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Utah Conference of Undergraduate Research 2024

Two undergraduate research fellows from the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab, Cassandra Burdick and Joshua Gubler, presented their research at the Utah Conference of Undergraduate Research (UCUR) held at Utah Valley University. UCUR is an annual conference celebrating and highlighting undergraduate research. This event demonstrates and celebrates undergraduate research and creative work from 10 colleges and universities in Utah. Students of all disciplines from around the state share the results of their investigations with other students, faculty, field specialists, and the public. Cassandra’s and Josh’s presentations were:

  • Cassandra Burdick – Analyzing Fine EMG Control of Hemiparetic Stroke Patients Using a Virtual Reality Variant of the Box and Blocks Task
  • Josh Gubler – Strategies for Downsampling Electromyographic Signals for Low-Power Wearables

Mingchuan Cheng Presents at District Science Fair

Mingchuan Cheng, a dedicated member of our NeuroRobotics Lab since May 2023 and a junior at West High School, showcased his work at the district-level science fair on February 1st, 2024. Mingchuan’s research, titled “Unraveling Cognitive Load in Prosthetic Tasks via Detection Response Task,” delves into quantifying cognitive load to establish crucial baselines and standards for future prosthetic advancements. His approach lays the groundwork for enhanced prosthetic designs, allowing future researchers to use the Detection Response Task to objectively measure the cognitive load of individuals operating prostheses. Mingchuan’s dedication and innovative thinking exemplify the spirit of scientific inquiry we foster in our lab, inspiring peers and mentors alike. He will continue his research and present again at a state-wide science fair in March of this year.

Joshua Gubler Presents at Research on Capitol Hill

Josh Gubler, an undergraduate student in biomedical engineering at the University of Utah, recently presented his research at the Research on Capitol Hill (ROCH) event on January 18th, 2024. The event, organized by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Office of Government Relations, and the Office of Undergraduate Research, provides a platform for selected students to present their research findings to Utah State legislators. Gubler’s participation underscores the significance of undergraduate research and creative work from the University of Utah and Utah State University, the top two research universities in the state.

Gubler’s research at ROCH focused on finding strategies to downsample EMG (Electromyography) signals while maintaining good control. His work addresses practical applications at the intersection of biomedical engineering and signal processing. The event allowed him to engage with legislators, showcasing the real-world impact of his research and contributing to the broader conversation on the importance of supporting undergraduate academic endeavors, particularly in areas like biomedical engineering. The collaborative effort between university offices in selecting and showcasing students like Gubler reflects the institutions’ commitment to fostering a vibrant undergraduate research community across diverse disciplines.

See Josh’s poster here.

Congratulations to Connor Olsen for passing his Ph.D. qualifying exam!

Congratulations to Connor Olsen for passing his PhD qualifying exam! Students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. program are required to answer several questions relating to their dissertation topic, perform a deep review of the literature, and turn in a written response. The responses are then reviewed by Connor’s Ph.D. committee, who vote on the quality of the work. Connor’s competition of his qualifying exam signifies that he has the background knowledge and research foresight necessary to complete his Ph.D. research. Congrats Connor! We look forward to seeing your exciting research coming up.

Utah NeuroRobotics Lab Commends Exceptional High School Researchers

The Utah NeuroRobotics Lab recently welcomed two exceptional high school students, Mingchuan Cheng from West High School and Sophie Nelson from Murray High School, as participants in the College of Engineering’s Summer Research Internship program. Cheng and Nelson made impressive strides in their research project titled “Classification of Activities of Daily Living from Muscle Activity,” with the culmination of their efforts showcased at a symposium on August 4th, 2023.

Their innovative study focused on the classification of activities of daily living (ADL) based on muscle activity data collected from the wrist, forearm, and bicep. This research could have far-reaching implications for fields such as assistive technology and rehabilitation medicine.

 

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Josh Gubler and Sam Lewis Receive UROP Fellowships for Summer 2023

Congratulations to Josh Gubler and Sam Lewis, who have been awarded UROP Fellowships for the Summer 2023 semester. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) allows students to assist with faculty research or to carry out their projects under the guidance of a faculty member.

Josh’s project will focus on the compression of EMG for mobile use while also examining the impact of downsampling EMG signals on signal controllability. Sam’s project will investigate the effects of different-sized dry surface electrodes on the quality of EMG signals measured at the wrist.

The UROP Fellowship provides a $1,200 stipend and educational programming for students, allowing them to gain valuable research experience while receiving financial support. We are thrilled to see Josh and Sam receive this well-deserved recognition for their dedication and hard work. We wish them all the best as they embark on their research projects this summer, and we look forward to seeing the results of their work in the future. Congratulations, Josh and Sam!

NeuroRobotics Lab Showcase Latest Research at Limb Preservation Foundation’s Annual Conference

 

Lyndsey Schultz (BME) and Connor Olsen (ECE), two representatives from the NeuroRobotics Lab at the Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, attended the Limb Preservation Foundation’s Annual Symposium in Denver on April 21st. The conference brought together patients, medical professionals, and industry experts to discuss the future of medicine and promote physical and emotional well-being.

Schultz and Olsen presented demos of the Lab’s research, highlighting the latest limb preservation and rehabilitation developments. Their presentation showcased the hospital’s commitment to advancing medical science and providing patients with the highest quality of care. Overall, the conference provided an excellent opportunity for networking and learning about the latest developments in limb preservation.

 

 

Aaron Wang Named General Sterling Scholar for Utah 2023

With great pleasure, we congratulate Aaron Wang, a senior at Skyline High School, on being awarded the prestigious General Sterling Scholar Award on March 22, 2023. This is a remarkable achievement and a reflection of Aaron’s hard work and dedication to his studies.

Aaron’s sterling scholar award is a testament to his academic excellence, and we are proud to have him as a research assistant in the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab at the University of Utah. Aaron’s work in our lab has been exceptional, and we have been impressed with his ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems.

As a paid research assistant, Aaron has been working on methods to align training data to improve machine learning approaches to use electromyography to control smart home environments. Aaron recently submitted a first-author conference proceeding for his work, which is an incredible achievement, and we believe that it reflects Aaron’s hard work in the field of machine learning and robotics.

On behalf of the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab, we would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to Aaron on this remarkable achievement. We are proud of his accomplishments and are confident that he will continue to excel in his academic and research pursuits.

Link to the full article here

3 Pilot Grants Funded by Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Our lab is proud to announce the funding of three new pilot grants authored by three of our Ph.D. students. Congratulations to Monika Buczak (Biomedical Engineering), Marshall Trout (Electrical Engineering), and Connor Olsen (Electrical Engineering). Each has been awarded ~$5,000 by the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to help fund their research!

Monika’s Grant, entitled “Electronic Grip Gauge (EGG): Disentangling Sensory and Motor Deficits of Fine Hand Function,” will fund the development and translation of the EGG, an assessment tool to measure grip and dexterity. The EGG is currently used to assess the dexterity of prosthetic control in a research setting, and Monika hopes to translate the egg into the clinical sphere to assist with the rehabilitation of individuals who have suffered strokes.

Marshall’s Grant, entitled “Assisting and Rehabilitating Hand Dexterity for Stroke Patients through Proximal Nerve Stimulation,” uses functional electrical stimulation to reanimate stroke patients’ paretic limbs to assist in rehabilitation. Marshall’s work will operate similarly to mirror therapy but by actually moving the patient’s paretic limb through electrical stimulation of the proximal nerve.

Connor’s Grant, entitled “Enhancing Patient Independence with Hand Gesture Control of Inpatient Smart Rooms,” will fund the development of an EMG controller that will allow individuals to control their smart home environment using hand gestures. Connor seeks to enable the patients at the Nielsen Rehabilitation Hospital to use this control method in their hospital rooms to increase independence and promote recovery.

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Connor Olsen Awarded Grant to Enhance Research Mentorship

Connor Olsen has been awarded the Enhancing Research Mentorship Grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research at the University of Utah. This is the first (pilot) year this grant has been awarded and aims to improve the mentorship experience between mentees and mentors in a research setting and improve the diversity among researchers.

Connor’s grant, titled “Skill-Focused Research Training Session for New Undergraduate Researchers,” seeks to improve the process of bringing undergraduates into the research sphere by focusing less on what tasks they can perform and instead on developing critical research skills, such as performing literary analyses, developing research questions, and analyzing experimental data. He hopes to use this grant to promote change away from undergraduates being assigned menial tasks in a research lab and build them into future researchers who can act independently and think critically.