Internet of Things Vending Device

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a vending device that counts and/or identifies objects dispensed by the vending device. In particular, the vending device of the present disclosure can include a machine-learned model that has been trained to count and identify objects dispensed by the vending device

Interactive Internet of Things Robotic Device

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a robotic device that includes appendages that can move and lighting elements that can activate and change color in response to movement and other indicators of user presence. As one particular example, the robotic device of the present disclosure can include a structure in the shape of a jellyfish that can be mounted on a surface (e.g., a floor or ceiling) and which can make various movements and/or lighting effects

Universal shapes formed by two interacting cracks

We investigate the origins of the widely-observed "en passant" crack pattern which forms through interactions between two approaching cracks. A rectangular elastic plate is notched on each long side and then subjected to quasistatic uniaxial strain from the short side. The two cracks propagate along approximately straight paths until they pass each other, after which they curve and release a lenticular fragment. We find that for materials with diverse mechanical properties, the shape of this fragment has an aspect ratio of 2:1, with the length scale set by the initial crack offset $s$ and the time scale set by the ratio of $s$ to the pulling velocity. The cracks have a universal square root shape which we understand using a simple geometric model of the crack-crack interaction

Robotic Game Playing Internet of Things Device

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to a robotic device that can play certain games with a user, such as, for example, interactive hand-gesture-based games such as rock-paper-scissors, gesture matching, and/or gesture mirroring. In particular, in some implementations, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can include or otherwise leverage an Internet of Things (IoT) system or device to control a robotic hand based on inputs from a camera that are processed by a machine-learned model such as a gesture recognition model

Reproduction of Captured Imagery via Machine Learning and Device Locomotion

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to mobile robotic devices that are capable of reproducing captured imagery (e.g., images captured by a camera that is on-board the robotic device) through the use of device locomotion. For example, the robotic device can capture (or be operated to capture) an image (e.g., a self-portrait photograph which is also known as a “selfie”) and can then reproduce the image (e.g., a stylized version thereof) by controlling motion of at least a part of the robotic device to draw at least a portion of the captured scene onto a medium. For example, the robotic device can move a portion of the device that holds a pen, pencil, marker, paintbrush, etching tool, and/or the like to draw the scene onto a piece of paper, wood, canvas, glass, metal, etc. In addition, in some implementations, machine learning techniques such as “style transfer” techniques can be used to stylize the captured imagery into a particular style (e.g., a pencil sketch style portrait) prior to reproduction

Wearable Internet of Things Badge Device

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a device that is wearable by a user and responsive to beacon devices or other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In particular, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to the application of beacon devices and corresponding portable (e.g., wearable) badge devices to create an IoT system that can be used to enhance user interactions with other users and the environment in which they are present

Predicting invadedness of forested protected areas in relation to natural and anthropogenic disturbances

Protected areas are essential for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services such as natural disaster risk reduction and climate regulation. However, invasive plants threaten these benefits of protected areas by negatively impacting native plants and animals and altering ecosystem structure and function. Natural and anthropogenic disturbances create conditions that may favor establishment and spread of invasive plants. In order to manage invasive plants and mitigate their effects on forested protected areas, it is important to be able to predict how disturbances affect invasive plant populations. My thesis includes two studies that address the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on invasive plant abundance in protected areas. In Chapter 1, I outlined a general background on the ecological and economic impacts of invasive plants, and management responses to the four stages of the invasion process. In Chapter 2, I explored the effects of roads and streams on invadedness of 27 Appalachian protected areas. I focused on roads and streams as predictors of invadedness since both roads and streams deliver invasive plant propagules and are sources of disturbance that can favor establishment of invasive plants. Having a reliable predictor of protected area invadedness would meaningfully help land management organizations avoid acquiring heavily invaded protected areas or accurately plan for their management costs. In Chapter 3, I used a time series of windstorms in southern Illinois to determine whether windstorm-disturbed forests are significantly more invaded than areas of undisturbed forest. I expected forest blowdown areas to be more heavily invaded than undisturbed forest since a decrease in tree canopy provides increased resources, such as light, to invasive plants. I then sought to determine the effects of time since disturbance and disturbance magnitude on invadedness of blowdown areas. Knowing the factors that affect the invadedness of blowdowns will allow land managers to preferentially allocate funding to management of invasive plants in specific blowdown areas

Dietary Diversity as a Measure of Nutritional Adequacy throughout Childhood

Malnutrition is a widespread concern in developing countries, impacting children's cognitive and physical development, quality of life and lifetime productivity. Interventions to improve nutritional status in international contexts require identification of at-risk populations and correct conclusions about general nutritional needs. Screening tools are currently being developed to meet these needs. Dietary diversity indicators are promising tools currently being studied. They are typically counts of food groups in the diet (i.e. a sum of defined food groups consumed in a defined time period) and are practical for field use because they are simply measured and positively correlated with nutrient intakes. We created age-specific diversity scores (based on a pre-existing tool) for use in both early childhood and adolescence, and evaluated their relationship to nutritional adequacy, nutritional status (measured by height for age Z-score), and their combined ability to predict adult height. Data were taken from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, a Filipino birth cohort of 3,080 followed from the early 1980s through the present. We found that using minimum portion requirements improved the relationship of scores to nutrient adequacy for the 6 nutrients evaluated (vitamin A, iron, calcium, niacin, riboflavin, iron). Modified scores also reflected amounts of food consumed, i.e. children with increasing dietary diversity also ate larger amounts of individual food groups. Related increases in nutrient adequacy were largely due to these increased energy intakes, but there were also small increases in the nutrient density of the diet at both ages. Linear models were used to evaluate the relationship of both scores to height for age z-score. Scores at both ages predicted crude increases in height for age z-score, although this relationship was weaker for adolescents. After adjustment for confounders only the early childhood score was significantly related height for age z-score, and only when mother's had greater than 6 y of education. In the crude longitudinal model, combined score increases did not predict ultimate height improvements. This research provides important insights about how diversity scores may be improved for international malnutrition screening, and provides a basis for future research on the performance of diversity scores across childhood

The Empower Action Model: A Framework for Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences by Promoting Health, Equity, and Well-Being Across the Life Span

The empower action model addresses childhood adversity as a root cause of disease by building resilience across multiple levels of influence to promote health, equity, and well-being. The model builds on the current evidence around adverse childhood experiences and merges important frameworks within key areas of public health—the socio-ecological model, protective factors, race equity and inclusion, and the life course perspective. The socio-ecological model is used as the foundation for this model to highlight the multilevel approach needed for improvement in public health. Five key principles that build on the protective factors literature are developed to be applied at each of the levels of the socio-ecological model: understanding, support, inclusion, connection, and growth. These principles are developed with actions that can be implemented across the life span. Finally, actions suggested with each principle are grounded in the tenets of race equity and inclusion, framing all actionable steps with an equity lens. This article discusses the process by which the model was developed and provides steps for states and communities to implement this tool. It also introduces efforts in a state to use this model within county coalitions through an innovative use of federal and foundation funding