Students at James Madison University won the Governor’s Technology Award for designing a self-driving vehicle that could avoid obstacles and pedestrians, and they attracted interest from advocates for the elderly and decided to adapt the vehicle for use in retirement communities. Students added a user-friendly interface for people with vision or hearing difficulties. The vehicle is now trackable and monitors passengers for medical emergencies.
Students across various majors participated, focusing on electronics and sensors, networking, machine learning and perception, AI/robotics and human-computer interaction.
This fall, students continue researching how the elderly interact with technology in order to improve their vehicle.
– Donna Scaramastra Gorman, The Engineering 100