SimTigrate Design Center Open House 2026

This interdisciplinary showcase explores how research and design can better connect hospital and home. Student teams collaborated with domain experts to design forward‑thinking solutions that integrate smart home technology, assistive tech, and accessible design principles. Their work aim to improve quality of life, support caregivers, and strengthen the continuum of care beyond traditional clinical settings.

This year’s work highlights two key populations:

• Stroke survivors navigating complex physical, cognitive, and emotional recovery
• Technology‑Dependent Children (TDC) whose intensive medical needs shift from hospital settings into the home.

Students embraced an exciting challenge—reimagining how design can better support stroke survivors, TDC patients, and their care partners. Their work focuses on bridging the gap between hospital and home to enable healthier, more empowered living and to help reshape the future ecosystem of health.

Designing Cognitive-Friendly Kitchen Cabinets Using an Evidence-Based and User-Centered Approach

PhD Student: Ibrahim Bilau

Students will be presenting mixed-methods set of studies examining how visual accessibility through open cabinet shelving can support older adults with mild cognitive impairment and normal aging adults. The work includes a true experiment, a virtual reality study, and a co-design participatory workshop, using behavioral sensors (eye tracking and wrist accelerometers), standardized surveys, interviews, and observations to assess behavioral biomarkers and the impact of the design intervention.

From Observation to Intervention: Designing Multisensory Environments to Support Horticultural Therapy for Older Adults in Nursing Homes

PhD Student: Abdurrahman Baru

This research presents a two-phase investigation into the role of the indoor environment in horticultural therapy for older adults at A.G. Rhodes nursing facilities in Atlanta. Phase 1 used behavioral observations, mood assessments, and environmental measurements to identify how ambient conditions influence resident engagement. Phase 2 introduces a portable multisensory intervention integrating projected nature imagery, ambient soundscapes, and scent, while measuring neurophysiological responses using EEG, FNIRS, and biometric sensors to evaluate therapeutic impact.

Wayfinding Performance in Long-Term Care Facilities: The Role of Spatial Configuration

PhD Student: Yasaman Gholami & Yeinn Oh

Wayfinding in older adults has been recognized as an essential yet challenging aspect of daily functioning due to age-related cognitive decline. As such, the design of LTC facilities plays a critical role in supporting wayfinding, facilitating essential activities, and promoting residents’ independence. Therefore, this session aims to examine how spatial qualities of LTC facilities can predict residents’ wayfinding performance. Fifteen LTC facilities in the U.S. were selected, and the wayfinding performance of a total of 125 older adult residents was evaluated through predefined navigation tasks of three levels of complexity. The design typology was identified based on corridor structure (linear, branched, and courtyard). In addition to typical route characteristics (i.e., length, turns, floors visited), key spatial metrics of the floor plans were analyzed using Space Syntax methods. Stepwise regression models and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze the relationship between the spatial characteristics of the floor plans, typologies, and route features on wayfinding performance. Findings show that spatial layout impacts wayfinding performance, even when residents’ individual health and cognitive conditions are considered. The LTC facility typology has also played a role in residents’ wayfinding performance. The findings can inform the architectural design of LTC facilities, ultimately enhancing residents’ autonomy and quality of life.

Growing Johnson County (JoCo)’s Farmers Markets for Healthy Food Access: Lessons Learned from Data and Community Insights

PhD Student: Yilun Zha

Access to healthy food is essential for neighborhoods’ prosperity, resilience, and overall well-being. Johnson County (JoCo), despite being one of the most affluent counties in Kansas, still faces the challenge of food access inequity for vulnerable populations. Research has shown farmers markets (FMs) as an alternative community-led solution to increase access to healthy food. Supported by a USDA grant, this project evaluates environmental qualities, shopper experiences, and community participation in ten city-run FMs in JoCo. Through a participatory design approach, the research team conducted interviews with FM managers, environmental audits of the retail environments at all markets, and surveys to customers and vendors. We found that while accessibility is still vital, shoppers’ FM participation is also driven by the physical and social features of the market and its ambient neighborhood characteristics. An accessible and inviting market environment is associated with longer time spent and better sales. Data and main findings have been presented to and discussed with community partners for a countywide action plan to grow the FM network to better serve residents in need.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

SimTigrate Design Lab, 85 5th Street Northwest, Atlanta, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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