Leading edge high tech company adds renowned scientists - expertise could lead to real world health
In May, Dawn Kernagis, Ph.D., joined the IHMC from Duke University Medical Center bringing her expertise in the study of how extreme environments, like space, high altitude aviation and extreme diving affect the human body. (Photo: Special to the News Journal)
Pensacola, FL
The Institute for Human & Machine Cognition is widely known for robotics research and development. Mention the Pensacola-based organization and large, walking figures made of metal, wire and computer code come to mind.
But the world-renowned institute also employs scientists who are at the top of their field in a wide range of disciplines such as cybersecurity, agile computing and language research.
Two researchers who work on undersea technologies were recently brought on to the IHMC team. Much like the developments that come out of its robotics laboratory, the potential practical applications of their work is far reaching.
In May, Dawn Kernagis, Ph.D., joined the IHMC from Duke University Medical Center bringing her expertise in the study of how extreme environments, like space, high altitude aviation and extreme diving affect the human body.
Last month, David Fries came on board after two decades at the University of South Florida. Fries has 35 patents and is best known for taking laboratory technologies and enabling them to work autonomously in the field.
He has invented underwater sensors and robots, for example, that can determine the extent of oil spill contamination, detect submarines and help take fish counts.
“The addition of David and Dawn to the IHMC team will enable us to add the undersea domain to our research application portfolio,” said founding director and CEO Ken Ford. “They are both talented and passionate researchers.”
The two started hatching plans for possible collaboration almost immediately upon meeting each other. But they will also work with other scientists at IHMC, where more than 100 experts in varied fields are encouraged to pursue lofty goals — and work together.
“It is a rarity to find it so easy to work with other people in very, very different fields, especially if you are coming from a standard academic setting,” Kernagis said. “They give you incredible support to dream big and go after great things.”
“The opportunity to take that diverse skill set, everything from artificial intelligence to robotics to data analytics and to be able to take that and focus that power to the undersea …” Fries added. “I was like a kid in a candy store.”
Combining Fries’ technological expertise with Kernagis’ biochemistry prowess could some day lead to real-time measurements of the effects on the body of flying a U2 spy plane 13 miles above the earth’s surface or diving any where from 50 to 100 meters or more under water.
It could also mean contributions to health care technology, where a device in a person’s home could be used to monitor vitals signs. It might be used to continue a therapeutic regime post-surgery, for example.
Fries has invented an undersea robot he refers to as a “grad student in a can” that could be a precursor to such a health care device.
“It replicates the steps that a biotechnical technician takes in a laboratory but it does it in a can,” he said. “We can migrate that autonomy back landside. Specifically, we can put it in people’s homes so it can capture vital markers of human health conditions, doing it noninvasively.”
Kernagis worked for more than 10 years as a professional diver around the world before pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical research. She was recently inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame.
She became interested in why people responded differently to extreme diving depths.
“There is a lot that is not known of what’s happening to your body when you put it through decompression stress,” she said.
Her Ph.D. project looked at genetics and decompression stress in military divers. She recently received funding from the Navy to pursue a project studying undersea medicine.
Fries described his diverse background as “kind of an odyssey.” He worked five years in the defense aerospace industry and five years in a nuclear weapons program before joining the University of South Florida to teach and study marine science for 20 years.
“I went from death science more into life science with that decision,” he said.
He is also passionate about science education and teaching students from high school through college by giving them hands-on research to do. Some have gone on to be co-patent holders with him.
“Once you have them and they are starting to feel like they are making a real contribution, that education is better than someone like me up in front of a light board,” he said.
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