Graduate mentor's supervisor: Prof. Jim Wallace
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects an estimated 5–10% of children worldwide. Yet existing interventions — medication and clinic-based therapy — remain costly and difficult to access for many families. Neurofeedback training is a non-pharmacological approach with a growing evidence base, but it is currently available almost exclusively in clinical settings.
Our research asks: What should an at-home attention training system look like for families of children with ADHD? We are designing a system that combines an EEG headset, tangible interactive hardware, and gamified training experiences — one that children actually want to use, that parents can meaningfully participate in, and that makes training progress visible and trackable.
Students will:
- Read and synthesize existing literature on ADHD interventions and attention training tools, building familiarity with the project background and prior user research data.
- Participate in the design and testing of the app interface — including gamified experiences for children and feedback dashboards for parents. (Figma experience is sufficient; no prior app development required.)
We welcome students who have completed core first- and second-year CS courses (introductory programming, data structures). No background in ADHD or neuroscience is required — we will get you up to speed. Students with an interest in HCI, child-centered design, psychology, or accessibility research are especially encouraged to apply.
We particularly welcome earlier-year students who are curious and eager to work with real users.