Computer Science 692EF - S-Embedded Models/IoT & Health

The deployment of foundation models in resource-constrained mobile and wearable devices presents unique challenges and opportunities, particularly in health and wearable sensing applications. This advanced seminar explores the cutting-edge intersection of large AI models, embedded systems, and digital health, with a focus on real-world applications in wearable and mobile biosignal sensing platforms. The course examines two primary themes: (1) the application of foundation models in multimodal biosignal sensing contexts, including real-time physiological monitoring, neural signal processing, behavioral understanding, and clinical decision support through wearable devices such as EEG headsets, smartwatches, smart rings, eyewear, and earables; and (2) the technical challenges and solutions for deploying these powerful models on resource-constrained devices, including model compression, efficient inference, on-device learning, and real-time processing requirements. Example topics will include: Application Domains in Health and Wearables, Systems Optimizations and Architecture, IoT Applications and Environments. The course will primarily consist of paper readings, presentations, and discussions. Students will critically examine recent advances in the field through both academic papers and industry developments. For 3-credit option, a semester-long research project is required, involving either the development of a novel application using foundation models on wearable platforms or the implementation of optimization techniques for embedded deployment.

Open to graduate Computer Science students only. SECT 01=3 CREDITS; SECT 02=1 CREDIT. EXAMPLE TOPICS WE WILL COVER INCLUDE: APPLICATION DOMAINS IN HEALTH AND WEARABLES, SYSTEMS OPTIMIZATIONS AND ARCHITECTURE, IOT APPLICATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTS. THE COURSE WILL PRIMARILY CONSIST OF PAPER READINGS, PRESENTATIONS, AND DISCUSSIONS. STUDENTS WILL CRITICALLY EXAMINE RECENT ADVANCES IN THE FIELD THROUGH BOTH ACADEMIC PAPERS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS. FOR 3-CREDIT OPTION, A SEMESTER-LONG RESEARCH PROJECT IS REQUIRED, INVOLVING EITHER THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL APPLICATION USING FOUNDATION MODELS ON WEARABLE PLATFORMS OR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR EMBEDDED DEPLOYMENT. STUDENTS NEEDING SPECIAL PERMISSION MUST REQUEST OVERRIDES VIA THE ON-LINE FORM: https://www.cics.umass.edu/academics/course-overrides