Dr Ramana Vinjamuri to expose the fascinating tale of “Synergy Based Human Machine Interfaces”
In collaboration with IEEE-SRM Student Branch, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, is organising a highly called for discussion on “Synergy Based Human Machine Interfaces”. The event has been scheduled for May 8, 2021, at 10:30 am. Dr Ramana Kumar Vinjamuri, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Director of Sensorimotor Control Laboratory (Vinjamuri Lab), University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA, will honour us with his presence as the keynote speaker.
Human-machine interface (HMI) has not only become a popular technology but has become the hope of many individuals for restoring their lost limb function. Any HMI has two important intrinsic design components—(i) decode the human commands and (ii) controlling the machine to convert that command into action. Decades of research went into making the interface between the human and the machine seamless but was unable to effectively address the inherent challenges, namely, complexity, adaptability and variability.
To overcome the above challenges, it is critical to computationally understand and quantitatively characterise human sensorimotor control. Emerging areas in HMIs critically depend on the ability to build bioinspired models, experimentally validate them and utilise them in adaptive and intuitive control. The human hand with high dimensionality encompasses the three inherent challenges and may serve as an ideal validation paradigm. How central nervous system (CNS) controls this high dimensional human hand effortlessly is still an unsolved mystery.
To address this high dimensional control problem, many bioinspired motor control models have been proposed, one of which is based on synergies. According to this model, instead of controlling individual motor units, CNS simplifies the control using coordinated control of groups of motor units called synergies. However, there are several unanswered questions today— Where are synergies present in CNS? What is their role in motor control and motor learning? By combining the concepts of human motor control, computational neuroscience, machine learning and validation with noninvasive human experiments, can we answer these fundamental questions? The goal of this research is to develop efficient, seamless and near-natural human-machine interfaces based on biomimetically inspired models.
Dr Ramana Vinjamuri received his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2008, specialised in dimensionality reduction in control and coordination of human hand from the University of Pittsburgh. He worked as a postdoctoral research associate (2008-2012) in the field of Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMI) to control prosthesis in the School of Medicine, the University of Pittsburgh, where he received Mary E Switzer Merit Fellowship from NIDILRR in 2010. Prior to that, he worked as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University (2012-2013) in the area of neuroprosthetics. He also served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology (2013-2020). In 2018, he received Harvey N Davis Distinguished Teaching Award for excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching. He earned the NSF CAREER Award in 2019 and NSF IUCRC Center Planning grant in 2020. His other notable research awards are from USISTEF and New Jersey Health Foundation. He holds a secondary appointment as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, India. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
- Published in Departmental Events, ECE Events, Events, Webinars
Prof Arunan to usher into the advancement of Molecular Beam Microwave Spectroscopy
The Chemistry Distinguished Lectures series starts its voyage towards transcendental knowledge with an exciting discussion on “Molecular Beam Microwave Spectroscopy: Defining Hydrogen Bond and Discovering Carbon Bond” on May 8, 2021, at 11.30 am. Renowned scientist and Professor E Arunan from the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, will join the webinar as the Keynote Speaker.
Professor Arunan has extensive research experience in the field of Chemical Sciences and is long associated with IISc, Bangalore, one of the premier institutes of India. Dr Arunan pursued his undergraduate studies at The American College, Madurai, followed by two masters from IIT Madras and IIT Delhi. He obtained his doctoral degree from Kansas State University, USA. Prior to becoming an academician, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prof Arunan started his career as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry, IIT-Kanpur in 1995. He later moved to the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, IISc, Bangalore and became a Professor in 2009 and Chairman in 2018.
Prof Arunan’s research interests include experimental physical chemistry, molecular and van der Waals spectroscopy, chemical kinetics and dynamics, hydrogen bonding and other intermolecular bonds/interactions, shock wave interactions with molecules and materials, astrophysics/astrochemistry. He has published around 100 papers in peer-reviewed international Journals, 14 in International Conference Proceedings, 8 in Resonance, the Journal of Education and 16 in Current Science, published by the Indian Academy of Sciences. The celebrated personality has given numerous plenary, keynote and invited lectures all over India and many countries in the world, including the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Finland, Russia, Australia, Czech Republic, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore and South Korea. He has delivered inspiring talks at most of the premier institutes in India and also in colleges and high schools all over India.
Prof Arunan is a Fellow of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Indian Academy of Sciences and a member of the International Advisory Board for ‘Horizons in Hydrogen Bond Research” Conference 2011, International Advisory Board for the Asian Spectroscopy Conference 2009-2013, Programme Advisory Committee on Physical Chemistry, Department of Science and Technology 2008-2012, International Advisory Editorial Board for Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Royal Society Publication, From 2005 and many other organisations and advisory boards. Further, he is serving the scientific community as the Section Editor (Chemistry) for Current Science from 2018, Associate Editor from 2013, Associate Editor for Journal of Chemical Sciences from 2012-2016.
Prof Arunan’s contributions to the world of Chemical Sciences has been acknowledged with many awards and accolades. He was the recipient of the Chemical Research Society of India Bronze Medal 2008. He is also the Founder Member cum Vice-President of the Indian Society for Shockwave Research.
Chemistry enthusiasts are encouraged to join the webinar to learn more on the Molecular Beam Microwave Spectroscopy from the expert himself on May 8, 2021, at 11.30 am.
- Published in Chemistry Events, Events, Webinars
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship: Bismark reveals his secret on “The Newsmakers”
The exalting sessions on “The Newsmakers” leave no stone unturned to inspire students with motivating stories of their peers and known personalities. The Department of Student Affairs presents Bismark Razak Haruna in this week’s session. Bismark, a B. Tech Final Year Student at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is deemed to be bestowed on the highly prestigious Erasmus Mundus scholarship. The globally acclaimed European Union-funded scholarship will help Bismark pursue the joint master’s degree programme in Decentralised Smart Energy Systems (DENSYS) in renowned universities of Europe.
Bismark sets an example by being the first Ghanaian to get into the DENSYS program. He expressed that as part of the mobility scheme of the programme, he would pursue the first year at the University of Lorraine, Nancy, France, and continue the final year at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain. The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship help students enrol into the world’s best universities for masters and doctoral programmes with substantial benefits. Needless to say, it is an exceptional achievement to secure the prestigious scholarship out of numerous candidates all over the world.
Join the session on May 8, 2021, at 5 pm with Bismark to know his journey so far.
- Published in Events, Students Affairs Events, Webinars
The live medical consultation session, “Talk to Your Doctor”, to stream every Saturday
Health and Fitness are the most significant aspects of our lives. These are the two “known “terms going hand in hand. Regular consultations with trusted and experienced medical experts are necessary when health is a concerning factor amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. SRM University-AP steps forward to offer an avenue for its students, staff and faculty members to discuss their health-related issues. It is a free online medical consultation programme that will take place every Saturday, May 08, from 6 pm onwards. Distinguished medical officers of the institute Dr Lakshmi Rajyam and Dr Lakshmi Kiran Talluri, would address the session.
In this scenario where individuals are more prone to get infected by a fatal disease, people must clarify all health-related questions on symptoms, causes and treatment. The one-hour long consultation session would be a valuable platform for getting responses on health-related issues and bursting the myth regarding diseases. Due to COVID-19, when people are not inclined to visit the clinics and hospitals, they can obtain detailed information on their queries through online consultation with these medical experts.
Dr Lakshmi Rajyam is a distinguished personality serving the medical science fraternity for over 42 years and is currently associated with SRM University-AP as the Chief Medical Officer. She has vast experience working with reputed hospitals in the country and can enlighten the participants on testing, treatment, and medication. Since 2017, Dr Rajyam has been an integral part of the SRM Group and is looking after the health and welfare of the University associates in challenging times.
Dr Lakshmi Kiran Talluri is the young mind in the medical team of SRM University-AP. He has completed his MBBS from the NRI College of Medical, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, and has pledged to render the best services to the community.
With the growing stress in life, people are succumbed to fatal diseases and face an early death—the only way to prevent fatality is the diagnosis and proper medication. Here the medical experts can enrich the participants with the necessary knowledge. The faculty, staff and students of the University are requested to join the session every Saturday from May 08 at 6 pm to satisfy their queries
- Published in Events, Students Affairs Events, Webinars