In the News
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June 12, 2024
Rada Milhacea, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, and EECS doctoral student Artem Abzaliev are using artificial intelligence to better understand what a dog’s bark conveys about whether it is feeling playful or angry. “Advances in AI can be used to revolutionize our understanding of animal communication. Our research opens a new window into how we can leverage what we built so far in speech processing to start understanding the nuances of dog barks,” Milhacea said.
BBC -
June 12, 2024
The public-facing nature of bookstores makes them particularly powerful agents of social change and can serve as a bridge to more formal avenues of organizing, says Kimberley Kinder, associate professor of urban planning: “These places proclaim political identity in signage and events that spill out into the streets.”
The New York Times -
June 12, 2024
“Instead of installing cameras at an intersection, if we know the trajectory of the vehicle, then the vehicle itself becomes the traffic sensor,” said Mcity Director Henry Liu, on the use of data gathered directly from internet-connected vehicles or navigation apps on drivers’ phones to help municipalities adjust the timing of their traffic lights.
The Wall Street Journal -
June 12, 2024
“There is so much that the plastics industry needs to do to improve the sustainability of plastics,” said Shelie Miller, professor of environment and sustainability. “If our stance is, consumers should be able to consume whatever they want in whatever quantity they want and it’s someone else’s job to deal with it, that’s not a path toward sustainability.”
National Public Radio -
June 12, 2024
“It’s going to be interesting to see whether AI complements our pet ownership or replaces it. There’s huge potential. But there’s equally huge risk,” said Lionel Robert, professor of information and robotics, on the latest pet tech innovations like smart collars and robot nannies.
The Washington Post -
June 5, 2024
More Black Americans would be diagnosed with lung disease if lung-function measurements weren’t adjusted for race, research shows. “Putting race into an algorithm … is assuming something biologic about a person, even though we know that race is not representative of biological differences,” said Sidra Bonner, a general surgeon resident. But if the race-based equation is flawed, it might signal “that perhaps we need better measures to assess how bad someone’s respiratory symptoms are,” said Thomas Valley, associate professor of pulmonary medicine.
Scientific American -
June 5, 2024
“Detroit has taken down so many abandoned buildings. … But for me as an architect and a historian, to have an incredible, very monumental, gorgeous building like Michigan Central (Station) on the chopping block, that always hurts. So I’m really thrilled that it’s finally finding a new life,” said Jonathan Massey, dean and professor of architecture.
The Detroit News -
June 5, 2024
“When people think about dementia, they usually think about forgetfulness and memory impairment. But it’s behavioral and psychological disturbances that are most disruptive to patients’ and caregivers’ lives,” said Mary Blazek, clinical professor and director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic.
The Washington Post -
June 5, 2024
“Voters in general … are all over the map when it comes to their political views, and that is true for voters of color as anyone else,” said Vincent Hutchings, professor of political science and Afroamerican and African studies. “It’s true that Trump is currently doing better than usual among Blacks and Latinos, or another way of saying that Biden’s doing less well. But historically, those people come home, so to speak.”
Salon -
June 5, 2024
“We do not yet know the risks of daily use of (marijuana) edibles — thus, I cannot say whether the trend will end up as a healthy one. Regulation is uneven, products vary and use is still illegal under federal law. We need better data,” said Carol Boyd, professor emerita of nursing, psychiatry and women’s studies.
CNN
