K. Elizabeth Thiry

Customer

Army C5ISR Center Command, Power and Integration Directorate

Summary

Networked and synchronized virtual reality collaboration environments for distributed and dispersed Mission Command planning and execution under denied, degraded, interfered and limited (DDIL) connectivity environment.

More Information

https://www.cra.com/company/news/using-arvr-transform-collaboration-brcharles-river-analytics-develops-virtual

Customer

C5ISR Night Vision Engineering and Sensors Directorate (NVESD)

Summary

Focused MC Work Domain Analysis, Market trade study and fundamental research on the state of augmented reality (AR) technology, readiness for military adoption, and visual psychophysical impacts of leading AR displays

Networked 3D geospatial battlespace visualization centered on a volumetric AR sand table interface designed to support distributed and dispersed Army Mission Command planning and execution

Geospatial AR Prototyping Environment to allow AR designers to quickly design and evaluate visualization and HCI techniques that can be readily transitioned across AR platforms as that technology evolves, and support demonstrations of targeted proof-of-concept MC AR applications.

Customer

DARPA TTO

Summary

Web application and augmented reality application designed to promote space situational awareness, ops center team management, and broader Space Battle Management Command and Control (SBMC2). SOLAR helps commanders, staff, and decision makers quickly develop the space situational awareness (SSA) necessary to effectively monitor, assess, and act to maintain critical space assets and ensure the success of the theater operations they support.

More Information

https://www.cra.com/company/news/using-augmented-reality-space-controlbr-charles-river-analytics-develops-ar-app-help

Customer

DHA

Summary

Spatial disorientation (SD) and loss of situational awareness (SA) jeopardize the success of missions and safety of aircrews worldwide. Tactile feedback can mitigate SD for fixed and rotary wing aircraft pilots and as such, developments such as the Tactile Situation Awareness System (TSAS) cueing device have proven to be effective countermeasures. Developments in wearable electronics have created opportunities to transfer information in a more direct and intuitive way. Next evolution of the TSAS uses Human Factors Engineering and novel developments in functional textiles to design and develop Wearable Aviator Tactile Cueing for Helicopter Mishap Avoidance Notifications (WATCHMAN), a more readily manufacturable haptic solution. WATCHMAN addresses the needs of both durability and a more elegant form factor while providing a reasonable cost to manufacture by integrating and evaluating flexible piezo active materials and e-textile fabrication technologies within flexible components that can be ergonomically distributed on the body and incorporated into garments.

Customer

NIH-NCI

Summary

Privacy-compliant software system to support the administration of cognitive assessment measures and facilitate secured provider–patient interactions. System provides immediate and tangible benefits for assessing and monitoring subtle cognitive changes associated with cancer and cancer treatment

More Information

https://www.cra.com/company/news/clearing-brain-fog-cancerbr-charles-river-analytics-mobile-health-system-can-help

The aim of this project was to develop an innovative and intuitive design concept to communicate train crowding information to subway train riders in Boston, so that people may plan their trips ahead of time as well as enjoy the overall experience of riding the T.

This projected was given by KCUS with the assurance that any necessary technology (e.g determining how many riders are in a train car at a given time) would be provided

Process

1. User research Through observations, focus groups and questionnaires to gain further insight of commuter behavior as well as the wants and needs of passengers. 

2. Market Research Investigating the current state of the Massachusetts public transportation system, the MBTA, and statistics regarding most populated subway lines and train stations, frequency of trains, and maximum capacities of individual train car.

3. Design Concepts After translating user needs into requirements, a design concept that aimed at improving riders overall experience, both while waiting for trains to arrive and during ride was created.

4. Created cognitive and physical prototypes Developed app and physical prototypes to present the concept.

5. Usability Testing- Recruited participants that were both regular subway users and occasional users. 

6. Designs were modified based on testing results

The physical prototype demonstrates the functionality of the concept:

The physical prototype is combined with an app, so that people can plan their travel ahead of time. The design is aimed at providing sufficient information regarding the subway system, in terms of how crowded the train is- including each car, when the next train is and the different possible routes with a map. However, the concept is also focused on ensuring that each user has a positive experience of riding the subway, by providing entertaining features as well.

1. Ensuring people wait from passengers to exit the car before entering- Done by ensuring people stand behind a certain line until the car arrives. If they cross it, a sound is produced along with a "step back" display.

2. Providing people with information as to how crowded each car is, by having displays located above each car (perceived) with colors to signify the level of crowd. Universal colors used to avoid confusion. 

3. The interface design considers the variety of users  

Design Focus

1. Provide sufficient information without overcrowding each screen (enough to allow users to know what to do, but not too much to confuse them)

2. Create a neutral interface that can easily be used by various ages and demographics

3. Each screen must be visually engaging to provide an overall comfortable yet positive experience

4. The App should be both usable and useful. 

Project Description

Smartphone mapping services are common for navigation. In the car, users typically use their smartphones to search for the nearest place to eat, shop and fill up their car with gas. The majority of smartphone users use navigational apps on their phones, resulting in dangerous driving habits similar to texting and driving.

Effective visualization of driving and entertainment information can better assist drivers control over the car and attention on the road. A built in Heads Up Display (HUD) that connects to the car dashboard touchscreen can display information directly in front of the driver onto the windshield, eliminating the need for the driver to look down at a smartphone to search for places, enter addresses, and look at a map.

Here we develop a system that focuses on drivers that want to find common services nearby such as gas stations, car repair, hospitals, places to eat, shopping, and rest stops, without having to look away from the road. Using location-based social networking communities such as Yelp and Foursquare, the built in HUD system can allow drivers to search and select categories and can indicate points of interest on their windshield in a non-interfering way.

Project Overview

Effective visualization of driving and entertainment information can better assist drivers control over the car and attention on the road.

A built in Heads Up Display (HUD) that connects to the car dashboard touchscreen can display information directly in front of the driver onto the windshield, eliminating the need for the driver to look down at a smartphone to search for places, enter addresses, and look at a map.

System focuses on drivers that want to find common services nearby such as gas stations, car repair, hospitals, places to eat, shopping, and rest stops, without having to look away from the road.

Using location-based social networking communities such as Yelp and Foursquare, the built in HUD system can allow drivers to search and select categories and can indicate points of interest on their windshield

Focus

Our project focuses on making in-vehicle activities such as finding a point of interest and navigating to it less distracting and dangerous while on the road. In vehicle UI designs should aim to provide highly efficient interactions while focusing on minimum driver distraction. Speech and multimodal interface techniques could make tasks involved in maneuvering, maintaining safety and entertainment functions easier to carry out at once.

Our in vehicle system that incorporates features allowing drivers to search and navigate to a point of interest could take advantage of multiple modalities. A combination of speech, eye tracker and gesture recognizer could infer the driver's intention to navigate to a point of interest from his/her utterance, gaze and/or gesture.

The aim of this project is to examine how LEGO Mindstorm robot building exercises and activities can benefit children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and help with social interaction.

Project Overview

The main objective in the study is to measure the effect of LEGO engineering and its collaborative nature on the development of social skills in children and adolescents with ASD.

Workshops

The project is made up of an eight week workshop held once a week for two hours. Workshops are structured to facilitate social interaction between participants through hands on activities and building LEGO robots.

Personal Focus

Exploring the attachment and interactions between humans and machines. Select workshop sessions provided opportunities to investigate dance/movement and robotics as tools to stimulate emotional understanding and collaborative engagement for children with ASD.

The system is designed to make the laundry experience less time consuming and complex, incorporate features that meet user needs, make laundry tasks efficient, lessen the possibility of guesswork and provide users (with various understanding of technology) a seamless laundry experience

System Overview

The system consists of a sorting unit, washer/dryer as one and folding unit.

The sorting unit separates the load into whites, colors and other.

The washer and dryer are combined and exist as a single unit.

The washer and dryer have 3 compartments for- colors, whites and other. If the user feels like there is something wrong after the sorting process, he may ask the machine to re-sort the load through the interface.

The user selects the type of wash and dry  in the beginning on the interface and does not have to interact with the device after.

The washer part of the unit finishes its task, after which the dryer performs its task.

The machine then automatically moves the clothes into the folding unit based on image acquisition and AI methods.

The clothes are then kept in racks for the user.

This system is accompanied with a mobile app as well as an interface on the machine.

Both of them allow the user to monitor and change the device settings at any time. The user receives feedback regularly and notifications when the process is near completion.

Features and Functionality

Automatic Sorting

IR sensor sorts clothing into three categories: Whites, Colors and Other

Whites: Successfully identified, sorted and grouped whites

Colors: Successfully identified, sorted and grouped colors

Other: Unsuccessful identification, grouped unreadable

Magnetic strip sensors for wallet detection

Automatic Detergent Dispensing

Each compartment has a unique set of detergent options available for selection and automatic dispensing

Users will select the type of detergent they want for each compartment before they are able to begin

If the detergent is out, the user will get a notification and option to select another type of detergent or hold off and cancel

Digital Interface

Operation and menu is all accessible through a digital interface located on the top of the washer/dryer

The interface includes:

Real time tracking and updates

Control and Settings Menu

Optional information

Voice and Speech control

Two In One Washer/Dryer

Once the wash cycle is complete, the dryer will automatically begin

Sensors will determine whether each item in the load is completely dry

If not: Dryer will automatically begin another cycle

If yes: Clothing will be considered eligible for folding and the folding process will commence

Automatic Folding

Image processing and machine learning models are used to identify and categorize each item/article

Once the article of clothing is identified as Foldable:

Robotic arm lays the article of clothing out flat on and begins folding sequence

Once folded, the article of clothing is placed on a conveyer belt that leads to a “Folded Complete” area

Each article of clothing is then stacked on top of each other with second robotic arm

Once all folding is complete for that section, the “Folded Complete” area will be raised into a “Load Complete” area where users are able to unload

IF Unfoldable:

Items are placed in general “Complete” compartment

Features: Accompanying App

Notifications (error Notifications, real time updates. queue updates, pick up reminders, finish updates)

Progress tracking

Error alternative options (if error occurs, user can decide how to proceed)

Optional automatic repair functions

Tutorial and setup wizard

Remote selections and control (can cancel or alter at anytime)

Queue Features Include:

Estimated time based on laundry load and current users preferences (wash twice, fold, errors etc)

Exact time left

How many people are waiting to use

Estimated time the person will pick their laundry up based on their location

Operational Definitions

Sorting: IR Sensors and ML are used to identify and categorize

Sorting Complete: Sorting process is finished and next system step is ready

Option Selection: Process by which user selects system preferences through the digital interface

Selection Applied: Inputs successfully recorded and applied to system

Dry Complete: System determined load to be completely dry and ready for folding

Item Classifier: Image Processing and ML Models are used to identify and categorize items in laundry

Foldable: Classification eligible for robotic folding

Unfoldable: Classification not eligible for robotic folding

Fold Complete: Item is checked by system and determined to be successfully folded

Load Complete: Items are placed in designated area, ready for user pick up

Interface Screens

The interface has an accompanying app that provides the user with information such as- the ongoing task, time for completion as well as enables the user to select the type of detergent used, type of drying etc.

If these systems are used in dorms or areas where there are several users, the app will also provide the user with information such as how many units are free, how long the queue is.

There is a single screen for both washer and dryer options to maintain a minimal design. Also, since the washer and dryer take place in the same unit it may be easier for users to select all options at once.

The washer options have a blue outline and the dryer options have orange.

There is a green start button located at the bottom of the screen. If there are other settings to be entered, the screen prompts the user to swipe right or left.

When the user is not using the interface (over 2-3min) the screen turns black and contains a progress bar depicting the stage of the process.

The chat icon on the top right is used to provide the user with the experience of the machine talking to the user.

A Human Factors Approach to Environmental Design for Behavioral Research in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Goal

Design a non invasive testing environment that meets clinician best practices, data collection requirements, needs of children with ASD and considers the nature of assessment activities.

Design and Development

Considerations:

- Environment cannot contain distracting or dangerous elements

- Room and equipment constraints

- Common body movement patterns and habits of children in assessments

- Environmental factors that disrupt assessment

- Distracting and/or disturbing factors that primarily affect individuals with ASD

- Equipment performance must meet software requirements (line of sight,facial framing, lighting, positioning)

- Assessment activities and administration of protocol

Unique Design Challenges:

- Equipment must be versatile, portable and easy for clinician set up and use

- Environmental needs, requirements and considerations for special needs population

- Availability of space for testing

- Availability and access to necessary equipment

Aim

Design and create customized keyguards for specific children being evaluated and treated at Boston Children’s Hospital

Project Objective

Create keyguards for iOS based devices that fit specific AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) Applications and allow individuals to successfully use assistive technology that has been personally tailored to them and their needs

Keyguard Definition

A keyguard is a plate which sits over a keyboard or touch screen, with spaces that a user can put their fingers or a pointer through to hit the keys or buttons. Users with fine motor control difficulty find that keyguards help with hitting the target they’re aiming for.

Context and Focus

- The Augmentative Communication Program at Boston Children's Hospital provides comprehensive, state-of- the-art evaluation and treatment for children and adults with congenital or acquired disorders affecting expressive communication, comprehension and computer access. This includes children with autism.

- There is a focus on identifying communication options for individuals with communication impairments and determining the most appropriate high-tech, low-tech and/or no-tech solutions. 

- These devices allow for individuals to communicate and express themselves whether at home, school or in the clinic

Target Population

- Children to Adults who use a touchscreen device as a mode of expressive communication, specifically iOS systems

- Needs: The individual’s motor profile can affect their ability to accurately select specific targets on a touchscreen display. Disorders resulting in motor impairment include: Cerebral Palsy, Global Developmental Delay, TBI, Fine Motor Delay 

Customization and Design

Research included clinician preferences, current inventory, personal factors, environmental factors, use case scenarios, assessment types, patient growth, frustrations, wants and needs.

Individuals needs and requirements were clearly communicated by the client and considered in the design

Several parameters were considered in designing the keyguards:

1. Device Type/Screen size: iPad (2,3,4), iPad Air, iPad Mini

2. Apps: GoTalk Now, TouchChat, LAMP Words for Life, Proloquo2go

3. Layouts: Within each app there are specific grid layouts to plan for: GoTalk Grids 4 and 9; TouchChat MultiChat 15 and WordPower 42; LAMP 84; Proloquo2go Cresendo 18 and Gateway

4. Attachment Options: All keyboards attach with Suction Cup Tape. This is reusable, 2 sided 'tape' to secure the iPads to the screen. 

Design Considerations: 

1. We investigated various use case scenarios from individual to clinician use as well as possible accidents

2. Individuals motor profile and abilities

3. Application features and use

4. General keyguard parameters

5. Each application layout and variation in versions

6. Clinician needs, requirements and frustrations

7. Current design issues (Fingers getting caught in keyguard holes and ripping keyguard from tablet. Easily fastening keyguards to tablets
Easy keyguard switching for different layouts)

Project Summary

Directly collaborating with a speech pathologist, patients and clinicians provided the opportunity to develop and assist in the creation of new applied technologies as well as be involved in the processes of determining appropriate tech solutions for each and every patient with particular needs.

Knowing the importance of human centered design, every keyguard design needs to consider certain users’ specific requirements and needs, which means keyguards have to fit their own iPad case, size of holes should be possible enough to make users feel comfortable, match their fingers and avoid misoperation. 

Warnings are essential as they inform users of dangers of improper user and, provides the user with knowledge of what not to do and that can help mitigate several errors. 

Aim

- Create warnings that alert the user of the danger, describe its nature and explain what will happen if the user fails to comply

- All warning labels should comply with The American National Standard for Product Safety Signs and Labels (ANSI Z535.4-1991) criteria

Design Considerations: In order to determine if a warning will be easily sensed the following factors are considered

 Orientation
 Location – locate near line of sight, likely to be seen  Size (including font size)
 Shape
 Color
 Graphical design
 Contrast
 Attention getting aspect

Other Considerations:

Avoid Mental Overload: Make sure there is not too much information, or multiple warnings, which may cause users to ignore warnings altogether

Danger Perception: The greater the perceived risk and hazard, the greater the likelihood of compliance

Risk of Dilution: The increasing trend toward multiple warnings also has the subtle effect of "diluting" the strength of more important ones 

Compliance: Partial compliance is also increased when the viewer believes him/herself to have a good mental model of device operation. More specific warnings reduce likelihood of partial compliance 

 Search and Rescue Needs

- Preliminary findings and research has found that a five person rescue team needs two hours on average to find a victim in one square kilometer whereas a drone can’t only find that victim in 20 minutes but has the ability to achieve a successful rescue by taking additional active steps

-  The combination of Drones and experienced emergency responders working together better develops new strategic approaches and maximizes capabilities.

-  Applications and mapping to identify environmental conditions that may increase risk to search and rescue teams. 

Capabilities and Features

-  Two smartphone-like high resolution cameras built into the drone’s exterior to better scan surroundings, survey and search a particular area

-  A thermal imaging camera built into the drone’s exterior to provide capabilities and necessary tools for better search and rescue

-  Battery life up to 25 minutes

-  Audio system to communicate and offer live assistance to found victims before rescue crews are able to reach them

-  User authentication for operator specific experience

-  Customizable display to display information most important for task at hand

-  Camera control to capture imagery required such as live feed, remote zoom, tilt and shutter controls for high quality video from any position

-  Up to date status notifications (i.e elevation, landing, speed, coordinates, located victims, etc)

-  GPS for up to date flight plans, navigation, trail mapping and autopilot flight routes

-  Autosave to record and store flight path data

-  Collision Control to self correct flight path to avoid obstacles 

The Microsoft Research Pubic Relations team is responsible for distilling complex computer science concepts into compelling stories that support the company’s innovation and citizenship pillars.

Scope of Work

Research and Consulting

Conducted trend research and analysis to inform researchers on how to commercialize, frame and amplify their innovations, projects and portfolios

PR Writing

Contributed to Microsoft Research blog

Media Relations

Conducted media relations that involved identification of, and outreach to, influential community bloggers/news teams with the goal of compelling media to amplify new research projects.

Supported interviews including Wired and CNN

Provided onsite support for annual event involving 350 academic researchers.

Provided executive communication support for Microsoft EVP, Harry Shum

Helped with Faculty Summit Social Media Campaign

Helped organize and run the Microsoft Faculty Summit and Design Expo conferences

Video Productions

Produced 7 videos in a b-roll package that included promotional and technical use in PR campaigns and researcher’s project portfolios.

- Design Expo Promo

- Faculty Summit : Project Adam Live Demo

- LATAM Summit Sizzle Video

- Mary Gray Portfolio Video

- Catapult Video

- Microsoft Product Fair/ Loop Video Package

- Project Adam B-roll Package