About
Welcome. My name is Matt Russell, and I'm a PhD candidate studying Brain-Computer Interfaces in the Human-Computer Interaction Lab at Tufts University. I'm currently working on my dissertation, which focuses on measurement of mental workload using fNIRS towards the investigation of LLM-based interfaces, developing next-generation workload-based fNIRS interfaces, and inferring cross-task 'horizontal' state-classification from EEG data towards future BCI work. I'm also a teaching assistant for the computer science department, and have been the professor for the Data Structures course (in C++) twice.
Research Introduction
I work in the Human-Computer Interaction Lab at Tufts University. We study implicit Brain-Computer interface design and implementation. Specifically, we run human subject studies using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and/or electroencephalography (EEG), whereby we infer a mental state from the user (e.g. mental workload) for the purpose of adapting an interface towards the user's benefit. Our current work is multidimensional, focusing on: pushing state-of-the-art mental workload interfaces, leveraging measurement of mental workload using fNIRS towards the investigation of LLM-based interfaces, as well as inferring cross-task 'horizontal' state-classification from EEG data towards future BCI designs.
Papers
- M. Russell, A. Shah, G. Blaney, J. Amores, A. Cambon, M. Czerwinski, R.J.K Jacob, "Physiological and Cognitive Effects of Interactive Large Language Models on Human Users: A Multimodal Analysis" [in review].
- M. Russell, S. Youkeles, A. Shah, E. Lai, R.J.K. Jacob, "Decoding Chess Puzzle Play and Standard Cognitive Tasks for BCI: A Low-Cost EEG Study" [in review: final revisions].
- M. Russell, S. Hincks, L. Wang, A. Babar, Z. Chen, Z. White, R.J.K Jacob, "Visualization and Workload with Implicit fNIRS-based BCI: Towards a Real-time Memory Prosthesis with fNIRS" [in review].
- A. Bosworth, M. Russell, and R.J.K Jacob, "fNIRS as an Input to Brain-Computer Interfaces: A Review of Research from the Tufts Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory," Photonics (2019). link
- T. Shibata, A. Borisenko, A. Hakone, T. August, L. Deligiannidis, C.H. Yu, M. Russell, A. Olwal, and R.J.K. Jacob, "An Implicit Dialogue Injection System for Interruption Management," Proc. Tenth Augmented Human International Conference (2019). link
- L. Hirshfield, D. Bergen-Cico, M. Costa, R.J.K. Jacob, S. Hincks, M. Russell, "Measuring the Neural Correlates of Mindfulness with Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy,"Empirical Studies of Contemplative Practices (2018). link
- L. Hirshfield, R. Gulotta, S. Hirshfield, S. Hincks, M. Russell, R. Ward, T. Williams, and R. Jacob, "This is Your Brain on Interfaces: Enhancing Usability Testing with Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy," Proc. ACM CHI 2011 Human Factors in Computing Systems Conference, ACM Press (2011). link
- L. Hirshfield, S. Hirshfield, S. Hincks, M. Russell, R. Ward, T. Williams, "Trust in Human-Computer Interactions as Measured by Frustration, Surprise, and Workload.," Foundations of Augmented Cognition. Directing the Future of Adaptive Systems. (2011). link
Extended Abstracts
- M. Russell, Q. Zhong, K. Zheng, K. Hu, J. Santaniello, R.J.K. Jacob, “LLM-Tools' Effects on Users During Complex Decision-Making with FNIRS” [in review]
- M. Russell, W. Xia, S. Youkeles, R.J.K. Jacob, “Neural Correlates of Move Quality During Chess Games: a Low-Cost EEG Study” [in review]
- M. Russell, R.J.K. Jacob, “Very-Low Frequency Oscillations as a Correlate of Neural Activation” [in review]
- M. Russell, S. Hincks, L. Wang, A. Babar, Z. Chen, Z. White, R.J.K Jacob,"Visualization and Workload with Implicit fNIRS-based BCI", Frontiers in Neuroergonomics (2024). link
Projects
All located at: https://www.github.com/mattrussell2
Teaching
CS 15: Data Structures (C++) [2020 and 2023 summer semesters]
Courses TA'd
- CS 175: Computer Graphics (C++) [2 semesters]
- CS 15: Data Structures (C++) [7 semesters]
- CS 50CP: Concurrency (Erlang, Python)
- CS 116: Cybersecurity
- CS 10: Introduction to Computer Science (Python)