Current Projects

Belief Resonance and AI Narratives (BRAIN)

Status: Selected for funding

This project is part of a massive collaboration between several different Principal Investigators on IU’s campus and seeks to understand and predict how both individual- and group-level belief systems engage with new information in the era of AI-powered communication. Our lab will be measuring people’s physiology as they engage with social media content in a series of studies that will examine belief resonance, belief rigidity, social norms, and AI-generated content. This project is funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (ASOFR) through their Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) funding opportunity.

Trustingai

Status: Data collection ongoing

This project comprises several studies and explores using physiological signals to measure trust – both the degree that subjects trust one another, and the degree that they trust technology. Subjects play games and gamble in a variety of configurations (solo, cooperatively and versus other individuals, and cooperatively and versus an AI “second player”), while our PhysioCam records their physiological signals. The videos and audio recordings from this project will be used to train and test computer vision algorithms to tell when people are lying, and when people exhibit signs of trust and distrust. This project is funded by a grant provided by the Department of Defense.

Anstracker

Status: Data collection ongoing

We are working on developing a software tool (dubbed the ANSTracker) that will output nervous system data into a real-time graph to be used by medical providers. We are currently in the phase of collecting normative data on which to base the algorithm for a prototype. This project is done in collaboration with NeurAxis, Inc.

neurotypical study

Status: Data collection ongoing

The data collected in this study will be used to develop a baseline for ascertaining how stressed/tense vs relaxed/social people feel. The intent is to later use this data to build sensor algorithms to be used on autistic populations, that will then be used to build technology that indicates the current physiological stress level of autistic individuals and communicates it to caregivers. To develop a normative baseline, participants in this study are neurotypical.

Couples physiological responses to aron task questionnaire

Status: Data collection ongoing

In this study, we measure psycho-physiological parameters of social engagement while new couples interview each other using the Aron Task Questionnaire.

This study explores the relationship between physiological synchrony (degree to which one member of the couple’s stress is shared by another), relationship satisfaction, and level of intimacy.

movement and autism

Status: In development

Movement is a quantifiable output of the nervous system which conveys considerable information to the people around you. We can usually tell by how someone stands or walks whether they are tired, angry, or excited. In collaboration with Mark Jaime at IU-Columbus, I have been developing computer vision methods to isolate unique features of social movement from video observations collected in the lab. We use these ‘digital kinematics’ to test for possible links between features associated with autism spectrum disorder (these features are present in all individuals to varying degrees) and movement. The project aims to better understand individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as more generally understand the relationship between social movements and individual differences in the broader community.

brain-computer interface project at wonderlab

Status: Ongoing

This project was a cooperative educational effort between the Luddy School and Wonderlab Science Muesum. We gave a demo at Wonderlab using dendrites from the Luddy School’s “Amatria” Sentient Architecture Installation. Children were able to don a headband sensor that read brain signals (EEG) that would then affect the movement of Amatria’s dendrites. We collected survey data before and after in a hope of improving future educational materials.

traumatic stress history, autonomic nervous system function, and erectile function in a clinical sample

Status: Data collection ongoing

The primary objective of this study is to examine whether altered autonomic nervous system function and muscle tension may explain the effects of childhood trauma on adult sexual function and treatment responsiveness in a clinical sample seeking help for erectile dysfunction. See our publications page for a paper based on the data collected from this study!

Analysis of EDS/POTS patients’ physiological signals & survey responses

Status: Data analysis ongoing, manuscript in progress

Patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachychardia Syndrome (POTS) display widely varying vagal efficiency. We’re analyzing their physiological data to improve our methods of ascertaining vagal efficiency. Our goal is to obtain a measurement of vagal efficiency within a shorter timeframe than is currently possible.

analysis of voice therapy patients pre- and post-SSP

Status: Data analysis ongoing

A voice therapist in the Netherlands has administered the Safe and Sound Protocol as a therapeutic intervention to clients. Before and after they completed the treatment, clients filled out a questionnaire regarding their presenting complaints, their anxiety/depression, and the Body Perception Questionnaire. They also completed voice recordings pre- and post-SSP. These clinicians have now given us access to this deidenfitied pre- and post-SSP data to analyze.