Auxa

Overview

Auxa is a multidisciplinary project focused on improving the daily experiences of individuals with autism through personalized lighting. Research suggests that lighting can significantly impact mood, focus, and overstimulation, yet current housing environments lack standards that address the sensory needs of neurodivergent individuals.

Our goal is to design a responsive lighting system that adapts to individual preferences and environmental cues, helping users feel more comfortable, focused, and regulated in their spaces. The system is intended to be both intelligent and intuitive, promoting accessibility, autonomy, and emotional well-being.

Project Roles

Divya is leading the academic research component, including a literature review, survey analysis, and the development of a research paper titled "Illuminating Comfort." Her work highlights the gap in lighting standards and supports our approach with evidence from neurodiversity and architectural psychology literature.

Nodoka is spearheading the technical development. This involves building an AI-powered tool that learns from user behavior and preferences to dynamically adjust lighting conditions (e.g., brightness, color temperature, and timing) in real-time.

Key Features

• User personalization: Through surveys or user interaction, the system tailors lighting to individual sensory profiles.
• AI adaptation: The lighting adapts over time based on user routines and real-time feedback.
• Accessibility-first design: Focused on ease-of-use for individuals with different communication and sensory processing styles.

Long-Term Vision

We hope Auxa becomes a stepping stone toward establishing lighting standards for neurodivergent-friendly environments in homes, classrooms, and care facilities. By bridging research with engineering, we aim to provide practical, evidence-based solutions that support everyday comfort and quality of life.

Technology Stack