Project Grant 2339273
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (CFDA 47.070 - Computer and Information Science and Engineering) provides funding of $143,555.00 to the University of California, Santa Barbara to enable new machine control methods and software design techniques that blend automated digital fabrication with expert manual control. The goal is to create domain-specific workflows that allow experts to use digital fabrication technologies like 3D printing more effectively in their...
- This $284,971 project grant from the National Science Foundation's Office of Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), will support research and development of methods to transition marginalized rural and urban digital workers into higher-skilled, creative digital jobs. A team from Northeastern University, Carnegie Mellon University, West Virginia University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Pennsylvania will collaborate...
- This National Science Foundation project grant of $235,898 supports collaborative research on human-automation interaction for the future of work through August 2024. Funded by the Integrative Activities program under the CFDA number 47.083, the award to the University of New Hampshire will develop the science and technology of intuitive human-automation interactions that promote safety, transparency, dignity and trust. Specifically, the university will conduct research with German...
- This National Science Foundation Project Grant of $299,923 awarded on September 15, 2022 will fund the development of an open-source ecosystem for robot manipulation research through August 31, 2023. The award falls under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) which aims to advance science and technology innovation. The University of Massachusetts Lowell will establish an open-source ecosystem covering physical, digital, instructional and functional assets to...
- This National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award to Montclair State University supports research to advance multi-human, multi-robot collaborative manufacturing systems in emerging Industry 5.0 contexts. The $500,000 grant, spanning 5 years from September 2024 to August 2029, aims to develop a synergistic computational framework for characterizing, modeling, and assessing human factors and task scheduling to improve both manufacturing efficiency...
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) program (CFDA 47.070) provides $465,495.00 to Syracuse University to develop and evaluate AI-enhanced digital tools that empower online freelance workers to better manage their profiles, workloads, and task performance. Over 3 years, the research team will collaborate with online freelancers and organizations supporting these workers to design, deploy, and iteratively...
- This National Science Foundation project grant of $150,000 will fund research at Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station to upskill craftspeople for future manufacturing roles. Under the NSF Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), the award will establish a multidisciplinary team to study challenges craftspeople face in participating in the emerging workforce for end-user driven manufacturing. The team will characterize craft end-users and identify customization needs through surveys. Partnering...
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.070) program provides $300,000 to the Regents of the University of Michigan to conduct a "Design Retreat" with academic and industry experts. The goal is to create a future vision for the field of "design for human-robot interaction (HRI)" through a series of four visioning workshops. Key activities include using metaphors to generate new robot design...
- This Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Directorate (CFDA 47.041) provides $149,999 to the Rochester Institute of Technology to develop new approaches for capturing and transferring tacit knowledge in machining occupations. The award period is from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023. Specifically, the grant will support a multidisciplinary team in investigating how artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality technologies can help identify,...
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) program provides $250,000 to Northwestern University to develop novel foundation models and learning methods for automating the manufacturing design process. The project aims to leverage large language models like GPT-4 and multi-modal machine learning to enable the generation of CAD models and optimized manufacturing process instructions from natural language inputs...
CAREER: TOOLKITS FOR DIGITAL/PHYSICAL WORKFLOWS -THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTES TOOLKITS TO SUPPORT DESIGNERS CREATING SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE BOTH HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE BY LOWERING THE THRESHOLD TO USING AUTOMATION IN THEIR WORKFLOWS. WHILE AUTOMATION CAN INCREASE PRECISION AND EFFICIENCY, SETTING UP NEW AUTOMATED WORKFLOWS CAN BE COSTLY, REQUIRING EXPERTISE AND SIGNIFICANT UP-FRONT ENGINEERING TIME. BECAUSE OF THIS COST, AUTOMATION IS LARGELY USED FOR TASKS THAT ARE SUFFICIENTLY FREQUENTLY USED THAT THIS UP-FRONT INVESTMENT CAN BE RECOUPED, SUCH AS IN THE CONTEXT OF MASS PRODUCTION. DOMAIN EXPERTS WORKING AT SMALLER SCALES OR WITH NICHE WORKFLOWS CANNOT BENEFIT IN THE SAME WAYS, HINDERING THEIR PROGRESS. IN CONTRAST, THIS RESEARCH PRIORITIZES A BROADER COMMUNITY OF FABRICATION PRACTITIONERS WHOSE VARIED REQUIREMENTS DEMAND A BROAD DIVERSITY OF AUTOMATION STRATEGIES. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP PRACTITIONERS IDENTIFY VIABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUTOMATION IN THEIR WORK, CONTRIBUTE OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE TOOLKITS WITH WHICH PRACTITIONERS CAN AUTHOR THEIR OWN AUTOMATED DIGITAL/PHYSICAL WORKFLOWS, AND ORGANIZE COMMUNITIES USING AND MAINTAINING THESE TECHNOLOGIES. THESE OUTPUTS WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO A WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE HUMAN-CENTERED SYSTEMS THAT USE DIGITAL/PHYSICAL WORKFLOWS IN THEIR CHOSEN APPLICATION AREAS THROUGH A SERIES OF COURSES AND WORKSHOPS THAT WILL BE TAUGHT USING THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND THROUGH THEIR OPEN-SOURCE RELEASE. THIS RESEARCH INCLUDES THREE MAIN AREAS: FORMATIVE RESEARCH ON THE WORK OF PRACTITIONERS WHO SPAN DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL SPACES, SUCH AS FABRICATORS OR LABORATORY SCIENTISTS; THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL DEVICES AND HARDWARE MODULES FOR AUTOMATING PHYSICAL PROCESSES INCLUDING MOTION CONTROL AND ACTIVE END EFFECTORS; AND END-USER SOFTWARE THAT SCAFFOLDS THE AUTHORING OF AUTOMATED DIGITAL/PHYSICAL WORKFLOWS, INCLUDING MODULES THAT SUPPORT THE CREATION OF TASK-SPECIFIC ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) MODELS FOR AUTOMATED EVENT DETECTION. THIS HUMAN-CENTERED APPROACH?WHERE USERS CAN REFINE THEIR MODELS AND WORKFLOWS AS THEY COLLECT ADDITIONAL DATA?LEVERAGES PRACTITIONERS? UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OWN DATA DURING COLLECTION. BY COLLABORATING WITH EXPERTS ACROSS DIFFERENT DOMAINS THROUGH FORMATIVE STUDIES AND DESIGN WORKSHOPS, TOOLKITS AND SYSTEMS FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL GENERALIZE TO MULTIPLE APPLICATION AREAS. OTHER PEOPLE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY AND LEARN ABOUT AUTOMATION THROUGH COURSES AND WORKSHOPS IN COMMUNITY SPACES LIKE DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY) BIOLABS AND MAKERSPACES. FURTHERMORE, THIS RESEARCH WILL CONTRIBUTE DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPEN-SOURCE HARDWARE THAT IS REPLICABLE AND CAN BE TAILORED BY END-USERS. TOGETHER, THESE CONTRIBUTIONS COMPRISE BOTH VALUABLE TOOLKITS FOR AUTOMATING DIGITAL/PHYSICAL WORKFLOWS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE SYSTEMS DESIGN. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $444.9k | 8/25/25 | ||
| Not listed | $136.5k | 6/13/25 | ||
| Not listed | $131.7k | 2/13/24 |