Momentum - The Magazine for Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering Vol. 3 No. 2 Summer 2018 | Page 19

farmers would need the dexterity necessary to
use a joystick.
By the end of the three-year project, the
participating farmers will have prototype gear
to wear that will assist them in their daily
activity.
“The farmers in our study can’t wait,” said
Leonessa. “They recognize their own limita-
tions and know what their problems are and
are looking for a way to improve their lives.”
Research Coordination Network grant
While the first project focuses on providing
a service to individual farmers, the Research
Coordination Network grant examines the
bigger picture, bringing together expertise
from around the world to look at how tech-
nology can be used to help mid-sized farms
compete in an increasingly challenging and
automated agricultural economy. The net-
work brings together researchers in technol-
ogy, human factors, sustainability, systems
engineering, STEM education, and outreach,
with the goal of tackling the problem from a
multidisciplinary perspective. Currently, the
grant consists of 21 researchers from Virginia
Tech, Purdue, Arizona State, University of
Iowa, and universities in Canada, Ireland, and
Australia.
The program is part of the first-ever Con-
vergence Award from the NSF to enhance
small and mid-level farm viability through
a systems-based research network that links
technology with sustainable development
and practice. The Convergence Award is one
of eight focused on “Work at the Human
Technology Frontier,” and one of two earned
by Virginia Tech, the other featuring research
on autonomous trucks by the Virginia Tech
Transportation Institute.
As the network develops, the NSF aims
to gather research to develop tools to share
human-technology partnerships, improve
worker performance, increase career longev-
ity and job satisfaction, and promote lifelong
learning. The Research Coordination Net-
work grant will facilitate the collaboration of a
number of disciplines, including engineering,
computer science, education, and the biologi-
cal, physical, social, and behavioral sciences.
“Normally, when you get a grant, you have
identified a problem and an approach to
solve the problem,” said Leonessa. “We have
identified the problem, but not the solution.
Our task is to build a network of researchers
to look at the problem from different per-
spectives, see what solutions exist around
the world, and look at alternatives. Those
alternatives then become new proposals with
an identified problem and approaches to solve
the problem.”
The group is planning a workshop on this
topic, which will take place in Arlington,
Virginia, in spring 2018.
Members of the Partnership for Innovation
grant include principal investigator Leonessa
and co-principal investigators Srinivasan;
Alan Asbeck, mechanical engineering;
Donatus Ohanehi, Virginia Tech/Wake
Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and
Sciences; Niewolny, agricultural, leadership
and community education/AgrAbility; TORC
Robotics; Total Motion Physical Therapy;
and Easter Seals UPC Virginia and North
Carolina.
Members of the Research Coordination
Network grant include principal investigator
Srinivasan and co-principal investigators
Leonessa and Niewolny.
MOMENTUM
SUMMER 2018
PAGE 19