Science & Nature
University of Chicago Lab Connects Computers With the Human Body
We are undeniably in a new era of technology, where we can use computers for research or even utilize AI to write papers or create grocery lists. At the University of Chicago, a professor and his students are developing devices that connect computers with the human body.
Pedro Lopes leads the university’s Human-Computer Integration Lab. In this lab, you can find students working on projects like a smartwatch incorporating muscle stimulation, an augmented headset that expands our perception, or a device to assist individuals in learning the drums.
“Think of these like a personal trainer that lives with you at all times, these little wearable devices,” Lopes said. “... They connect with your muscles. They understand what help you need.”
The connection Lopes described links the human body to computers, aiming to empower rather than replace individuals.
“The interactive system is there to kind of give you the right amount of feedback you need at every step,” Lopes said. “Maybe you made a mistake with your drumming pattern, so it will help to correct that.”
Yun Ho is a student in the classroom exploring how human-computer integration methods can help teach new skills. Instead of learning something by watching a video, people could use a device to physically move their muscles — for instance, to help guide them through the patterns and movements of playing an instrument.
“It’s, like, the same principle, you send a small current from your brain to your muscle,” Ho said. “We’re just sending it externally through the computer.”
Then there’s Yudai Tanaka, developing a smartwatch that uses muscle stimulation, an interest he said sparked during his time as a DJ.
“We are excited about how we could make these smartwatches more connected to your body,” Tanaka said. “This smartwatch can move my body, so as I press this button, my finger moves right and left.”
Tanaka said a device like this has the potential to empower people who are blind or disabled by guiding them in the right direction using their fingers.
People at the lab envision a future where computers enhance our lives by blending computer science, psychology and design — emphasizing a user’s experience.
“There’s such a demand for physical skills today, and so many people are forgetting how to do carpentry, how to shape a wooden vessel, or how to make pottery,” Lopes said. “If we can bring computers into the equation, you don’t need just to watch videos. You maybe don’t have access to a physical teacher all the time. ... Computers can tailor the learning curve.”
