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Researchers in Cornell Human Ecology (CHE) have designed a robot that can help traumatized children living in residential treatment facilities communicate with their caregivers. 

e-MoBo, a plastic sphere that sits on three legs, has gentle flashing lights, tactile spots and a fiber optic spray that wags like a dog’s tail. The robot comes with soft cubes inscribed with emotions and plastic figures to support storytelling.

The multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in robotics, developmental psychology

Two Cornell Human Ecology faculty members – Keith Green and Angela Odoms-Young – received endowed professorships this year that will support their pioneering research and outreach. Green focuses on architectural robotics and Odoms-Young examines the social factors that influence nutrition in low-income communities. 

“I am incredibly grateful for the generosity of the donors who sponsored these endowed professorships,” said Rachel Dunifon, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology

In a recent systematic review, a team of researchers led by Yuexing Hao, a Ph.D. candidate in human centered design, found that while Large Language Models (LLMs) have the potential to help cancer patients and clinicians make decisions about care, the models’ average accuracy remains low and current limitations pose potential risks to patients.

The team reviewed 56 papers, with an overall model accuracy of just 76.2%, with average diagnostic accuracy of 67.4%

Heeju Park, associate professor of human centered design in Cornell Human Ecology, has received a Fulbright scholarship to conduct research and teach in South Korea for the 2023-2024 academic year. Park’s project, “Digital Fashion Forward for Planet, People and Prosperity,” will focus on teaching zero-waste digital fashion design and production and researching upcycling fashion businesses.

“I chose South Korea because Korean movies, pop music and fashion have been in the limelight,” said Park, who is

Who

John (Jack) Elliott pauses at each tree and shares its origin story. His studio — a graffiti-covered former skate park — houses his “arborworks”: tree sculptures in various stages of completion, from newly found trunks to finished pieces.

“I keep coming across these amazing trees,” said Elliott. “Just last week, I was driving by Washington Park, and they were cutting down this sugar maple, and it had the most amazing intertwining of branches

The Cornell Human Ecology community took some time before the spring semester to honor staff who achieved milestone years of service and to recognize those nominated for their exceptional contributions to the college at the annual Service Awards and Staff Recognition event on Jan. 17.

With milestones ranging from five to 40 years, the 27 staff members honored for service have contributed a combined 390 years of service to the college and to Cornell.

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Human Centered Design Ph.D. students Wenjia Zong and Yoon Yang took their start-up business, Lacuna Technology, to phase one of the eLab—an accelerator program for student startups. “We are trying to develop an algorithm to create better patterns based on body shape,” said Zong, Lacuna’s chief executive officer, who is studying with Fatma Baytar, assistant professor of Human Centered Design and director of the Fashion and Body Tech Lab.

Lacuna Technology is developing a