Merrimack Valley Magazine

The Massachusetts Miracle

December 20, 2021 by Joseph Girard-Meli Leave a Comment

At one time, the Route 128 (now I-95) corridor was just as synonymous with the growth and development of technology as the Silicon Valley is today. The region was a major player in what was known as the “Massachusetts Miracle.” This period — occurring over the course of the 1980s — largely reversed the state’s devastating economic fortunes, sending the unemployment rate from 12 percent to 3 percent and giving the Bay State one of the largest percentage increases in personal income in the nation.

The Merrimack Valley played an important role in this technological revolution. Two companies in particular — Apollo Computer and Wang Laboratories — served as major employers in the region for the better part of the ’80s. The next decade, however, was not nearly as kind to Massachusetts’ tech businesses, with major competition ending the “Miracle” before the new millennium.

Apollo Computer

Founded in Chelmsford in 1980 by William Poduska, Apollo stood toe-to-toe with Sun Microsystems and Symbolics as a leading manufacturer of workstation computers throughout the decade. Largely used by scientists, these workstations were responsible for generating 100 million in quarterly sales for Apollo during 1986.

By 1989, 100,000 of the company’s computers were active around the country. But Apollo had already begun to struggle, the result of poor business dealings and a decline in demand for its products. Apollo was purchased by Hewlett-Packard for $476 million in 1989 and spent the rest of the next decade closing down.

Top left: A screen shot of the Apollo Computer. Top Center: Dr. An Wang with some of his early computers. The bow tie was a trademark. Bottom left: A circuit board from one of Apollo’s computers. Right: A Wang Laboratories Type 2200 PCS-11, an early version of the electronic office computer.

Wang Laboratories

If you happened to catch the Super Bowls in 1978 and 1985, you may recall a pair of ads for this once-burgeoning New England tech company that went after computing giant IBM. The ’78 ad pitted Wang’s David against IBM’s Goliath, while the ’85 ad created a Wang helicopter ready to blow an IBM executive right out of the office (as a first step in the “We’re Gunning for IBM” campaign, the likes of which will probably never be seen again in advertising).

An Wang, known affectionately as “The Doctor” by many of his employees, really did believe that his company — situated in Cambridge and then Tewksbury before permanently relocating to Lowell in 1976 — had a shot to overtake its New York competitor, even going so far as to draw up a projection that had Wang overtaking IBM in the ’90s. This never came to fruition, as the word processing market collapsed in the wake of new multipurpose personal computers, and the company never quite managed to recover after filing for bankruptcy in 1992, two years after Wang’s death.

UML Researchers Developing Wireless Sensor Network to Detect Coronavirus

September 7, 2021 by Merrimack Valley Magazine

By Edwin L. Aguirre

A team of researchers from UMass Lowell (UML) and Northeastern University is creating and testing a low-cost, automated wireless sensor network that could detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the air and in wastewater in real time, and predict potential outbreaks before they occur.

Asst. Prof. Sheree Pagsuyoin of UML’s department of civil and environmental engineering is leading the project, called “DiSenDa,” which stands for Disease Surveillance with Multi-Modal Sensor Network and Data Analytics.

“Our goal is to track COVID-19 transmission and prevent outbreaks before they spiral out of control and cost people’s lives and livelihoods,” she says. “The probes attached to the sensors have been specifically designed to detect the presence of biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 in the air and in wastewater samples.”

According to Pagsuyoin, this is the first time that cutting-edge technologies such as wireless sensing, genomic testing, cloud computing, real-time data analytics, artificial intelligence/machine learning and mobile apps are being used together to fight the pandemic.

“Our three-year pilot study will target COVID-19 first, but ultimately, we hope to use the same technique to detect other pathogens, such as cholera, a deadly illness that is prevalent in many low-income countries with poor sanitation,” she says. “The World Health Organization is very much interested in this type of health surveillance.”

Aside from Pagsuyoin, other members of the UML team include electrical and computer engineering Prof. Yan Luo, biology Asst. Prof. Frederic Chain and Jack Lepine of the university’s Next Generation Sequencing & Genomics Lab. The Northeastern University team includes Profs. Hongwei Sun and Nian Sun.

For the pilot study, the team is planning to set up three monitoring sites — two in Massachusetts and one in the Philippines (in collaboration with researchers from the University of the Philippines).

Innovative Sensors and AI-Driven Data Analytics

The DiSenDa system relies on two sensing technologies: an acoustic sensor for wastewater detection and an electronic “nose” sensor for air detection.

“Both sensors are patented and have shown high sensitivity,” says Pagsuyoin. “The probe array in the acoustic sensor can be custom-designed to detect new SARS-CoV-2 variants or other pathogens, and is attached to the sensor using an inexpensive, replaceable sticker. New pathogen templates can be easily imprinted for the e-Nose sensor.”

The sensors work independently, so they don’t have to be positioned at the same location.

“The water sensor could be installed in the sewer line while the air sensor could be mounted inside a ventilation duct in a residential building,” Pagsuyoin says.

All sensor measurements will be transmitted continuously and in real time to the data cloud, where they will be processed along with the other datasets and combined with other supporting data such as health reports, demographics, weather and the movement of people in a given geographic area.

“We’ll use machine learning algorithms to identify emerging disease patterns or outbreaks,” says Pagsuyoin. “The weather data would be useful for predicting outbreaks of seasonal illnesses such as the flu. A community’s mobility data would allow us to not only identify where an outbreak is occurring, but also predict the potential spread of the disease and where contact tracing is going to be needed.”

The results would be shared with community leaders, public health officials and other stakeholders so they could issue timely advisories or an emergency response. The information can also help them prioritize the allocation and deployment of limited health resources and staff.

“We like to think of DiSenDa as an inexpensive, low-maintenance early warning system for disease outbreaks,” says Pagsuyoin. “It’s like having an army of sentinels constantly guarding people’s health.”

NoteWorthy – 1/24/21

January 24, 2021 by Kristin Cole

AROUND THE VALLEY

2020 NECC Grad Continues His Education with a Little Help from Oprah

Oprah Winfrey is helping Jeurys Santiago, a 2020 Northern Essex Community College (NECC) Business Transfer graduate, to continue his studies at UMass Lowell (UML).

Santiago, a 2017 Lawrence High School graduate, was awarded the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship, which will provide him with $5,000 a year while working on his bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on entrepreneurship in the Honors College.

Santiago was nominated for the scholarship by staff in the federally funded Northern Essex PACE Program. The scholarship was created after Winfrey spoke at a 2018 UML event that raised $1.5 million for scholarships through ticket sales and sponsorships. Winfrey matched that figure with another $1.5 million to create a $3 million scholarship fund.

Santiago has always been an entrepreneur, selling bracelets and hats from his father’s barber shop in New York City and Yu-Gi-Oh cards as a kid. Last year, he started his own business, Minds With Purpose, a networking platform designed to bring together the Lawrence community including local businesses to do “good works” in the city.

He organized a “giveback challenge” which encouraged good deeds that were shared on social media; “A Merry Christmas Giveaway,” which supplied 70 people in need with winter clothing; and “Music Mondays,” events showcasing the talents of local performers.

While at Northern Essex, Santiago participated in the National Leadership Society; the Civic Scholars Program, which provides an opportunity for students to explore and grow their civic knowledge and skills; and the Alpha Beta Gamma business honors society. He also had an internship with the college’s athletic department, where he ran the department’s social media accounts and created photography and videos.

UML Researcher Receives Grant for Pursuit of Virtual-Reality Therapy to Aid Patients Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries

UMass Lowell (UML) researcher Jiabin Shen, who is developing innovative therapies for injured children and teens, has received more than $700,000 from the National Institutes of Health. Shen, an assistant professor of psychology, is exploring how virtual-reality based rehabilitation could improve cognitive functioning in young people with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). A new three-year grant from the NIH marks Shen’s latest step in a long march toward improving the quality of life for these patients through technology and developmental psychology.

Traumatic brain injuries are a leading cause of disabilities for children in the United States, according to Shen. Virtual reality — commonly used in games, flight simulators and surgeries — offers a computer-generated world in which individuals use special goggles and sensor-laden gloves to interact in the created environment.

In therapeutic settings, virtual-reality systems offer interventional tools that can sharpen cognitive skills in children with TBIs. Custom-designed hardware setups can accommodate the clinical needs of patients and specialized games can improve memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibition control, according to Shen.

The NIH funding will support patient recruitment, intervention delivery, data collection and analysis. It will also allow Shen to hire doctoral students to assist with the project, which will provide them with hands-on training in how to conduct clinical research, he said.

Shen has been studying how to prevent and treat pediatric injuries since 2011. He first took an interest in child psychology during graduate school when he began to recognize the importance of childhood in shaping the rest of an individual’s life. He believes virtual reality holds great promise for cognitive rehabilitation in young patients.

GLCF: Partnering to Meet the Social and Emotional Needs of Greater Lowell During COVID

As local nonprofits began reporting that their clients were suffering ill effects from isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) responded by awarding a series of grants to help address social and emotional health issues.

In March, when COVID-19 hit, the children and adults with disabilities at Concord’s Minute Man Arc for Human Services (MMAHS) and Seven Hills Pediatric Center in Groton were suddenly cut off from family and friends. Both nonprofits received GLCF grants to purchase iPads to enable their clients to communicate with loved ones and outside professionals.

Another GLCF grant for Strongwater Farm Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Tewksbury allowed for the revival of its Visiting Program, which brings therapy horses to patients in long-term care and hospice facilities.

GLCF helped MMAHS, who provides lifelong care to 850 children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, purchase 25 iPads that were distributed to clients living in eight group homes, according to Chief Development Officer Stephanie Parish.

MMAHS offers virtual programs like educational classes, yoga and aerobics, plus recreational activities like bingo and — everyone’s favorite — musical sing-a-longs, said Parish, “Now, when they bring up a class on their iPads, they can see their friends again. It has been really critical to our clients’ well being.”

Children living at Seven Hills Pediatric Center have also benefitted from a GLCF grant to purchase five iPads, plus five tall standers to hold the devices, according to Elizabeth Vittum, assistant vice president of development for the Seven Hills Foundation.

Recognizing these pandemic-related social and emotional health issues, as well as other needs, the GLCF has awarded more than $2.9 million in COVID-relief support to local nonprofits.

Groveland Firefighters Receive Federal Grant to Assist Fire Department

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today $560,726 in direct assistance grants to 39 volunteer and combination fire departments nationwide through the agency’s FY2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant COVID-19 supplemental program (AFG-S). Included is the Groveland Fire Department, which will receive $7,226 in funding.

Authorized and funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the AFG-S is a $100 million supplemental funding opportunity to support the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and related disinfectant supplies and equipment to help the fire services prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study of Heart-Rate Sensor Earns Praise for UML Team

UMass Lowell (UML) students testing a new device that could transform the way heart rate data is collected have won praise for their work from the American College of Sports Medicine.

A portable sensor that collects heart rate data shows promise for its accuracy and convenience, according to research conducted by David Cornell, UML assistant professor of physical therapy and kinesiology, and his students.

“Information collected by the device provides insight on the patient’s heart-rate variability, which can be a window into how one’s autonomic nervous system is functioning. Used by researchers, clinicians and practitioners in many ways, the data can also provide clues about health and cardiovascular diseases risk,” Cornell said. This new device collects information using a sensor that fits over a finger, potentially expanding its use by athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

The students’ results showed that the finger sensor, which costs about $150 and comes with a smartphone app that interprets the raw data, was both accurate and reliable, finding similar heart rate patterns in the same person on different days. The sensor can be used by athletes to measure their fitness, performance and recovery after exercise and by health care professionals in their everyday work, according to Thomas Sherriff of Lowell, who helped conduct the research. Sherriff is a UML doctoral candidate in physical therapy who also holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from the university.

Other UML students working on the project included Stephanie Amico, a master’s degree candidate in public health who received her bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from the university in May, exercise science major Kevin Ha and exercise science major Andreas Himariotis of Tyngsborough.

The students were honored virtually for their work during UML’s annual Student Research and Community Engagement Symposium. Building on that recognition, each student submitted the team’s results and a recorded presentation about the project to the New England Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual conference. Himariotis, a junior, won the top Student Investigator Undergraduate Award, while Sherriff and Amico were selected as finalists in the doctoral and master’s categories, respectively.

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Check Out the Latest Episode of The 495 Podcast!

Merrimack fans take note! This week on The 495, we discuss the state of our favorite river with Matthew Thorne from the Merrimack River Watershed Council. Then, we’re joined by Dr. Lien-Thu Dao of Haverhill Family Eye Care for tips on taking care of your eyes in a digital world. Listen to the podcast here.

Virtual Healing

October 10, 2020 by Maureen Crocker

The State of Telemedicine During the Pandemic

Although we live in an age and place in the Merrimack Valley where cellphones, tablets, computers and smart devices are commonplace and virtual medicine has seemed like a tangible idea to many, the leap from in-center to telephonic and virtual medicine had never materialized.

Then an unfathomable crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, came along.

“Prior to COVID-19, telehealth was a promise of the future. It just had never been operationalized,” says John Silva, president and CEO of Greater Lawrence Family Health Center. “It was a kind of dream or a vision people had that this might be a way to get more people into a system to improve health and reduce health disparities, but [the pandemic] became the laboratory where it worked, and it worked all across the country.”

Silva was faced with an enormous dilemma when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. At facilities such as Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, providers such as nurse practitioners, doctors and nurses couldn’t have face-to-face visits because either they or their patients could be at risk of exposure to the coronavirus. But Silva and many other leaders of health care organizations did what seems almost impossible in retrospect. “In two days,” he says, “[we were able to] convert a face-to-face health care delivery system into a telephone/telehealth delivery system so that we could continue to serve all of our patients.”

Dr. Randi Berkowitz, chief medical officer at Lowell Community Health Center, reflected on those very early days and the support from Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who issued an executive order requiring insurance companies to reimburse health care providers for telemedicine visits at the same rate as in-person visits shortly after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. “I’m very impressed with Baker and MassHealth, who have made sure that … providers were not needing to bring people into the office inappropriately,” Berkowitz says. Because health care providers didn’t have to worry about reimbursement issues, they were able to focus on making appropriate clinical assessments, and to protect staff and patients. “It’s been a huge success story. Patients almost uniformly love it,” Berkowitz says.

As spring turned into summer, reports came in and the benefits of telemedicine seemed remarkable. “Because we serve an underserved community, the no-show rate is high,” Silva says. “As many as 1 in 4 patients regularly do not show up for their appointments. Implementation of telehealth has shown a drop in the no-show rate, bringing it to only 3 to 4%.”

Berkowitz echoes the drop in no-show rates for her clinic, and explains that telemedicine has been dramatically helpful for patients who have no transportation or child care, or for patients with disabilities. Berkowitz says that the increase in accessibility to providers has also led to a decrease in patient hospitalizations, although she says it is difficult to draw a clear cause-and-effect relationship with the pandemic presenting so many variables.

Dr. Mary Lynn Joe, medical director at Circle Health Urgent Care, explains what is not considered a suitable reason for a telehealth visit: “Any injury. Something that would require imaging like an X-ray we would want the patient to come in.” She also notes that telemedicine cannot provide “that reassuring personal touch” that providers miss giving and patients miss getting.

Berkowitz says it’s a little too early to know what to expect of telemedicine after COVID-19. “The data is not clear yet which visits should be face to face and what should be telemedicine,” she says. Her clinic, Lowell Community Health Center, has been taking an approach in which the individual provider uses clinical judgement based on the reason for the visit and knowing the individual patient. The clinic is also tailoring treatment by asking the patient for their preferences.

A bill entitled “An Act Putting Patients First” (MALegislature.gov) was passed by the Massachusetts State Senate on June 25. It would require insurers, including MassHealth, to cover telehealth services and for reimbursement to providers at the same rate as in-person visits. The fate of the bill, which is expected to be taken up by the state House of Representatives remains uncertain, but local health care leaders feel certain that telemedicine isn’t going anywhere.

The Future is Now

May 29, 2020 by Tyler McMillan

How Technology is Shaping the Housing Market

As COVID-19 swept across the United States, technology enabled us to communicate with friends and family. We have yet to fully grasp what effects the situation will have on the real estate industry.

Over the last 20 years, immense strides have been made in creating protocols for record-keeping in real estate. This began with the digitization of documents and document transfers between client and agent, as well as agent and brokerage, allowing agents and consumers to sign legal documents from their offices and homes. Additionally, real estate technology companies and brokerages have invested billions of dollars on the next wave of tech developments, which are designed to give consumers more control as they search for a home or try to sell their own.

Gone are the days of the real estate agent serving as a gatekeeper between the consumer and available properties. With the rise of online consumer sites such as Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com, some brokerages are now perfecting algorithmic learning to empower clients to find their ideal home through the use of online tools, apps and websites. Algorithmic learning helps the various tech platforms define the features of a home that the consumer is interested in (whether they’re conscious preferences or not) and suggests and matches other homes with similar features. These features could be as broad as a single-family vs. multifamily home, or hyper-specific preferences such as fireplaces, granite countertops or newer construction. The more the consumer engages with the technology, the more accurate and personalized the platform becomes. This learning, along with high-definition pictures, video walk-throughs, and 3D home tours, makes house hunting an enticing activity.

Coldwell Banker was one of the first real estate brokerages to utilize predictive analytics to increase the effectiveness of their real estate agents. The CBx Technology Suite can predict homeowners who are more likely to sell based on factors such as equity, longevity of ownership, and average years of turnover in certain neighborhoods. This technology also can predict potential buyers, allowing agents to find targeted marketing solutions for home sellers.

In 2017, Keller Williams announced plans to spend over $1 billion on technology developments. Since then, the company has released “Command,” a proprietary technology platform for their agents.

“Our technology is created to save our agents time and money,” says Ashley Lucente, Keller Williams’ director of technology and agent services in the Merrimack Valley. “It organizes every component of a real estate transaction in one location instead of traditional unorganized third-party technology. This ultimately allows our agents to spend less time searching through their laptops and more time focused on getting into their respective communities to show homes and help their clients.”

Keller Williams has also designed a new consumer app for iPhone and Android platforms. “The new Keller Williams phone application,” Lucente says, “will allow homebuyers to search in specific neighborhoods, receive insights to the local community and overall culture, and create collections of preferred homes that will train the artificial intelligence to notify consumers of new homes that match their specific wants. It also has great tools for sellers, including home valuation calculators and buyer insights.”

Are the days of real estate agents over? Has technology completely overtaken the real estate industry? The answer to both questions is no, but it certainly has changed the way real estate transactions are handled. The various technological tools are keeping the industry moving, which in turn helps the American economy and the housing market stay afloat as much as it can in these uncertain times.

References:
MLS Property Services, https://blog.coldwellbanker.com/the-real-estate-brand-harnessing-artificial-intelligence-machine-learning/
https://www.inman.com/2018/10/01/going-all-in-keller-williams-invests-in-bringing-its-agent-centric-technology-vision-to-life/