Information Science Professor Tanzeem Choudhury has received an award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help shape the human-technology partnership for the well-being of workers and their productivity. Investing over $25 million in 26 projects, the NSF selected Choudhury and her fellow researchers to develop "an embodied intelligent cognitive assistant to enhance cognitive performance of shift workers."
Given that 20% of the labor force engages in shift work, which leads to higher likelihood of many health issues as well as mental health problems, the researchers will develop a program that will design and develop a sensor-based Intelligent Cognitive Assistant that can monitor circadian rhythms, sleep patterns and stress levels.
Choudhury is working in conjunction with researchers from William Marsh Rice University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The awards were issued under the Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier (FW-HTF), one of the 10 Big Ideas for Future NSF Investments.