Atlanta communities most vulnerable to bias and inequity in artificial intelligence (AI) are the focus of a new Atlanta-based ethics initiative being funded by a $1.3 million Mellon Foundation grant.

The Atlanta Interdisciplinary Artificial Intelligence (AIAI) Network, which is set to formally kick off during an event at Science Gallery Atlanta from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 4, brings together computing, humanities, and social justice researchers from Georgia Tech, Clark Atlanta University, Emory University, and community partner DataedX.

Carl DiSalvo, Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing professor,and faculty member of the Institute for People and Technology, is an AIAI co-principal investigator (co-PI). Andre Brock, an associate professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication serves on the network’s steering committee.

DiSalvo said the idea for the AIAI Network had been in the works for years. However, the researchers now have the needed funding thanks to the Mellon Foundation. The grant allows the network to hire its first graduate students for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Read more at cc.gatech.edu >>

Through the Master’s Program in Human-Computer Interaction (MS-HCI) at Georgia Tech, students like Rajath Pai don’t have to wait long to gain first-hand industry experience.

Pai, a first-year student in the two-year MS-HCI program, has already helped Starbucks design its app to entice customers to try new menu items.

Pai and fellow MS-HCI students had more opportunities on Feb. 6 to meet industry representatives during Interactivity@GT.

Organized by MS-HCI at Georgia Tech and the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), Interactivity@GT replaces the former GVU Spring Showcase. The event provides Ph.D. and master’s students with the chance to promote their research and design work.

A keynote speech by Karen Holtzblatt, co-founder of InContext Enterprises and co-creator of contextual inquiry, kicked off the half-day event. Contextual inquiry is considered industry standard practice for gathering field data to understand how technology impacts the way people work.

After the keynote, MS-HCI students made one-minute pitches about their work to industry representatives for potential employment opportunities. Along with Ph.D. students representing IPaT, the MS-HCI students then showcased their research through a two-hour poster and networking session.

“I think this event is unique,” said Dick Henneman, director of the MS-HCI program at Georgia Tech. “Other programs might have a job fair, but our students are making connections with alumni and other company-sponsored projects.

“Right now, there’s a bit of a slump in the tech market. Our students have something unique that sets them apart, and that’s being from our MS-HCI program, which distinguishes them from the person who went to a 12-week UX bootcamp.”

Companies participating in Interactivity@GT included Starbucks, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, FanDuel, HSBC, NCR, State Farm, Infoblox Home Depot, and Verizon.

Carrie Bruce, the assistant director of the MS-HCI program, said the program has built a strong network of connections since it started almost 30 years ago. MS-HCI alumni have provided a stable core for that network.

“We’ve pushed out a lot of fabulous students who’ve been in industry for 10 years or more, and now they’re in leadership positions,” she said. “We’ve got people who know our program from varied perspectives at companies around the world.”

Pai said he connected with an MS-HCI alumni working at Starbucks who was happy to advise him on his first-year research project.

“She gave us some much-needed industry feedback and guided us on how we’re supposed to do something or what we could have done better,” he said.

Working with the alumna, Pai gained insight into how Starbucks customers think about their environment when they’re using the app. Pai found that many customers use the app to order items they are already familiar with, and they are unlikely to deviate from their routine.

Pai suggested the idea of drink maps, which tell customers which menu items are trending at nearby stores. Seeing a drink they haven’t tried trending at other stores might persuade customers to try something new.

“The experience gives us immediate insight into what is expected of us in industry,” Pai said. “We’re learning the methods in class but also learning how they are applied in industry, which helps us to build things and processes that would work in industry.”

The MS-HCI program at Georgia Tech is a four-semester interdisciplinary program and a collaborative effort among four Georgia Tech schools — the School of Interactive Computing, the School of Industrial Design, the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, and the School of Psychology.

For more information about the program and the admission process, visit the MS-HCI website.
 

Visit the original story posted by the College of Computing to see more pictures.

The Craft Lab has a new industrial 3D printer, a 3D Systems Projet 2500 Plus. This machine, purchased in collaboration with College of Computing through tech fees, is the first of its kind on campus, replacing an older Projet previously run in the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT)/GVU labs.

This new printer is capable of rapid production of high-quality plastic parts with a suite of materials ranging from high-performance engineering materials, USP-VI (bio-compatible) certified materials, and flexible elastomers. Additionally, it allows for rapid fabrication of watertight, high-resolution parts (up to 1600 x 900 DPI with 32 micron layers) while yielding fully cured parts direct from the machine.

“I think it's a really exciting addition to the suite of additive manufacturing capabilities on campus,” said Tim Trent, manager of the Craft Lab and faculty member of IPaT. “These are industry-standard machines that provide us the opportunity to experiment with some different capabilities that complement the capabilities of other equipment on campus. In particular, the bio-compatible materials is a super exciting feature as it means we can do proof-of-concept prototypes in materials that would be acceptable for medical devices.”

Previous projects leveraging the technology of Craft Lab 3D printers include:

* The Wild Dolphin Project from the Contextual Computing Group. Compared to traditional fused deposition modeling machines, the resin-based multi-jet process allowed the team to fabricate fully waterproof cases to house their custom electronics for deployment in the Atlantic Ocean.

* A. Fatih Sarioglu's work in cancer research building 3D-printed traps lined with antigens to capture the white blood cells in a sample. The fine resolution needed for the microfluidics work combined with the need for a bio-compatible material made the previous generation Projet an ideal choice. Sarioglu is an assistant professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The Craft Lab’s newest ultra-high-definition 3D printer will continue to support work like the projects mentioned above while advancing material options, reducing manufacturing time, and providing support for new features previously unavailable in the older model.

About the Craft Lab:
​​​​​​​The Craft Lab is a unique makerspace sponsored by the Institute for People and Technology which is designed to promote craft and algorithmic making. The equipment in the lab is particularly well-suited for wearable/flexible electronic systems and is available to anyone interested in making soft objects. The lab includes equipment like sewing machines, CNC knitting and embroidery machines, soldering irons, and 3D printers. Lab users must complete a lab training session before being allowed to access the lab. It is located in the Technology Square Research Building (TSRB), Room 225B. Questions about the lab should be directed to Tim Trent, lab manager, at tim.trent@gatech.edu.

The robot medusai knows where you are. It must—because it plays music with you.

Made from beautifully fabricated steel and eight mobile arms, medusai can play percussion and strings with human musicians, dance with human dancers, and move in time to multiple human observers.

It uses AI-driven computer vision to know what human observers are doing and responds accordingly through snake gestures, music, and light. Gil Weinberg, the director of Georgia Tech’s Center for Music Technology, knows it’s unsettling. Wienberg is also a faculty member of the Institute for People and Technology.

Read the full story at Georgia Tech's Center for Music Technology.