Research
Human centered systems at the intersection of AI, digital health, and inclusive design.
I’ve been working in the Social & Technological Action Research Group (STAR Lab) at UC Irvine under Professor Gillian R. Hayes for about two years now. My research focuses on building supportive, human-centered technology for people with sensory sensitivities, especially children and their care networks. I work at the boundary between research and practice, turning insights from qualitative studies and fieldwork into real, testable prototypes by combining user feedback with sensing and adaptive, AI-powered guidance, then iterating until it’s usable in real-world settings.
Affiliation
STAR Lab at UC Irvine, advised by Professor Gillian R. Hayes and Emani Hicks.
Publications
What I do
- Design, build, and iterate research prototypes for children with sensory sensitivities, informed by interviews, field observations, and co-design sessions.
- Plan and conduct usability testing with children and caregivers, synthesizing findings into concrete design and system changes.
- Work with multimodal study data, including sensory signals, interaction logs, and eye-tracking, to support evaluation and guide design decisions.
- Develop adaptive and AI-supported features that provide context-aware guidance while prioritizing accessibility, privacy, and trust.
- Translate research findings into deployable features that balance qualitative insight, technical constraints, and real-world use.
- Contribute to research writing and dissemination through peer-reviewed publications, demos, and conference presentations.
AudioBuddy for Kids
A research-backed mobile app for children with noise sensitivity that supports self-regulation in overstimulating settings through sensing, accessible design, and adaptive guidance.
Enchanted Forest
A gamified research prototype that helps children practice self-regulation in noisy and overstimulating environments through playful interactions, sensory-aware design, and evidence-based coping strategies.
