MARCH 2, 2023 — When a speedy campus scooter nearly collided with Murtuza Jadliwala, he had an epiphany. The micro-mobility form of transportation could be a vehicle for change.
Scooters carry people as well as sensors—sensors that can collect a wealth of data. This data is key to improving the quality of life. With that in mind, Jadliwala, an associate professor in the UTSA Department of Computer Science, created the ScooterLab, which has received a $1.7M grant from the National Science Foundation.
“This funding is critical for ScooterLab as it enables us to take this community research infrastructure from vision to reality,” Jadliwala said. “We are hoping that our new research data collection infrastructure will enable exciting research.”
The ScooterLab is an instrumental piece within the university, the MATRIX AI Consortium for Human Well-Being and the School of Data Science, as the data it gathers will facilitate multi-disciplinary research efforts. Data collected by the ScooterLab will spur micro-mobility and transportation related research as well as advance research in varying machine learning, computer vision and image processing, high-performance computing, big data analytics and privacy enhancing technologies.
Scooter sensors carry a wealth of data.“Jadliwala, who is thrust co-lead for machine learning and deployment at the MATRIX AI Consortium, and his team are developing groundbreaking micro-mobility research infrastructure. It has the potential to transform the way we think about micro-mobility and create new opportunities for sustainable transportation solutions. This project is a testament of MATRIX researchers’ quest to push the boundaries of what’s possible to improve people’s lives,” said Dhireesha Kudithipudi, director of the MATRIX AI Consortium.
Funding will be used to deploy the first set of scooters on both the main and downtown campuses. The battery-operated fleet will include various sensors, remote communication enhancements and control capabilities to gather data related to the riders’ mobility, context and environment.
An initial $100,000 NSF grant awarded in 2020 supported a one-year pilot program to develop the concept and build the technology and gauge community interest in such a data collection infrastructure.
Students at UTSA will be able to tap a small fleet of scooters for little to no cost. In exchange, students will agree to allow the ScooterLab to use data collected from their rides for research and other scientific purposes.
Jadliwala is collaborating with co-principal investigators Greg Griffin, associate professor in the UTSA Department of Urban and Regional Planning; Sushil Prasad, professor in the UTSA Department of Computer Science; and Anindya Maiti, assistant professor in the University of Oklahoma Department of Computer Science.
The scooters in the project will also feature user-intuitive web interfaces for requesting customized sensing experiments and accessing curated datasets from past experiments and trials. Additionally, researchers will conduct periodic community outreach and engagement activities, including workshops, to promote the use of the platform and share research outcomes through the collection of data.
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In partnership with Metro Health, HCAP will host a lecture discussing the life and body of work of Dr. Fernando Guerra, longtime director of the Metropolitan Health District.
Buena Vista Theater, Downtown CampusJoin our team to reflect on the students’ achievements and challenges during the semester and explore techniques, strategies, and tools to address growth mindset, self-reliance, and what it takes to keep students committed and on the path to success
Multidisciplinary Studies (MS 240) and VirtualThis course will introduce you to this popular graduate program, providing a review of UTSA’s Employee Educational Benefit program and MPA info. Free lunch will be provided!
Mesquite Living Lab, Main CampusDía en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.
Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza , Main CampusFiesta Arts Fair is a party with a purpose! The annual art-focused fundraising celebration provides operating support for UTSA Arts, which is dedicated to community arts education for children and adults, public-facing performances and exhibitions, and arts-based research and partnerships to enhance the accessibility of the arts for the public.
UTSA Southwest, 300 Augusta, San Antonio TX 78205This year’s UEA ceremony will be an in-person event that will take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25 in the H-E-B Student Union Ballrooms (HSU 1.104/1.106) on the UTSA Main Campus. The ceremony will feature UTSA President Taylor Eighmy, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Myron Anderson, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Business Affairs Veronica Salazar and representatives from Staff and Faculty Senate.
H-E-B Student Union Ballrooms (HSU 1.104/1.106), Main CampusSan Antonio’s treasured Asian Festival returns on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Downtown Campus. In observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month the one-day performance, entertainment, and food event will celebrate the diverse Asian diaspora represented in South Texas and San Antonio. Come and enjoy one of San Antonio’s premier family-friendly events, with hands-on activities and opportunities to learn through experience.
UTSA Downtown CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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