Institute news and updates
Studying the biomechanics of voice disorders
Boston University researchers develop a new model for speech production that combines neural, physiological, and biomechanical information about vocal folds. BY GINA MANTICA Voice disorders don’t just change how a person sounds when they speak; they can also cause pain and impact a person’s wellbeing. Studying voice disorders in patients provides researchers with a snapshot […]
Could a computer diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?
Boston University researchers develop an artificial intelligence program that detects cognitive impairment accurately and efficiently from voice recordings It takes a lot of time—and money—to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. After running lengthy in-person neuropsychological exams, clinicians have to transcribe, review, and analyze every response in detail. But researchers at Boston University have developed a new tool […]
Can machine learning slow cognitive decline?
Boston University researchers developed a model that detects cognitive impairment accurately and efficiently from voice recordings. BY GINA MANTICA Alzheimer’s Disease diagnoses are timely and expensive, requiring hour-long in-person neuropsychological exams with trained clinicians that then transcribe, review, and analyze individuals’ responses. But researchers at Boston University developed a tool that could automate analyses and […]
Graduate Student Fellow Aims to Reduce Bias-Based Bullying in Athletics
BY: KAORI (CHRISTINE) YOH & GINA MANTICA Olivia Wyatt likes baseball so much that she once created her own class in high school around sports analytics. Now, Wyatt combines her interest in sport psychology with her background in data science to develop data-driven interventions aimed at reducing bias-based harassment in athletics. As a Graduate Student […]
How is harmful content reported in end-to-end encrypted systems?
BY GINA MANTICA Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal use encryption to allow people to chat privately, but as a result they lack an easy way for users to report harmful content securely. The use of end-to-end encryption in these and other messaging apps prevents third parties from accessing data transferred between individuals. A team […]
How does cryptographic research inform public policy?
BY GINA MANTICA Imagine there exists a digital dollar with all the privacy benefits of physical cash, but is recognized and regulated by the federal government unlike Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. This is one of many proposed policies that researchers in Boston University’s Center for Reliable Information Systems and Cyber Security (RISCS) are helping to […]
New Focused Research Programs Tackle Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Climate Misinformation
MEDIA CONTACT: Gina Mantica, Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications, gmantica@bu.edu The Hariri Institute is excited to announce our next set of Focused Research Programs (FRPs)! These programs are designed to evolve and advance Boston University’s research in computing and data science around areas of strategic importance and emerging opportunity. The Institute facilitates research convergence […]
Introducing our 2022 Awarded Institute Fellows
The Hariri Institute is excited to announce our 2022 awarded cohort of Junior Faculty Fellows and Graduate Student Fellows! These fellows are using computational tools to answer research questions in public health, counseling psychology, astronomy, finance and more. The Institute supports these computing and data-driven researchers by contributing to their research developments and connecting them […]
Can understanding social needs help researchers predict COVID-19 outcomes?
Focused Research Program faculty members develop a predictive model for hospitalizations, disease severity, and death using dynamic vital signs and social determinants of health. BY GINA MANTICA Models that predict how COVID-19 affects patients are often biased due to the disproportionate effects of the disease on people of color in the United States. But researchers […]
Byte by byte: Using data science to study human behavior
BY: ALEX JOHNSON A popular thought experiment pushes people to consider the ethics of redirecting a trolley to hit a single person that is at the wrong place at the wrong time in order to avoid hitting five workers that the trolley is barreling toward. This puzzle has been debated for decades, but now researchers […]