Andrew Mason of Michigan State University

Products like Fitbit and the Apple Watch have brought to the public decades of foundational work on wearable technologies achieved by researchers in the IEEE CAS Society and related groups. Similarly, research into brain- and human-machine interface is starting to enter the public domain in applications including deep brain stimulation, prosthetic limb control, and human assistive devices. While researchers continue to explore new wearable sensing and human-interface paradigms, it is vital that we also explore what applications the next generation of wearable human-machine interfaces can and should enable. This talk will review key challenges and approaches within wearable assistive device and brain/human interface technologies. Aspects of physiological, environmental, and behavioral sensing within wearable platforms will be discussed, and technical challenges will be highlighted. Finally, the next generation concept of augmented human perception, real time machine-enhanced awareness that expands natural human senses, will be introduced. Utilizing wearable sensing and real-time feedback through visual, audio and tactile mechanism, augmented perception is poised to revolutionize the human experience, enhance daily performance, and enable new pathways to address mental and physical health concerns.

Biography:

Andrew J. Mason received the BS in Physics with highest distinction from Western Kentucky University in 1991, the BSEE with honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1992, and the MS and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1994 and 2000, respectively. From 1999 to 2001 he was an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky.  In 2001 he joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, where he is currently a Professor.  His research explores mixed-signal circuits, microfabricated structures and machine learning algorithms for integrated microsystems in biomedical, environmental monitoring and sustainable lifestyle applications.  Current projects are focused on design of augmented human awareness systems including signal processing algorithms and hardware for brain-machine interface, wearable/implantable biochemical and neural sensors, and lab-on-CMOS integration of sensing, instrumentation, and microfluidics.

Dr. Mason is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and serves on the Sensory Systems and Biomedical Circuits and Systems Technical Committees of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society. He is an Associate Editor for the IEEE Trans. Biomedical Circuits and Systems and regularly serves on the technical and review committees for several IEEE conferences. Dr. Mason was co-General Chair of the 2011 IEEE Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference. He is a recipient of the 2006 Michigan State University Teacher-Scholar Award and the 2010 Withrow Award for Teaching Excellence.

Email:

Address:1217 Engineering Building, 426 Auditorium Road, East Lansing, Michigan, United States, 48824