Wireless Inclusive RERC| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA - Papers

Proceedings of the Wireless RERC 2021 State of Technology Forum

Mz22 — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 18:44:16 +0000

Publication Type:

The Wireless RERC convened the Virtual State of Technology (SoT) Forum 2020One on March 23-24, 2021. The 2021 virtual SoT was a focused, robust event, with a lively, informed, and diverse group of attendees representing the research community, people with disabilities, industry, technologists, advocates, policymakers, and disability service providers who explored the state of, and emerging trends in, inclusive wireless technologies and applications.

The Forum Proceedings is an interactive document with papers, presentations, videos, and bios from the two-day event. Further, it opens with a summation of the event and closes with a chapter on key activities to pursue to ensure inclusion is always at the forefront of wireless technology, design, development, and deployment.

Date of Publication:

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Applying Tangible Augmented Reality for Usability Assessment

dbright7@gatech.edu — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:28:32 +0000

Date of Publication:

2019 August

When developing a new product, it is common for designers to feel that they do not have enough information about users’ needs. This is especially true at the front end of a new product design process. An important component of this process is testing and validating potential design concepts. The aim of this study was to explore the validity of augmented reality (AR) and tangible augmented reality (TAR) as tools for evaluating the usability of a product. For this study, 70 college students were recruited to perform a usability evaluation of a space heater product and equivalent AR and TAR representations of it. The results indicate that overall TAR can be a reliable method for evaluating the usability of a fully realized product, especially for products with physical interface controls. However, TAR was not found to be reliable with respect to Ease of Use. Overall, AR was not found to be as reliable as TAR or with respect to any specific aspect of usability that was measured. Applications, limitations, and areas for further study are discussed in this article as well.

Applying Tangible Augmented Reality for Usability Assessment

Design and Evaluation of a Multimodal Physics Simulation

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:29:35 +0000

Date of Publication:

2018 October

We present a multimodal science simulation, including visual and auditory (descriptions, sound effects, and sonifications) display. The design of each modality is described, as well as evaluation with learners with and without visual impairments. We conclude with challenges and opportunities at the intersection of multiple modalities.

Design and Evaluation of a Multimodal Physics Simulation

Supporting Simulation Use for Students with Mild Cognitive Impairment

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:25:04 +0000

Date of Publication:

2018 March

In this study, we explore how enhancing interactive science simulations with sonifications can scaffold interaction and learning for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). We added auditory cues to three PhET Interactive Simulations as additional feedback to highlight important concepts and relationships. Working with seventeen students who have I/DD, we evaluated the success of these cues in emphasizing science concepts, explored what additional help may be necessary to support successful inquiry-based learning for these students, and collected feedback on the auditory cues and the students’ overall user experience.

Supporting Simulation Use for Students with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Spotlights and Soundscapes: On the Design of Mixed Reality Auditory Environments for Persons with Visual Impairment

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:19:41 +0000

Date of Publication:

2020 January

For persons with visual impairment, forming cognitive maps of unfamiliar interior spaces can be challenging. Various technical developments have converged to make it feasible, without specialized equipment, to repre- sent a variety of useful landmark objects via spatial audio, rather than solely dispensing route information. Although such systems could be key to facilitating cognitive map formation, high-density auditory environments must be crafted carefully to avoid overloading the listener. This article recounts a set of research exercises with potential users, in which the optimization of such systems was explored. In Experiment 1, a virtual reality environment was used to rapidly prototype and adjust the auditory environment in response to participant comments. In Experiment 2, three variants of the system were evaluated in terms of their ef- fectiveness in a real-world building. This methodology revealed a variety of optimization approaches and recommendations for designing dense mixed-reality auditory environments aimed at supporting cognitive map formation by visually impaired persons.

Spotlights and Soundscapes: On the Design of Mixed Reality Auditory Environments for Persons with Visual Impairment

Design and Evaluation of a Multimodal Physics Simulation

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:13:29 +0000

Date of Publication:

2019 March

We present a multimodal physics simulation, including visual and auditory (description, sound effects, and sonification) modalities to support the diverse needs of learners. We describe design challenges and solutions, and findings from final simulation evaluations with learners with and without visual impairments. We also share insights from completing research with members of diverse learner groups (N = 52). This work presents approaches for designing and evaluating accessible interactive simulations for learners with diverse needs.

Design and Evaluation of a Multimodal Physics Simulation

Barriers to Employment Participation of Individuals with Disabilities: Addressing the Impact of Employer (Mis)Perception and Policy

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 18 May 2020 18:04:04 +0000

Date of Publication:

2018 April

Although progress has been made toward the objective of increased employment for people with disabilities, the 17.2% employment rate of people with disabilities stands in distressing contrast to the 65% rate of those without disabilities. This article summarizes the results of a comparative survey of representative academic literature and industry publications related to employer policies and practices that can affect workforce participation of individuals with disabilities. Emergent themes include variance in employer perspectives on hiring of individuals with disabilities, impact of perceived versus actual cost as a hiring barrier, and the perceived mismatch of education and/or skills to job qualifications among applicants with disabilities. These themes represent key areas to probe in subsequent research. The research objective is to identify focal points in the industry literature, representative of employer and industry (demand side) points of view that differ from those generally portrayed in the academic literature (more generally, supply side). Findings from a thematic analysis of industry publications can provide (1) evidenced based background to assist in crafting targeted policy to address employer awareness, (2) informed development of industry guidance on topics that may assist employers to achieve a more inclusive workplace, and (3) insights applicable to addressing barriers to broadening participation by technical, scientific, and engineering trained individuals with disabilities.

Barriers to Employment Participation of Individuals with Disabilities: Addressing the Impact of Employer (Mis)Perception and Pol

Imagining futures: A collaborative policy/device design for wearable computing

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 18 May 2020 18:01:29 +0000

Date of Publication:

2017 March

The rapidly expanding market for wearable computing devices (wearables), driven by advances in information and communication technologies (ICT), wireless access, and public acceptance of a design aesthetic, is indicative of the near limitless potential for changing the relationship of users to information context(s). As the adoption of wearable devices spreads, there are cultural and social impacts that represent both barriers and opportunities, with subsequent policy ramifications. All too often designers, technologists, and policymakers operate independently developing products that are out of sync, lack interoperability, or are hindered by well-meaning, but obstructive policy. This paper proposes a futures-based, iterative policy-informed design framework for developing wearable devices that guide interdisciplinary collaborators early in the process of designing a research & development plan. This approach allows for the development of “images of the future” through which various potential implications and effects of device design in social, technological, and regulatory contexts can be explored.

Imagining futures: A collaborative policy/device design for wearable computing

Does culture affect usability? A trans-European usability and user experience assessment of a falls-risk connected health system following a user-centered design methodology carried out in a single

dbright7@gatech.edu — Mon, 18 May 2020 17:57:02 +0000

Date of Publication:

2018 August

User-centred design (UCD) is a process whereby the end-user is placed at the centre of the design process. The WIISEL (Wireless Insole for Independent and Safe Elderly Living) system is designed to monitor fall risk and to detect falls and consists of a pair of instrumented insoles and a smartphone app. The system was designed using a three-phase UCD process carried out in Ireland, which incorporated the input of Irish end-users and multidisciplinary experts throughout.

Does culture affect usability? A trans-European usability and user experience assessment of a falls-risk connected health system

Use of consumer wireless devices by South Africans with severe communication disability

dbright7@gatech.edu — Wed, 06 May 2020 14:54:28 +0000

Date of Publication:

2016 February

Advancements in wireless technology (e.g. cell phones and tablets) have opened new communication opportunities and environments for individuals with severe communication disabilities. The advancement of these technologies poses challenges to ensuring that these individuals enjoy equal access to this increasingly essential technology. However, a paucity of research exists.

Use of consumer wireless devices by South Africans with severe communication disability