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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Center for Smart Streetscapes
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240116T180000
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SUMMARY:Community Partners in Residence (CPR) Program - Meeting 3
DESCRIPTION:On Tuesday\, January 16\, 2024\, the NSF Center for Smart StreetScapes (CS3) held its third Community Partners in Residence (CPR) Program workshop. This meeting was originally scheduled for January 9th\, but had to push to the next week due to a snowstorm in NYC on the 9th. \nOnce again convened and led by Ester Fuchs\, Chief Social Impact Officer of the CS3 and Professor of International and Public Affairs and Political Science at Columbia University\, the purpose of this workshop was how 5G bandwidth\, latency\, and density capabilities meet situational demands\, while protecting privacy and community trust; and Exploring next-generation wireless network design\, edge-cloud coordination\, and real-time optimization infrastructures. \nThe session began with a presentation by Jorge Oritz\, Assistant Professor of ECE at the Rutgers School of Engineering and Streetscape Apps Lead for CS3\, who overviewed the potential for a new generation of wireless communication technology to further CS3’s goals. He began by reiterating broad objectives of the project\, namely\, to improve the livability of Harlem as defined by the criteria of “safety” and “inclusivity.” “Safety” refers to the level of access residents have to critical services such as traffic monitoring and first response infrastructure\, while “inclusivity” encompasses the degree to which the streetscape can facilitate interactivity between its community members. He then continued to introduce the advantages of new 5G and Wi-edge computing systems\, as pertains to their applications in streetscape improvements. Firstly\, they allow for low-latency transmission and processing\, meaning deployed computer systems can communicate with each other more rapidly on-site. Secondly\, they may be used within a hyper-local scope\, such as a single intersection\, allowing for a notably higher degree of camera and sensor precision. These properties were then demonstrated via a video of a blind individual using a mobility assistance system to cross an intersection. In the video\, the subject gestured to the system before being directed using a personal navigation application. Cameras picking up the subject’s gesture were able to identify and subsequently allow the system to direct the person within a matter of seconds via an installed app on their phone. Concerns by CPRs regarding the potential vulnerability of someone visibly using the system and thereby marking his or herself as a target for bad actors were assuaged by being informed of a new model being developed so as to detect and identify individuals in need of assistance without any overtly visual cueing needed whatsoever. \nThe session then continued with a presentation by Gil Zussman\, Vice Chair of the Electrical Engineering Department at Columbia University and Wi-Edge Research Lead for CS3. Prof. Zussman focused on introducing the purpose and capabilities of the COSMOS test bed\, a section of Harlem between Columbia University and City College of New York’s campuses denoted by the FCC for wireless technology experimentation. He provided a brief overview of the various “nodes” being deployed for use in experiments\, including antennae deployed atop the roof of Columbia’s Mudd building on 120th Street and Amsterdam Avenue\, and other camera clusters across the COSMOS area. The purpose and intent of the COSMOS area is to be more of a testbed that provides capabilities to various researchers—remotely or otherwise—to run experiments using this new class of technology\, such as the aforementioned crosswalk demonstration. Importantly COSMOS itself is not designed to provide a solution to any one specific research question\, i.e. it does not serve as a public safety\, health\, or surveillance mechanism in and of itself. Aside from the main area\, COSMOS also includes small\, indoor systems within controlled settings that are similarly for-rent to researchers. The project also includes a K-12 education kit. \nThere were questions from the CPRs on how this project could work alongside the citizens on the streets within the COSMOS area\, given existing hostility towards telecom companies which have purchased rooftops for their own network infrastructure\, in addition to public concerns regarding the health and safety implications of 5G networking. Prof Zussman addressed these questions by assuring that any rooftops being used for this project are all already owned by Columbia (in part due to a lack of budget to purchase additional rooftop space)\, and that the wavelengths of light in question are generally safe for use in human-oriented contexts. The ubiquity of Wi-Fi and cell service demonstrates this. \nOnce presentations concluded\, the CPRs were given time to collaborate and reflect via breakout sessions & whiteboards facilitated by the CS3 CPR Comm Engagement staff. The CPRs then reconvened to report back to the room. Overall\, many expressed that they had learned much pertaining to how the technology could be used\, in no small part due to the videos\, examples\, and layman’s explanations provided during the presentations. They were also reassured by CS3’s intentions to explore similarly in international initiatives\, and by the fact that Columbia is collaborating with a number of universities on this project\, though it is still in its early stages. \nWith this in mind\, there were still several concerns left unaddressed. CPRs mentioned that educating the public on these types of technologies would be critical for their adoption as things stand. Questions on how the technology could be compromised\, either digitally or physically\, were also common amongst all 3 breakout groups. In addition\, they mentioned wanting to expand the use cases for edge computing and mm-wave enabled technologies to address public safety concerns\, such as cyclist-originating traffic incidents\, the need to create a true translational language for all of the science and tech for regular citizens to be able to fully understand\, and the need to bolster historical education efforts with the opportunity that AR presents\, given Harlem’s collective identity. There were also the expected information privacy concerns. \nThe workshop concluded with Prof. Fuchs informing everyone that a deck with a data sample from the pre-workshop survey that all CPRs completed prior to the start of these sessions would be shared and discussed in more detail at the next session. \nCPR workshops are invite-only. If you are interested in attending a workshop or learning more about CS3’s community engagement process\, please contact our team at streetscapes@columbia.edu.
URL:https://cs3-erc.org/event/community-partners-in-residence-cpr-program-meeting-3/
LOCATION:Harlem\, NY\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240123T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240123T200000
DTSTAMP:20260615T084620
CREATED:20241210T181807Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241210T182036Z
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SUMMARY:Community Partners in Residence (CPR) Program - Meeting 4
DESCRIPTION:On Tuesday\, January 23\, 2024\, the NSF Center for Smart StreetScapes (CS3) held its fourth Community Partners in Residence (CPR) Program workshop. The session was convened and led once again by Ester Fuchs\, Chief Social Impact Officer of the CS3 and Professor of International and Public Affairs and Political Science at Columbia University. Topics covered this week included applying modeling and simulation techniques to improving streetscape safety\, as well as expanding the opportunities for dialogue between community members and technologists to better guide the progress of the initiative. \nAfter opening remarks by Ester Fuchs\, Sharon Di\, an Associate Professor in Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics affiliated with Columbia University\, discussed the potential in improving urban traffic management systems using “digital twins” of locations within the city. Prof. Di began by discussing the state of current urban traffic management systems\, including an overview of conventional induction loop and camera-based approaches. Said conventional approaches are limited in precision and predictive ability. By comparison\, future approaches could include the use of a “digital twin:” a replica of a location of interest\, such as an intersection or subway station\, that has been virtually reconstructed. Objects detected in the real world could be brought into the simulation\, and their vectors of motion could be more accurately modeled and predicted. This has promising implications for accident avoidance and accessibility for impaired persons\, particularly when combined with low-latency compute technologies. \n“Digital twins” would also have applications in discovering new ways to improve the accessibility of city locations. They would allow the more precise study of mobility patterns within twinned locations\, providing crucial data for both urban planners and researchers involved in the development of assistive technologies. The technology involved in their creation could also help with modeling driving patterns\, allowing those displaying symptoms of dementia and similar disorders to be contacted and provided with appropriate care as soon as possible. These applications grow in importance as the average age of the New York City population continues to trend upwards. \nFurthermore\, “digital twins” could help protect the privacy of individuals benefiting from the technology\, as they could be produced using purely sensor-based implementations\, instead of relying on high-resolution camera captures. \nFollowing Professor Di’s presentation\, CPRs posed questions primarily focused on technological accuracy\, such as “How does this project consider animals and jaywalkers?” and “How will you address people illegally crossing the road?” It was clarified that the project exclusively focuses on humans\, and addressing specific cases poses an ongoing challenge\, balancing safety and efficiency. \nThe second presentation\, delivered by Brian Smith\, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University\, concerned itself less with any one particular technological innovation\, but rather focused on how to approach technology design\, and encouraged the CPRs to more deeply engage and exchange proactively with the technologists working on the CS3 project. This presentation broadly outlined the “Three Needs” of technology design: inclusion\, community\, and information. “Inclusion” includes ensuring the accessibility and useability of technology\, including providing real benefit to the people who interact with it. Relaying information from computers to people\, regardless of ability\, is an important aspect of this tenet. “Community” refers to the ability of technology to facilitate interpersonal interaction\, particularly in in-person settings. One example given was ongoing research into using augmented reality to move experiences along the streetscape into learning about historic locations. Another example included communal entertainment screens at city bus stop shelters. Finally\, “information” regarding some of the novel ways of moving information from computers to people in a more general sense than what was mentioned in “inclusion.” For instance\, using the LinkNYC kiosks\, city employees are able to relay information regarding weather\, history\, and community events in a highly localized fashion and in real time. \nFollowing the presentation\, CPRs inquired about the technical capability of detecting errant behavior\, including scenarios like a car swerving towards people. The researchers explained that the computers only detect behaviors that have come to be learned as errant. Regarding coordination with accessibility consultants and disabled individuals\, Prof Smith emphasized his history of working in close relationships with blind communities\, specifically\, where many tech opportunities exist to support individuals and communities with different lived experiences. \nThe meeting then moved into breakout sessions\, where CPRs shared ideas\, feelings and questions about technological advances in cities\, such as sensors and AR. They expressed the need for increased accessibility for the visually impaired\, flexibility\, and responsiveness to human needs\, and encouraged collaboration with tech engineers. As for practical problems on the streetscape that might be addressed through the presented research\, specific suggestions from CPRs focused on safety improvements\, including detecting and warning against oncoming poor/unsafe driving habits\, informing the public about street hazards\, and identifying areas for infrastructure improvement\, and a desire to see AR incorporated into Harlem’s cultural streetscape to specifically recall historical sites and figures that once existed throughout the neighborhood that should remain actively accessible via technology among the current streetscape so as never to be forgotten. \nCPR workshops are invite-only. If you are interested in attending a workshop or learning more about CS3’s community engagement process\, please contact our team at streetscapes@columbia.edu.
URL:https://cs3-erc.org/event/community-partners-in-residence-cpr-program-meeting-4/
LOCATION:Harlem\, NY\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240129T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240129T130000
DTSTAMP:20260615T084620
CREATED:20241210T233131Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241210T233131Z
UID:4164-1706529600-1706533200@cs3-erc.org
SUMMARY:CS3 Spring Welcome Session
DESCRIPTION:The Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) presents the Spring Welcome Session! We will be introducing the engineering research center’s goals and discussing the unique opportunity to engage with the Center for Smart Streetscapes\, its Student Leadership Council\, and upcoming events for the year. Lunch will be provided. \n\nStudents of all majors are welcome\nFaculty & Staff are encouraged to join\n\nIn-Person Locations: \n\nColumbia University\nLehman College\nFlorida Atlantic University\nUniversity of Central Florida
URL:https://cs3-erc.org/event/cs3-spring-welcome-session/
LOCATION:Hybrid
CATEGORIES:SLC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cs3-erc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Spring-Welcome-Session-2024-4.png
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