A new lab is working to expand access to practical sensing systems. These systems could benefit people struggling with addiction and alert people with limited healthcare access to potentially life-threatening medical issues.

Device prototypes like these usually require massive amounts of time and external resources to build, but thanks to the Uncommon Sense Lab, they can now be conveniently developed on Georgia Tech’s campus.

The lab is housed in Georgia Tech’s School of Interactive Computing and is managed by Assistant Professor Alexander Adams.

“Our overall goal is to give better access to healthcare,” Adams said. “We’re always looking at who we’re doing this for, how we’re getting it to them, how it addresses specific needs, and how to make it as financially accessible as possible.

“There’s always a space for high-end, high-precision equipment, but not everyone has access, and people are often afraid to get checked out because of the cost. If we can build something that doesn’t necessarily give someone a perfect measurement of a condition, but it can tell them they should go to the doctor, that might be enough to save a life.”

The lab provides resources to interdisciplinary researchers with backgrounds in computing, robotics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and biomedical engineering to develop novel sensing and feedback system prototypes.

“We render physical prototypes that would be difficult to build without a centralized location for these resources,” said Adams, who is affiliated with the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines and the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. “We give students access to the tools and knowledge to build things that would typically seem unreachable.

“There’s nowhere else on campus with this collective that can go end-to-end from mechanical engineering to biomedical engineering to electrical engineering to usability.”

Examples of current prototypes being developed in the lab include a device that trains people with post-traumatic stress disorder to breathe in more regular patterns, and another that measures a person’s heart rate when they vape.

“We want to learn more about that behavior through these sensing devices, and then we’ll look at figuring out how we can help people correct their breathing patterns or quit their addiction,” Adams said.

The Uncommon Sense Lab offers numerous high-tech, state-of-the-art machinery, including:

• 3D printers, including fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers for multi-material, high-precision prints
• A laser cutter for producing printed circuit boards (PCBs)
• Surface mount PCB manufacturing station with soldering tools, paste dispensers, and rework stations
• Optical work benches for optical system design, including microscopes and fluidics workstations
• Resin materials for casting and molding prosthetics
• Vacuum chambers and pressure chambers
• Saws, mills, lathes, and other mechanical tools for processing wood and soft metals
• Saws, grinders, polishers, and other wet tools for glass, stone, and ceramics

Since he started at the School of Interactive Computing in 2022, Adams has envisioned the lab. The lab space in the Technology Square Research Building in Midtown was thoroughly renovated, including access control, a new ceiling grid, environmental controls, pressurized air, plumbing, and vacuum and air filtration systems.

“This is the result of having built two labs at previous institutions, what I’ve learned about my type of work and my field, and what the most useful things are to handle our diverse projects,” he said.

“One of the reasons I came to Georgia Tech was because they saw the value of being interdisciplinary in a computing world and having a full lab space instead of just an office.” 

Adams said the lab will accelerate the timelines of current projects for the researchers who use it and create more bandwidth for them to take on more projects.

“I want my students to have everything at hand instead of waiting every time we need to do something,” he said. “This space is for someone who might have an idea for a remote diagnostic tool, but they’re wondering how to build it, add computation, and test it. This is the solution for those wondering how they can do that without spending a year finding and organizing access to facilities or ordering various parts.”

Adams said the lab is not a public space, but anyone interested in using it can make a written request for access. The work must be part of a collaboration, and faculty must provide funds to use resources. Access is contingent upon passing several safety courses and in-person training.

Umme Ammara, a first-year student in the master’s program in human-computer interaction (MS-HCI) at Georgia Tech, showcased her projects sponsored by Accenture, Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For the Gates Foundation, she helped develop and deploy an AI-powered maternal health application which is being used by hospitals in Pakistan where doctors in the gynecology ward talk to an application and it automatically converts this verbal information into the patients digital medical record helping to better monitor and track a woman’s medical care.

Her project was among the many displayed at this year’s 2025 Interactivity@GT event held in the Technology Square Research Building and was jointly sponsored by the MS-HCI program and the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT). This year’s event combined a distinguished Atlanta business panel presentation with the annual MS-HCI student research showcase. Some computer science doctoral student research and faculty research was also presented in a separate ballroom. Following the panel, an hour-long  one-minute madness session gave Georgia Tech’s MS-HCI students the spotlight to present their research and interests to the audience.

The event hosted an “Innovation in Atlanta” business panel presentation featuring John Yates, partner at Gunderson Dettmer; Donnie Beamer, senior technology advisor for the City of Atlanta; Brooke Perez, regional economic development manager for Georgia Power; and Debra Lam, the founding director of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation. Yates served as moderator and has been directly or indirectly involved in assisting hundreds of tech companies and entrepreneurs.

“This year's interactivity event brought together an amazing group of students demonstrating an exciting range of the best people-centered technologies on campus,” said Michael Best, executive director of IPaT.  “In addition, the Atlanta innovation panel was spectacular and delivered insightful commentary about the optimistic growth and state of entrepreneurship in our city during these uncertain times.”

Jin Kim, a first-year MS-HCI student, presented three projects including a project with the U.S. Coast Guard where she helped develop decision making guidelines related to health care sourcing and supporting resource readiness.

“We get excited about interactivity every year because it’s a great opportunity for our wonderful students to get exposed to the greater Atlanta community,” said Richard Henneman, director of the MS-HCI program at Georgia Tech. “Our students are looking for full time jobs and internships, and this is a great opportunity to talk about their substantial project work with attendees.”

Additional MS-HCI student projects presented included Emily Layton’s sponsored project with Sam’s Club to improve member and associate interactions with their tire and battery centers which resulted in the design of a mobile app. Saba Alemayehu helped redesign a shipping dashboard for United Parcel Service (UPS) allowing small business owners to prioritize features based on their business needs. Ariana Olalde Keller worked on designing new features for an order fulfillment app while interning at The Home Depot to help associates pick and prepare customer orders for in-store pickup or delivery. The new features are currently in development by the Home Depot’s technical team.

“This event is the culmination of what the students work for throughout their time in the [MS-HCI] program. And it's a chance for them to practice their communication skills and network with professionals,” said Carrie Bruce, assistant director of the MS-HCI program.

“Collaborative, industry projects are a keystone of our program specifically because it adds to the experiential component of the education in our program and enables industry to stay connected to us. Throughout the years, we've been tasked with ensuring that we are preparing our students to be ready to help solve real world industry challenges that either are a current problem or design a possible long-term solution.”
 

Pictures of the event >>