SMARTlab Alumni
Since 1992, when SMARTlab first opened it's doors, more than 60 artists, scientists, technologists and educators have engaged in transdisciplinary research to complete their PhDs in Inclusive Design + Creative Technology Innovation.
All images by ressearcher unless otherwise noted
Dr. Hongsuk Yoon
HongSuk joined SMARTlab @ The IDRC, UCD (Dublin) from October 2017. The
research fits the SMARTlab thematic of Assistive Technologies, and links to the work
underway in the major initiatives such as XR Accessibility Forum and VR Inclusion
Working Group (IEEE).
The current title of the project is “Applying Inclusive Design Practice to Novel
Interfaces for Extreme Users with Locked-in Syndrome by using VR Head-mounted
Display (HMD)”.
The research is to investigate the possibility of using HMD as a new type of assistive
tools by combining the existing Assistive Technologies (AT) and the features. The
project is to utilizes affordable interface design with the suitable hardware and
software to join in VR space, and to focus on testing the effectiveness of affordances
of proposed interface design in the context of Social VR (Metaverse). Within this
broad range of the Metaverse, the research particularly exploits the effect of body
representation (virtual embodiment) to achieve personal and social change. Utilizing
the new medium with their minimal motion would provide the extreme users with a
meaningful way of joining in Metaverse.
The research outcome will be presented to design strategies that can support VR
designers and developers interested in XR accessibility. Finally, the study delivers
directly to the real world need of individuals without a means to communicate,
enabling a genuine social impact to all if we design for the people who have a unique
and extreme need. The funders and supporting institutions for this project are SMARTlab CLG, Irish Manufacturing Research, Regional Enterprise Development Fund, An Saol CLG, SMARTlab Oxford (SpecialEffect), Braincontrol AAC (Liquidweb)
He holds MSc in Human-Computer Interaction from SKKU, Seoul, South Korea and BA in Philosophy and Sociology from CAU. His study before undertaking the SMARTlab PhD was the area of Computer-Mediated Communication by exploring mobile and wearable health media (e.g., Smart Watch) to improve users’ accessibility with preventive measures. His works are published to academic journals and presented to international HCI conferences supported by Samsung and Brain Korea 21+ scholarship.
Dr. James Rwampigi Aniyamuzaala
Aniyamuzaala James Rwampigi is a user of Hearing and Ear Assistive technology (HEAT) solutions and a researcher on topics related to Assistive technology, accessibility, Convention on Rights of Persons with disabilities and Diversity inclusion. James is a Humanitarian Action professional and a PhD Inclusive Design and Creative Technology Innovation Candidate at University College Dublin in Ireland. James’ PhD research is investigating how the Public funding and support system provide equitable public funding and support for Learners in need of Educational HEAT solutions. James is also one of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Ad hoc Advisory Group of Experts on Assistive Technology 2019-2022. He was an advisor on Inclusion and youth with disabilities for the UN Habitat Youth Advisory Board 2015-2018. James was one of the members of the UNFPA Expert and Technical Advisory group for the development of the global Report on Youth with disabilities, ending Gender based Violence and Realising Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
Dr. Matt Glowatz
Matt is a University College Dublin (UCD) SMARTlab PhD candidate measuring the impact of augmented reality (AR) applications on learners’ engagement, motivation, and performance focusing on undergraduate students in third-level business education.
Matt is working full-time at UCD’s College of Business with electronic learning (eLearning), Technology Innovation and Social Media Strategy related themes being his main research interests. He is the College of Business’ academic coordinator for international students and subject area coordinator for overseas MIS modules offered in Singapore, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka.
Matt has been included in the UCD College of Business Dean’s List of Outstanding Teachers in both 2019 and 2020, received twice the Excellence in Teaching Awards in the Higher Diploma of Business Studies (IT) programme, and won the Educational Contribution Award at the Irish Internet Association's Net Visionary Awards 2006 recognizing his significant contribution to the Irish Internet Industry through education.
In July 2015, Matt has been appointed co-chair of the Bled e-Conference special interest group focusing on Education in the Digital Economy. In June 2017, he was awarded with the Bled eConference Fellow Award 2017 in appreciation of outstanding contributions to the Bled eConference.
The European Commission awarded Matt two research scholarships advising both the University of Nizwa (Oman) and Mahidol University (Thailand) on eLearning-related matters.
Dr. Phil Ryan
Phil is a PhD in Inclusive Design & Creative Technology Innovation candidate based in SMARTlab, University College Dublin. He works on sociologically informed technological solutions to problems of population movement. He researches inclusive design, bureaucracy, user experience, privacy, and migration. He holds a BA in Communications Studies from Dublin City University, Adv Dip in Immigration and Asylum Law from King’s Inns Dublin, and MSc in Comparative Social Change awarded jointly by UCD and Trinity College Dublin.
Professionally Phil directs a consultancy business providing information and assistance in all matters related to Irish immigration.
