Global pandemics from the Black Death to Covid-19 disproportionally impact the health, mortality, security, and wellbeing of minority and underserved communities. Digital technologies including track and trace apps, GPS surveillance, AI diagnosis, and telemedicine provide some mechanisms to combat the spread of disease, while also instilling fear, infringing privacy, and further reinforcing health, socio-economic, and structural inequalities. Developing digital technologies for the fullness of human experience requires consideration of numerous factors and necessitates the input, co-operation, and participation of diverse stakeholders. 

In response, this class will include considerations and questions such as:

• how can researchers authentically engage with underserved communities to co-create inclusive and accessible digital solutions? 

• what technical, economic, legal, social or political challenges might engineers and designers encounter in developing and implementing accessible and assistive technologies? 

• what role can empathy play in participatory design practices and how can it support the development of health and wellness technologies for the fullest range of human experiences?

This hybrid course (hybrid meaning online/in person AND seminar/studio) will interrogate academic and popular texts, social media, audiovisual material, and computational artifacts bridging both historical and emerging areas of contemporary inquiry related to the topic. Students will encounter and then use a variety of theoretical, philosophical, and pragmatic lenses to study, analyze and write about course material. Throughout the semester, students will complete digital prototype assignments  and co-design a final digital project in collaboration with community stakeholders.  

"The class is open to graduate students in Computer Science and all other departments by instructor permission.”