Kyla McMullen

Associate Professor University of Florida

Gainesville FL

Kyla McMullen studies the application and development of 3D audio technologies for use in virtual and augmented reality contexts.

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Biography

Kyla McMullen, an associate professor in Computer & Information Science & Engineering, has made notable contributions to human-centered computing, particularly in the realm of 3D audio technology. Her work aims to improve perception, navigation and situational awareness using immersive audio cues. She has received the NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, funding work to address the challenges of realistic 3D sound rendering, rapid change detection and the effects of competing sounds in noisy environments. Kyla's dedication extends beyond research; she actively engages in efforts to make the field of computing more inclusive. Through her involvement with initiatives, such as hosting "Modern Figures Podcast," she aims to inspire a diverse new generation in STEM. McMullen's journey from being the first underrepresented woman to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan to her impactful role in academia underscores her commitment to both technological advancement and community outreach.

Areas of Expertise

Human-Computer Interaction

Psychoacoustic

Augmented Reality

Spatial Audio

3D Audio

3D Sound

Virtual Reality (VR)

Audio Signal Processing

Human-Centered Computing

Media Appearances

2019 NCWIT Summit: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy A. Magruder Waisome

Modern Figures Podcast online

2019-05-16

2019 NCWIT Summit: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy A. Magruder Waisome - Modern Figures Podcast

Social

Articles

A machine learning tutorial for spatial auditory display using head-related transfer functions

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

Kyla McMullen, Yunhao Wan

2022-02-23

The high-fidelity three-dimensional (3D) auditory rendering uses digital filters to model the path of sound to reach the ears. In the last few decades, the research in the spatial auditory field has advanced dramatically. It is widely agreed that virtual auditory displays that use individualized head-related transfer functions (HRTFs, described later) produce the best and most accurate binaural audio reproduction.

DiVRsify: Break the Cycle and Develop VR for Everyone

IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications

Tabitha C. Peck, et. al

2021-12-10

Virtual reality technology is biased. It excludes approximately 95% of the world’s population by being primarily designed for male, western, educated, industrial, rich, and democratic populations. This bias may be due to the lack of diversity in virtual reality researchers, research participants, developers, and end users, fueling a noninclusive research, development, and usability cycle. The objective of this article is to highlight the minimal virtual reality research involving understudied populations with respect to dimensions of diversity, such as gender, race, culture, ethnicity, age, disability, and neurodivergence. Specifically, we highlight numerous differences in virtual reality usability between underrepresented groups compared to commonly studied populations. These differences illustrate the lack of generalizability of prior virtual reality research. Lastly, we present a call to action with the aim that, over time, will break the cycle and enable virtual reality for everyone.

The Corsi Block-Tapping Test: Evaluating methodological practices with an eye towards modern digital frameworks

Computers in Human Behavior Reports

Terek Arce

2021-08-02

Spatial memory is the part of memory that allows us to remember where things are in the environment. It is critical to everyday function and interaction. A number of tests have been developed for measuring spatial memory. One of the most commonly used tests is the Corsi Block-Tapping Test (CBT). The CBT offers researchers a simple way to measure spatial spans. Unfortunately, the CBT has suffered from a lack of methodological consistency over the years.