MultiSense Studio visual of interconnected nodes in the shape of a circle.

MultiSense.Studio

MultiSense.Studio

MultiSense.Studio focuses on creating inclusive and accessible design solutions through the integration of industrial design, human-computer/AI interaction, and multimodal communication and innovation in assistive technology development. Our research spans tactile and multimodal/embodied learning/cognition and disability studies, aiming to design healthy experiences for individuals with diverse abilities. We prioritize access, literacy, harm reduction for well-being, and align with contemporary movements in disability-first innovation, inclusivity, and universal design for learning. Our ethical technology development is driven by community and participatory-based methods, ensuring our solutions meet the needs of diverse populations.

Tactile Media Studies

Inclusive Design

Multimodal Product Development

line divider
Selfie of Dr. Abigale Stangl.

Lead Researcher and Director

Dr. Abigale Stangl

Abigale Stangl is a research scientist working at the intersection of human-computer interaction, accessibility, creativity, privacy, and computer vision. Stangl designs and implements studies that guide the development of technologies that support non-visual access to images, video, graphics, and art. She is committed to cultivating inclusive design practices and technologies for people with disabilities.

Areas of Focus

Guided by Abby Stangl's expertise in environmental design/landscape architecture (B.ENVD), information communication technology for development (M.S. ICTD), and technology media and society (Ph.D.), we emphasize human-centered principles and user experience. At MultiSense Studio, we believe in the transformative power of design for personal agency and the creation of sustainable, functional, enriching, and accessible environments and products for all.

Disability-First Design

Accessibility

Tactile Media

Human-Computer Interaction

Multimodal Learning

Dataset and Model Design

Featured Projects

Tactile Media Alliance

Tactile Media Alliance (TMA) serves as a pivotal platform for the convergence of practice, research, and development of embodied and multimodal interactions through touch in physical-to-digital environments.

Transformative Teaching and Learning

This course teaches industrial design students inclusive tactile media design, collaborating with the blind community. It covers disability-first design, tactile language, and hands-on skills while addressing accessibility issues.

Featured Research

Queering / Cripping Technologies of Productivity

Sylvia Janicki, Alexandra Teixeira Riggs, Noura Howell, Anne Sullivan, Abigale Stangl (2024)

This paper presents three design manifestos originating from the authors' queer and crip experiences to challenge dominant productivity in design and academic practices.

Going Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Image Descriptions

Abigale Stangl, Nitin Verma, Kenneth R. Fleischmann, Meredith Ringel Morris, Danna Gurari (2021)

This paper investigates how personalized image descriptions can better meet the information needs of people who are blind or have low vision compared to one-size-fits all descriptions.

BrowseWithMe: Empowering Blind People to Explore Websites

Abigale Stangl, Meredith Ringel Morris, Jeffrey P. Bigham, et al. (2018)

This paper explores how collaborative web browsing between blind users and sighted assistants can enhance the web exploration experience for blind individuals to improve the shopping experience for blind users.

FluxMarker: Enhancing Tactile Graphics with Dynamic Tactile Markers

Abigale Stangl, Tom Yeh (2017)

Collaborated with Tom Yeh, this project explored dynamic enhancements for tactile graphics, allowing users to interact with changing information through dynamic markers, which enhance the richness and interactivity of tactile media.
selfie of dr. stangl with her students

Our Design Philosophy

MultiSense.Studio at Georgia Tech is pioneering advancements in visual and video accessibility for blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals. Our research enhances how BLV individuals experience visual content through artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technologies like automated visual assistance, visual dialogue agents, and visual question answering. These technologies provide detailed and interactive visual content descriptions, allowing users to ask questions and receive comprehensive visual information. We focus on AI-based image-to-text conversions, ensuring descriptions are accurate, contextually rich, and emotionally resonant. Our work also involves developing user-centered taxonomies and datasets to guide the ethical development of AI-based technologies. By advocating for personalized image descriptions and integrating user feedback, MultiSense.Studio is making significant strides in creating inclusive, accessible, and user-friendly visual and video content for BLV individuals.

placeholder

Opportunities for Involvement

Students join MultiSense.Studio at the undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. levels to gain exposure to interdisciplinary research that integrates industrial design, human-computer/AI interaction, multimodal communication, and assistive technology development. For more information, email Dr. Stangl.

Research Lab Location:
Hinman Building (130A)
723 Cherry Street NW, Atlanta, GA  30332

Undergraduates at MultiSense.Studio will benefit from developing a solid foundation in inclusive design principles, gaining hands-on experience in prototyping, and learning basic data science techniques to analyze user data and inform design decisions. They are expected to grasp fundamental concepts in industrial design, human-computer interaction, and assistive technology while actively participating in collaborative projects that emphasize user-centered design and multimodal communication. Curiosity, empathy, and an openness to diverse perspectives and experiences are crucial dispositions for success.

Master's students at MultiSense.Studio will benefit from deepening their expertise in advanced human-computer interaction techniques, enhancing their user research methodologies, and applying data science skills to generate insights from complex datasets. They are expected to produce innovative, ethically sound designs that address real-world challenges, leveraging multidisciplinary collaboration and community engagement, particularly in the realms of tactile and multimodal learning and disability studies. Strong problem-solving abilities, a commitment to ethical practices, and the ability to work effectively across disciplines are essential competencies.

Ph.D. candidates at MultiSense.Studio will benefit from conducting groundbreaking research that integrates advanced data science methods with inclusive design and assistive technology development, contributing to significant advancements in these fields. They are expected to lead high-impact research projects, publish in top-tier journals, and mentor junior researchers, demonstrating a deep commitment to ethical considerations and community-based participatory methods. Expertise in interdisciplinary domains, leadership in innovation, and the ability to synthesize theoretical and practical insights are critical for success.

Tactile Media Alliance (TMA) serves as a pivotal platform for the convergence of practice, research, and development of embodied and multimodal interactions through touch in physical-to-digital environments. Our goal is to develop and share educational resources, support communities of practice, and establish a trade association guided by strategic goals to foster cross-network collaboration. We are committed to redefining information access and interaction paradigms to make media and technology more intuitive, accessible, and inclusive for individuals with disabilities and beyond.

Learn More

Dr. Stangl - International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Robot Systems

Have a Question for Us?

 
If you can't find the information you were looking for, we'll get you to the right place.
Contact Us