Events
Events
Department of Computer Science Events
2026 SURP
Throughout the summer, undergraduate students worked with Computer Science professor's on research presentations. Over this time, 8 presentations were created and presented on July 29th. Below is a list of these presentations and their abstracts.
Self-Organized Criticality in Transactional Systems
Author(s): Allsopp, Lukas; Ambati, Sushanth; Tenney, Andre; Tranz, Douglas
Faculty Advisor(s): Ivanov, Nick
Abstract:
Self-Organized Criticality (SOC) describes how complex systems, from fault lines to databases, self-optimize to the edge of collapse without external control. This work investigates whether transactional computing systems can exhibit those same dynamics and whether a “collapse” in the system is truly bad. A taxonomy is also developed to distinguish between Metastable Failures and Self-Organized Criticality. Lastly, the work explores the idea that criticality is not inherently detrimental to transactional systems and that the failures it produces may be a natural byproduct of a system balancing robustness against throughput.
Feasibility of Digital Identity Brain Wallet with Cue-based Private Key
Author(s): Jablonski, Dylan; Zappone, Harper
Faculty Advisor(s): Ivanov, Nick
Abstract:
BIP-39 private keys are commonly represented as 12 ordered words selected from a 2,048-word vocabulary. Although this format is easier to read than random characters, users must typically reproduce every word in the correct order to regain access. Forgetting even part of the phrase can make recovery difficult. A cue-based interface was developed that combines graphical recognition, clock positions, and semantic-linking sentences to support private-key memorization. The system also preserves partial knowledge. Even when users cannot reconstruct the entire key, remembered graphical cues and narrowed word choices may reduce the number of possible combinations that must be tested. This creates an opportunity for guided recovery when a user remembers most, but not all, of the key
Intelligent link management in WiFi 7 MLO
Author(s): Lux, Logan
Faculty Advisor(s): Gomes Santos Goncalves, Andre Vinicius
Abstract:
Multi-Link Operation (MLO) is a new feature introduced in the 802.11be amendment, commonly known as Wi-Fi 7. MLO can deliver higher throughput and lower latency by combining links in three supported frequency bands seamlessly, namely 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz. In this project, we focus on Enhanced Multi-Link Single Radio (EMLSR), an MLO mode that allows a device to listen on multiple links and switch between them using a single radio. However, prior studies have shown that MLO, including EMLSR, can also pose challenges due to increased network contention and its operational overhead. This project is organized in two thrusts. (1) We have built an experimental Wi-Fi 7 EMLSR/MLO testbed to evaluate the performance of EMLSR under different network conditions. Our results support prior simulation and analytical studies: while EMLSR can improve performance significantly, it can also lead to performance degradation under certain network conditions. (2) To circumvent its limitations, we are working on a link management algorithm based on Contextual Multi-Armed Bandits that senses network conditions and adapts EMLSR dynamically, including disabling it and falling back to single-link operation if needed (work-in-progress).
Enhancing Education and Training Through Immersive AI-Powered MetaHumans
Author(s): Aryal, Anush; Bermudez, John; Jaber, Wesam; Jawanda, Mehakpreet; Tonelli, Evangelia
Faculty Advisor(s): Rabbitz, Richard
Abstract:
This research project explored the use of Convai and MetaHuman technology in Unreal Engine to create interactive, AI-powered virtual characters for education and training. Our goal was to develop a realistic MetaHuman that could communicate with users through natural conversation, respond to questions, and interact within a virtual environment. As a proof of concept, we created a nursing scenario in which the MetaHuman acted as a sick patient, allowing the user to interact one on one with the virtual patient while taking on the role of a nurse. We integrated Convai technology with Unreal Engine and connected conversational artificial intelligence to the MetaHumans voice, animations, and actions. We also experimented with virtual reality features to make the experience more immersive and allow users to move through and interact with the environment. The project demonstrated how AI-powered MetaHumans could potentially support simulations, tutoring, workplace training, and much more interactive learning experiences while making virtual interactions more natural and engaging.
Local, Course-Aware Artificial Intelligence Tutoring For CS Education
Author(s): Antony, Swetha; Bracelin, Noah; Cimoch, Gabriel; Dillman, Drew
Faculty Advisor(s): Rabbitz, Richard
Abstract:
Introductory computer science students often lack AI tools designed to support learning rather than simply provide answers. Existing solutions like Harvard's CS50.ai have shown real demand for guided, Socratic style tutoring, but they depend on cloud hosted, closed models that raise cost and data privacy concerns. This project builds a locally hosted alternative that runs entirely on premises using open weight models, making it replicable by any course without reliance on external providers. The system pairs a fine-tuned 8B parameter language model with a retrieval augmented generation layer. The model is trained on synthetic Socratic dialogue grounded in course textbook material, while the retrieval layer combines vector and keyword search to pull relevant passages and inject them directly into the model's prompt. This keeps guidance tied to what the course actually teaches rather than generic web knowledge. To evaluate whether the tutor holds its Socratic behavior under pressure, the team built a five-tier adversarial testing battery covering these tactics: escalating requests, false validation, role inversion, crisis framing, and logic traps. Model responses were scored for compliance across each tier. Testing battery data and practical demonstrations of the fine-tuned model suggest an overall increase in the model’s ability to maintain its purpose as a Socratic tutor by not giving out direct answers. The current system runs as a working single user demo on a Lenovo ThinkStation PGX powered by an NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip with 128GB of unified memory, with the next phase focused on scaling the architecture to support a full classroom of 20–30 concurrent students.
Drone AI Robotics: Mobile Charging for Autonomous Agricultural Monitoring
Author(s): Vu, Alexander
Faculty Advisor(s): Nguyen, Hieu
Abstract:
This project addresses the battery limitations of drones by developing an autonomous mobile charging station using a ground robot. To enable in-field charging, the system uses a custom AI pipeline by Ultralytics combined with April Robotics’s AprilTags, giving the ground robot the ability to track its surroundings in real-time. Our findings show that a prototype can successfully detect and recognize a target drone, navigate towards it, and physically connect with the drone's hardware to initiate a charge, almost completing the entire pipeline without any human input. The significance of this system is that it can extend the flight time of drones, and by removing the necessity for manual battery swaps or stationary charging pads, this solution will significantly increase the viability of any kind of drone deployments.
Large language models as world models with verifiable uncertainty
Author(s): Preet, Anmol
Faculty Advisor(s): Ho, Shen-Shyang
Abstract:
Large language models (LLMs) have recently demonstrated the ability to serve as world models by predicting future states from natural language descriptions, but they lack mechanisms for quantifying the reliability of their predictions. This preliminary work investigates the integration of conformal prediction with zero-shot LLM world models to provide statistically valid uncertainty estimates for sequential decision-making tasks. We develop a neurosymbolic pipeline that combines retrieval-augmented generation, an uncertainty scoring module, and conformal prediction to quantify uncertainty for the next-state predictions without task-specific training. Initial experiments on a robotic block-pushing benchmark demonstrate promising results, achieving reliable coverage while identifying low-confidence predictions that require additional caution. These early findings suggest that combining LLM-based world models with uncertainty quantification can improve the trustworthiness of AI systems operating in safety-critical environments. Future work will evaluate the proposed framework on more complex tasks, multimodal world models, and larger-scale empirical study.
Uncertainty Quantification of World Model
Author(s): Yadav, Abhijit
Faculty Advisor(s): Ho, Shen-Shyang
Abstract:
World models enable AI systems to predict future states, but the uncertainty of their predictions grows as the prediction horizon increases. This preliminary work investigates the use of conformal prediction to provide statistically valid uncertainty estimates for multi-step world model predictions. Using a Joint-Embedding Predictive Architecture (JEPA) as the underlying world model, we examine how prediction uncertainty increases over time and show that a single global calibration threshold is insufficient for maintaining reliable coverage over long prediction horizons. To address this limitation, we investigate a per-step calibration strategy that adapts to increasing uncertainty while providing prediction guarantees across the entire rollout. Initial experiments on a robotic block-pushing task demonstrate promising improvements in coverage compared with conventional calibration methods. These preliminary results suggest that integrating uncertainty quantification with world models can improve the reliability and trustworthiness of an agent's understanding and prediction of its environment. Future work will evaluate the proposed approach in more complex environments and conduct more comprehensive empirical studies.
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