Research Spotlight: Vivian Genaro Motti 
Vivian Genaro Motti is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology at the School of Computing. She has led the Human-Centric Design Lab since 2016.
The Institute for Digital InnovAtion spoke with Motti about the Human-Centric Design Lab. Responses have been edited.
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Tell us about your research.
The HCD Lab was created in 2016. Currently, our research team includes 2 post-doctoral research fellows (international visiting scholars), 5 PhD students, and 1 undergraduate research assistant. We are a multidisciplinary team of researchers conducting and advancing research and development projects on Human-Computer Interaction. Our research projects have concrete real-world applications, while advancing science on fundamental research.
More specifically, we investigate the user experience with emerging technologies, such as wearables and smart home devices. We employ user-centric design to better understand users’ needs, mental models, and expectations. Ultimately, we focus on improving the users’ experience with novel technologies and bridging the gap between what users want and what technology offers them. In the NIDILRR-funded WELLI project, we study how assistive smartwatches provide emotion regulation support for neurodiverse adults. Also, thanks to the financial support of 4-VA and CCI, we have been characterizing privacy concerns from users’ perspectives, seeking to enhance the privacy controls available in smart home devices.
What kinds of projects are funded?
Our projects received more than $1M in financial support from NSF, NIDILRR, IARPA, TeachAccess, 4-VA, VRIF CCI, and IDIA seed funding. Our undergraduate research assistants have received financial support from CRA DREU and OSCAR through FWS and URSP programs. Overall, we study interactive technologies and how human behavior impacts the design of novel interfaces.
How do your projects impact other disciplines?
Our research is driven by real-world problems, so we are closely involved with community members to ensure that we actually address users’ needs and improve their quality of life. In general, the design and development of novel technologies has a great impact in other domains. In the HCD Lab, we focus on assistive wearable technologies for special education and inclusive organizations, social media analytics for healthcare, and mobile applications for transportation, among others. Our work mainly impacts the data collection and analysis process for medical applications, assistive technologies, and special education.
What projects would you like to be reached out to for potential collaborations?
Currently our focus is on emotion regulation, thus we can collaborate with data analysts to apply machine learning models and classify wearable sensor data. Also, we can collaborate with psychologists, special education, and experts in inclusive employment.
What keywords describe your research?
Human-Computer Interaction, accessibility, wearable computing, emotion regulation, and smart homes
How can you be reached?
Email: vmotti@gmu.edu
Website: www.vivianmotti.org
Social Media: @vivianmotti
