Hernisa Kacorri

Hernisa Kacorri is an Associate Professor in the College of Information (iSchool) at the University of Maryland with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies. She is a member of the Human-Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL) and the Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society.

Her research focuses on building technologies that address real-world problems by integrating data-driven methods and human-computer interaction, with particular emphasis on assistive technologies for people with disabilities. Her work includes developing sign language avatars, technologies for independent mobility for the blind, and math-to-speech systems.

Dr. Kacorri's research primarily addresses accessibility challenges through technological innovation. Her work spans multiple domains including American Sign Language animation where she develops systems for synthesizing syntactic facial expressions, technologies for people with visual impairments focusing on object recognition and navigation, and accessibility solutions for mathematical content. Her approach combines data-driven methods with rigorous user-centered evaluation involving disabled communities.

Her publication record shows a consistent focus on accessibility technologies, particularly in American Sign Language processing and visual impairment solutions. Her work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between computer science, linguistics, and human factors research, with a clear emphasis on practical applications that address real accessibility barriers.

• Best Paper Honorable Mention at CHI 2017
• Best Paper Finalist at ASSETS 2016
• NSF Award #1506786 for Syntactic Facial Expression Synthesis research

Dr. Kacorri collaborates with researchers at Boston University and Rutgers University on sign language processing projects. Her research methodology emphasizes involving disabled users early in the design process and developing rigorous evaluation frameworks that account for demographic factors and user experience. She has contributed to the development of automatic metrics for evaluating sign language animations and has explored innovative approaches like gamification to improve video captioning through crowdsourcing.

Her laboratory work focuses on the Human-Computer Interaction Lab at the University of Maryland, where she leads projects on assistive technologies, sign language animation, and accessibility solutions for mathematical content. Her research group develops technologies that model communication and behavior to benefit people with disabilities.