Fillia Makedon, a Distinguished Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been awarded two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants to further research in human-computer interaction. The projects aim to enhance the lives of individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and those who are visually impaired.
The first grant, valued at $440,758, was awarded through the NSF’s Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research program. Makedon will explore the use of extended reality (XR) technology to assess attention levels in individuals with ADHD. The research seeks to develop adaptable virtual environments that can provide more accurate cognitive profiles than traditional methods. XR combines real and virtual environments, creating immersive settings in which tasks are performed under the guidance of an avatar. This method is expected to offer better insights into cognitive functions and attention, which could benefit underserved populations with limited access to professional care.
In the second project, Makedon will collaborate with Nick Gans, a principal research scientist at the UTA Research Institute, and Austin Lighthouse, an organization that employs and trains visually impaired individuals. The research will focus on using telerobotics to help visually impaired employees perform remote tasks from home. Telerobots, controlled by human operators receiving sensory feedback, could alleviate employment barriers for the visually impaired, such as commuting difficulties and employer concerns about workplace safety. This project aims to design a training interface for visually impaired users and address challenges related to remote task execution.
These grants build upon Makedon’s ongoing work to enhance human-robot interaction and assistive technologies. She is also the director of UTA’s Human-Centered Computing Lab and Motion Capture Lab, where her research focuses on using technology to improve human performance and quality of life. Additionally, her work under another NSF grant from the Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering (DARE) program examines how individuals with mobility challenges can interact with intelligent robots to perform daily tasks.
Photo: credit The University of Texas at Arlington
