Joanna Huang

Year in School
Senior

Major
Computer Science

Research Interests
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Computers and Education Data and Information Systems Interactive Computing Scientific Computing

Research Mentor
Dr. Nancy Amato, Dr. Lawrence Angrave, Dr. Harshal Mahaian, and Dr. Samuel Olatunji

Research/Engagement Experience
Computers and Education Data and Information Systems,  Interactive Computing Scientific Computing

Interests
Empowering people with disabilities and special needs and assisting caregivers, families, teachers, and healthcare professionals in how they care for people requiring additional support.

Project Title
2023 TBD

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
I love that computer science can be used to solve a broad range of problems in the community. I took my first programming class during my senior year of high school and my passion for CS has grown as I see the immense potential it has to provide practical solutions for people of various ability levels. Behind my drive for CS has been my passion for the intersection between programming and helping people with disabilities. Having had a brother with cerebral palsy has driven me in my pursuit to create technology that assists people with their physical and medical needs, empowering them with increased independence and greater accessibility. Moreover, my personal experience in the disability community has grown my heart for aiding caretakers and healthcare professionals in their day-to-day tasks and computer science is the perfect gateway to support both caregivers and care recipients.

What social interests matter to me?
Empowering people with disabilities and special needs and assisting caregivers, families, teachers, and healthcare professionals in how they care for people requiring additional support.

What is my most impactful college experience?
Collaborating with other students for various CS departmental events and building relationships with peers. Additionally, conducting research on the Stretch RE1 and seeing the profound impact it has on users, such as an individual with quadriplegia.

These are a few of my favorite things!
I enjoy playing the piano, bullet journaling, spending time with family and friends, and spending time in nature. I love working with people with special needs and I also enjoy serving in RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) on campus.

Research Description
My research with the Stretch RE2, a customizable, mobile manipulator, centers on enabling individuals with mobility impairments to independently complete activities of daily living. By controlling the Stretch RE2, either through a joystick or user interface on a web browser, these individuals and their caretakers can cooperatively carry out tasks or actively engage in social interactions. My research is part of a larger project (involving the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Hello Robot, and ClarkLindsey Life Plan Community) which aims to enhance the Stretch RE2 functionalities to meet the needs of each stakeholder group (older adults, professional caregivers, and family care partners), upgrade the web interface, and extend interface modality control. The first objective is to refine and broaden the functional capabilities of Stretch to support older adults with a range of cognitive and physical impairments. This would involve employing user-centered web interface design while conducting user studies through a participatory design approach. The second aspect involves advancing the user interface design by adapting the web interface to the McKechnie Family LIFE Home in preparation for professional caregivers to test the interface. Alongside these implementations, I am increasing the robot's modality control by implementing a hands-free approach to control the enhanced web interface. The final aspect of my research is to conduct embedded evaluations in naturalistic settings through embedding Stretch at the Clark Lindsey village to support the care staff and residents there.

Biography
Joanna Huang is a senior studying Computer Science and minoring in Disability Studies and Interdisciplinary Health Technology. She is passionate about accessible computing and assistive technology. In particular, she aims to utilize software to enable people with disabilities to live with greater independence and facilitate daily tasks for individuals with special needs. Her interest in the intersection between computer science and disabilities is complemented by her experience volunteering among multi-needs students, working with augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC), and family associations within the special needs community. Joanna previously worked with Dr. Lawrence Angrave on ClassTranscribe.com, a mode of online instruction featuring live-captioned media, as well as Colin Lualdi on the ScribeAR project, which involves real-time captioning augmented reality glasses developed for students who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing. Previously, she worked under the guidance of Dr. Lawrence Angrave and Dr. Samuel Olatunji on enhancing the autonomous robotic functionality of Hello Robot's Stretch Research Edition 1 (RE1) in supporting the elderly population and individuals with mobility impairments.