Our Approach & Overview
Our research addresses the ways in which humans interact and experience technology through:
1) The design and evaluation of creative cutting-edge technologies to improve environmental awareness, spatial learning, and navigational wayfinding. This can impact older adults, people with visual impairments, and visually distracted individuals (e.g. people texting while walking). We pride ourselves on researching technology to adhere to blind and visually impaired (BVI) technology, as well as for spatial wayfinding.
2) Development of new bio-inspired feedback devices to improve functionality of modern technologies (e.g. detecting cleanliness on publicly used touchscreens and other interfaces).
3) Studying human vehicle collaboration (HVC) for optimizing the efficiency, comfort, and safety within autonomous vehicles (the fastest growing, yet least studied class of transportation).
Current Funded Research Projects
2020 UMaine/NU AI, “Combining Real-Time Deep Learning and Human-Vehicle Collaboration Techniques in Autonomous Vehicles to Assist Older and Visually Impaired Passengers” ; (N.A. Giudice, UMaine (PI) with R.R. Corey, UMaine (Co-PI), G. Beals, UMaine (Co-PI), X. Lin, Northeastern University (Co-PI), and M. Sun, Northeastern University (Co-PI)).
2020 TIDC, “Jetport Automated Shuttle: Demonstration for Durability and Safety” ; (J. Rubin, UMaine (PI) with R.R. Corey, UMaine(Co-PI), N.A.Giudice, UMaine (Co-PI), K. Ballingall, UMaine (Co-PI), and A. Shirazi, UMaine (Co-PI)).
2020 NIH, “Development of a Visual-To-Tactile Conversion System for Automating Tactile Graphic Generation Process” ; (R.R. Corey, UMaine(PI), with Palani, Hari Prasath (PI), UNAR Labs).
2020 NSF, “Development of a Multimodal Interface for improving independence of Blind and Visually-Impaired people: Phase II”; (R.R. Corey, UMaine PI; with H.P. Palani (PI) and N.A. Giudice, Unar Labs).
2019 NSF, “Improving User Trust of Autonomous Vehicles through Human-Vehicle Collaboration”; (N.A. Giudice, UMaine (PI) and R.R. Corey, UMaine).
2019 NSF, “Development of a Multimodal Interface for Improving Independence of Blind and Visually-Impaired people: Phase I”; (R.R. Corey, UMaine (PI); with H.P. Palani (PI) and N.A. Giudice, Unar Labs).
2018 NEH, “Preservation and access research and development”; Accessible Civil Rights Heritage Proposal; (N.A. Giudice, UMaine (PI); with R.R. Corey, (UMaine) and M. Williams (PI); J. Bell, Dartmouth College).
2018 NSF, “A remote multimodal learning environment to increase graphical information access for Blind and Visually Impaired students”; (N.A. Giudice, (PI); with J.K. Dimmel, UMaine; and S.A. Doore, Bowdoin College).