Prerna Khanna is a PhD student at Stony Brook University, NY, USA. She is advised by Prof. Aruna Balasubramanian. Her research interests include mobile systems, sensing, and, accessibility. Her research aims to improve the accessibility of smartphone applications for individuals with disabilities.
My research seeks to enhance the accessibility of smartphone applications for people who have disabilities. I develop alternate interaction techniques using commercially available wearable devices, that leverage sensing, signal processing, and systems techniques. Despite previous efforts that explore alternate interaction techniques for smartphones, the accessibility aspect remains largely unaddressed for individuals with disabilities. My research aims to change this paradigm by empowering blind users or those with speech disorders to interact seamlessly with their devices. For instance, a blind user can effortlessly control their smartphone through intuitive hand gestures while wearing a smartwatch, all while keeping their phone safely tucked away. Similarly, individuals with visual impairments can privately seek descriptions and ask visual queries about their surroundings without relying on cloud services. Furthermore, those with speech disorders can effortlessly control their devices by simply moving their jaw, eliminating the need for vocal commands. These are the transformative possibilities that my research aims to bring to fruition.