Kassia Love
Education
College
Harvard University
Degree
B.A. in Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience
Minor
East Asian Studies; Korean Language Citation
Senior Thesis Title
Model of Human-Vehicle Closed Loop Control: Effects of Altered Gravity and Vestibular Sensory Precision
Current Research Position
Role
Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow
Appointment
June 2022 - Now
Mentor(s)
Department
Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School
Grant(s)
NIH/NIDCD Diversity Supplement Grant (June 2022 - August 2024)
Projects
Computational Modeling of Spatial Orientation
Using control systems theory to characterize the effects of vestibular sensory variability and gravitational magnitude on spatial orientation. Models are used to examine how the central nervous system uses noisy vestibular inputs to estimate body orientation in altered gravitational environments.
Computational Modeling of Unilateral Vestibular Damage
Three-dimensional modeling of unilateral vestibular damage using an observer model. The model aims to show how central nervous system processing of erroneous rotation from vestibular damage is modulated by head position and can lead to erroneous estimates of linear acceleration.
Computational Modeling of Postural Control
Expanding postural control models to account for multiple vestibular cues and the sensory variability associated with them. This work aims to characterize how lateral translation cues contribute to postural stability during quiet stance.
Vestibular Dysfunction in Patients with Vestibular Schwannomas and NF2
Investigating the pathophysiology underlying vestibular dysfunction in vestibular schwannoma patients and the vestibular consequences of standard clinical interventions. Vestibular dysfunction is characterized through a battery of vestibular testing such as: motion perception thresholds, functional gait assessment, video head impulse testing, and standard rotational vestibular testing.
Retrospective Study of Patients with Elevated VOR Time Constants and Vestibular Migraine
Chart review to better understand elevated VOR time constants and its relationship to vestibular migraine and other vestibular disoders.
Using control systems theory to characterize the effects of vestibular sensory variability and gravitational magnitude on spatial orientation. Models are used to examine how the central nervous system uses noisy vestibular inputs to estimate body orientation in altered gravitational environments.
Computational Modeling of Unilateral Vestibular Damage
Three-dimensional modeling of unilateral vestibular damage using an observer model. The model aims to show how central nervous system processing of erroneous rotation from vestibular damage is modulated by head position and can lead to erroneous estimates of linear acceleration.
Computational Modeling of Postural Control
Expanding postural control models to account for multiple vestibular cues and the sensory variability associated with them. This work aims to characterize how lateral translation cues contribute to postural stability during quiet stance.
Vestibular Dysfunction in Patients with Vestibular Schwannomas and NF2
Investigating the pathophysiology underlying vestibular dysfunction in vestibular schwannoma patients and the vestibular consequences of standard clinical interventions. Vestibular dysfunction is characterized through a battery of vestibular testing such as: motion perception thresholds, functional gait assessment, video head impulse testing, and standard rotational vestibular testing.
Retrospective Study of Patients with Elevated VOR Time Constants and Vestibular Migraine
Chart review to better understand elevated VOR time constants and its relationship to vestibular migraine and other vestibular disoders.
Current Teaching Position
Course
PHYSCI 70: Introduction to Digital Fabrication
Role
Teaching Fellow
Appointment
June 2022 - Now
Course Instructor(s)
Nathan Melenbrink, PhD
Department
Harvard Physics Department
Previous Teaching and Research Positions
Course
ENG-SCI 227: Medical Device Design
Role
Teaching Fellow
Appointment
January 2025 - May 2025
Instructor(s)
Linsey Moyer, PhD and Shriya Srinivasan, PhD
Department
Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Course
ENG-SCI 181: Engineering Thermodynamics
Role
Teaching Fellow
Appointment
September 2021 - December 2021
Instructor(s)
Aidin Panahi, PhD and Michael Aziz, PhD
Department
Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Role
Research Student
Appointment
July 2020 - January 2022
Mentor(s)
Location
The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
Grant(s)
Grants in Aid of Research Program 2021 Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
Projects
Robustness of the OpenCV’s Camera Calibration Algorithm
Investigated the robustness of computer vision algorithms for calibrating a webcam camera. Then tested how variability in camera calibration affects pose estimation of markers (i.e AprilTags).
Eye Robot
Designed and prototyped a robotic oculomotor simulator to simulate eye movements. By incorporating laser diodes in each eye, the system enabled ground-truth validation of eye-tracker calibration in individuals with eccentric viewing (e.g., macular degeneration).
Investigated the robustness of computer vision algorithms for calibrating a webcam camera. Then tested how variability in camera calibration affects pose estimation of markers (i.e AprilTags).
Eye Robot
Designed and prototyped a robotic oculomotor simulator to simulate eye movements. By incorporating laser diodes in each eye, the system enabled ground-truth validation of eye-tracker calibration in individuals with eccentric viewing (e.g., macular degeneration).
Publications
Sensorimotor function in hypogravity
Neural Control of Movement
Love, K., Cao, D., Chang, J.C., Dal’Bello, L.R., Ma, X., O’Shea, D.J., Schone, H.R., Shahbazi, M. and Smoulder, A., 2024. Highlights from the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Neural Control of Movement. Journal of neurophysiology, 131(1), pp.75-87.
Link
Eye, Robot
Lotze, A., Love, K., Velisar, A. and Shanidze, N.M., 2024. A low-cost robotic oculomotor simulator for assessing eye tracking accuracy in health and disease. Behavior research methods, 56(1), pp.80-92.
Link
Eye, Robot
Love, K., Velisar, A. and Shanidze, N., 2021, May. Eye, Robot: Calibration Challenges and Potential Solutions for Wearable Eye Tracking in Individuals with Eccentric Fixation. In ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research and Applications (pp. 1-3).
Link
Manuscripts Under Revision
3D Modeling of Unilateral Vestibular Damage
Wang, C., Love, K., Madhani, A., Lewis, R. F., Rah, Y. C., Karmali, F. "Aberrant three-dimensional estimates of head motion and orientation are generated by the brain when the vestibular periphery is damaged," Neuroscience.
Vestibular Noise in Sensorimotor Control
Love, K., Rosenberg, M.J., Galvan-Garza, R. C., Clark, T. K., & Karmali, F. "The role of sensory noise in closed-loop sensorimotor control."
Internet Information on Cochlear Implants
Bose, A., Myoung, S., Fallon, K., Love, K., Kempfle J. S., Chari, D. A. "Cochlear Implants: What Patients are Hearing from the Internet." Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.