Proposals Funded 2005
2005 Full Proposals
SMART-WALL: Architectural Micro-Electronic System for the Building Industry
Principal Investigator: Osman Ataman, Architecture
Co-Investigators: Ilesanmi Adesida, Electrical & Computer Engineering
John Rogers, Materials Science & Engineering
This research will develop the technology basis for the Smart Wall as a revolutionary architectural material which incorporates active semiconductor-based circuitry with computing, sensing and energy generation capabilities, and will replace traditional wall systems in our buildings in the future.
Development of Microfluidic Devices for Rapid Kinetics Measurements of Biochemical Processes Using Time-Resolved FTIR Spectroscopy
Principal Investigator: Robert Gennis, Biochemistry
Co-Investigators: Robert Clegg, Physics
Martin Gruebele, Chemistry
Paul Kenis, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Colin Wraight, Biochemistry
Microfluidic devices will be built to allow us to study rapid biochemical reactions in the microsecond/millisecond range using FTIR spectroscopy. Reactions of interest will be initiated at the start of a small channel either by rapid mixing or by flash photolysis, and the reaction progress will be monitored as the solution flows through the channel. The reaction kinetics will be probed at different positions along the channel using an FTIR array detector. Rapid protein folding will be studied in this manner. We will also monitor protonation changes of residues within cytochrome oxides during the reaction with dioxygen, and changes in the photosynthetic reaction center following light-induced electron transfer.
NMR Studies of Organic Conductors
Principal Investigator: Russell Giannetta, Physics
Co-Investigator: Charles Schlicter, Physics
Organic conductors are complex, crystalline arrangements of carbon-based molecules. Under certain conditions of temperature and pressure, they exhibit a rare phase of matter called a quantum spin liquid. The spin liquid is a kind of missing link between magnetism and superconductivity. This project will use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of carbon-13 atoms to examine the spin liquid state at very low temperatures and high pressures.
A New Approach to Bone Replacement
Principal Investigator: Russell Jamison, Materials Science & Engineering
Co-Investigators: Michael Goldwasser, Medicine (Carle Clinic)
Benjamin Grosser, Beckman Institute
John Hart, Coordinated Science Lab
Matei Stroila, Computer Science
Amy Wagoner Johnson, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
This project involves the creation of an automated system for design and fabrication of implants to replace bone lost to disease or injury. Using standard computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance images (MRI) and a personal computer, a surgeon will be able to design and have fabricated a custom implant for the patient, eliminating the need for a second surgery to harvest bone from elsewhere in the patient’s body. This implant, a biodegradable tissue engineered scaffold, will stimulate regeneration of bone and make possible restoration of normal function and appearance.
Liberal Institutions, National Settings and Societal Welfare
Principal Investigator: Peter Nardulli, Political Science
Co-Investigators: Scott Althaus, Speech Communication
Edward Diener, Psychology
Zachary Elkins, Political Science
Brian Gaines, Political Science
Thomas Ginsburg, Political Science
Donald Greco, Political Science
James Kuklinski, Political Science
Rahda Nandkumar, NCSA
Thomas Rudolph, Political Science
Thomas Ulen, Law
This research program focuses on one of the most important socio-economic and political developments of the late 20th century: the diffusion of liberal institutions (democracy, free enterprise, and the rule of law) throughout the world. Its goal is to develop gauges of the extent to which a nation has embraced liberal reforms (1950 to the present), and use these gauges to assess the impact of these reforms on societal welfare, broadly defined. This enterprise involves: 1) a program of basic research on institutions and welfare, and 2) the development of sophisticated feedback mechanisms designed to aid in the distribution of hundreds of billions of dollars in development aid, which could improve the quality of life for tens of millions of people in the developing world.
Automated Methods for Second-Language Fluency Assessment
Principal Investigator: Richard Sproat, Linguistics
Co-Investigators: Kay Bock, Beckman Institute
Mark Hasegawa-Johnson, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Brian Ross, Psychology
Dan Roth, Computer Science
Chilin Shih, East Asian Languages & Cultures
Our three-year project will lay the groundwork for an interdisciplinary Center for Second Language Learning Technology at UIUC. Our initial goal is to develop diagnostic tools and methods to aid in the development of spoken second language fluency. UIUC is almost uniquely positioned to carry out this work since we have strong language programs in the Foreign Languages Building, an excellent group of psycholinguists in the Psychology department, and a growing program in computational linguistics and speech processing in Linguistics, Computer Science, and Electrical and Computer Science and Engineering.
Next Generation RFID Systems: People and Object Tracking for Homeland Security Applications
Principal Investigator: Nitin Vaidya, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Co-Investigators: Narendra Ahuja, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Jennifer Bernhard, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Gavin Horn, Fire Service Institute
Richard Jaehne, Fire Service Institute
Volodmyr Kindratenko, NCSA
Sanjay Patel, Electrical & Computer Engineering
This cross-disciplinary project will investigate the design of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based monitoring systems for homeland security applications. The proposed systems will help monitor first responders (such as firefighters) as well as the environment they operate in.
2005 Planning Proposals
Integrative Neuroimaging of the Aging Brain
Principal Investigator: Zhi-Pei Liang, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Co-Investigators: Monica Fabiani, Psychology/Beckman
John Georgiadis, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Gabrielle Gratton, Psychology
Thomas Huang, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Arthur Kramer, Psychology/Beckman Institute
Jean Ponce, Computer Science
Bradley Sutton, Beckman Institute
Yongmei Michelle Wang, Statistics
This project is focused on developing a novel multimodal imaging technology that will enable high-resolution structural, functional, and metabolic information to be obtained simultaneously. This technology will provide an unprecedented capability to study how the human brain changes across the adult lifespan, and to measure brain plasticity as a function of interventions such as cognitive and fitness training.
Neural-Inspired Nano-Fluid Logic - A New Paradigm of Sensing and Computing
Principal Investigator: Chang Liu, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Co-Investigators: Narayana Aluru, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Taekjip Ha, Physics
Mark Nelson, Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Neurons perform both sensitive sensing tasks and complex computation sequences using nano pores regulated by mechanical or electrochemical stimuli. This work aims to investigate nano fluid channels that mimic the nano pores. The present focus of the team is to achieve advanced sensing, and demonstrate both high sensitivity and unprecedented robustness.
Increasing Underrepresented Minority Involvement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Principal Investigator: Sharon Tettegah, Curriculum & Instruction
Co-Investigators: Sam Kamin, Computer Science
Dmitri Williams, Speech Communication
Our research initiative lays the foundation for further study of the under-representation of minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. In suggesting and planning solutions for supplementing math and science classroom-learning and curricular development, we focus on the viability of gaming technology as a vehicle for teaching STEM-related skills. Can such technology also act as a bridge or incentive to lure and retain minority students in STEM fields?
Theoretical and Stochastic Seismic Waves: Theory and Application
Principal Investigator: Richard Weaver, Theoretical & Applied Mechanics
Co-Investigator: Xiaodong Song, Geology
Recent research suggests that important information about the earth may be recovered from analysis of ambient seismic noise. This project will apply these ideas to local Illinois noise, to internationally available seismic data sets and, by analogy, to laboratory ultrasonic data.
Intermedia Lab
Principal Investigator: David Weightman, Art & Design
Co-Investigators: Roy Campbell, Computer Science
Nan Goggin, Art & Design
Kathleen Harleman, Krannert Art Museum
This planning proposal involves the creation of a new interdisciplinary research facility entitled the Intermedia Lab. The goal of the project is to provide a location for activities which explore the relationship between people and digital technology via interdisciplinary art, media, and design practice and research.