limited machining resources at Northeastern failed to meet their needs, the students found a home at Artisan's Asylum, where they learned the skills necessary to put together this ambitious project, utilizing classes and the metal shop provided by the space. The result is an impressive sight, a robot capable of climbing stairs and supporting the weight of two adult humans -- the latter of which they happily demonstrated for us in a yet-to-be-occupied new wing at Artisan's. The former, on the other hand, we were unable to see, sadly, as the internals were mostly gutted at the moment on the ever-evolving project. Team member Dan Landers, was more than happy to discuss the project, standing next to a pile of water jet-cut steel pieces that will form the first leg of giant hexapod Stompy, a project on which Landers is also a participant.

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Continue reading WiFi-Extending Robot is built like a tank -- we talk to the people behind the project (video)

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WiFi-Extending Robot is built like a tank -- we talk to the people behind the project (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iCRAFT robotic feeding arm (eyes-on)

Posted on 13/06/2012 by Brian Heater

We're back for another day of exploring the Northeastern University labs. We checked out a handful of projects yesterday, including the HyCycle, a runner-up in the school's Capstone award. Today we checked out the winner: iCRAFT -- that's short for eye-Controlled Robotic Arm Feeding Technology. The project was developed by a group of seven electrical and computer engineering students looking to create an inexpensive solution for helping the disabled and elderly feed themselves at home. As the Apple-esque name implies, the project utilizes eye-tracking to help the user feed him or herself.

The hardware side of the project involves a robotic arm and controller (which run a combined $640), a hacked Creative webcam and IR light (around $114), three bowls, a water bottle and a custom built power supply. On the software side, the team used the open-source ITU gaze tracker software, combined with a custom GUI. The whole thing is designed to be simple to use right out of the box -- though, being in prototype stage, there were naturally a few hiccups in the process. It didn't work perfectly when we demoed it today, but it certainly wasn't much more buggy than what many companies try to pass off as finished products.

Gallery: iCRAFT robotic feeding arm (eyes-on)

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iCRAFT robotic feeding arm (eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ATLAS bimanual-rehabilitation glove system hands-on (video)

Posted on 12/06/2012 by Brian Heater

The Squid Shirt that we checked out earlier today at Northeastern University certainly has the potential for healthcare use beyond straight off-season workout sessions, but the ATLAS project is an even purer expression of that application. The name is an acronym for the rather unwieldy Angle Tracking and Location At home System. In short, the system is a bimanual-rehabilitation glove system, a tracking device that utilizes two gloves to monitor the hand movements of stroke victims. The "Home System," part of the name, meanwhile, signifies its creators' intention to eventually release the ATLAS as an at-home testing system, allowing users to get more regular readings than industrial versions.

The system is comprised of two standard black gloves -- the first version (it's currently on version three), assistant academic specialist Mark Sivak tells us, was comprised of gold lycra gloves. The gloves have bend sensors in each finger and internal measurement sensors on the back of the hand. The bend sensors are anchored on the back of the hand, located beneath a moveable flap. They're embedded in the glove, running down each finger. The hand orientation inertial sensor is comprised of an accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer located on a box strapped to the top of the glove. The bend sensors feed straight into a box with an Arduino Mega inside, while the inertial sensors first pass through their own Arduino microcontrollers before rejoining the data feed back to the PC.

Gallery: ATLAS bimanual-rehabilitation gloves hands-on

Continue reading ATLAS bimanual-rehabilitation glove system hands-on (video)

ATLAS bimanual-rehabilitation glove system hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HyCycle electric bike hands-on (video)

Posted on 12/06/2012 by Brian Heater

The HyCycle isn't the kind of thing you'd want to have to take through airport security -- at least not in its present state. The electricity-generating electric bike prototype is bit of a mess of wires and blinking boards at the moment, plus a battery that looks an awful lot like a block of C4. All are attached to one of its creators' rust-colored Schwinn road bike. The bicycle is a project of a group of Northeastern students, an attempt to build a cheaper electric bicycle -- one that can be offered as a do-it-yourself kit that users can snap to their existing bike frame.

Gallery: HyCycle electricity-generating bike hands-on

Continue reading HyCycle electric bike hands-on (video)

HyCycle electric bike hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Northeastern University Squid Shirt torso-on

Posted on 12/06/2012 by Brian Heater

It seems like everyone's got a solution for workout tracking, these days, and the undergrad students at Northeastern University are no different. We traveled to the bowels of the Boston school's Egan Research Center, to try the Squid Shirt that we saw back in February on for size. Our own Terrence O'Brien donned the garb, and while the current prototype has dropped much of the unwieldy wires and suction cups that gave the wearable its name, it's still a bit of a production, taking several minutes to put on with the aid of assistant academic specialist, Mark Sivak (who assured us that the student this specific model was designed for had gotten the whole thing down to a two or three minute streamlined process).

The shirt has a total of 13 EMG sensors, monitoring data from three muscle groups: the pecs, lats and delts. Every signal requires two sensors (with one attached to the hip for ground), which are ultra cheap and disposable, meaning you can just toss them away at the end of each workout session. In addition to monitoring muscle activity, a standard Polar heart rate monitor slips into a sleeve inside the shirt to keep track of your pulse. The shirt itself is machine washable, which again is good news, if you plan on working out in the thing. This is due in part to the fact that the box -- the brains of the operation -- is removable. This also means that you can use a single box to plug into different garments, which could include things like workout pants in the future.

Gallery: Northeastern University Squid torso-on