Professor Annalu Waller OBE

Annalu’s professional experience in human centred computing spans over 40 years. She is a world leader in developing intelligent and multimodal technologies to support people with severe speech and physical impairments. Annalu established the first Assistive Technology and Augmentative and Alternative Communication assessment and training centre in South Africa prior to moving to Scotland in 1989 to pursue an academic career.

She loves teaching and mentoring students, bringing accessibility into mainstream education and training. She has been instrumental in innovating and training a new professional – the Assistive Technologist – to support students in using assistive technology.

Her primary research areas are natural language processing, personal narrative and assistive technology. In particular, she has a track record of using artificial intelligence to support interactive conversation. Her work focuses on empowering end users, including disabled adults and children, by involving them in the design and use of technology.

She has managed a number of interdisciplinary research projects with academics, industry and practitioners from rehabilitation engineering, special education, therapy, and health. Annalu is passionate about accessibility and its benefits for society as a whole.

She was awarded an OBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List for services to people with Complex Communication Needs. She frequently delivers keynote speeches at international conferences and has appeared on TV, radio and in podcasts on accessibility and AI.

Annalu is a computer scientist and charted rehabilitation engineer, designing technology which supports people to achieve their individual potential. She is Professor of Human Communication Technologies at the University of Dundee (Scotland), where she directs the Assistive Technology and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Research Group.

  • PhD in Computer Science, University of Dundee (1992)

    MSc (Med.) with Distinction in Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town (1988).

    BSc (Hons) in Computer Science, University of Cape Town (1983).

  • Annalu has held non-executive trusteeships for a number of charities over the years. She is currently trustee and honorary treasurer for the UK Blissymbolics Communication Trust; and is trustee for Capability Scotland and Blissymbolics Communication International.

    Annalu provides consultancy to industry on web accessibility and the responsibility to ensure access for all under the Equality Act (2010).

    Annalu is also a member of the University of Dundee’s Chaplaincy team.

  • Annalu enjoys adventure, recently crewing the Tall Ship Tenacious from Shetland to Norway in 2024 and doing a tandem parachute jump for charity. She enjoys horse riding, and wishes she was a better gardener.