The Institute for People and Technology at Georgia Tech (IPaT) and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) co-sponsored more than $55,000 in seed grant awards to four research projects. These 2025-2026 IPaT/GTRI newly awarded grants provide seed funding for new research collaborations or provide support for new forms of internal and external research community engagement and collaboration.  
 
Congratulations to these four winning project teams:

1) Proposal title: Building a Research to Impact Collaborative on AI and Global Health

Research overview: Research and practice at the intersection of AI and global health has grown rapidly in the last few years, yet most of these efforts are fragmented and disconnected. There is a pressing need for spaces that facilitate knowledge-sharing and resource coordination in this space. We are thus launching a global, interdisciplinary Research to Impact Collaborative (RIC) on AI and global health that will: 1) support knowledge-sharing across research and practice, 2) facilitate student learning, and 3) accelerate cross-sector collaborations. To catalyze the RIC, we will conduct a year-long virtual seminar series and in-person workshops that will bring together researchers, practitioners, and students. This initiative will position Georgia Tech as a leader in AI and global health, build a lasting collaborative, and lay the foundation for interdisciplinary collaborations and future funding.

Team members: Naveena Karusala, Neha Kumar, and Munmun De Choudhury at the School of Interactive Computing; Kai Wang at the School of Computational Science and Engineering; Gari Clifford at the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Additional members: Azra Ismail (Emory University), Anupriya Tuli and Madeline Balaam (KTH), Pushpendra Singh (IIIT-Delhi), Melissa Densmore (University of Cape Town), Naomi Yamashita (Kyoto University), Neha Madhiwalla (ARMMAN), Shirley Yan and Anubhav Arora (Noora Health)

2) Proposal title: Project: Are Data Centers the New Landfills?

Research overview: Data centers are growing rapidly in the U.S., with nowhere more notable than in Georgia, particularly in the Atlanta metropolitan region (Berger, 2025). This expansion continues as policymakers and the data center industry position data centers as a source of innovation in artificial intelligence (AI), national security, and economic growth brought by the financial returns of data centers. Data center energy use has nearly tripled in the last decade to a total of 4.4% of electricity use in the US and may triple again over the next decade (Shehabi et al., 2024). This growth is driven by increasing demands for data-intensive technologies and applications, like AI, and a data center-friendly policy climate in Georgia (see Georgia HB1291). Like landfills, data centers are often sited in ways that impose local external costs, impacting important aspects of everyday life, such as water security, energy prices, taxes, jobs, housing, and air quality. In Georgia, a proposed data center consumes approximately 6 million gallons of water per day, a volume equivalent to filling nine Olympic-sized swimming pools (Mecke, 2025). Furthermore, the tax revenue that Georgia generates from data centers is estimated to be far less than the cost of incentives provided to the industry (e.g. subsidies for equipment), resulting in a negative state fiscal impact of $18 million in 2021 (Hardee et al., 2022). This proposed IPAT Research Grant investigates the trade-offs in constructing data centers, weighing the economic benefits against their external impacts on local Atlanta communities. In doing so, we aim to develop the next generation of responsible and ethical data centers that aim to inform and empower communities exposed to the externalities imposed by data centers. Scholars of data centers argue that community experiences of data centers rarely feature alongside the dominant promises of data centers such as economic growth and technological innovation (Zander 2024). Highlighting these alternative experiences, we will suggest policy and data tools to better site, deploy, and discuss how data centers are built, maintained, and shape the lives of their neighbors.

Team members:  Cindy Lin and Josiah Hester, School of Interactive Computing; Allen Hyde, School of History and Sociology; Joe Bozeman III, School of Civil Engineering; Elora Raymond, School of City and Regional Planning; Anthony Harding, School of Public Policy and Jung Ho Lewe, School of Aerospace Engineering.

3) Proposal title: The Sound of Motion: Transforming Artistic Body Movement into Music for Motor Therapy Investigators

Research overview: This research proposal aims to initiate a new collaborative project across the Colleges of Sciences, Computing, and Liberal Arts to start designing and developing a novel platform that enables augmented artistic expression exercise through body movements as instruments. When a person moves their trunk, legs, arms, or a handheld object (e.g., a Wizarding wand), the platform will transform their movement trajectories into the associated sounds of musical instruments (i.e., sonification). Turning the movement trajectories into sounds will enable people with motor disabilities (e.g., Parkinson’s disease; stroke) to express their artistry with their less-impaired body parts. Additionally, developing augmented artistic exercises as a new rehabilitation paradigm may stimulate previously untapped neuromotor strategies and facilitate motor recovery. Furthermore, the quality of artistic movement can be objectively assessed through this platform. Experts in human motor control (Shinohara), sonification and human-AI interaction (Walker), and human-computer interaction in the performing arts (Trajkova) will combine their complementary expertise to design and develop such a multimodal system, demonstrating proof of concept. This interdisciplinary R&D will benefit older adults and individuals with motor impairments by enhancing their well-being by introducing new, enjoyable, engaging, and rewarding artistic expressions or exercises. Such activities can enhance the release of neurotransmitters that facilitate neural plasticity (e.g., dopamine), ultimately leading to improved motor function.

Team members: Minoru Shinohara, College of Sciences; Bruce Walker, College of Computing; Milka Trajkova, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts; Joshua Posen, College of Engineering.

4) Proposal title: Generating Space-making Companion Robot Behaviors through Large Language Models (LLMs) for Morally Ambiguous Situations.

Research overview: Increasingly operating in public spaces and urban life, robots can be easily caught in such morally ambiguous situations, which are often dynamic, complex, and unpredictable, presenting novel factors and agencies that can quickly exceed the scope of any projected (or pre-programmed) human-robot interaction. LLMs are well-suited to interpreting specific scenarios and producing logically coherent responses, which makes them ideal for contexts where pre-programming robot behavior is impractical. In this project, we investigate whether and how LLMs can generate appropriate behaviors for a space-making robot reading companion in morally ambiguous situations.

Team members: Yixiao Wang, School of Industrial Design; Tyler Cook, Carter School of Public Policy; Shreyas C Kousik, School of Mechanical Engineering.

From Bigfoot vlogs to algorithmically created personas, hyperrealistic AI content is redefining the boundaries of digital creators. These influencers are entirely virtual personas created using generative AI tools that simulate human features, voices, and behaviors. They post lifestyle content, interact with followers, and even secure brand endorsements — all without existing in the physical world. As these technologies grow more widely available and their results more believable, specialists caution that we are moving into a new age where the line separating fiction from reality is becoming increasingly blurred.

The Rise of Synthetic Creativity

Experts at Georgia Tech say the surge in AI hyperrealism — content that mimics human emotion, speech, and appearance with uncanny precision — is both a technological marvel and a societal challenge.

“AI does not have emotions as we understand them in humans, but it knows how to mimic emotional speech,” said Mark Riedl, professor in the School of Interactive Computing. “Once we understand that AI is mimicking us, it is easy to understand how they can create believable outputs that sound authentic.”

Riedl points to the democratization of video creation as a major shift. “AI video generation tools and the ability to bypass traditional content channels and post directly to social media have opened up the floodgates,” he said.

Recent examples include synthetic influencers such as Nobody Sausage, a digitally animated character that has attracted over 30 million followers across multiple social media platforms through short-form dance videos and brand collaborations. On platforms like Character.AI, users engage with millions of virtual personas designed to simulate conversation and personality traits. These AI-generated figures are reshaping how audiences interact with content, marketing, and identity across Instagram, TikTok, and other social media channels.

Mental Health and the Reality Gap

Munmun De Choudhury, professor in the School of Interactive Computing, warns that hyperreal AI content can distort users’ perception of reality, especially among vulnerable populations.

“This distortion can fuel anxiety, exacerbate body image and self-comparison issues, and contribute to a broader erosion of epistemic trust — our basic belief in what others present as true,” she said.

Her research shows that social media already blurs the line between authentic self-expression and performative identity. Hyperreal AI content — from deepfakes to emotionally resonant synthetic personas — further complicates users’ ability to evaluate what is real or trustworthy. Adolescents and those facing mental health challenges may be especially susceptible.

“Individuals experiencing stress or social isolation may be more prone to believe deepfakes,” De Choudhury explained. “Such content often reinforces existing beliefs or fills gaps in social connection.”

The AI content challenges our understanding of authenticity, trust, and digital identity. It also raises questions about consent, misinformation, and the psychological effects of interacting with synthetic personas. Gen Z users, she notes, often judge AI content by emotional resonance rather than factual accuracy, while older users may struggle to detect synthetic cues altogether. 

Platforms, Persuasion, and Misinformation

Riedl emphasizes that AI storytelling tools can be used to sway public opinion through “narrative transportation,” a psychological phenomenon in which audiences become immersed in a story and are less likely to question its truth.

“Storytelling is a means of persuasive communication,” he said. “Our brains are attuned to stories in a way that can bypass critical thinking.”

Recent incidents highlight the changing landscape. Deepfakes of public figures such as Taylor Swift and Tom Hanks have surged in 2025, with over 179 incidents in the first four months of the year alone — surpassing all of 2024. These deepfakes range from humorous impersonations to fraudulent and explicit content, raising ethical and legal concerns about identity misuse and misinformation. Riedl notes that video misinformation has historically been harder to produce but is now easier and more likely to be tailored to niche audiences.

Social media companies face mounting pressure to take action. De Choudhury argues that labeling AI-generated content is necessary but insufficient. “Platforms must invest in user-centered design, digital literacy interventions, and transparency about how algorithms surface such content,” she said.

The stakes are especially high in mental health communities, where authenticity and lived experience are critical. “Users often feel overwhelmed or deceived when they encounter synthetic content without clear cues of its artificial origin,” she added.

Governance in a Globalized AI Era

Milton Mueller, professor in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, argues that regulation may be ineffective or even counterproductive in a decentralized digital ecosystem.

“Generative AI is part of a globalized and distributed digital ecosystem,” Mueller said. “So, which regulatory authority are you talking about, and how does it gain the leverage needed to control the outputs?”

While the EU’s AI Act mandates labeling and imposes steep fines, U.S. efforts remain fragmented. The Federal Communications Commission has made AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal, with entities facing fines, and several states are pushing for watermarking and criminal penalties for political deepfakes. But experts warn that First Amendment protections complicate enforcement.

Mueller cautions that governments are already using AI as a geopolitical tool, which could undermine global cooperation and lead to strategic escalation. “Instead of freely trading data and establishing common rules, governments are asserting digital sovereignty,” he said.

He advocates for addressing AI-generated misinformation through decentralized governance, public debate, and media literacy, rather than centralized regulation or automated controls, emphasizing that content moderation should be guided by open processes and existing legal remedies applied after the fact.

As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated and widespread, researchers say the challenge lies not only in technological safeguards but in how society adapts. Experts at Georgia Tech emphasize the need for transparency, interdisciplinary collaboration, and public engagement. The future of hyperreal media, they say, will depend on how well platforms, policymakers, and users navigate its risks and possibilities.

Scott Gilliland’s winding path led to breakthroughs in wearable tech that solve challenges for people with Parkinson’s and help us understand dolphin communication.

A research team in the Atlantic Ocean listens to dolphins, testing technology that may one day decode their communication system. Thousands of miles away, a Parkinson’s patient may speak more clearly, thanks to a device that helps them overcome speech challenges caused by the condition. One sounds like science fiction; the other is a transformative medical breakthrough. Yet both are rooted in the same field of research: ubiquitous computing.

Scott Gilliland, a senior research scientist at Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), has played a key role in developing these technologies. IPaT connects researchers across disciplines to turn innovative ideas into practical applications. It’s a natural fit for Gilliland, whose work blends human-centered design with embedded systems, which are small computers built into everyday devices to perform specific tasks.

As a researcher, he often partners with colleagues in the College of Computing, where he also earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. His work in ubiquitous computing and wearable systems is quietly reshaping how we interact with the world.

“Ubiquitous computing” refers to technology that is embedded in everyday objects and environments — for example, clothing. It makes computing power accessible without being intrusive. Gilliland’s projects span different fields of study that aim for the same goal: real-world benefit through innovative, human-centered technology.

Learn more about research scientist Scott Gilliland >

Georgia Tech and Shepherd Center recently awarded four seed grants totaling nearly $200,000 to researchers focusing on projects that will advance discoveries in neurorehabilitation, including acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and other neurological conditions. 

The Georgia Tech-Shepherd Center Seed Grant Program is part of an ongoing partnership between the two institutions that started in 2023 with the goal of advancing rehabilitative patient care and research.

“The seed grant program is intended to stimulate new interdisciplinary research collaborations by providing seed funding to obtain preliminary data or prototypes necessary for the submission of an external grant or industry opportunities,” says Deborah Backus, vice president of Research and Innovation at Shepherd Center. “As two leading research institutions, we know the potential for advancing rehabilitation therapies is even greater when we work together. We look forward to the solutions, treatments, and therapies that emerge from these initial seed grants.” 

Experts from both institutions evaluated and scored seed grant applications based on the research’s innovation, approach, and potential for training opportunities, as well as its anticipated impact, prospects for commercial translation, and strategy for securing continued funding. This year, each awardee team received close to $50,000.

“We are very excited to launch this new seed grant program, which will spur ideas and propel research forward,” said Michelle LaPlaca, professor in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Georgia Tech lead of the Collaborative. “The complementary expertise of Georgia Tech and Shepherd Center researchers, combined with the motivation to find solutions for individuals with neurological injury and disability, is a winning formula for innovation.”

"Offering new hope for neurorehabilitation patients requires bringing together interdisciplinary researchers to explore new and creative ideas,” adds Chris Rozell, Julian T. Hightower Chaired professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the inaugural executive director of the Institute of Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS) at Georgia Tech. “I'm excited to see the talent at these world class institutions coming together to develop new solutions for these complex problems."

This year’s seed grants were awarded to the following projects:

• Proof of Concept Development of the Recovery Cushion – Stephen Sprigle, professor, School of Industrial Design and School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech; Jennifer Cowhig, research physical therapist, Shepherd Center.
• Paving a Smooth Path from Hospital to Home: A Feasibility Study of an Integrated Smart Transitional Home Lab to Support Stroke Rehabilitation Patients’ Transition to Home – John Morris, senior clinical research scientist, Shepherd Center; Hui Cai, professor in the School of Architecture, executive director of the SimTigrate Design Center, Georgia Tech.
• A Comparative Analysis of Lower-Limb Exoskeleton Technology for Non-Ambulatory Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury – Maegan Tucker, assistant professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech; Nicholas Evans (AP 2023), clinical research scientist, Shepherd Center.
• Improving Accessibility and Precision in Neurorehabilitation at the Point of Care with AI-Driven Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Solutions – Brad Willingham, clinical research scientist, director of Multiple Sclerosis Research, Shepherd Center; May Dongmei Wang, professor, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech.

Young people in Atlanta and Boston will be able to lead efforts to improve their communities through new civic technologies supported by Georgia Tech, Northeastern University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers.

With the help of a $1.25 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the three institutions seek to increase youth input into policymaking and encourage youth-led community organizing.

Youth-designed civic technologies are an effective way to engage youth with their communities, said Andrea Parker, an associate professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Interactive Computing. 

Examples of civic technologies are public data initiatives, citizen science projects, public issue reporting platforms, and digital voting platforms. Parker said the perspectives of young people are often neglected in the design of such technologies.

“We don’t know much about what community issues are important to youth because we haven’t asked them,” she said. “What is their vision for community well-being, and what do they want to address through civic technology?”

Parker is the lead principal investigator (PI) on the project that will engage youth from low socio-economic communities in Atlanta and Boston. She said the youth will decide what technologies will be created, but they could include a mobile app or a publicly accessible platform.

“We’re interested in studying how technologies can help youth become more civically engaged in their communities and build social connection, trust, and belonging amongst neighbors,” she said. 

“Youth in lower-income neighborhoods face increased threats to their mental health. Socially cohesive communities can counteract those barriers and are essential for youth well-being.”

Parker added that impoverished communities often have less social cohesion compare to wealthier areas. Higher-income neighborhoods often have more access to resources that support social cohesion and civic engagement. 

Backed by Data

Brooke Foucault Welles, co-PI, professor, and interim dean at Northeastern’s College of Media, Arts and Design, said she’s interested in seeing which issues the youths from both Atlanta and Boston will address through their design process. Studying and working with youth across these geographic settings will help the team identify how civic technology can best support youth in varied neighborhood contexts.

The project will also advance data literacy among young people as they collect and study data to support the new technologies. Welles said data-centered advocacy increases young people’s chances of being heard by elder community members.

“Empowering young people to use data when they’re making their arguments about what matters to them and to their communities is the point of this project,” she said. “It makes their arguments more compelling if they can present data to the adult members of their communities about what’s going on.”

The project’s reach could expand beyond Atlanta and Boston.

Once the technologies are designed, the researchers will package them and make them publicly available as a toolkit. 

If successful, the project could drive a movement toward more collective organizing to ensure the youth perspective gets factored into community decision-making. 

“They’re a vital part of our communities, and they’re the ones for whom our decisions have the biggest impact,” Welles said. “These are the times when they’re forming their own civic identities, so engaging them in civic life has long ripple effects. We create more active and thoughtful citizens when we engage young people with civic life.”

A new partnership between Georgia Tech’s Aware Home Research Initiative and the Georgia Tech EXCEL program is helping students with intellectual and developmental disabilities gain essential life skills—starting in the kitchen.

The EXCEL program—short for expanding career, education, and leadership opportunities—is a four-year college experience designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It leads to two certificates and focuses on academic enrichment, social growth, career development, and independent living. 

“We accept students from across the country, not just Georgia,” said Sherri Burrell, EXCEL’s mentorship coordinator. “Our goal is to prepare our students for life after college, and that includes learning how to live independently.”

Burrell joined the EXCEL team in August 2024 and quickly identified a gap in the program: students needed a hands-on space to learn about nutrition, cooking, and healthy living—skills that could not be taught effectively in a traditional classroom. That’s when she connected with Brian Jones, director of research at Georgia Tech’s Aware Home lab.

The Aware Home, a three-story, 5,040-square-foot living laboratory, is designed to mirror a real home environment where Georgia Tech researchers, faculty, and students can develop and test innovative technologies. With its fully equipped kitchen and smart home capabilities, it offers an ideal setting for EXCEL students—many of whom are tactile learners—to engage in real-world, hands-on learning.

The partnership began with current EXCEL students and their Georgia Tech mentors—traditional students who support EXCEL participants in areas like social development, wellness, and life transitions. Together, mentors and mentees learned to prepare simple, nutritious meals. “It wasn’t just beneficial for our EXCEL students,” Burrell noted. “Many of the mentors were also new to cooking. They learned new skills and knowledge right alongside their mentees.”

The collaboration expanded into the EXCEL Summer Academy, a two-week program for high school juniors and seniors interested in applying to EXCEL. During the summer sessions, prospective students visited the Aware Home to explore topics like nutrition, dining, and making healthy food choices. “Even though incoming students are on a meal plan and don’t have kitchens, it’s still important they understand how to make smart decisions about what they eat,” Burrell said.

A Legacy of Research Innovation

Beyond this Excel program educational role, the Aware Home, the first residential laboratory of its type, has a rich legacy of shaping the future of smart home technology. One of its most influential contributors is Shwetak Patel, a Georgia Tech alumnus and now a professor at the University of Washington’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. Patel’s time in the Aware Home as a Ph.D. student profoundly influenced his career and the broader field of ubiquitous computing. He described how the Aware Home lab’s impact on his research career fell into three distinct “buckets”:

1. Career Transformation

Patel credits the Aware Home with fundamentally reshaping his career path. His early exposure to real-world research problems in a home-like setting helped him discover his passion for applied computer science and human-centered innovation. “It totally informed the way I do research now,” he said.

2. Living Laboratory Innovation

The Aware Home’s immersive environment allowed Patel to explore practical challenges in home sensing and automation. His doctoral work, Infrastructure Mediated Sensing, focused on detecting water and electricity usage, human presence, and environmental context—technologies that laid the foundation for the smart home industry. This research led to the creation of startups like Zensi and Phyn, and influenced commercial products such as Belkin’s Conserve line, smart meters, and even [Google] Nest and Sense devices. Patel is also a distinguished engineer and health technologies leader at Google who guided  many of Google’s smart home technologies. “You can draw a direct line from our early work in the Aware Home to the smart home technologies we see today,” Patel explained.

3. Defining Innovation

Patel’s experience in the Aware Home helped him refine his understanding of innovation—not just as a technical achievement, but as a meaningful solution to everyday problems. “The Aware Home really informed my view on how to do innovation,” he said. “It’s about solving real-world problems in ways that matter to people.”

 

Helping People Today and in the Future

As the EXCEL program and Aware Home Lab continue to collaborate, they’re not only teaching students how to cook—they’re also contributing to a broader legacy of innovation. With future research opportunities on the horizon, this new partnership and other ongoing research projects across Georgia Tech, such as the Aware Home collaboration with the AI Caring Institute, are poised to further explore how smart environments can support independent living and improve the quality of life.

If you are a researcher, company, or start-up interested in using the Aware Home lab for research, testing, or evaluating in-home technologies, contact Brian Jones, lab director of the Aware Home, at brian.jones@gatech.edu.