LARRI Industrial Solutions Center |
LARRI has recently established a new initiative, the Industrial Solutions Center. The mission of the Industrial Solutions Center is to utilize the skills and experience of the LARRI faculty, staff, and students to address industry-related challenges. This team, led by Johanna Boone, Associate Director of Industry and Academic Engagement, is focused on working with local manufacturers to identify opportunities to improve efficiencies, safety, and workforce engagement using robotics and automation. Please contact Johanna Boone at Johanna.boone@louisville.edu to set up a plant tour. |
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LARRI Faculty and Staff News |
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Dr. Thomas Roussel Inducted as a Senior Member of
The National Academy of Inventors
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The National Academy of Inventors Senior Member Advisory Committee and Board of Directors have honored Dr. Thomas Roussel by selecting him as a Class of 2024 Senior Member. As an academic inventor and rising leader, Dr. Roussel, Associate Director of LARRI, has demonstrated a commendable track record in patents, licensing, and commercialization. Moreover, his contributions have been recognized for their potential to make significant positive impacts on society. We proudly acknowledge Dr. Roussel's achievements and contributions to the innovation ecosystem at the University of Louisville, making him one of the 553 Senior Members affiliated with NAI Member Institutions globally. The Senior Member class induction ceremony will be held on June 17, 2024, at the 13th NAI Annual Conference in Raleigh, NC. During the ceremony, Dr. Roussel will receive a Senior Member certificate, NAI pin, and Senior Member challenge coin from the NAI and an official of the USPTO. We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Roussel on this well-deserved honor and look forward to witnessing his continued success in the field. |
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Pictured above left to right Dr. Ajmal Zemmar and Dr. Yash Chitalia. |
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Dr. Yash Chitalia receives a $300,000 Grant from the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Trust (KSCHIRT) |
Dr. Yash Chitalia and Dr. Ajmal Zemmar, two renowned experts in the field of neurosurgery at the University of Louisville, have been recently granted a significant sum of $300,000 by the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Trust to support their latest project. The project, titled "The Lead Sherpa: A Robotic Catheter to Guide Spinal Cord Stimulation Electrode Leads," aims to improve the lives of individuals suffering from spinal cord injuries.
This groundbreaking initiative, which is a collaborative effort between the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Louisville and LARRI, is expected to last over the next three years. The project aims to develop a robotic catheter to guide spinal cord stimulation electrode leads with greater precision and accuracy.
The funding will support the research and development of this new technology, which is intended to help individuals with spinal cord injuries receive more effective treatment and support for their condition. The project holds great promise for the future of medical technology and is expected to have a significant impact on the lives of people with spinal cord injuries.
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LARRI Faculty & Staff Spotlight |
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Dr. Yunmei Liu Joins LARRI Faculty |
Dr. Yunmei Liu has recently joined the LARRI Faculty and Industrial Engineering Department at the Speed School, University of Louisville, as a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, commencing in Spring 2024. She also serves as a Theme Director for Human-Centric AI at the Center for Human Systems Engineering (CHSE), enriching the center's focus on integrating AI and human factors. Dr. Liu earned her Ph.D. from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida (UF) in December 2023, with a minor in Statistics. Before UF, she received her M.S. from Nanjing University in 2019 and her B.S. from Shandong University in 2016. Dr. Liu's research interests are modeling human-automation interaction and human performance, predicting human status using machine-learning techniques, and addressing human factors in surface transportation. Her research uses data-driven and machine-learning methodologies to address critical challenges in human-in-the-loop systems and enhance system efficiency and safety. During her Ph.D., Dr. Liu was recognized with several honors, including the UF College of Engineering's Certificate for Outstanding Achievement, the Harold D. Haldeman, Jr. Graduate Fellowship, and the Linda Parker Hudson Fellowship from UF's Industrial and Systems Engineering Department. Additionally, she founded and led the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Student Chapter at UF as its inaugural President, guiding it to a Bronze Award in the 2023 HFES Student Chapter Recognition School of Engineering at the University of Louisville. |
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Cassidy Caid Joins LARRI Staff |
Cassidy Caid is an experienced automation systems designer, installer, and programmer with over ten years of experience. He holds a mechanical engineering degree and is completing his master's thesis in mechanical engineering at the University of Louisville (UofL). For the past two years, Cassidy has been involved in research at the Louisville Automation and Robotic Research Institute (LARRI) under the guidance of Dr. Dan Popa as a student. Recently, Cassidy Caid has joined the LARRI Industry Solutions Center and the KY-MEP as an Automation Systems Designer. He is optimistic about the growth prospects of industrial robotic automation and sees an excellent opportunity to match the skills and experiences of LARRI Staff and students to industry challenges. |
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National Science Board Visits LARRI During Annual Retreat |
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Pictured above are National Science Board Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan and undergraduate researchers Bismah Rana and Logan Lewis. |
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On Wednesday, October 11th, LARRI had the privilege of hosting members of the National Science Board for a comprehensive tour of our state-of-the-art research facilities. During their visit, the esteemed members of the National Science Board engaged with the students, faculty, and researchers at LARRI, initiating productive discussions about their ongoing research projects and experiences as student researchers. For those who may need to become more familiar with the National Science Board, it is an independent advisory body to the President and Congress responsible for establishing policies of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Board is comprised of 25 eminent individuals from the fields of science, engineering, and education, who are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The National Science Board performs various crucial functions, including approving major NSF awards, providing congressional testimony, and issuing statements and reports relevant to the nation's science and engineering enterprise. Their mission is to advance the progress of science and engineering research, education, and innovation in the United States. Overall, the visit of the National Science Board members to LARRI was an enriching experience for all involved, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have shared our exciting research and development work with them. |
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KY NSF EPSCoR SuperCollider 2024 |
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Undergraduate Winners:
Samuel Haugen, UK
Jerrin Redmon, UofL / Bellarmine University
Masters Student Winners:
Jordan Dowdy, UofL
Tyler Ward, Morehead St.
Jacob Jones, UofL
PhD Student Winners:
Ali Ashary, UofL
Md Tawabur Rahman, UK
Eve Aldridge, UK
Jason Stallings, UK
Ruchik Mishra, UofL
Nicolas Kosanovic, UofL
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On February 2nd, KY NSF EPSCoR participants from across Kentucky came together for SuperCollider 2024 in Lexington. The event included project updates, collaboration opportunities, and student poster presentations. 78 attendees and 39 student posters were presented at the event. As part of the annual meeting of KY NSF EPSCoR, SuperCollider is an event that highlights the research of all participating institutions. For the past five years, students supported by the KY NSF EPSCoR grant have had the opportunity to compete in a poster competition where they
present their research. This competition gives students valuable experience for larger conferences and the chance to showcase their work and learn from their peers. This year, 39 students took part in the research poster competition, with ten students receiving marks of distinction. Six of these ten students were from LARRI. We are so proud of our students and their work. Many other students were interviewed during the competition, and their videos can be found below.
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Pictured from Left to Right are Dr. Alireza Tofangchi, Nathan George, and Andrew Frye discussing LARRI research projects with attendees at the expo.
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Nathan George, pictured above, is sharing information about his remote hand motion sensors. |
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On March 2nd, LARRI participated in the Speed School Student Council's annual Engineering Expo with the theme "Engineering: A Ride for Everyone." This year's expo included a keynote from Jeff Pike, Partner and President of Skyline Attractions, LLC. The Engineering Expo offers hands-on activities with the departments and various student organizations, competitions, and other activities for K-12 students, providing interactive opportunities to engage with engineering. During the event, LARRI Research Engineer Dr. Alireza Tofangchi and undergraduate students Nathan George and Andrew Frye showcased some of our interactive demonstrations, including Milo, remote hand motion sensors, a vacuum-balloon gripper, tensegrity string actuators, Piezo soft sensors, and soft tissue sensors with our E-Pen. We were thrilled to engage with students, answer their questions, and inspire them to pursue careers in engineering.
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On March 19th, LARRI held its Spring Open House, a fantastic opportunity to showcase our current research to the community. The event was a great success, with over 80 guests in attendance. We were particularly pleased to welcome a large number of students from Central High School and Louisville Collegiate School, as well as guests from GLI, KY-MEP, the Controller's office, and University of Louisville Alumni. We hope this outreach event has inspired a love of robotics in the community.
Our next Open House will be held in the summer. If you are interested in attending, contact our Program Coordinator, Jordan Jones, at jordan_a.jones@louisville.edu for more information.
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All newsletter photos provided courtesy of Ashly Cecil, Jordan Jones or those featured in the article.
Videos are courtesy of the National Science Board and KY NSF EPSCoR.
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Louisville Automation and Robotics Research Institute [LarriLabs.org]
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