Bio

Bruce Walker is a Professor of Psychology and of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. His Sonification Lab studies the human-computer interaction (HCI) issues in non-traditional interfaces, ranging from mobile devices, to cockpits and vehicle displays, to multimodal interfaces in education and in complex task environments. Particular research interests include sonification and auditory displays. Professor Walker teaches HCI, Sensation & Perception, Auditory Interfaces, and Assistive Technology. Walker has been President of the International Community for Auditory Display (ICAD). His work includes psychological and psychophysical studies, as well as the development of complete software and hardware systems to assist people with vision impairments. His Sonification Sandbox software is widely used to create multimodal auditory graphs for blind students and scientists. His System for Wearable Audio Navigation (SWAN) has seen international press coverage as an exciting new way for people with vision impairments to learn about their surroundings. Walker also led the GT Accessible Aquarium Project, seeking to make dynamic museum, zoo, and aquarium exhibits accessible to visitors with vision loss. Professor Walker teaches courses on Sensation and Perception, Engineering Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Auditory Interfaces, and Assistive Technology. He holds a BSc in Physics from McGill University, and a MS and PhD in Psychology from Rice University. In addition to academic research leading to over 150 peer reviewed journal articles and conference papers, Professor Walker has worked and consulted on projects for NASA, state and federal governments, the military, and private companies.