Michel Witter, a researcher in Caradt’s Situated Art and Design research group, presented at a workshop on Sunday 23rd October at the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2022
). Michel works on sensory augmentation to bridge the communication gap between deaf and hearing people. During the workshop he collaborated with a group of researchers and practitioners from across disciplines, all of whom were interested in designing assistive technologies with and for people with multiple impairments or complex disabilities. These researchers and practitioners came together at SIGACCESS to discuss technological opportunities, struggles and mishaps.
During the workshop Michel shared his thoughts on the potential of sensory augmentation with a diverse group of enthusiasts in the field of assistive technology. His research received positive responses from other participants. For example, Michel discussed the role of haptics and the use of tangible feedback in interactive technology. These aspects were considered very important by most participants, and specifically, the work of deaf-blind musician Russ Palmer with researcher Riitta Lahtinen (www.russpalmer.com) supported Michel’s approach.
The workshop organizers intend to publish a special journal issue focused on the topics discussed during the workshop. Michel is planning to submit a manuscript to this special issue, which will be open access.
Abstracts and findings from the workshop will be published in due course. Further information about the conference workshop can be found here.
In addition, Michel Witter’s Perspective Paper has been accepted and published by Frontiers in Computer Science.
‘Investigating the potential of sensory augmentation to bridge the sensory gap between deaf and hearing.’
Michel Witter, with a foundation in computer science and digital art, integrates technology and art in education. As a tutor since 2002 at Communication & Multimedia Design program of Avans, he specializes in information design and accessibility. Currently, Michel is researching sensory augmentation for his PhD.
Living in cities developed around data and acting within the inscrutable structure of our techno-society demands art and design that can help understand how we relate to these rapidly changing surroundings and to reflect on that relationship. The research group Situated Art and Design responds to this exigency by fostering a situated turn in art and design through a diverse portfolio of interdisciplinary research projects in partnership with academic and cultural partners, as well as with government and industry.
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