Identifying recyclable plastics with AI
Advanced spectral imaging and machine learning could make plastics recycling more efficient and reduce landfill waste, using a new method developed by WSU scientists and graduate students coordinating with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez.
The study’s lead author was Maria Paula Garcia-Tovar, a WSU materials science and engineering doctoral student, with coauthors Macy Christianson (’22, ’24 MS Comp. Sci.) at PNNL, associate professor of computer science Luis de la Torre, emeritus associate professor of computer science John Miller, and others.
Their imaging method offers the promise of a sorting system that is more accurate in distinguishing and separating different types of plastics on conveyor belts, which is crucial for producing high-quality recycled materials.
Support of Law Enforcement on Domestic Violence Calls
An AI-powered, open-source mobile app built by WSU’s Complex Social Interactions (CSI) Lab can walk law enforcement officers through collecting information during domestic violence incidents. Officers often juggle chaos on the scene of a domestic violence call: a victim in distress, conflicting accounts, possible weapons, children in the room, and a long list of legal steps that must be followed exactly.
With funding from the Washington state legislature, the CSI Lab is recruiting law enforcement agencies, victim advocates, and other partners to test the system in real-world settings and help refine it.
David Makin, principal investigator of the CSI Lab and a professor in WSU’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology says, “This is about giving officers the right information at the right time so they can make better decisions when it matters most.”
A Virtual Teaching Assistant
WSU researchers and students are developing an AI-driven framework to support teaching and learning: a virtual teaching assistant. Thanks to a grant from artificial intelligence company and chipmaker Nvidia, Parteek Kumar, associate professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will lead the design with help from WSU colleagues and students.
The virtual TA “will help students better understand complex concepts while also supporting instructors in delivering more adaptive and personalized learning experiences,” Kumar says. “We are reaching a point where we can use AI in a responsible way for making teaching and learning more engaging.”
