SBIR Phase I: Natural Language Voice Controlled Science Equipment

这个SBIR第一阶段项目将开发自然语言语音控制的实验室助理技术，使学生能够使用自然语言对话来控制实际操作的科学实验设备并与之交互。实验室辅助技术将与科学设备硬件、移动或计算机应用程序以及基于云的语音识别和数据分析软件相连接。学生可以动手做实验，问一些问题，比如“我的火箭飞得有多高？”或者“手推车碰撞的力量是多少？”，并根据他们自己的实验测量接收声音响应。该实验室助理专为以下学生设计：(1)盲人或低视力学生，(2)影响身体技能的残疾学生，(3)将受益于个性化教育计划(IEP)所要求的多感官学习方法的学生，以及(4)一般将受益于更多地参与科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)的学生。实验室助理技术的更广泛影响将是通过在STEM的K-12教育工作者的专业发展来促进教与学，并使代表不足的群体能够广泛参与真正的科学研究。Lab Assistant将与传感器硬件和移动应用程序集成，以实现物理、地球科学、化学和工程方面的动手实验。Lab Assistant的智力优势是(1)开发可以回答各种自然语言问题的软件，(2)将许多尖端技术(无线传感器、移动应用程序、语音识别软件、基于云的数据分析算法)系统集成到一个简单的用户界面中，用于科学教育。语音互动将帮助学生克服传统触觉和视觉技术的残疾，由于听觉帮助的存在而更独立地工作，更有效地小组合作，并获得对自己STEM能力的信心。对于教师来说，实验室助理将提供一名“房间专家”，帮助指导他们已经进行的实践活动，并提供技术支持。实验室助理对没有接受过正式科学培训的教师特别有用，但他们仍然需要领导实际操作的STEM活动。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This SBIR Phase I project will develop Natural Language Voice-Controlled Lab Assistant technology that enables students to control and interact with hands-on science lab equipment using natural language dialog. The lab assistant technology will connect with science equipment hardware, a mobile or computer app, and cloud-based software for speech recognition and data analysis. A student can perform hands-on experiments, ask questions like "How high did my rocket go?" or "What was the force of the cart collision?", and receive audible responses based on their own experimental measurements. The lab assistant is designed for students that encompass (1) students who are blind or low vision, (2) students with disabilities affecting physical skills, (3) students that would benefit from multi-sensory learning methods as required in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and (4) generally students that would benefit from increased engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The broader impacts of the lab assistant technology will be to promote teaching and learning through professional development of K-12 educators in STEM, and enable broad participation of under-represented groups of people in authentic science inquiry.The proposed Lab Assistant will be the first application of state-of-the-art voice recognition technology for educational science experiments. The Lab Assistant will integrate with sensor hardware and mobile apps to enable hands-on experiments in physics, earth science, chemistry, and engineering. The intellectual merits of the Lab Assistant are (1) the development of software that can respond to a wide spectrum of natural language questions and (2) the systems integration of many cutting-edge technologies (wireless sensors, mobile apps, voice recognition software, cloud-based data analysis algorithms) into a simple user interface for science education. The voice interactions will help students overcome disabilities with traditional touch and visual technology, work more independently due to the presence of auditory help, work more effectively in groups, and gain confidence in their STEM abilities. For teachers, the Lab Assistant will provide an "expert in the room" to help guide the hands-on activities that they already do, and provide technical support. The Lab Assistant will be especially useful to teachers without formal science training, that nevertheless need to lead hands-on STEM activities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.