Student Opportunity FW23-24 – Assistive Mixed Reality Design RAY Assistant

Post

Published on July 19, 2023

Job ID: 59991

Job Title: Assistive Mixed Reality Design RAY Assistant

Application Deadline: Thursday, August 17, 2023 @ 11:59 p.m. ET

Eligibility criteria.

Applications are only accepted through the Career Centre. Go to the Career Centre portal and search for the posting with the Job ID listed above.

Hourly wage: $17.50 per hour

Hours per week: 15 hours per week

Start date: September 5, 2023

End date: April 26, 2024

Job description

This project will explore how everyday tasks can be habituated through prompts and cues in people with dementia using augmented reality (AR).

Under the supervision of Dr. Shital Desai, the Assistive Mixed Reality Design RAY student (15 hours per week) will work on the user interface design for everyday activities such as making a cup of tea, doing laundry and then explore the programming interface to the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Azure Kinect, initially using the Unity environment. The goal will be to create and control multimodal prompts or cues to assist people with dementia in daily tasks. These prompts will then be used in later user studies with people with dementia. The students will then work with Masters students in evaluating this interface with people with dementia to iterate changes in the interface.

The ideal applicant will be comfortable with an exploratory project that requires learning new material and overcoming unexpected obstacles. The successful applicant will think outside the box and participate in the exploration rather than rely on instructions from the supervisor and the project team.

Specific research activities the student(s) will be engaged in:

The successful candidate will work on research through design of interaction AR technologies to support people with dementia. The student will work on:

• researching and understanding prompting frameworks for people with dementia. This will involve literature review on the topic.
• Understand rituals and habituation techniques to incorporate in the interface design.
• Prototype prompting systems using these frameworks using HoloLens for evaluations with people with dementia in the future. This involves applying the frameworks for user testing.
• The students will also work with Dr. Desai in writing a manuscript for CHI conference and a journal publication.

Type of research experience the student(s) will receive:

• Critical thinking and making
• Design synthesis and Ideation using prototyping in AR
• Accessible design in AR environments
• Preparing presentations and written outputs of research; Editing and formatting drafts;
• Professional communication skills

Type of training and support that will be provided to the student(s) in carrying out these research activities:

• Task flow analysis
• Unity programming
• Ability to work with technologies such as Azure Kinect, HoloLens and ARKit
• AR Prototyping tools
• Design evaluation with People with Dementia or/and pilot participants
• Regular status meetings with your supervising

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate York student. Applicants from diverse programs of study are encouraged. The Dahdaleh Institute welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including, but not limited to women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities (racialized), Indigenous Peoples and persons of any gender identity and sexual orientation. York University is committed to a positive, supportive, and inclusive environment.
• Demonstrated interest in Design Research methods
• Demonstrated interest in designing technologies using Human Centred methods
• Demonstrated knowledge of research methods (quantitative and/or qualitative and/or integrative).
• Demonstrated excellent analytic skills for understanding, sorting, and categorizing complex information. Skills and resourcefulness in drawing mind-maps and tabulating information is an asset.
• Demonstrated note-taking, journal-keeping, and filing skills.
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills: professional written and interactive correspondence, public speaking and presentation.
• Demonstrated excellent computer skills (word processing, email, database, spreadsheets, forms, and slides; facility with Office 365 Apps). WordPress editing skills are an asset. Social media communication skills are an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including international and cross-cultural communication. Ability and willingness to work both independently and as part of a team with researchers, students, and staff.
• Demonstrated an eagerness to learn, support, and take on initiative.
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills.

Application materials

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Interview is required. Make sure your cover letter addresses the job requirements and your eligibility.

If you have any questions, please email Shital Desai

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