Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition

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IHMC Levin Center

The Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC) is a not-for-profit research institute of the State University System of Florida, with locations in Pensacola and Ocala, Florida. IHMC scientists and engineers investigate a broad range of topics related to building technological systems aimed at amplifying and extending human cognitive, physical and perceptual capacities. These include artificial intelligence, robotics, human-centered computing, agile and distributed computing and many related areas.[1][2]

Research & Sponsors[]

IHMC is focused on developing science and technology aimed at leveraging and extending human cognition, perception, locomotion, human performance, and resilience. Toward this end, IHMC research spans multiple domains such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Human/Machine Teaming, Molecular and Integrative Biology, and other related fields. [3] Robotics research includes Humanoid Robots and Avatars, Powered Exoskeltons for Paraplegic Mobility, Bipedal and quadrupedal walking, and Human-machine system design. [4]

Federal government research sponsors include the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Office of Naval Research (ONR) as well as other agencies and departments. In addition to government sponsored research, IHMC collaborates with numerous corporate partners.[5]

History[]

IHMC was founded by Dr. Kenneth M. Ford, Dr. Alberto Cañas, and Dr. Bruce Dunn on the campus of the University of West Florida, in the late 1980's and early 1990's. IHMC was the first interdisciplinary academic research institution that allowed computer scientists, philosophers, and psychologists to collaborate on human centered computing projects.[6] The first class of IHMC researchers included eminent scholars such as Henry E. Kyburg Jr., Clark Glymour, Pat Hayes, James F. Allen, Robert Hoffman, and Joseph D. Novak all of whom are credited for laying the foundational work for how humans interact with machines in the modern world.[7]

In 2004, after nearly two decades of research as part of the University of West Florida, the Florida Legislature, under the K-20 Education Code, established IHMC as an independent, statewide research institute.[8] This classification change allowed IHMC to develop and maintain research affiliations with multiple Florida universities.[9] By 2010 IHMC had been recognized by the U.S. Economic Development Administration for the institute's impact on downtown Pensacola.[10] Around that time, the institute was seeking to expand it's research footprint, which led to IHMC opening a new research facility in downtown Ocala in central Florida.[11]

In a direct response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster the United States Department of Defense began a series of global robotics competitions to push humanoid robots to the realm of usability for first responders in disaster scenarios. The first leg of these competitions, labeled the Virtual Robotics Challenge, pitted 26 teams from across the globe with the common goal of programming a virtual humanoid robot avatar to complete multiple tasks modeled after real world challenges that first responders experience.[12] The IHMC Robotics team finished first in the Virtual Robotics Challenge, which awarded the top 8 teams an Atlas robot built by Boston Dynamics and funding to compete in the DARPA Robotics Challenge. In December of 2012 the IHMC Robotics team placed second overall in the DARPA Robotics Trials, the first phase of the DARPA Robotics Challenge, which awarded IHMC the funding to compete in the final three year leg of the competition.[13][14][15][16][17][18] On June 8, 2015 Team IHMC Robotics innovative operator interface allowed them to overcome a devastating series of falls on the first day of the competition that left their Atlas robot with major structural damage, and secure the second place spot in the DARPA Robotics Challenge. [19][20][21]

During that time, the same IHMC researchers competing in the DARPA Robotics Challenge also developed an innovative series of running robots in the FastRunner project,[22] and IHMC's Natural Language Processing researchers were selected by DARPA to participate in the Big mechanism program which used computers to analyze vast amounts of research and identify underlying mechanisms in complex systems.[23]

In 2016 IHMC completed construction on the award winning Levin Center for IHMC Research 30,000-square-foot building in downtown Pensacola, with expanded laboratories, research areas and offices.[24][25] Also that year, IHMC senior research scientist Jerry Pratt was named to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, followed in 2017 by IHMC Director Kenneth M. Ford.[26]

IHMC's paraplegic mobility research team participated in the inaugural Cybathlon in 2016. The Cybathlon was the worlds first international competition for cyber-assisted athletes, and like the Olympics takes place every four years. Exoskeleton pilot Mark Daniel utilized IHMC's fourth paraplegic mobility device MinaV2 to compete in Cybathlon 2016 and the Quix Mobility Platform developed for the sponsored by the to compete in the Cybathlon 2020. [27][28][29]

Scientific and technical staff[]

IHMC is home to more than 100 researchers and technical staff, many of whom are leading figures in their research fields.[30] Six researchers associated with IHMC have been named fellows at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence.[31] Four people affiliated with IHMC have been inducted as fellows into the National Academy of Inventors.[32]

Facilities[]

IHMC has multiple research facilities located in Pensacola and Ocala Florida.

Outreach[]

IHMC sponsors a number of outreach efforts in the local community, including a public Evening Lecture Series in both Pensacola and Ocala. The series has hosted dozens of notable speakers and in 2011 was recognized by STEMflorida Inc., a not-for-profit group that promotes science, technology, engineering and math education. IHMC also supports local education through programs such as its Science Saturdays, I LOVE Science, and robotics open houses and summer camps.[33]

In early 2000, IHMC began production on the Evening Lecture Series. Each lecture features a visiting researcher, thought leader, or public figure and focuses on educating the public on a variety of topics. There are over two hundred IHMC Evening Lectures hosted on YouTube as of December 2020.[34]


STEM-Talk is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the institute. The podcast launched on March 1, 2016 with guest Peter Attia discussing his research into health and longevity.[35] As of December 2020, there are 116 episodes with subjects discussing a wide variety of research topics.[36]

STEM-Talk received the 2017 & 2019 Skeptics Guide to Science & Medicine award from the People's Choice Podcast Awards,[37] and was nominated for the 2019 Science & Education Webby Award.[38]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Manning up: IHMC Explores the Intersection of Man and Machine." January 2013. AUVSI Magazine.
  2. ^ Hamilton, Scott. "Thinking Outside the Box at the IHMC". Computer, January 2001. (Los Alamitos, CA: IEEE Computer Society Press).
  3. ^ https://www.ihmc.us/research/
  4. ^ https://www.ihmc.us/research/biologically-inspired-robots/
  5. ^ https://www.ihmc.us/about/aboutihmc/
  6. ^ Kenneth M. Ford, et al. "Coordinating Behavior of Distributed Systems," AI Magazine, Summer 2010. Also: State University System of Florida, Board of Governors; online publication.
  7. ^ https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.197.4167&rep=rep1&type=pdf
  8. ^ Florida Statute 1004.447.
  9. ^ State University System of Florida, Board of Governors. Online publication.
  10. ^ U.S. Economic Development Administration / U.S. Department of Commerce; online publication.
  11. ^ Barnett, Cynthia. "Human, Machine Research Institute Joins Ocala's Downtown". Florida Trend. Summer 2010.
  12. ^ https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/robotics-software/osrf-prepares-for-darpa-virtual-robotics-challenge
  13. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjQx1BT_xts
  14. ^ https://www.ocala.com/article/LK/20130704/news/604143826/OS/
  15. ^ https://www.afcea.org/content/darpa-announces-eight-robotics-challenge-trials-winners
  16. ^ Markoff, John (2013-12-22). "Japanese Team Dominates Competition to Create Generation of Rescue Robots". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  17. ^ Davis, Brett. "Robots Open Doors and Drive Cars and Chop Through Walls And..." Unmanned Systems Magazine, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, September 2013. Also: "Robotics Challenge Teams to Compete for $2 Million Top Prize." AUVSI News. Mar 5, 2015.
  18. ^ "Team IHMC's Lessons Learned from the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials". Journal of Field Robotics. March 2015.
  19. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P9geWwi9e0
  20. ^ https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/darpa-robotics-challenge-robots-falling
  21. ^ https://time.com/magazine/south-pacific/3899700/june-8th-2015-vol-185-no-21-asia-europe-middle-east-and-africa-south-pacific/
  22. ^ Ackerman, Evan. "This Is What DARPA's Robot Ostrich Will Look Like". IEEE Spectrum. Nov. 14, 2011.
  23. ^ “Big Mechanisms Seeks the ‘Whys’ Hidden in Big Data.” DARPA website, Feb. 20, 2014. Also: Cohen, Paul R. “DARPA’s Big Mechanisms Program.” DARPA online publication.
  24. ^ "IHMC breaks ground on new 30,000-square-foot-building." Pensacola News Journal. (Feb. 9, 2015).
  25. ^ https://ricksblog.biz/levin-center-for-ihmc-research-wins-peoples-choice-award/
  26. ^ Florida Inventors Hall of Fame web page. http://www.floridainvents.org
  27. ^ https://www.vice.com/en/article/ezebz4/the-cybathlon-where-paraplegics-walk-again
  28. ^ https://cybathlon.ethz.ch/en
  29. ^ https://mobilityunlimited.org
  30. ^ Kenneth M. Ford, et al. "Coordinating Behavior of Distributed Systems." AI Magazine. Summer 2010. Also: "People / Scientific and Technical". IHMC web page.
  31. ^ Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. The Fellows List. http://www.aaai.org/Awards/fellows-current.php.
  32. ^ National Academy of Inventors. NAI Fellows List. http://www.academyofinventors.org.
  33. ^ National Robotics Week web site; 2015 Events; iRobot Corp. http://www.nationalroboticsweek.org/events.php Archived 2015-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ https://www.youtube.com/user/TheIHMC
  35. ^ https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode001/
  36. ^ https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalks/
  37. ^ https://www.podcastawards.com
  38. ^ https://winners.webbyawards.com/winners/podcasts/individual-episodes-mini-series-specials/science-education

Further reading and viewing[]

External links[]

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