About Dr. Julian Brinkley - Human-Centered Computing & AI/Accessibility Innovator

I am the Co-Founder and Chairman of Daedalus Cybernetics (DC), a pioneering company with leading AI and accessibility subsidiaries: MyUI.AI (focused on AI-driven user interfaces) and Accessibility Research Platform.

At Clemson University, I proudly serve as a Dean's Associate Professor of Human-Centered Computing within the School of Computing. My core research is dedicated to exploring intricate user needs and seamlessly translating this vital knowledge into highly usable, impactful transportation technologies. I also have the privilege of directing the Design and Research of In-Vehicle Experiences Lab (DRIVE Lab).

With nearly 20 years of experience (since August 2007), I've been actively conducting rigorous user research and building robust systems, particularly in areas like autonomous vehicles and accessibility for the visually impaired.

DRIVE Lab Mission: Enhancing Human Experience Through Technology & Research

In the DRIVE Lab, we are passionately dedicated to understanding and significantly enhancing the human experience through advanced technology. We employ a comprehensive suite of human-centered research methods, including in-depth interviews, insightful surveys, rigorous observational studies, detailed usability testing, and effective A/B testing, all aimed at continuously improving user experiences across various domains.

Education & Academic Background

• Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing, University of Florida – Dissertation: Autonomous Vehicles and Visually Impaired Operators
• MBA, Clemson University – Program Project: MyUI.AI (AI & Accessibility)
• MS in Software Engineering, East Carolina University – Thesis: Usability for the Visually Impaired
• BA in Liberal Arts and Sciences, UNC Greensboro

Employment & Professional Experience

• Dean's Associate Professor, Human-Centered Computing, Clemson University (2024–Present)
• Assistant Professor, Human-Centered Computing, Clemson University (2018–2024)
• Senior Software Developer, Business Analyst III (2014–2018)

Publications

Journal Manuscripts

• Deng M., Gluck, A., Zhao, Y., Li, D. Menassa, C. C., Kamat V. R., & Brinkley, J. (2024). An Analysis of Physiological Responses as Indicators of Driver Takeover Readiness in Conditionally Automated Driving. Accident Analysis and Prevision, 195. [Impact Factor: 5.9]
• Brinkley, J., Huff, Jr., E., Posadas, B. Sherman, I., Woodward, J., Daily, S. B. & Gilbert, J. E. (2020). Exploring the Needs, Preferences and Concerns of Persons with Visual Impairments Regarding Self-Driving Vehicles. ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing, 13 (1), 1-34. [Impact Factor: 1.57]
• Huff Jr., E., Brinkley, J. (2020). Ridesharing Drivers and Persons with Disabilities. Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities 8, 160-169.
• Gluck, A., Brinkley, J. (2020). Implementing ‘The Enclosing Dark’: A VR Auditory Adventure. Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities 8, 149-159.
• Brinkley, J., Posadas, B. Sherman, I., Daily, S. B. & Gilbert, J. E. (2019). An Open Road Evaluation of a Self-Driving Vehicle Human-Machine Interface Designed for Visually Impaired Users.
  International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction 35 (11), 1018-1032. [Impact Factor: 1.905]
• Brinkley, J., Daily, S. B. & Gilbert, J. E. (2019). A Policy Proposal to Support Self-Driving Vehicle Accessibility. J Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities 7, 35-43.
• Brinkley, J., Daily, S. B. & Gilbert, J. E. (2019). Implementing the ATLAS Self-Driving Vehicle Voice User Interface. Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities 7, 133-140.
• Brinkley, J., Daily, S. B. & Gilbert, J. E. (2018). A Survey of Visually Impaired Consumers About SelfDriving Vehicles. Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities 6, 273-282.
• Shahbazi E., Brinkley, J. & Tabrizi, M. (2013). A Distributed Key-Based Security Framework for Private Clouds. Journal of Applied Computer Science and Applications 4 (9), 79-83.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

• Brinkley, J., Huff Jr., E., Gluck, A.,  Enam, M. A.. (2024). An Autoethnographic Study of the Waymo One Autonomous Ridesharing Ecosystem: Exploring Issues of Accessibility. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Toronto, Canada.
• Enam, M. A., Bastola, A. N., Brinkley, J. (2024). An Inclusive Model for External Human Machine Interfaces of Autonomous Vehicles. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Toronto, Canada.
• Brinkley, J. , Enam, M. A. (2024). The ATLAS Autonomous Vehicle HMI: Leveraging Sensory Substition to Support the Accessibility Needs of Blind and Low Vision Users. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human- Machine Systems, Toronto, Canada.
• Enam, M. A., Bastola, A. N., Brinkley, J. (2024). Are the External Human-Machine Interfaces (eHMI) Accessible for People with Disabilities? A Systematic Review. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Toronto, Canada.
• Brinkley, J., Ugboko, R. (2024). Accessible Autonomous Vehicles as Symbiotic Autonomous Systems for Users with Disabilities: Preliminary Design Guidelines. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Toronto, Canada. [
• Bastola, A., Enam, M. A., Bastola, A. N., Gluck, A., & Brinkley, J. (2023). Multi-Functional Glasses for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Design and Development. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, California.
• Gluck, A., Golba, E. & Brinkley, J. (2023). Development of a VR Head-Mounted Display Strap Modification for Use by Individuals with a Cochlear Implant. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, California.
• Bastola, A., Gluck, A., & Brinkley, J. (2023). Feedback Mechanism for the Blind and Visually Impaired: A Review. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, California.
• Huff Jr., E., & Brinkley, J. (2023). Perceptions of Readiness for Online Learning Between Sighted and Visually Impaired Students. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (EDULearn23), P Palma, Spain.
• Gluck, A., Brinkley, J., Solini, H., & Maiti K. (2022). Evaluating 3D Printed VR Controller Prototypes to Increase VR Accessibility for Older Adults. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Gainesville, Florida.
• Gluck, A., , Deng, M., Zhao, Y., Menassa, C., Li, D., Brinkley, J., & Kamat, V. (2022). Exploring Driver Physiological Response During Level 3 Conditional Driving Automation. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Gainesville, Florida.
• Brinkley, J., Huff Jr., E., & Gluck, A., (2022). Design Techniques for Exploring Accessible Human- Autonomous Vehicle Interaction in the Age of Vehicular Automation. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Gainesville, Florida.
• Gluck, A., , Huff Jr., E., Boateng, K. & Brinkley, J. (2022). Toward a Framework for Embodiment in Emerging Transportation Technologies for Facilitating In-Vehicle Experiences for Vulnerable and Disabled Road Users. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Gainesville, Florida.
• Huff Jr., E., Tucker, N., Grady, S. & Brinkley, J. (2022). What Can My Car Tell Me? Consumer Perceptions of Transparency in Self-Driving Vehicles. Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE Conference on Human-Machine Systems, Gainesville, Florida.
• Gluck, A.., Solini, H.,. & Brinkley, J. (2022). It’s Enactment Time!: High-fidelity Enactment Stage for Accessible Automated Driving System Technology Research. Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIG ACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, Athens, Greece.
• Huff Jr., E., Brewer, R.. & Brinkley, J. (2022). Where Are You Taking Me? Reflections from Observing Ridesharing Use By People with Visual Impairments. Proceedings of the 24th International ACM SIG ACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, Athens, Greece.
• Brinkley , J, Huff Jr., E. & Enam, M. A.. (2022). Transforming Transportation in the Pursuit of Barrier Free Mobility: The State-of-the-Art in Autonomous Vehicle Interaction Technologies for People with Disabilities. Proceedings of the ICT Accessibility Testing Symposium, 11-26.
• Huff Jr., E., Grady, S. & Brinkley, J. (2021). Tell Me What I Need to Know: Consumers’ Desire for Information Transparency in Self-Driving Vehicles. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 65 (1), 327-331.
• Carvalho, S., Gluck, A., Quinn, D., Zhang, M., Li, L., Groves, K. & Brinkley, J. (2021). An Accessible Autonomous Vehicle Ridesharing Ecosystem. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 65 (1), 342-346.
• Huff Jr., E., Gluck, A., Boateng, K. & Brinkley, J. (2021). The Daily Experiences of Facebook for Visually Impaired Users. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 65 (1), 221-225.
• Huff Jr., E. & Brinkley, J. (2021). A Diary Study of The Teaching and Learning Experience in A High School Programming Course. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 65 (1), 201-205.
• Gluck, A., Boateng, K. & Brinkley, J. (2021). Racing in the Dark: Exploring Accessible Virtual Reality by Developing a Racing Game for People who are Blind. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 65 (1), 1114-1118.
• Brinkley, J. (2021). Using Personas with Visual Impairments to Explore the Design of an Accessible Self Driving Vehicle Human-Machine Interface. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 65 (1), 337-341.
• Huff Jr., E., Boateng, K., Moster, M., Rodeghero, P. & Brinkley, J. (2021). Exploring the Perspectives of Teachers of the Visually Impaired Regarding Accessible K12 Computing Education. Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 156-162.
• Brinkley, J., Huff Jr., E. & Boateng, K. (2021). Tough but Effective: Exploring the Use of Remote Participatory Design in an Inclusive Design Course Through Student Reflections. Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 170-176.
• Huff Jr., E., Boateng, K., Moster, M., Rodeghero, P. & Brinkley, J. (2020). Examining The Work Experience of Programmers with Visual Impairments. Proceedings of International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution, 707-711 [Acceptance Rate: 37%].
• Gluck, A., Boateng, K., Huff Jr., E. & Brinkley, J. (2020). Putting Older Adults in the Driver Seat: Using User Enactment to Explore the Design of a Shared Autonomous Vehicle. Proceedings of the Automotive User Interface Conference, 291-300.
• Carvalho, S., Ahire, S., Huff Jr., E. & Brinkley, J. (2020). UTT: A Conceptual Model to Guide the Universal Design of Autonomous Vehicles. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64 (1), 87-91.
• Brinkley , J., Huff Jr., E., Boateng, K. & Ahire, S.   (2020). Autonomous Vehicle Anti-Patterns: Making Emerging Transportation Technologies Inaccessible by Design. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64 (1), 1038-1042.
• Huff Jr., E., Boateng, K. & Brinkley, J.   (2020). Dear Diary: Conducting Diary Studies with Participants with Visual Impairments. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64 (1), 1566-1570.
• Huff Jr., E., Zhang, M. & Brinkley, J.   (2020). Enacting into Reality: Using User Enactment to Explore the Future of Autonomous Vehicle Design. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64 (1), 1561-1565.
• Brinkley, J. & Huff Jr., E.  (2020). Inclusion by Design: A 75-Minute Crash Course on Accessible Design. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64 (1), 831-835.
• Huff Jr., E., Lucaites, K., Roberts, A. & Brinkley, J.   (2020). Participatory Design in the Classroom: Exploring the design of an Autonomous Vehicle Human-Machine Interface with a Visually Impaired CoDesigner. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64 (1), 19211925.
• Gluck, A., Huff Jr., E., Lucaites, Zhang, M. & Brinkley, J.   (2020). Lights, Camera, Autonomy! Exploring the Opinions of Older Adults Regarding Autonomous Vehicles Through Enactment. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64 (1), 1971-1975.
• Huff Jr., E., Stigall, B. Brinkley, J., Pak, R. & Caine, K. (2020) Can Computer-Generated Speech Have an Age? Extended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1-7. Portland, OR. [Acceptance rate 41.8%]
• Brinkley, J. (2020) Participation at What Cost? Teaching Accessibility Using Participatory Design: An Experience Report. Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 114-120. Portland, OR. [Acceptance rate 34%]
• Huff Jr., E., Dellamaria, N., Posadas, B. & Brinkley, J. (2019). Am I Too Old To Drive? Opinions of Older Adults on Self-Driving Vehicles. Proceedings of the 21st International SIG ACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, 500-509. Pittsburgh, PA. [Acceptance rate 26%]
• Brinkley, J., Posadas, B., Woodward, J. & Gilbert, J. E. (2017). Opinions and Preferences of Blind and Low Vision Consumers Regarding Self-Driving Vehicles: Results of Focus Group Discussions. Proceedings of the 19th International SIG ACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, 290-299. Baltimore, MD [Acceptance rate 22%]. 
• Brinkley, J., Dunbar, J. Smith, J. D. & Gilbert, J. E. (2017). A Usability Evaluation of the BMW Active Cruise Control System with “Stop and Go” Function. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 61 (1), 1536-1540. Sage Publications.  Austin, TX. 
• Brinkley, J. & Tabrizi, M. (2017). A Desktop Usability Evaluation of the Facebook Mobile Interface using the JAWS Screen Reader with Blind Users. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 61 (1), 828-832. Sage Publications.  Austin, TX. [Honorable Mention Marc Resnick Best Paper Award]
• Brinkley, J., Hoffman, D. & Tabrizi, M. (2017). A Social Networking Site Portable Profile System for Blind and Visually Impaired Users Based on Cloud and Semantic Web Technologies. Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Cognitive Computing, 104-111. Honolulu, HI. 
• Dillon, E. C., Brinkley, J., Moon, D., Gilbert, J. E., Kang, S. C. & Williams, B. N. (2016). Bridging The Safety Divide Through Technology To Improve The Partnership Between Students and Campus LawEnforcement. Proceedings of the International Conference on Urban Education. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• Rowe, F., Brinkley, J. & Tabrizi, M. (2013). Migrating Existing Applications to the Cloud. Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Cloud Computing and Big Data, 68-77. FuZhou, China.
• Bazargani, S., Brinkley, J. & Tabrizi, M. (2013). Implementing Conceptual Search Capability in a Cloud-Based Feed Aggregator. Proceedings of the IEEE 3rd International Conference on Innovative Computing Technology, 138-143. London, UK.
• Bazargani, S., Brinkley, J. & Tabrizi, M. (2012). Developing An Agent-Based Feed Analyzer in the Cloud. Proceedings of the IEEE 4th International Conference on Cloud Computing, Technology and Science, 217-224. Taipei, Taiwan [Acceptance Rate 19.7%].