Cognitive Augmentation ‘24
Student Profiles
Nathan Whitmore
Areas of interest: Neuroscience, brain stimulation technology (tDCS/tACS, entrainment, iontophoresis)
Skills: software development on web and wearables, building electronics EEG and MRI experiments
nathanww@media.mit.edu
EXAMPLE
Your Picture Here
Ariel Adhidevara
Areas of interest: VR/AR, AI, Dream Engineering, Memory enhancement, Neuroscience, spatial awareness / memory, wearables
Skills: programming, 3D Modeling, spatial design, 3D fabrications, UI/UX design, Webdev
Arieladhidevara@gsd.harvard.edu
Website: https://www.arieladhidevara.com/
Riley Sandberg
Areas of interest: Robotics, Social UX/UI, VR/AR, enhancing cognition, memory and learning, Accessible Design, AI, healthcare, women’s issues
Skills: qualitative and quantitative research design and data analysis, ergonomics, physical prototyping, HRI, HCI, user testing, ethnography, UI design, manuscript writing
rsandberg@mde.harvard.edu
Cyrus Ayubcha
Areas of interest: Neuro-imaging, Genetics, Deep Learning, Clinical Neurology/Neurosurgery, Neuro-Tech
Skills: Applied Statistics and Genomics, Deep Learning/LLMs, Programming, Medical Practice
Email: cyrusayubcha@hms.harvard.edu
Website: https://scholar.harvard.edu/cyrusayubcha/home
Maria Zou
Areas of interest: Neuroscience, Mental Health, AI, Workplace Wellness
Skills: Finance, software investment, market research, technology in mental health, business plan, good jokes
Let’s solve the underdressed mental health with cutting edge technology!
Vinzenz Aubry
Areas of interest: Cognitive enhancement, Questioning the brain and reality, HMI
Skills: Full Stack Web-Development, Python, C#, Unity, VR/(Web)AR, Fusion 360, Blender, Ui/Ux, Generative Art, Media Art, Sound Art, Physical Computing, Fabrication
Email: vinzenz@mit.edu
Website: vinzenzaubry.com
Nelson Hidalgo
Areas of Interest: well-being interventions, brain-computer interfaces, augmented intelligence, psychology/neuroscience, personalized medicine, digital phenotyping, nutritional well-being tech
Project Interest: Mainly interested in researching interoceptive tech for better nutritional well-being
Skills: ML/AI, biosignal processing, human-computer interfaces, app development, behavioral experiment design.
Contact: nelsonh@mit.edu
Serena Bono
Areas of Interest: �I am currently conducting research in the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). My work involves social robots like Jibo, with a focus on enhancing their emotional intelligence, social situatedness, and conversational capabilities. I leverage multimodal data, including video and audio inputs, and apply theories from human-human interaction. The purpose of my research is to deepen our understanding of robot-human interactions, exploring how robots can efficiently build relationships with humans and mediate human-human interactions.
Skills: ML/AI, LLMs, Computer Vision, robotics, HCI, HRI, behavioral experiment design.
Contact: sebono@mit.edu
Keunwook Kim
Areas of interest
Final Project Idea: ‘Spatial / Physical Web browsing’
Skills: Hardware in General: Industrial Design, Physical Interaction Design (including basic PCB production)
Sending hearts
to your favorite
Buildings
(video)
Tail Interface for SPOT
Wearable interfaces
Wearables
Modular Input devices
Anna Borou Yu
Areas of interest: digital humanities, cultural heritage, body and theater experiments, mixed reality spatial design, artistic expression of cutting-edge science research.
Skills: 3D and XR design, multimedia exhibition design and curation, theater and performance studies (mocap, notation, choreography, algorithm of multimedia collaboration, art history), interdisciplinary project management
Contact: Anna.yu@aya.yale.edu, annayu@mit.edu
Website: www.mystudio.design
Johanna Einsiedler
Areas of interest: (public) health, science methodology / metascience, machine learning, large language models, data from wearables, self-tracking
Skills: data analysis, big data processing, machine learning (implementation of common NLP models, CNNs, RNNs, fine-tuning/working with existing (open-source) LLMs), basic web development (Javascript, Next.js), (interactive) data visualisation
jae24@mit.edu / johanna_einsiedler@gmx.at / www.johannaeinsiedler.com
Sneha Arvind
Areas of interest: memory for behavior change and decision-making, habit formation, developing “soft skills” such as empathy, constructive communication.
Skills: Experience/interaction design, physical product design, fabrication and prototyping with different materials, filmmaking and storytelling, qualitative research, usability studies, behavioral experiment design, knowledge of behavior science concepts, generative AI, 3D modelling, music and dance performance, working with people with cognitive disabilities.
Erick Oduniyi
Areas of Interest:
Computational approaches to understanding and mitigating mental disorders in humans and confabulations in machines (i.e., computational psychiatry), the relationship between AI and video (e.g., recommendation systems, text2video, interactive video), sound (e.g., CASA, sound control, audio-visual illusions), technology that is designed to be outgrown or deleted.
Ideas:
fōkəs: A cocktail party assistant that uses adaptive filters to help individuals focus on the auditory stimulus of interest (a particular speaker, instrument, or animal)
Escapus: Using generative audio and physiological sensing to augment the affective states and thoughts of an individual to support their goals better
AffirmMí: Objects placed in an environment that, through motion-sensing (or periodically), display and/or vocalize positive affirmations
Skills:
User Interface design, signal processing, machine learning, documentation
Carey Ann Strelecki
Areas of interest: memory, attention, motivation, empowering and improving the lives of elders and the aging; patient advocacy, dementia, patient education and empowerment; encouragement and space-holding for writing and reading, helping individuals with dyslexia to read, produce more easily, remain inspired and feeling supported. Voice cloning parents, coaches, celebrities, heroes, to encourage studying, writing, creative projects. Noting and respecting elders and their preferences. Recreating the dead in VR / voice cloning, interviewing elders regarding favorite music to prepare for later (documentary from week 1). Climate care/crisis. Supporting and leading creative teams, producing science, technology, and medically-oriented creative projects. Helping scientists, academics, experts present their best selves. AI, wearables for monitoring affect, screens/intelligent agents that promote empathy.
Skills: producer, writer, director, researcher for multimedia productions such as planetarium (full dome), VR projects, interactive learning games, feature and television documentary, museum work, interviewing regular people about their experiences and help scientists express themselves and show their best work.
Personal Interests: Total solar eclipses, trees, Burning Man (Dish Camp, Rube Goldberg Camp, Red Light District) Contact: careyann@mit.edu , careyann_strelecki@gse.harvard.edu, careyann2700@gmail.com Websites: imdb.me/careyann • sparkunderstanding.com • globalbrainstorm.com • careyannstrelecki.com/work
CERN - Phantom Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter
(Planetarium Trailer • Narrator: Tilda Swinton)
Carné y Arena VR empathy for migrants crossing the US-Mexican border https://phi.ca/en/carne-y-arena/
Cal Acad of Sciences Baobabs https://bit.ly/casBaobabs
Word Building App (AI Dyslexia Intervention) https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/893693934/50a46d7a4e/privacy