Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

Imagine using your brain's electrical signals to fly a drone?

With the work of Dr. Roya Salehzadeh and her colleagues, that concept has gone from imagination to reality.

Dr. Salehzadeh, who is an Assistant Professor in Lawrence Technological University's A. Leon Linton Department of Mechanical, Robotics, and Industrial Engineering, has firsthand experience. And that experience is part of her ongoing research.

As a student, Dr. Salehzadeh became fascinated by human-computer interaction.

While earning her doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama, she participated in the university's first brain-drone race. Wearing a noninvasive headband, she used the electrical signals from her brain to power her drone forward--and ultimately won second place in the competition.

Dr. Salehzadeh would go on to implement a similar brain-drone race event as a professor at LTU. And as cool as the race is, it's a small representation of her work.

The "bigger picture"? Her ongoing research focuses on brain-computer interface, or BCI. And Dr. Salehzadeh says there's still much to be discovered, about human-computer interaction the ways brain signals can interact with computers, and the breakthroughs that may result.

"We don't know a lot of things about what's happening here, so we are at the beginning of this interesting field," she comments.

Dr. Salehzadeh talked about her journey in robotics and her experience in the brain-drone race, shared some favorite resources, and explained how the brain-drone connection works.

"It's all the journey," says International Telecommunications Union's AI and Robotics Programme Officer Guillem Martinez Roura.

He's responding to a question about what student teams, in ITU's brand-new "Robotics For Good Youth Challenge", will experience.

Earlier this year, ITU, the United Nations' specialized agency for information and communication technologies, announced the first edition of their "Robotics for Good Youth Challenge".

Offered through AI for Good, the United Nations' leading digital platform for reaching practical artifical intelligence solutions to global problems, this new challenge breaks new ground in several areas.

The challenge

First of all, student teams must design and program autonomous robots. Once the competition begins, teams cannot touch their robots on the game boards.

Secondly, those game boards--and the game materials with which the robots will be operating--are also something the student teams need to create, pre-challenge.

In addition, teams are encouraged to create more than one robot, to deploy in the course of the challenge. (Here's a link to Ai For Good's handbook on this year's challenge.)

And most importantly, while the challenge allows students to grow in their robotics skills, the goals reach far beyond the classroom and competition arenas.

Finalist teams will go to the 2025 AI For Good Global Summit, in Geneva, where they'll compete with their robots, learn more about robotics and network with robotics professionals from around the world--sharing ideas that accelerate the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

How to participate

For this inaugural Robotics for Good Youth Challenge, U.S. teams will compete virtually. In other nations, including Spain, South Korea and Switzerland, in-person events will take place.

And while the deadline for hosting a national event has closed for the 2024-2025 season, Guillem says prospective organizers are encouraged to check the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge page for dates to sign up to organize a national event in 2025!

So, when can a U.S. team--or a student team in any other part of the world, for that matter--get involved? According to AI for Good's timeline, team registrations open in November. Here's the link for more information.

Guillem talked about his own journey with robotics, offered a preview of the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge and discussed his experiences creating educational robotic events, starting with his first nonprofit robotics educational challenge, ROBOCAT.

"Robots are for everyone," is the message of Boston-based nonprofit MassRobotics.

Their upcoming free special event, RoboBoston 2024, and their year-round activities, continue to illustrate that message.

Not only do the innovators they empower come up with previously-unimagined applications like bionic bees--but their educational programs empower students who may not have seen how robotics relate to their futures.

As the largest independent robotics hub, MassRobotics is dedicated to accelerating robotics innovation and adoption. Accordingly, they provide resources, globally, for STEM education, while offering entrepreneurs and startups workspace and resources in the local area.

They also offer a yearly educational program, the Jumpstart Fellowship, for high school girls in the local area--which is both highly successful and currently accepting applicants for their fifth cohort! (Deadline: November 12, 2024.)

AND--their annual free celebration of robotics, RoboBoston, is happening on September 27th and 28th!

RoboBoston starts off on Friday, September 27th, with "STEM Day, a popular field trip, in which twelve local high schools are participating, followed by a "Robotics and AI" technical career fair, that afternoon.

Then, on Saturday, September 28th, everyone's invited to their robot parade and their seventh annual "Robot Block Party"! (Reservations are required; here's the link for tickets!)

Expect to see some of the coolest robots around--and to discover some robotic creations which you may never have imagined.

"The point of the Robotics Block Party, is for people to (come out and explore if robotics is for them)," says MassRobotics STEM Program Manager Kevin Smith.

"And students don't have to be (computer scientists or engineers to belong in robotics)," clarifies MassRobotics Co-Founder and Chief of Operations Joyce Sidopoulos.

Joyce and Kevin offered a sneak peek at some of the robots the Robot Block Party will showcase, talked about their experiences as educators at this year's Jumpstart program and previewed what's next!

How might AI enhance your creative process? Rather than "replacing" you at work, how might it become your "partner" --today and in the future?

Workplace futurist, bestselling author and speaker Marti Konstant knows numerous ways.

Marti, whose background includes her work as an artist, designer and marketer, is the author of the book "Activate Your Agile Career: How Responding to Change Will Inspire Your Life's Work". With her keynotes and workshops, she trains companies and individuals to increase their relevance, rather than stagnate, in a changing workplace.

And one of her tools, in teaching "career agility", is the use of artificial intelligence.

For creatives, such as designers, Marti says, AI can be a "thought partner", sparking new ideas. Then, artists, educators, authors and other creative professionals can use their talents to bring their new, AI-enhanced concepts to life.

Marti has coined the term "AI-gility" to describe the ability to put artificial intelligence to work to enhance, rather than replace, creative skills. Her work focuses on being "the human at the center of the loop" while using AI as an implement.

Marti talked about her background, explained some of the ways artificial intelligence can bolster the creative process for artists and educators, and offered a look at some of her favorite resources.

Can virtual reality change the future--for the better?

Africa VR Campus and Center Founder/CEO Paul Simon Waiyaki might answer that question with an adamant "yes".

Since 2016, Waiyaki, who is the first African in the metaverse, has been introducing members of African communities to virtual reality.

At the same time, he's introducing the rest of the world to Africa.

Waiyaki, a community leader based in Nairobi, Kenya, offers the local youth free classes, taught in virtual reality.

Working in tandem with Africa VR Campus and Center Associate Director Diana Njeri, and Associate Director Dr. Tom Nickel, he does outreach to schools, and has established Africa VR Network: a series of programs reaching participants all over Africa, to extend their work and future opportunities through XR.

One of these programs in particular, XR Girls Africa, has resulted in some exciting accomplishments for the young women participating. In 2023, XR Girls Africa won the "Social Impact" Award in the Girls STEAM Competition, hosted in the metaverse! In addition, they now host their own metaverse events, and have recently launched their weekly podcast, on Banter.

Meanwhile, there's also an opportunity for metaverse visitors, to get to know Africa.

Every Thursday at noon, Pacific time, Waiyaki hosts a one-hour session, "Tales from Africa", on the Engage platform, in which he offers an authentic look at the circumstances of daily life in Africa, and the cultures of his country.

Waiyaki explains that, in Africa, resources can be limited. Some residents lack electricity, internet access can be spotty among those who do have a connection, and some secondary students still must pay tuition fees to attend classes. And once they arrive, the facilities may also be limited.

"Some of the schools don't even have roofs!" Waiyaki says.

Girls and women, especially, can have very difficult lives. In a recent "Tales from Africa" session, Waiyaki explained that in some areas of Africa, men are legally allowed to beat their wives--and girls as young as six years old can be "married off".'

Waiyaki and his team are working to change that future.

Out of their own pockets, the staff at Africa VR Campus and Center not only teach their young students in the metaverse--they also give them a small stipend which allows them to help feed their families.

And much more is coming.

While we won't say what these are (yet), there are at least two exciting projects on the horizon, for Africa VR Campus and Center, which will make a huge difference, in 2025 and beyond.

Meanwhile, here is Waiyaki, in a February, 2024 interview, with the story of his own introduction into the metaverse, the creation of Africa VR Campus and Center, and his goals for the future.

"We have an opportunity, every single day, to make a better world," says futurist, fine artist and award-winning XR community leader Paige Dansinger.

"These are just tools in our hands. The magic is in us."

The tools to which she's referring are the digital technologies, including virtual and augmented reality, which she uses to empower others.

Paige, who has, so far, crafted more than 300 immersive worlds, has received multiple honors for her work in the metaverse. Recognized by Meta as one of the Top 115 Global Community Leaders, she is the founder of Horizon Art Museum, and of Women in Horizon, in Meta Horizon.

She's also the creator and Founding Director of Better World Museum, which is accessible in different versions on three virtual platforms: Meta Horizon, Roblox and Rec Room.

But don't expect to visit these museums and simply look at exhibits.

Empowerment through interaction

Paige's particular blend of magic is all about interactivity.

Participants in her worlds are encouraged to grow, and to explore their own creativity, by painting, building and adding their voices to items in the metaverse.

And they also get to plant flowers.

One of Paige's recent creations is the VR Garden game, which she designed in partnership with the Virtual World Society.

Ultimately, she says, her virtual work is about humanity--and about using XR to grow together.

Paige talked about her background, shared the story of creating the Better World Museum and the ways she uses virtual art to empower others, and offered a look at some of her favorite creative resources.

Playing games is fun, social and can spark creative ideas.

Nonprofit Neil Squire Society wants to make sure it's also an option for everyone who'd like to play.

As Canada's leader in assistive technology, Neil Squire Society has been revolutionizing the lives of Canadians with disabilities since 1984. Through their Makers Making Change initiative, they recruit makers to design and produce low-cost, open-source assistive technologies. Plans for these devices are available on their website.

Visitors to their website can download these plans--or request that a volunteer create a device for them!

Neil Squire sums up their mission in a recent email: "Our work enables people with disabilities to achieve their goals, reach their full potential and continue living life to the fullest."

"Having more fun" could easily come under that last heading.

Makers Making Change's website says they have now "kicked into overdrive" their efforts to offer adaptive gaming among their innovative programs.

As of August, 2024, Makers Making Change has opened nine GAME Checkpoints, across Canada. With GAME as an acronym for Gaming Accessibility Made for Everyone, these centers work with community partners to offer resources, gear and training for adaptive gaming.

Neil Squire Society Makers Making Change Adaptive Gaming Lead Tyler Fentie implemented, and leads, the GAME Checkpoints program.

A mechanical engineer by profession, Tyler recently earned both his Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) and Rehabilitation Engineering Technologist (RET) certifications from RESNA,. He's looking forward to expanding MMC's Adaptive Gaming program, and would like to invite you to watch MMC's live stream of their virtual Youth Gaming Tournament, starting at noon, Pacific time on Wednesday, August 21st.

He also gave us the heads-up on some new resources available for anyone who'd like to know more about adaptive gaming. (And you don't necessarily have to be a resident of Canada to create an accessible gaming center!)

Tyler talked about his background as a maker, shared the story of the GAME Checkpoints program and offered a look at ways anyone with an interest in accessible gaming can find out more.

"To me, it's always the human story," says NASA Chief Historian Dr. Brian Odom.

He's discussing the Apollo 11 Moon landing, which celebrated its 55th anniversary in July, 2024.

And the impact of the program, which was no less than revolutionary to education and the way the world reimagined the future.

Today, the lessons of the Apollo program still resonate, as NASA's Artemis program prepares to return humans to the Moon--and ultimately, to create a lunar outpost which may allow travel to Mars.

Brian talked about the circumstances which led to the Apollo Moon missions, the Apollo 11 launch h on July 16, 1969, and the lessons of the lunar landing and exploration which still resonate as NASA plans future space travel.

(Like to know more about the Apollo 11 Moon mission? Here's the link to NASA's history archive!)

"Life is so much more interesting and exciting when you're challenging yourself and you're trying to learn," says NASA Astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Captain Stephen G. Bowen.

And he most enjoys learning and challenging himself as a member of a team--in space.

So far, Steve’s career has included four flights to the International Space Station and ten spacewalks.

"There (are) just so many exciting things that you have the opportunity to work on," he says, of the research projects conducted aboard the ISS.

That research has included projects which may well impact future medical advancements, on Earth--such as 3D printing body parts!

But revolutionary research, miles above Earth, doesn't preclude having fun.

"Every day, there are enjoyable moments," Steve says. "There is no better feeling you’ll have in life, than achieving something or succeeding as a team."

On his most recent spaceflight, Steve served as Commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission. On March 2, 2023, he and his crew launched for the ISS aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. This particular mission marked his longest stay aboard the ISS: a total of six months.

Steve talked about his background, offered a look at life aboard the International Space Station and explained some of the ways astronauts’ work in space can improve life on Earth.

"I find that, often, art is a little bit dry," says artist, inventor and educator Niklas Roy.

BUT--no one could ever describe his work that way.

With the goal of making art accessible to people from all walks of life, Niklas creates fine art from technology. That translates to highly interactive installations, which often put guests into participatory experiences.

LED lights flash. Electronic music plays. Machines blow bubbles, take visitors on rides in fantastic vehicles, and challenge them to games.

Often, the guests get to use their own creativity: drawing in colored lights with a joystick, pulling strings to move paintbrushes across a canvas or adding their contributions to a whiteboard.

A sense of fun pervades his work, which he's exhibited worldwide. in numerous art exhibitions as well as science centers and public squares.

Niklas continues to break down the barriers to making art bot accessible and enjoyable by teaching reflective technology workshops and making his designs open-source. On his website, he shares his project plans, schematics and code with fellow creators. In addtion, he offers videos and tutorials on his YouTube channel.

Niklas talked about his creative journey at the intersection of art, science and technology, shared the stories behind some of his recent works and offered his perspectives on working as an an artist.