Texas A&M University-San Antonio is partnering with Texas State University on a unique project that allows undergraduates to participate in a nine-week artificial intelligence (AI) research program hosted at Texas State University.
The interdisciplinary research project, which runs this summer from June 2 to August 1, prepares students for advanced STEM studies and careers. The program will apply machine learning, AI and IoT (Internet of Things) to real-world challenges, such as developing smart homes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, enhancing firefighting systems, improving chronic ankle instability diagnosis, and exploring tech-assisted sports assessments for spinal cord injuries.
Backed by a $371,758 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant and operating through 2028, the AI research program is led by A&M-San Antonio’s Dr. Ting Liu and Texas State University’s Dr. Damian Valles. The pair in 2022 helped spearhead a similar, three-year NSF-funded program totaling $340,000 that focused on smart and connected communities as well as smart and connected health for individuals with disabilities and first responders.
“By integrating computer engineering and health sciences, we’re creating opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research projects to address real-world challenges,” said Liu, dean of the College of Graduate Studies and co-principal investigator on the research program. “This innovative approach supports and advances emerging AI research initiatives in smart and connected health.”
One of the program’s seven projects will utilize AI to help people with autism who may struggle to have conversations about their daily lives. By taking pictures and short videos of daily activities, those with autism can create a library of visual content to be processed by computer vision technologies. From there, a narrative about their day can be generated with the help of AI and natural language processing and tailored to the individual’s specific communication level and preferences.
Valles said that Texas State University’s partnership with A&M-San Antonio teaches students the importance and impact of working together. “Students can see what research in the lab and collaboration with another institution looks like; they start to understand the dynamics of how you collaborate with people in other places to accomplish one common goal.”
Over 70 percent of the undergraduate students who participated in Texas State’s previous collaboration with A&M-San Antonio had their work published.
“We have presented at many national conferences to disseminate our findings while also observing the significant impact on our undergraduate students, many of whom have become deeply engaged in research and chosen to pursue graduate studies,” Liu said.
This new research opportunity continues A&M-San Antonio’s commitment to collaborative AI research that crosses various disciplines, building on projects like Jag-AI. The 2023 initiative funded by a $400,000 NSF grant focused on improving health care, quality of life and national defense while advancing careers in AI among underrepresented minorities and assisting in developing curricula and training for faculty and researchers.
Undergraduate students interested in applying for or learning more about this summer’s AI research program can visit the program website. Applications will be reviewed starting March 1, and the program begins on June 2, 2025.