The Spring 2015 UMBC Magazine has a feature article, The Sum of the Parts, on the research of Professors Nilanjan Banerjee, Ryan Robucci and Chintan Patel and their students in the Eclipse Cluster of research laboratories. The article discusses their collaborative research on hardware, systems and software to create wearable, touch-sensitive technology that is part of the emerging "Internet of Things" paradigm.
"From the Apple Watch to Fitbit, the rage in technology these days is all about wearable, touchable devices. Tech gurus and cutting-edge engineers talk of a day when all the many electronic devices that surround us will be networked together in a magical electrical collaboration that will change how we live our daily lives. Many of these devices, if not all, will be controlled by touch".
The Eclipse Cluster faculty and students are collaborating to design and build devices that provide greater and easier access to electronics and other technology, especially for people with disabilities. Their research is supported by recent awards from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, a State of Maryland TEDCO grant, and Microsoft research.