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Dec. 2004, Vol. 1, No. 4
Cover Story: Human Health
Pearl the NurseBot: The Softer Side of Technology
What would you like to have a robot help out with around the house?
For the rising tide of elderly people, having a reliable assistant who can help with daily tasks and provide a level of companionship could be the difference between being able to live independently and being forced into a nursing home. It would also change the way health care is delivered, so these seniors could remain in their homes and enjoy a better quality of life for as long as possible.
These are the stakes for robots like Pearl the NurseBot.
Researchers are exploring important issues about what functions a robot...
Read MoreIn This Issue
Dec. 2004, Vol. 1, No. 4
Learn how Pearl the NurseBot is helping elderly people live independently. Computer algorithms help uncover the secrets behind the Human Genome Project. Find out how professor Marcel Just knows from where in the brain a specific thought or behavior starts. And learn how the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center is advancing biomedical research.
Secrets of Disease
Computer algorithms—including some once used to sort out the stars—are revealing the secrets of the new “universe” unlocked by the Human Genome Project.
Giving Hugs
“The Hug,” a plush pillow with arms that mimics human interaction through warmth, light and sounds, was created with the Human-Centered Design approach being championed at the School of Design.
Bringing in the Big Guns
The Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center is moving Carnegie Mellon and the city of Pittsburgh to the head of the class in biotech research.
Pictures of Thought
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, Carnegie Mellon scientists have determined that human thought has a biological basis that arises from the neural networks of the brain.
Sharing the Prize
Add Finn Kydland and Edward Prescott to Carnegie Mellon’s growing list of faculty and alumni who have earned the most prestigious academic citation in the world.
