FW-HTF-P: Workers and Technology Together (WATT)

FW-HTF-P：工人和技术在一起 (WATT)

• 批准号: 2129137
• 负责人: Nhut Ho
• 金额: $ 14.95万
• 依托单位: The University Corporation, Northridge
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-15 至 2023-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2129137&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: FW; HTF; Workers; Technology; Together

In this planning grant, the WATT project research team will explore the potential for autonomy technologies to improve the efficiency, productivity, safety, and security of the organic waste processing industry. Methane released from organic waste (e.g., food scraps) accounts for a significant percentage of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere that contribute to the warming of the planet, and by extension, climate change. The current methods of sorting and processing organic waste are inefficient, hazardous, and undertaken primarily by low-wage temporary workers who lack job security, living wages and benefits. The research undertaken by the WATT project research team will lay the foundation for future social and technological innovations within the organic waste processing industry that will increase operational efficiency, create job stability, skills training, and upward mobility for workers, create opportunities for human-machine teaming, and ultimately reduce the impact of this industry on climate change while uplifting workers.The WATT research team, through a transdisciplinary approach consisting of real-time, on-site observations, focus groups, surveys, and interviews with waste industry stakeholders (line workers, business owners, safety inspectors/enforcers), will identify socio-technological innovations that will address the challenges with separation, conversion to energy, legal frameworks, adaptation of best practices, and climate change analyses in the context of organic waste processing. The research team consists of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and subject matter experts representing a diverse cross-section of academic disciplines (e.g., waste management, manufacturing and mechanical engineering, computer science, business, law, anthropology, and art and design), an integral and critical piece of the project’s approach, that will reveal holistic, transdisciplinary approaches for improving an industry critical to the responsible functioning of a 21st century society.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.

在这项规划拨款中，WATT项目研究团队将探索自主技术的潜力，以提高有机废物加工行业的效率、生产力、安全性和保障性。有机废物释放的甲烷（例如，食物残渣）占释放到大气中的温室气体的很大比例，这些温室气体导致地球变暖，进而导致气候变化。目前的分类和处理有机废物的方法效率低下，危险，主要由低工资的临时工承担，他们缺乏工作保障，生活工资和福利。WATT项目研究团队所进行的研究将为有机废物处理行业未来的社会和技术创新奠定基础，这些创新将提高运营效率，为工人创造工作稳定性，技能培训和向上流动性，为人机合作创造机会，并最终减少该行业对气候变化的影响，同时提升工人。WATT研究团队，通过跨学科的方法，包括实时现场观察、焦点小组、调查和与废物行业利益相关者的访谈（生产线工人、企业主、安全检查员/执法人员），将确定社会技术创新，以应对分离、能源转换、法律的框架、最佳做法的调整、以及有机废物处理背景下的气候变化分析。研究团队由教师，研究生和本科生，以及代表学科的不同横截面的主题专家（例如，废物管理，制造和机械工程，计算机科学，商业，法律，人类学，艺术和设计），项目方法的一个组成部分和关键部分，将揭示整体，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的学术价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。