March 21, 2022

A metaform, created by the lab of Jannick Rolland in collaboration with Nick Vamivakas and researchers at the University of Michigan, can be combined with freeform optics to create the next generation of AR/VR glasses, headsets, and eye wear.

Dear members of the Hajim School community,

Congratulations to Jannick Rolland, our Brian J. Thompson Professor of Optical Engineering, who has been elected as an inaugural member of the Virtual Reality Academy created this year by IEEE’s Visualization and Graphics Technical Community. The VGTC provides technical leadership and organization in visualization, computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality, and interaction. The academy was created to recognize the accomplishments of leaders in these areas.

“I feel so honored as this was my first area of research as a postdoc in 1990,” says Jannick. At that time, she conducted research in optical design for 3D medical visualization in the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She next led a group at Chapel Hill working on human perception of medical 2D and 3D datasets including perception in augmented and virtual reality systems.

Augmented and virtual reality was considered an “eccentric” area of research at the time, she recalls. “I forged on as the space was challenging, stimulating, and in need of innovation–and still is. I sensed from the beginning that advances in these technologies would eventually be broadly disruptive,” she adds. “I thank those who shared that vision and helped support the research in its early stages and to this day.”

Jannick’s instincts were correct. AR/VR is one of our key strategic research focus areas in which we have a foundation for future growth. Jannick, who is also director of the Center for Freeform Optics (CeFO), director of the Robert E. Hopkins Center, and CTO and co-founder of LighTopTech, is truly a pioneer in the field.

Continuing the theme of AR/VR:

Xiaofei Zhou and Chenliang Xu

Congratulations to Xiaofei Zhou, a third-year computer science PhD student, who has received a three-year Industry Fellowship through the AR/VR NRT program. The National Science Foundation graduate trainee program offers interdisciplinary education and research in the cutting-edge field of AR/VR. With the financial and mentorship support provided by this fellowship, Xiaofei, who is advised by Zhen Bai, assistant professor of computer science, is planning to design and develop innovative AR interfaces to empower STEM learning experiences. She will do this by connecting accessible and meaningful digital information and ML interaction experience with the physical environment around learners.

Congratulations as well to Chenliang Xu, assistant professor of computer science, who is joining lead investigators at Stevens Institute of Technology and other collaborators from Purdue University and the University of Michigan in developing an augmented reality program to address another important challenge.

Imagine the learning process involved when a mechanic trained on traditional combustion engines is confronted with an electric vehicle. Or when an EMT must gain expertise in the latest point of care diagnostic tools. Now imagine the same scenario on a battlefield where the pressure to fix equipment and mend soldiers is further magnified.

The team is developing an augmented reality program that could interactively guide nonexpert humans through complex tasks. The research is being supported with a $5.9 million award from the Perceptually-enabled Task Guidance (PTG) program at DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Chenliang’s share of the award is nearly $1 million.

The project will use artificial intelligence (AI) to continuously train a program, nicknamed MILLY, in complex tasks, through YouTube videos, instruction manuals, checklists, and so forth. The program would then guide human users in completing complex tasks through wearable sensors and augmented reality headsets.

Chenliang’s group will develop foundational AI capabilities that can understand egocentric audio-visual signals like humans do and plan task procedures on the fly to guide nonexpert humans through complex tasks. Learn more.

GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

I am delighted to see that 28 Hajim School graduate students will be presenting their research at the AS&E Graduate Research Symposium from 3-5 p.m. this Wednesday, March 23 in the Feldman Ballroom of Douglass Commons. I encourage our faculty, staff, and students to drop by and learn about the exciting work these and other AS&E grad students have been doing. They are the unsung heroes behind much of the great research occurring at our University. The symposium includes a poster session and will conclude with an awards ceremony with remarks by Nick Vamivakas, AS&E Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs.

SHPE CONFERENCE

Members of our Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at the 2021 SHPE National Convention.

Undergraduates can benefit in so many ways when they attend national conferences with our student professional chapters. For example, our Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers took a record 20 undergraduates—half of them women— to the 2021 SHPE National Convention in Orlando, FL. “It was very rewarding just having everyone there and seeing the excitement when they were able to meet recruiters and have interviews,” says SHPE president Brith Milenia Rojas ’22 of chemical engineering.

For first-year student Girasol Villatoro ’25, an audio and music engineering major, attending the conference “gave me an opportunity to not only present myself, but now I have a better understanding of what recruiters look for. It was really eye opening. There’s so much out there for me.”

Participating students had more than 30 interviews with representatives from companies including Caterpillar, Tesla, Nordstrom, Rockwell, Honeywell, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Honda, Eaton, Amazon, Zoom, Thermofisher, Air Products, and FedEx. This has resulted in at least nine offers, with more in the pipeline. Check out this video for more student comments and a glimpse of some of the fun they had visiting Universal Orlando Resort.

SHPE received funding to attend the conference from the Hajim School and the departments of mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, computer science, biomedical engineering, digital media studies, and electrical and computer engineering, as well as the Students’ Association and the Greene Center.

ECE FIRESIDE CHAT

Join the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship for a fireside chat this Thursday, March 24 with electrical engineering alumnus Mark Weiner ’88. Mark will speak about his 35-year career building and leading innovative technology businesses, including Reliant, an edge computing company that was sold in February 2022. The presentation will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in 1400 Wegmans Hall. Refreshments will be provided.

NYSERDA HACKATHON

Here’s a great opportunity for Hajim School faculty and students to exercise and showcase your programming and science skills and provide a valuable service to New York state and the environment. NYSERDA, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, has issued a global call for engineers, scientists, and developers to participate in a five-week-long RTEM (Real Time Energy Management) Hackathon.

Participants will have access to time-series data gathered from approximately 200 commercial and multi-family buildings statewide. Sources of data include building automation systems, connected devices, utility meters, and IoT sensors. Participants will then be asked to prepare submissions that positively impact or accelerate the electrification and decarbonization of New York State commercial and multi-family buildings. Access to data will be available by April 22. Participants will then have until May 30 to submit their proposals. Prizes are $35,000 first place, $15,000 second place; $5,000 third place.

Interested? Sign up by April 15 at https://www.rtemhackathon.com/

CEIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences (CEIS) is soliciting proposals from full-time faculty or other principal investigators interested in promoting technology transfer from our University to New York companies. The center’s Collaborative Innovative Research (CIR) Program for the 2022/23 program year provides awards that support a broad range of optics, photonics and imaging interests, including ophthalmic and vision science, fiber optic communications, biomedical imaging, geospatial imaging, precision optics, consumer imaging and displays. Proposals in other technical areas will be considered as well.

Proposed projects must involve a NY industry partner that is actively engaged with the research, financially sponsoring the research, and willing to provide ongoing economic impact reporting for the project. The scientific and technical quality of the proposed fundamental or applied research or development activities is assessed by external expert reviewers. Ranking also is dependent upon the potential jobs and revenues that will result from the proposed projects. PIs are strongly encouraged to work closely with their industrial sponsors to provide realistic quantitative estimates of the expected impact.

All proposals must be submitted by email as attachments using the forms on the CEIS web site at http://www.ceis.rochester.edu/funding/CIRP.html. Documentation of company commitment must accompany the proposal. Proposals must be received by Cathy Adams no later than May 16. She can also answer questions about the proposals or the CIR RFP process.

Have a great week!

Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman