PI: Sharon Xiaolei Huang
Co-PI(s): Jing (Tiffany) Li
University: Lehigh University
 
Multidisciplinary research to understand functional brain connections and circuits and their anatomical correlations continues to expand. The understanding of the biological underpinning of human behavior and experience, including cognitive states, emotion, perception, communication, and motor control is expected to play a major role in future disease treatment, accelerated brain/machine interface development, and perhaps enhancements to sensory perception, memory, and learning. Advanced computational methods for analysis of brain data such as MRI/functional MRI images are needed. These medical images are terabytes in size. The processing of these computations in real time currently exceeds the capacity of today’s infrastructures.
 
The research on brain image analysis will benefit greatly from faster transfer speed for large amounts of data such as 3D or 4D MRI and fMRI volumes. Furthermore, in order for the developed algorithms and tools to be useful in medical research or clinical use, there is a need for better visualization systems and more intuitive user interfaces. This project combines Lehigh’s research in advanced analysis of anatomical and functional data of the brain with Accipiter Systems next generation compute and display infrastructure.

The three goals of this research are:

  1. port, for the first time, a medical application to Accipiter Systems’ PCIe-based HPEC with 3D holographic display infrastructure
  2. test the functionality of the medical application running on the infrastructure
  3. write a final report describing the project tasks, work performed, and the results observed

With the completion of this critical project, further Federal Government and private funding is anticipated, as well as further commercial product sales. The introduction of a new class of computer networking products has been proven to create considerable business opportunity and job creation in Pennsylvania. Successful computer networking companies are capable of creating 2,000 high tech jobs, which support an additional 8,000 service industry jobs.