VUSE Media Spotlight 2013 Archive
VUSE Media Spotlight Archives
2014 | 2013 | 2012
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
December 16, 2013
Discovery News: Humanoid robots: Seven jobs they’ll do
Although the human form is tricky to mimic, it seems almost necessary as people and machines work more closely together in factories, hospitals, rescue operations and more. A social-skills building robot for children with autism developed at Vanderbilt by Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical engineering, and tested at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, is included in the roundup.
December 9, 2013
Fast Company: This powered exoskeleton lets paraplegics walk again
Using the Indego Exoskeleton, designed by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, paraplegic Michael Gore can now stand and walk again.
Nashville Post: Vanderbilt sees success with robotics research
Vanderbilt has 25 investigators with $25 million in research grants, and robotics is a key part of the effort.
December 3, 2013
Salon: Robot helps autistic children develop social skills
A humanoid robot created by scientists at Vanderbilt tracks and records an autistic child’s movements. Information is sent wirelessly to the robot, who then gauges the child’s interaction. In doing so, the robot helps autistic children develop social interaction skills. Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical and computer engineering, is quoted. The story also ran in AlterNet.
November 25, 2013
The Tennessean: Nissan is bullish on fantasy football website
Can college football and the principles of the stock market merge to create the perfect sports fantasy game? That’s the question that budding entrepreneurs Will Schreiber and McArthur Gill sought to answer as they headed into their final semester at Vanderbilt University last spring.
November 22, 2013
Fast Company: Meet Russell, a robot that helps autistic children develop social skills
In a room at Vanderbilt University, Russell tries to engage a 3-year-old autistic girl. However, Russell is not a human, he is a humanoid robot created by scientists at Vanderbilt designed to gauge a child’s social interaction. Russell’s feedback helps autistic children with something they struggle with: the ability to imitate others, a skill essential to learning.
NSF Science Now: Episode 17
National Science Foundation features in an online video the work of a novel supercapacitor design invented by material scientists at Vanderbilt University. Lead developer Cary Pint, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is interviewed.
November 21, 2013
RedOrbit: Robots might make better teachers for children with autism
Vanderbilt researchers are developing a learning environment for autistic children, who often display a strong affinity for technology, built on the foundation of state-of-the-art computing and robotics. Zachary Warren, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical engineering and computer engineering, are quoted.
CNet: Next up in robot suits for the paralyzed: Mind control?
Duke researchers are looking to push robotic exoskeletons into the realm of thought control, eliminating the need for hand controls and reaching those unable to use their upper bodies. The Indego exoskeleton, developed at Vanderbilt by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, for people with lower-body paralysis, is mentioned.
November 19, 2013
Science 360: Video: Humanoid robot ‘Russell’ engages children with autism
An interactive humanoid robot developed by Zachary Warren, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical engineering and computer engineering, helps children with autism build fundamental social skills. The team is also building video games to incorporate into therapy.
November 15, 2013
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Will MOOCs change the way professors handle the classroom?
With the emergence of MOOCs, many of the world’s leading universities are making a surprising discovery: the teaching methods of their professors may not be very good and may have limited effectiveness for many of today’s students. Douglas Fisher, associate professor of computer science, and associate professor of computer engineering, is quoted.
November 14, 2013
PLOS Blogs: Robots to the rescue? Depends on the humans
Search and rescue robots have been used since 9/11 in the aftermath of natural disasters and building collapses. While they have definite benefits, such as being able to get into spaces that human or canine rescuers might find too difficult or dangerous to reach, they’re currently expensive and complicated to use. Julie Adams, associate professor of computer science and of computer engineering, is quoted.
November 11, 2013
Forbes: This amazing robot exoskeleton helps the paralyzed walk again
Exoskeletons are the stuff of countless sci-fi movies, but the real thing is now nearing commercialization based on work by researchers at Vanderbilt University and engineers at automation giant Parker Hannifin. Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is quoted. The story is also reported at LiveScience.
Asia News International: Artificial legs that emulate healthy ones give fresh hope to amputees
The main English language Indian newswire reports on the lower-limb prosthetics research by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering. The story is also covered by United Press International.
November 7, 2013
Popular Mechanics: Five keys to making prosthetics that are just like human legs
In a review article for the journal Science Translational Medicine this week, Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, expounds on the recent advances that are shifting the paradigm for leg prosthetics—as well as what will come next.
HealthDay News: Scientists train monkeys to move two virtual arms with their minds
Scientists at Duke report they’ve taught monkeys to control the virtual movements of two arms on a computer screen using only their brains. Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering and developer of advanced prosthetics, commented on the findings.
November 6, 2013
The Tennessean: Two Nashville startups compete for $1M prize in Global Food and Health Innovation Challenge
Two Nashville startup companies, InvisionHeart and Utilize Health, are finalists for the Global Food and Health Innovation Challenge and will compete next week for the $1 million prize. InvisionHeart, which allows hospitals and clinics to access cardiac data through a mobile device, was created by a group at Vanderbilt University, includingSusan Eagle, associate clinical professor of anesthesiology, and Franz Baudenbacher, associate professor of biomedical engineering. Utilize Health founder Jennifer Harthcock is a Peabody alumna.
November 4, 2013
The New Yorker: Of mice and micro-organs
Science labs have been filled with mice since “fancy” mice being bred by a woman named Abbie Lathrop developed skin lesions and she sent samples to the famed cancer pathologist Leo Loeb. Loeb asserted that rodents might serve well as models for human disease. But the approximation between their physiology and ours is crude. However, there is a replacement in mind: organs on chips. John Wikswo, Gordon A. Cain University Professor and director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, is quoted.
LiveScience: Wearable robotics: The incredible tech of helping people walk again
The flexible and supportive Indego Exoskeleton is designed to help people rehabilitate after an injury or allow people with paralysis to walk again. The new device is the culmination of decades of work in robotics, according to Ryan Farris, one of the exoskeleton developers. Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Chair in Mechanical Engineering, another of the exoskeleton developers, is quoted.
VUSE in the News 2013 Archives
VUSE in the News 2012 Archives
Mashable: Silicon supercapacitor powers phones for weeks on single charge
Material scientists led by Cary Pint, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, have developed a supercapacitor made out of silicon. Previously thought to be kind of a crazy idea, the silicon capacitor can be built into a chip — which could give cellphones weeks of life from one charge, or solar cells that produce energy with or without the sun.
Nashville Post: VU prof among trio to land $3.6M NSF grant
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $3.6 million grant to a team of scientists and engineers that includes Nabil Simaan, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Vanderbilt University.
October 25, 2013
United Press International: U.S. engineers turn to sound to detect hidden explosives
U.S. engineers say an acoustic detection system to identify homemade bombs can detect the difference between low-yield and high-yield explosives. Lead researcher Doug Adams, Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is quoted. The story was also reported by Popular Science and science blog RedOrbit.
FOX Business: ‘Smart’ bionic tech returns motion to paralyzed, amputees
New intelligent bionics and exoskeletons are expected to one day help people stand up and walk in new ways. Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, develops robotic prosthetics and exoskeletons and is quoted.
October 24, 2013
BBC News: Battery boost from coated silicon
Vanderbilt University engineers have constructed the first supercapacitor made out of silicon phone batteries that recharge in minutes and last for weeks. Lead project developer Cary Pint, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is quoted. The story was also published by Futurity, EurkeAlert!, Red Orbit, Slashdot, Design Products and Applications Magazine (United Kingdom), Afghanistan Sun, ANI News (India), EDN (Asia), EET (Asia), GizMag (Australia), AZONANO (Australia) and ZeeNews (India).
Innovations Report: Using sound waves for remote bomb detection
A remote acoustic detection system designed to identify homemade bombs can determine the difference between those that contain low-yield and high-yield explosives, according to a new Vanderbilt University study led by Douglas Adams, distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering. The story was also published by Phys.
Nashville Post: ‘Popular Mechanics’ recognizes VU prof for innovation
Popular Mechanics has named Vanderbilt University’s Michael Goldfarb, the H. Fort Flowers professor of mechanical engineering, one of its “Ten Innovators Who Changed the World” for 2013. The story was also published by AZO Robotics (Australia).
October 21, 2013
The Tennessean: Vanderbilt aiming to add more female engineering students
Despite having above-average enrollment rates for women at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, Vanderbilt University School of Engineering is seeking true gender parity in its student body. Chris Rowe, communications director and associate professor of the practice of engineering management, is quoted.
The Tennessean: Vanderbilt’s tech commercialization program brings in $24.5M
Vanderbilt University has more than quadrupled earnings from its technology commercialization efforts in the past three years to more than $24.5 million in the 2013 fiscal year, according to university officials. Among the high-profile licensing agreements made this year is one with Parker Hannifin to commercialize an exoskeleton developed by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Alan Bentley, assistant vice chancellor for Vanderbilt’s technology transfer center, is quoted.
October 18, 2013
The Lebanon Democrat (Tenn.): Man turns tragedy into opportunity
In 2005, 16-year-old Craig Hutto’s life changed when he lost a leg due to a shark attack in Florida. Because of the event, Hutto decided to pursue a career in health care that which led him to earn a master’s at Vanderbilt and to enter into a Vanderbilt research study on prosthetics led by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Chair in Mechanical Engineering.
October 17, 2013
Futurity: This tiny capsule could let surgeons ‘feel’ again
A small, wireless “palpitation capsule” developed by Pietro Valdastri, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and medicine, could restore the sense of touch that surgeons lose during minimally invasive procedures, which are often performed with cameras and miniaturized tools threaded through small incisions. The capsule provides feedback about the firmness of the tissue it is touching, allowing surgeons to tell the difference between, say, a tumor and healthy tissue. Valdastri and collaborator Keith Obstein, assistant professor of medicine, are quoted. The story is also reported by science news site RedOrbit.
The Tennessean: VU engineering school’s pride soars
In the past five years, Vanderbilt School of Engineering has made a concerted effort to become one of the leading programs in the nation. As a result, applications have more than doubled and research funding has risen 40 percent. Dean Philippe Fauchet, Institute of Software Integrated Systems director Janos Sztipanovits, and School of Engineering communications director Chris Rowe are quoted. A companion article about the new, 20,000-square-foot Laboratory for Systems Integrity and Reliability, scheduled to open in MetroCenter in January, quotes Dean Fauchet and Doug Adams, Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Vanderbilt School of Engineering to open cutting-edge research lab in MetroCenter.
October 16, 2013
RedOrbit: Surgeons’ Sense Of Touch During Minimally Invasive Surgeries Restored
In order to provide the benefits of palpation to minimally invasive surgery, a team of engineers and doctors at Vanderbilt University headed by Pietro Valdastri, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and medicine, has designed a special-purpose wireless capsule equipped with a pressure sensor that fits through the small ports that surgeons use for what is also called “keyhole” surgery. The system is described in an article in press at the journal IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.
Associated Press: Vanderbilt’s earnings from tech on rise
Vanderbilt University officials say earnings from technology commercialization has more than quadrupled in the past three years, bringing in more than $24.5 million in the 2013 fiscal year. The story ran in numerous media outlets nationwide.
October 15, 2013
Nashville Post: Vanderbilt to redesign planned engineering research building
Vanderbilt University is having a proposed engineering research building redesigned in anticipation of a summer 2014 groundbreaking.Boston-based Wilson Architects is designing the building, which will house primarily engineering research space and some shared medical research space and an innovation/entrepreneurial center. Wilson specializes in the design of research buildings and has served as the architect for three VU buildings.
The Tennessean: Vanderbilt’s tech commercialization program brings in $24.5M
Vanderbilt University has more than quadrupled earnings from its technology commercialization efforts in the past three years to more than $24.5 million in the 2013 fiscal year, according to university officials. Alan Bentley, director of the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, is quoted, and Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is pictured in his lab where he has developed a robotic exoskeleton to help people with paralysis walk. Goldfarb was interviewed for a related story aired on WPLN. The story is also reported at length in the Nashville Business Journal and in brief at the Nashville Post.
Wired: The future of prosthetics could be this brain-controlled bionic leg
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is using a robotic leg developed by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering to develop a method of muscle innervation that will enable amputees to link their prosthetics to their brains.
October 9, 2013
Neuro Gadget: Shark attack victim outfitted with new bionic limb
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have recently unveiled a new bionic leg, which promises to substantially increase mobility for above the knee amputees. Team leader Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Chair in Mechanical Engineering, is quoted.
October 8, 2013
VentureBeat: How the shift to robotic limbs is making walking a lot
A robotic prosthetic leg developed at Vanderbilt helps people with above-the-knee amputations walk more easily. Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is quoted, and Goldfarb and research assistant Craig Hutto are featured in the accompanying video. The video was provided by Vanderbilt News and Communications.
October 2, 2013
CNN: Bionic leg helps shark-attack victim walk
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have developed the first fully robotic artificial leg for above-knee amputees. The bionic leg uses a variety of sensors and motors that replicate muscle and joint movement in a healthy limb. The bionic leg is the result of a nine-year research effort led by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
ASEE PRISM: Hook, Line, & Thinker
Kenneth F. Galloway, president of the American Society for Engineering Education and former dean of the School of Engineering, is profiled in the September issue of Prism. Galloway, Distinguished Professor of Engineering, and professor of electrical engineering and computer science, currently is teaching Introduction to Engineering, Science, and Public Policy.
September 25, 2013
Reuters: Natural nerves improve robotic leg performance
Redirecting nerves from the thigh muscle to control an experimental robotic leg developed by Vanderbilt University’s Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, makes the leg easier and more natural to use, researchers at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago report. The story was also reported by other nationwide outlets including the Wall Street Journal, NBC News and Bloomberg.
September 25, 2013
The Tennessean: Google to have tech hub at Nashville’s Entrepreneur Center, 6 other cities
Google Inc. is establishing a presence in seven North American cities and has chosen Nashville’s Entrepreneur Center as part of its new network of tech hubs. NEC director Michael Burcham, senior lecturer in entrepreneurship, is quoted. The School of Engineering’s VU@ECis housed at the NEC.
September 24, 2013
Futurity: How to make mixed-income housing work for the poor
Mixed-income neighborhoods help improve the safety and well being of low-income residents, but cannot relieve deeply entrenched poverty or provide upward mobility without additional social services and supports, say James Fraser, associate professor of human and organizational development, Joshua Bazuin, a postdoctoral fellow at the Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment, and Robert Chaskin, professor of social services administration at the University of Chicago.
Inside Higher Ed: Engineering bigotry?
Earlier this year Prism, the magazine of the American Society for Engineering Education, printed a letter to the editor criticizing diversity efforts to increase the representation of gays and lesbians in the field, saying such efforts promoted immorality and including a reference to the Bible. Kenneth Galloway, the association’s president and Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Vanderbilt, co-authored a response taking the journal to task for printing the letter on the grounds that the writer’s characterization of homosexuality was unsupported by scientific literature and that religious beliefs on the subject were irrelevant to the mission of a magazine about engineering education.
August 26, 2013
eHealthServer: Robot treats brain clots with steerable needles
Surgery to relieve the damaging pressure caused by hemorrhaging in the brain is a perfect job for a robot. That is the basic premise of a new image-guided surgical system under development at Vanderbilt University. Robert J. Webster III, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, neurological surgery, otolaryngology and electrical engineering, and Kyle Weaver, assistant professor of neurological surgery and otolaryngology, are quoted. Project team members and Vanderbilt graduate students Philip Swaney and Ray Lathrop are mentioned.
August 25, 2013
Reuters: Archaeologists use drones in Peru to map and protect sites
Archaeologists say drones can help set boundaries to protect sites, watch over them and monitor threats, and create a digital repository of ruins. Julie Adams, associate professor of computer science and computer engineering, and Steve Wernke, assistant professor of anthropology, are cited.
Also reported by Business Insider and Yahoo News. (Aug. 25)
August 23, 2013
Hazard (Ky) Herald: Perry native speaks with students about career with NASA
Tracie Prater, aerospace engineer and mechanical engineering graduate (Ph.D.’12), spoke to elementary school students in her native Perry County about her new position in Materials Engineering at NASA. Prater is one of 12 participants selected to attend the 2013 Emerging Space Leaders Grant Program in China in October. Read emerging space leaders story here.
August 13, 2013
Discovery: Robot sucks out brain clot
Surgically removing blood clots in the brain is so risky that doctors often advise against it. But a team of physicians and engineers, led by Robert Webster, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and Kyle Weaver, assistant professor of neurological surgery, have built a robotic device designed to remove brain blood clots with a less invasive, and hopefully safer, method. The story was also reported byCNet.
Yahoo! News: 10 tech terms everyone needs to know for 2014
To make intelligent decisions about life, safety, computers and more, Doug Schmidt, associate chair of computer science engineering, suggests ten technical terms everyone should know.
Gizmodo: Monster Machines: Got blood on the brain? Shove this clot buster up your nose
The medical community generally agrees that removing a blood clot in the brain can drastically improve a stroke patient’s survivability, but just getting to the clot can often do more harm than good. To increase the odds of success, Robert Webster, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and Kyle Weaver, assistant professor of neurological surgery, have developed a steerable needle that can suck the clot away while keeping damage to surrounding brain tissue to a minimum.
August 12, 2013
Forbes: Why no one cares about your ideas—and how to change that
Charisma can’t be taught, but effective presentation skills can. A recent standout presentation by Barat Bhuva, professor of electrical engineering and computer engineering, at an event for entrepreneurs in the automotive industry is highlighted.
RedOrbit: Vanderbilt scientists employ robotics to fight brain clots
Vanderbilt mechanical engineer Robert Webster, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and Kyle Weaver, assistant professor of neurological surgery, collaborated to develop a special robotic system that uses tiny, steerable needles to suction out brain clots formed by intracranial hemorrhaging. The story was also reported by The Tennessean.
August 9, 2013
Science Daily: Robot treats brain clots with steerable needles
Vanderbilt University is developing an image-guided surgical system that employs steerable needles to penetrate the brain with minimal damage and suction away any blood clots. Co-lead of the team Robert Webster, III, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is quoted.
Nashville Scene: Innovations: Vanderbilt’s new Institute for Digital Learning looks to the future of massively open online education
Vanderbilt University seeks to be on the leading edge of the field with the opening of its Institute for Digital Learning. The institute will focus on developing massive open online courses as well as other digital learning platforms, which includes a partnership with Coursera. Doug Fisher, associate professor of computer science and associate professor of computer engineering, is quoted.
Nashville Scene: Innovations: A system that combines a humanoid robot with a hacked XBox Kinect helps autistic children learn
Vanderbilt researchers reprogrammed a humanoid robot and an XBox Kinect to help autistic children improve their abilities to engage in social interactions. Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical and computer engineering, is quoted.
Nashville Scene: Innovations: Designed by Vanderbilt students, KidSense aims to keep children out of the hot seat
For their senior design project for the School of Engineering, six Vanderbilt students created the KidSense Car Seat System. The system detects if a child has been left unattended and if the environment has become uncomfortably hot or cold in the car. Co-creator Chelsea Stowell, BE’13, is quoted.
Nashville Scene: Innovations: Designing a crowdsourced next-generation military vehicle by collaborating digitally in the cloud
Vanderbilt’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems (ISIS) was awarded a $9.3 million contract to develop a collaborative software so that other non-government teams could design a new amphibious tank for the Marine Corp. Sandeep Neema, research associate professor of electrical engineering, is quoted.
Nashville Scene: Innovations: New insights into cave-dwelling bacteria, mechanical exoskeletons and smartphone gunfire sensors
An update on past innovations that includes the work of Steve Wernke, assistant professor of anthropology, on an unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as a drone), the progress of prosthetic devices made by Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and the research of cave-dwelling organisms by Brian Bachmann, associate professor of chemistry
August 7, 2013
The Tennessean: Opinion: Students must stay to better workforce
Universities play a critical role by producing talented students who are the trained labor force required by high-tech companies. The challenge is to create an environment that motivates bright, creative people with specialized skills to work here, writes Philippe Fauchet, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering and Douglas C. Schmidt, professor of computer science.
August 2, 2013
Nautilus: Mind-control helicopters and the healing power of poop
A collaboration of engineers and doctors at Vanderbilt and Columbia universities has been noted as one of five unlikely medical breakthroughs. The contribution to the project by Nabil Simaan, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is mentioned.
August 1, 2013
Industry Week: Opinion: Are engineering schools the unsung hero in America’s industrial rebound?
Groundbreaking research, cutting-edge systems and partnerships with industry and government have resulted in new technologies and paradigms that have transformed American industry, and will continue to bolster American competitiveness for the next decade, writes Philippe Fauchet, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering.
July 31, 2013
Nashville Post: NPT show features VU researchers
Tuesday night Nashville Public Television debuted the second program in its Tennessee Explorers series, featuring Vanderbilt faculty members Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering and professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and William Robinson, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer engineering.
July 9, 2013
Nashville Post: VU-powered startup wins first place in Memphis tech event
BioNanovations, a startup company based on technology developed at Vanderbilt University, claimed first place at the NewME Accelerator PopUp event recently held in Memphis.
Business Insider: The real reason you learn a lesson better when you teach it
For thousands of years, people have known that the best way to understand a concept is to explain it to someone else. Now scientists are bringing this ancient wisdom up to date, documenting exactly why teaching is such a fruitful way to learn — and designing innovative ways for young people to engage in instruction. Betty’s Brain, a tutoring computer program co-developed by Gautam Biswas, professor of computer science, is mentioned.
Southern Alpha: How one company in the southeast will disrupt the gaming industry
Michael Anderson, founder and CEO (and PhD student at Vanderbilt) had the idea to create the “dropbox” for gaming. He and co-founder Eli Hooten built a cloud community that invites users to store game data on a cloud on a free-mium model.
June 27, 2013
Publisher’s Weekly: AAUP: Bridging Worlds
The theme of this year’s American Association of University Presses conference held from June 20-22 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, Mass., was “Bridging Worlds.” Douglas Fisher, associate professor of computer science and computer engineering, spoke about MOOCs and e-textbooks.
June 25, 2013
NBC News: Real-life super-powered ‘exosuit’: Better, faster, stronger … softer
Through a Defense Department-funded research project worthy of science fiction, a soft robotic exoskeleton, pulled on like a pair of pants, could one day give athletes an extra kick or soldiers the strength to lift heavier loads than their muscles alone could bear. Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is quoted.
The Tennessean: More education in computer programming will put students on path to success, advocates say
One Nashville charter school operator hopes to address the need for more computer programming classes, and business leaders looking to the future job market say it needs to be happening earlier and more routinely in K-12 schools. Douglas Schmidt, professor of computer science, is quoted.
May 31, 2013
Fast Company: A robot for autistic kids, now in schools
As part of its new ASK (Autism Solution for Kids) NAO initiative, Aldebran—the company behind NAO—is launching a series of educational games for the pint-sized robot. The effectiveness of therapy with NAO for children with autism was described by Vanderbilt researchers earlier this year.
May 3, 2013
Scientific American: An App that locates the source of shots
Vanderbilt University engineers have developed a module that works in combination with a smartphone. The device can pick up the “sonic signature” of gunfire, and then sense shockwaves produced from the bullet. The App sends the combined information to an Android phone, where it plots the details on a map. The story was also published in Fast Company and Guns.
Back to Top
April 30, 2013
Al Jazeera: Autistic boy responds to his robot
A robot designed by Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical and computer engineering, has been shown to help children with autism learn certain social skills. Sarkar andZachary Warren, director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders, are quoted.
Sun News (Canada): Need to find a sniper? There’s an app for that
Computer scientists at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems have developed an Android smartphone program that can detect where shots are coming from. Akos Ledeczi, associate professor of computer and electrical engineering, is quoted. The story ran in Sun-affiliated newspapers across Canada. The research was also covered by The Atlantic.
April 29, 2013
Fast Company: The best teachers for autistic children: robots
It’s strange to think that robots are teaching humans to be more “normal,” but Vanderbiltresearchers are successfully using a humanoid robot called NAO to help children with autism develop certain social skills.
Discovery News: Android phones pinpoint snipers
A team of computer engineers from Vanderbilt University’s Institute of Software Integrated Systems has developed an inexpensive hardware module and related software that can transform an Android smartphone into a simple shooter location system. Akos Ledeczi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Kenneth Pence, associate professor of the practice of engineering management, led the research. The story was also reported by CBSNews.com, the Times of India, Mashable, Futurity, Gizmag(Australia), and Wired’s U.K. edition.
April 26, 2013
FoxNews.com: Could you design the next marine amphibious assault vehicle?
A three-person team from Texas, Ohio and California has won the first stage of DARPA’s Advanced Vehicle Make competition to design a new amphibious assault vehicle for the military. Using DARPA’s META design tools and its online collaboration platform VehicleFORGE, developed at Vanderbilt’s Institute of Software Integrated Systems, to manage and submit their designs, the competitors developed a drive train for the new vehicle. The next contest will be for the best chassis design.
Science Daily: Tracking gunfire with a smartphone
A team of computer engineers from Vanderbilt University’s Institute of Software Integrated Systems has developed an inexpensive hardware module and related software that can transform an Android smartphone into a simple shooter location system. Akos Ledeczi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Kenneth Pence, associate professor of the practice of engineering management, led the research.
April 24, 2013
CBS News: Boston Marathon amputees face challenges relearning how to walk
The victims of the Boston Marathon bombing may have to live with the physical and emotional scars from the April 15 attack for the rest of their lives. For some of the injured, that includes learning how to live without one or more of their limbs. Prosthetics researcher Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is quoted.
April 19, 2013
Nashville Post: Engineering problem to solve? Check Vanderbilt University’s Senior Design Day
Today is Senior Design Day at Vanderbilt University, and it means that dozens of engineering students will show off their team solutions to challenges posed to them by corporate sponsors such as Nissan North America, Gresham Smith & Partners, Oreck Corp., the Tennessee Department of Transportation, NASA and CH2M Hill. Cynthia Paschal, associate dean, is quoted.
WTVF, Channel 5, aired a report about Vanderbilt researchers Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Julie Crittendon, professor of psychology, who have developed a humanoid robot that can be used in therapy for children with autism. The video was provided by Vanderbilt Video.
April 12, 2013
WLS (Chicago) aired a report about a humanoid robot called NAO that Vanderbilt researchers are using to help children with autism develop better attention skills. Researchers Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical engineering and computer engineering, and Julie Crittendon, professor of psychiatry, are quoted.
April 10, 2013
The Tennessean: DCA students get jolt from blackberry
During a March 8 educational outreach program sponsored by the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, students from Donelson Christian Academy learned to make solar cells out of blackberry juice and measure the electrical power produced by the juice. Sandra Rosenthal, Jack and Pamela Egan Professor of Chemistry and director of VINSE, is quoted.
April 8, 2013
Murfreesboro Post: Robot helps those with autism learn
An interdisciplinary team of autism experts and mechanical engineers at Vanderbilt University has created an interactive robot that can help children with autism learn.Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical engineering and computer engineering, is quoted.
April 5, 2013
Medical News Today: Specialized telerobotic system designed to treat bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer in the United States and the most expensive to treat. The basic method that doctors use to treat it has not changed much in more than 70 years, until now. An interdisciplinary collaboration of engineers and doctors at Vanderbilt and Columbia universities intends to change that situation dramatically. Nabil Simaan, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and S. Duke Herrell, associate professor of biomedical engineering, are quoted.
April 3, 2013
Futurity: Interactive robot trains kids with autism
A humanoid robot shows promise for teaching a basic social skill called joint attention to children with autism spectrum disorder. Researchers Nilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical engineering and computer engineering, Zachary Warren, director of the Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD) at Vanderbilt University’s Kennedy Center, and Julie Crittendon, assistant professor of pediatrics, are quoted.
Science Daily: Telerobotic system designed to treat bladder cancer better
Although bladder cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer in the U.S. and the most expensive to treat, the basic method that doctors use to treat it hasn’t changed much in more than 70 years. Nabil Simaan, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Vanderbilt, and his team have developed a prototype of a minimally invasive telerobotic platform that will improve doctors’ ability to see, reach and remove bladder tumors. S. Duke Herrell, an associate professor of urologic surgery and biomedical engineering, is also quoted.
April 1, 2013
Nashville Post: Vanderbilt lands $9.3M U.S. Defense Department tech grant
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems a $9.3 million grant for continued development of technology that could revolutionize the way military vehicles are designed and manufactured.
Back to Top
March 21, 2013
ANI (India): Now, humanoid robot to help train kids with autism
India’s major English-language newswire reports on a two-foot tall humanoid robot that helps train children with autism to improve their basic social learning skills developed byNilanjan Sarkar, professor of mechanical engineering. Zachary Warren, director of the Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Vanderbilt’s Kennedy Center, is quoted. The report was distributed to news outlets across India.
March 12, 2013
The Washington Times: Bionic suit to help paraplegics walk could be ‘Obamacare’ casualty
Researchers think robotic exoskeletons to help people with paralysis walk will be ready for the market by next year, but it is unclear whether insurance will cover the devices and how much their price will be impacted by a medical device tax defined in the Affordable Care Act. Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has developed such an exoskeleton and is quoted about its design.
March 12, 2013
ANI (India): Vanderbilt’s new programming process lets cochlear implant users hear better
India’s top English-language newswire reported on a new method developed at Vanderbilt for programming cochlear implants to reduce interference and improve hearing accuracy. Benoit Dawant, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering and director of the Vanderbilt Initiative in Surgery and Engineering, is quoted, and Rene Gifford, audiologist and assistant professor of hearing and speech sciences; Robert Labadie, associate professor of otolaryngology and associate professor of biomedical engineering; and Jack Noble, research assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science, are mentioned. The story appeared in news outlets across India.
Back to Top
February 28, 2013
ScienceDaily: NASA announces new CubeSat space mission candidates
NASA has selected 24 small satellites to fly as auxiliary payloads aboard rockets planned to launch in 2014, 2015 and 2016. After launch, the satellites will conduct technology demonstrations, educational research or science missions. One of the winning designs was submitted by Vanderbilt University in partnership with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, Silver Spring, Md.
February 21, 2013
Washington Post: The ‘E’ in STEM gets its moment
The Bernard M. Gordon Prize for $500,000 was awarded to Richard Miller, David Kernsand Sherra Kerns — the team responsible for creating the engineering curriculum at Olin College in Needham, Mass., which accepted its first class in 2002. Prior to their work at Olin, David and Sherra Kerns had been longtime engineering professors at Vanderbilt.
February 8, 2013
The Tennessean: Learning curve: Siegel kids look to get jolt out of project
A group of Siegel High will make solar cells out of blackberry juice and measure the electrical power produced as part of an educational outreach program sponsored by the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. VINSE director Sandra Rosenthal, Jack and Pamela Egan Professor of Chemistry, and Dean Philippe Fauchet are quoted. Vanderbilt graduate student Scott Niezgoda is pictured.
February 7, 2013
GCN: When cell phone technology hits a wall
Even as developers find new, sophisticated uses as part of environmental monitoring, situational awareness and other mobile networks, they are struggling with certain limitations in smart-phone technology. Akos Ledeczi, associate professor of computer engineering, has been developing a smart-phone app that locates snipers for DARPA and is quoted.
February 3, 2013
USA Today Money: Oreck Corp. adds products, revamps marketing strategy
To keep pushing the envelope, the company is working with Vanderbilt University and NASA. Vanderbilt students have researched how to improve Oreck specialty stores and are helping the company develop air purifiers. With a class of engineering students and the help of NASA, Oreck is looking into how air flow technology developed by the space agency can be incorporated into a vacuum.
Tennessean Business: New designs, new focus
A team of Vanderbilt engineering students, with the help of NASA, is looking into how air flow technology developed by the space agency can be incorporated into an Oreck vacuum.
Back to Top
January 25, 2013
CNN.com: What’s special about nanotechnology?
Rizia Bardhan, assistant professor of chemical and biochemical engineering and one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 in science and technology, is interviewed about her research in nanotechnology and about the tremendous advancements that are possible with it in the fields of medicine and energy.
January 21, 2013
Science Daily: Revolutionizing military manufacturing
Inventors from across the country can enter a national competition to design a new amphibious infantry fighting vehicle for the U.S. Marine Corps and Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems (ISIS) is playing a key role in the development of the engineering software that makes the challenge possible.
January 17, 2013
The Tennessean: Forum with Frist addresses government’s role in funding research
In a panel discussion, Gov. Bill Haslam, Sen. Lamar Alexander and former Sen. Bill Frist said they support government grants to research universities, such as Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee. The panel kicked off a daylong forum at Vanderbilt that was put on by the National Research Council to promote its “Research Universities and the Future of America” report. Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos and School of Engineering Dean Philippe Fauchet also participated in the panels.
January 14, 2013
WPLN: Vanderbilt researchers develop software for Defense department competition
The Department of Defense is kicking off a contest, open to the public, to design an amphibious tank using modeling software developed by engineers, scientists, and graduate students at Vanderbilt’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems.
January 10, 2013
Wired: DARPA open source code for building your own amphibious tank
The DoD’s DARPA group plans to release open-source software that will let anyone design and run virtual tests on their own amphibious military vehicle, kicking off the first phase of a design contest. The prize: $1 million. DARPA’s software — built in part by researchers at Vanderbilt University — is called Meta.
January 2, 2013
Scientific American: Podcast: Drones accelerate archaeological site mapping
Steven Wernke, assistant professor of anthropology, and Julie Adams, associate professor of computer science and computer engineering, spent a month this summer testing a semi-autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle high in the Andes in Peru. The goal: to map a colonial town from the 1500s that had been built over an Incan settlement, and then abandoned.
Back to Top