This summer I was a part of the University of Southern California Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (USC SURE) program which brings in a cohort of students to conduct research at multiple USC laboratories. I was fortunate to work in the Khan Lab under the mentorship of Yasser Khan, Ph.D. and Mohammad Shafiqul Islam. I developed a Spiking Neural Network to detect whether someone is dehydrating during physical activity based on the sodium concentration in their sweat. The previous method requires the sodium concentrations extracted from a sensor to be sent to a chip. After the chip processes the information, it is sent to a mobile application for visual representation. The limitations of this method are that it requires information to be sent multiple times, requires analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and back, and results in increased power consumption. I created a Spiking Neural Network (SNN) that removes the middle step (chip) and allows for the information to be processed on the mobile application. This will reduce power consumption and simplify information processing from the sensors.
This summer had a lot of "firsts". It was my first time on the west coast, first time participating in a research-based summer program, and my first time hearing about and implementing a Spiking Neural Network! I am extremely grateful for Yasser Khan Ph.D. and Mohammad Shafiqul Islam for bringing me into this lab and believing in me. I was new to the process of research, and Shafiq's guidance was crucial to my success. I learned to properly read and absorb information from research papers, the reality of trial and error, and the value of appropriately pacing myself when working independently.
One of my favorite outcomes of this research is how my understanding of machine learning has evolved. My understanding of machine learning was very limited and was hesitant to work with it. I took a step outside of my comfort zone and learned what machine learning generally is, and how it has infinite applications. I am excited to do more machine learning in my future! In all, I am very appreciative of the USC SURE program for helping me grow as a researcher and for confirming that research is something I am passionate about.
