Beyond the Lab: Bringing Sensory-Inclusive AI to Higher Education and Government
- David Ruttenberg
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Research is great. But at some point, it has to leave the lab.
For years, I've been developing technology and conducting research aimed at helping neurodivergent individuals: particularly autistic adults: navigate environments that weren't designed with them in mind. My PhD thesis at University College London explored how sensory sensitivities affect attention and mental wellbeing, and how adaptive wearable technology might help (Ruttenberg, 2025). But the question I keep coming back to is this: how do we actually get this stuff into the hands of the people who need it?
The answer lies in institutions. Universities. Government agencies. The places where policy meets practice.
The Invisible Disability Problem
Here's the thing about sensory sensitivities: you can't see them. A fluorescent light that barely registers for one person might be completely debilitating for another. An open-plan office that feels "collaborative" to a neurotypical employee might feel like sensory chaos to someone with autism or ADHD.
In 2023, I contributed to a UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology report on invisible disabilities in education and employment. The findings were striking: individuals with invisible disabilities: including autism, ADHD, and sensory processing differences: face significant barriers in both academic and professional settings, often because accommodations aren't built into the system from the start (Ruttenberg et al., 2023).
This isn't just a matter of individual accommodations. It's a systemic design problem. And it's one that AI is uniquely positioned to help solve.
Why Universities and Government Agencies?
If you want to create lasting change, you go where the scale is. Universities educate millions of students each year. Government agencies employ millions more and set policies that affect everyone else.
These institutions also have something else going for them: they're already thinking about accessibility. The challenge is moving from reactive accommodations (providing support after someone asks for it) to proactive, inclusive design (building systems that work for everyone from the start).
Al Haj Sleiman, Florén, and I explored this idea in a 2023 paper on inclusive student learning. We argued that "best practice" isn't a fixed target: it's a moving one that requires continuous adaptation to the needs of diverse learners (Al Haj Sleiman et al., 2023). AI-powered systems can help institutions make that shift by dynamically adjusting to individual needs in real time.
What Sensory-Inclusive AI Actually Looks Like
So what does this look like in practice? Here are a few examples:
Adaptive Learning Platforms: AI-driven educational tools can adjust content pacing, presentation format, and assessment methods based on individual student profiles. For a student with sensory sensitivities, this might mean reducing visual clutter, offering audio alternatives, or allowing for breaks during high-stimulus activities.
Environmental Monitoring: Smart building systems can track environmental factors like lighting, noise levels, and temperature, and adjust them based on occupant preferences. For government offices or university buildings, this could mean creating "sensory-friendly zones" that automatically adjust to reduce overwhelm.
Predictive Support Systems: AI analytics can help educators and administrators identify students who might be struggling before they fall through the cracks. This is especially important for students with invisible disabilities who may not self-identify or request accommodations.
My own work on the SensorAble project explored how wearable technology could detect physiological signs of sensory overwhelm and provide real-time interventions (Ruttenberg, 2025). The same principles apply at an institutional level: the key is building systems that respond to needs as they arise, not after the damage is done.
The Implementation Challenge
Of course, having the technology is only half the battle. The harder part is getting institutions to actually adopt it.
In my 2023 report on safeguarding autistic adults who use technology, I highlighted a key tension: the same technologies that can support vulnerable users can also create new risks if they're not designed and deployed thoughtfully (Ruttenberg, 2023). AI systems that collect data on sensory preferences, for example, need robust privacy protections. Adaptive systems need to be transparent about how they're making decisions.
For universities and government agencies, successful implementation requires a few key ingredients:
Inclusive Design Processes: The people who will use these systems need to be involved in designing them. That means students, employees, disability advocates, and neurodivergent individuals themselves: not just IT departments and administrators.
Institutional Leadership: Someone at the top needs to champion this work. Without buy-in from CXOs, provosts, or agency heads, sensory-inclusive AI will remain a pilot project rather than a standard practice.
Professional Development: Educators and staff need training on how to use these tools effectively. A fancy AI system is useless if no one knows how to configure it or interpret its outputs.
Policy Frameworks: Institutions need clear policies on data governance, algorithmic transparency, and accessibility standards. This is especially true for government agencies, which often have legal obligations around accessibility (Al Haj Sleiman et al., 2023).
The Bigger Picture
Here's what I keep coming back to: sensory-inclusive AI isn't just about helping neurodivergent individuals. It's about building systems that work better for everyone.
When you design for the margins, you often end up improving the experience for the mainstream too. Curb cuts were designed for wheelchair users, but they help parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, and delivery workers with carts. The same principle applies to sensory-inclusive design.
A university lecture hall with adjustable lighting and reduced ambient noise isn't just better for students with autism: it's better for everyone trying to concentrate. A government office with flexible workspaces and environmental controls isn't just more accessible for employees with sensory sensitivities: it's more comfortable for everyone.
The research is there. The technology is there. Now it's time to bring it beyond the lab and into the institutions where it can make a real difference.
What You Can Do
If you're a CXO, university administrator, or government leader, here's my ask: start the conversation. Audit your current systems for sensory accessibility. Talk to neurodivergent students and employees about their experiences. Explore how AI-powered tools might help bridge the gaps.
And if you're a researcher, technologist, or advocate working in this space, let's connect. The more we collaborate across sectors, the faster we can move from pilot projects to systemic change.
You can learn more about my work at davidruttenberg.com.
Dr David Ruttenberg PhD, FRSA, FIoHE, AFHEA, HSRF is a neuroscientist, autism advocate, Fulbright Specialist Awardee, and Senior Research Fellow dedicated to advancing ethical artificial intelligence, neurodiversity accommodation, and transparent science communication. With a background spanning music production to cutting-edge wearable technology, Dr Ruttenberg combines science and compassion to empower individuals and communities to thrive. Inspired daily by their brilliant autistic daughter and family, Dr Ruttenberg strives to break barriers and foster a more inclusive, understanding world.
References
Al Haj Sleiman, N., Florén, H., & Ruttenberg, D. P. (2023). Best or better practice(s)? Toward a better future of policy, leadership, teaching, and inclusive student learning. Pre-print.
Ruttenberg, D. (2023, April 9). Safeguarding autistic adults who use technology. Local Government Association. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5PJRV
Ruttenberg, D. (2025). Towards technologically enhanced mitigation of autistic adults' sensory sensitivity experiences and attentional, and mental wellbeing disturbances [Doctoral dissertation, University College London]. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16142.27201
Ruttenberg, D., Rivas, C., Kuha, A., Moore, A., & Sotire, T. (2023). Invisible disabilities in education and employment. United Kingdom Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology POSTnote, (689), 1–23.
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