The Virtual Environments and Multimodal Interaction (VEMI) Lab embodies an inclusive, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary approach to hands-on research and education. By bringing together students and faculty from more than a dozen majors and disciplines, VEMI is uniquely positioned to advance computing and STEM initiatives both here at the university as well as in broader communities throughout Maine and nationwide

Virtual Environments and Multimodal Interaction Laboratory

English

University of Maine

The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine General University of Maine Publications University of Maine Publications 2021 VEMI Lab 2021 Virtual Environments and Multimodal Interaction Laboratory Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/univ_publications  Part of the Higher Education Commons, and the History Commons This Report is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in General University of Maine Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact um.library.technical.services@maine.edu. VEMI is hands-onresearch and experiential learning2021Pictured: Christina LeBlanc and Adam Farrington1 2VEMI isinterdisciplinaryThe VEMI Lab embodies an inclusive, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary approach to hands-on research and education. By bringing together students and faculty from more than a dozen majors and disciplines, VEMI is uniquely positioned to advance computing and STEM initiatives both here at the university as well as in broader communities throughout Maine and nationwide.20670students working per semestercollaboratorsoutside of UMaine1221majors/programs currently represented, with 31 total majors represented since 2008cross-campus collaborators from UMainefrom 5 collegesstudents learn at VEMI yearly from other institutionsAccountingAnthropology/ArchaeologyBiomedical EngineeringChemical EngineeringCommunication Science DisordersCommunicationsComputer EngineeringComputer ScienceEarth SciencesEducationElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering TechnologyEngineering PhysicsEnglishFinanceInterdisciplinary PhDKinesiologyMathematicsMechanical EngineeringMechanical Engineering TechnologyNew MediaPhilosophyPhysicsPolitical SciencePsychologyQuaternary & Climate StudiesSocial WorkSpatial Information Science and EngineeringStudio ArtsTheaterUniversity StudiesAbedi, A. Beard, K.Bird, K.Dimmel, J.Egenhofer, M.Herbert, V.Howell, C.Jacobson, K.Kelley, A.Maasch, K.Mayewski, P.McCoy, S.Moratz, R.Noblet, C.Roscoe, J.Sandweiss, D. Scott, M.Strout, K.Teisl, M.Worboys, M.Yasaei Sekeh, S.Including collaborators fromBowdoin CollegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityColby CollegeDartmouth CollegeHarvard UniversityNortheastern UniversitySmith-Kettlewell Eye Research InstituteSt. Louis UniversityTemple UniversityThe Iris NetworkUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of PennsylvaniaVEMI allows me the opportunity to work on interesting projects in a creative, hands-on, and intellectually stimulating environment. One of the best parts of VEMI is being able to learn and solve problems with people who are truly excited by the work they are doing.Aubree Nygaard, Junior, Computer Science and Philosophy“”Sylvia Allain, Computer Science 2014,Software Development Engineer at Google“” Working at the VEMI Lab was one of my fondest and most valuable experiences while attending college. VEMI gave me the opportunity to apply my skills in a collaborative environment and to solve problems with a group of passionate like-minded students.Paul Fink Laura Friel, Rose Xi, and Dr. Stacy DooreVEMI  faculty research through experiential learning connects students with     vsTypical Undergraduate Research Position ResponsibilitiesVEMI Undergraduate Research Position Responsibilities•	Performs rudimentary tasks•	Prepares samples•	Performs routine testing•	Cleans, stores and sorts materials and research equipment•	Cleans and maintains research facilities•	Operates basic research equipment•	Maintains	records	and	files•	Assists staff with research testing•	Runs participants in experiments•	Collects and analyzes data•	 Interfaces with cutting-edge technology•	Assists in presentation of research•	Learns statistics and related software•	Conceptualizes, designs, and implements research projects•	Publishes and presents at   conferences•	Uses creative problem solving3 433student co-authors with61%student-led publications69 VEMI-related classes taught since 2008100%of students involved in research122 student academic products$100,000in undergraduategrants and fellowships29undergraduate research awards supporting VEMI studentsFunding agencies includeNSFNIHNEHMTIUSDAFAANIDILRRUMSVEMI’s culture synergizes education and research to enrich students throughout their UMaine experience. Our philosophy is that undergraduate and graduate education is inextricably linked to VEMI’s research goals. As students design, conduct, and apply the research and learning advanced by the Lab, they are able to showcase their progress while addressing the growing need for innovative solutions to solve technological challenges in our community.Oisin Biswas, Graduate Student,Biomedical Engineering “”When you’re a student at the VEMI Lab, you’re part of a team. The collaborative, multidisciplinary environment teaches you to solve problems from a diverse perspective. This experience has grown my love for research, and inspired me to pursue a graduate degree here.VEMI creates economic impactVEMI’s economic impact relates both to our research and our student-centric development model. While our students’ research is remarkably successful in addressing accessibility needs in our state, this success continues far beyond graduation from UMaine. 98% of VEMI alumni are fully employed, with nearly 50% living and working in Maine. These graduates help address the need for a skilled workforce in the growing tech industry in the state, with notable positions including Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, GE in Bangor, and Esri in Portland. In an annual survey, over 94% of alumni responded that VEMI prepared them very well or higher for their current job or graduate studies.Acadia HospitalAmazonAvalon English AcademyBowdoinBuilding 36CashstarDartmouthDisneyElectric Power SystemsEsriFairchild SemiconductorForest International SchoolFort FosterGEGoogleHelios InteractiveHope House BostonInstrumentation LaboratoryJackson LaboratoryJames Madison UniversityKepwareKinoTekMaine EyeMass Eye and EarMassachusetts General HospitalMiddlebury CollegeNortheast PrecastRightpointSalesforceSappi PaperThree RiversTyler TechnologiesUNAR LabsUniversity of MaineUMaine FarmingtonUniversity of North CarolinaUS ArmyVEMI Lab...Where do alumni go after VEMI?Median salaries of recent graduatesName $ #MBS 39,425 497EHD 31,046 434ENGR 55,405 817LAS 32,702 796NSFA 37,725 884VEMI *76,000 40Median	salaries	and	percentage	employed	full-time	by	college	from	Life	After	UMaine	survey	by	Office	of	Institutional	Research.*Does	not	include	sign	on	bonuses,	benefits,	stock	options,	automotive	and	housing	allowance	or	bonus	in-company	resources.(Reflects last 10 years) (Reflects last 6 years)Name % #MBS 86.8 326EHD 71.2 336ENGR 87.2 629LAS 67.2 711NSFA 66.0 911VEMI 98.0 42Percentage employed full-time$11.6Min grants sinceVEMI’s inception$1.2Min grants in the past year5 6VEMI alumni were asked: How well did VEMI and UMaine prepare you for your current job or graduate work?Working at the VEMI Lab has opened doors for me that I never knew were options before working at the Lab. I wouldn’t have the opportunities I do today if it wasn’t for VEMI nor would I have been able to create the relationships I have that will last a lifetime!Justin Hafner, Kinesiology 2018, CEO of KinoTek“”94.1%Very Well5.9%Not CertainVEMI47.1%Very Well47.1%Minimally5.8%Not CertainUMaineThe best part about the VEMI Lab was being supported, encouraged and accompanied by people who truly wanted to see me succeed.Anna Webber, Biomedical Engineering 2019, Imagineer at Disney“”women in techNote Students with majors in the following academic units/programs are included in UMaine STEM Majors: All units in the College of Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics & Statistics, Physics & Astronomy, School of Computing & Information Science, School of Food & Agriculture, Molecular & Biomedical Sciences, School of Earth & Climate Sciences, School of Forest Resources, School of Biology & Ecology, School of Marine Sciences, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, and Ecology & Environmental Sciences. (UMaine	Office	of	Institutional	Research	and	Assessment,	6.14.19)VEMI supportsWe pride ourselves at the lab in encouraging students of all backgrounds. Part of our inclusive model involves deliberately supporting students currently underrepresented in technology majors and labs on campus—namely women. In an academic discipline where only 16% of majors identify as women, VEMI’s current student body is comprised of nearly 60% women. These young women are actively involved in changing the narrative of women in tech and are at the forefront of organizations like the ACM Council on Women in Computing and initiatives intended	to	increase	representation	in	the	field.I quickly realized that VEMI is very much a learning environment for students as much as it is a research lab. A work environment where you feel comfortable enough to let your	guard	down	(especially	as	a	woman)	and	show	vulnerability	is	difficult	to	come	by,	and	without	the	VEMI	Lab,	I	would not be on the same path as I am today.Emily Blackwood, Graduate Student, Interdisciplinary PhD (Virtual	Archaeology)“”ACM-Wchapter at UMaine started by a VEMIemployee 100%of female employees interface with new, innovative technologyUMaine STEM Majors vs VEMI Students by GenderUMaine Tech Majors vs VEMI Students by GenderNote	Students	with	majors	in	the	following	academic	units/programs	are	included	in	UMaine	Tech	Majors:	(Bachelor’s	Majors)	Computer	Engineering,	Computer	Science,	Mathematics,	New	Media	(Master’s	Majors)	Computer	Engineering,	Computer	Science,	Information	Systems,	Mathematics,	Spatial	Information	Science	&	Engineering	(Doctoral	Majors)	Computer	Science,	Spatial	Information	Science	&	Engineering.	(UMaine	Office	of	Institutional	Research	and	Assessment,	6.14.19)Female MaleFemale Male7 8UMaineVEMI Students0 20 40 60 80 100VEMIUMai 38%58%62%42%0 20 40 60 80 100VEMIUMaineUMainVEMI Students16%58%84%42%Anna Webberinnovative researchVEMI isVEMI has developed medical technology that meets immediate needs in both local and nationwide communities.	We	have	created:	(1)	Open	source instructions for the public to produce IR thermometers	in	response	to	COVID-19,	(2)	A	Maine	mobile app that gives step-by-step instructions on how to administer naloxone in case of an overdose, (3)	A	remote	simulation-based	nursing	education	app to increase student engagement and learning performance.VEMI	and	Dr.	Nicholas	Giudice	(an	international	leader	in	Blind	and	Low-Vision	Wayfinding)	has been using augmented-reality and haptic technology to assist individuals with learning and navigating in complex spaces. Our research includes simulated edge detection, beacon overlays, and haptic mapping--all of which improve independence for blind people and help an aging population live independently in their own homes for longer.VEMI and Dr. Caitlin Howell are using nanotextured surfaces inspired by nature and using real-time machine learning to create a system for remote, rapid detection of surface contamination. Their work both improves the health of the community, as well as provides new AI explorations.VEMI has been researching the best ways to use multisensory technology to provide information access to both the BVI and aging communities. We have researched:	(1)	Audio/haptic	data	exploration	to	support	educational and vocational success in collaboration with UNAR	Labs,	(2)	The	creation	of	new	accessible	tools	and annotation standards in collaboration with Dartmouth College that will open new pathways for BVI users to experience,	learn	from,	and	interact	with	archival	films,	and	(3)	A	visual	assistant	using	machine	learning	to	help	identify objects and navigation using augmented reality. VEMI is a world leader in researching Human-Vehicle Collaboration and how we will communicate with fully Autonomous Vehicles. We are developing an autonomous vehicle simulator to study the interaction between people and vehicle based AI to create a safer, more inclusive and more seamless transition from manually driven to Autonomous Vehicles.9 10Interactive medical technologyWayfinding and navigational technologiesHuman-vehicle collaborationBioinspired technologyInformation access technologyColleen DeMarisDr. Richard Corey, Alia Parsons, Kaitlyn Haase, and Oisin BiswasZane NygaardGrant Beals“A	final	note	about	education	at	VEMI	itself: I believe the educational approach that the VEMI Lab embodies is the future of education. The team-focused, collaborative approach to problem solving that makes up the essence of the VEMI Lab is clearly the direction that education has to go.”- Dr. Nicholas Giudice,Executive Director of VEMI Lab & Professor, Spatial InformaticsVEMI responds to COVID•	 IR thermometers•	Hospital resource databases•	Projection models•	Accessibility solutions•	Science advisory•	Lab reopening plan•	Online human subject research•	 Information on masks/face shieldsWe were designated as an essential research lab for the State of Maine and University’s Covid Response unit. VEMI’s staff, faculty, and students worked to create:R.J. PerryDr. Caitlin Howell, Dr. NicholasGiudice, and Dr. Richard Corey

VEMI Lab 2021

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VEMI Lab 2021

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