Seminar: Computational fabrication methods for creating personalized interfaces

Abstract: Technology intervention in serious applications such as disability management, age care, physical rehabilitation, and well-being can significantly improve the quality of life for many people. Despite the growing need, adherence to these technologies is still low. Research finds that a major factor of technology abandonment is the poor fit between the user's needs and the system's capabilities. This is not a surprise considering the challenges faced by people in these application areas manifest in dramatically different ways in individuals and change over time and with the context. This talk explores an approach to fabricating and operating interactive interfaces collaboratively to fit the needs and situations of the users. The specific research explored methods for understanding and modelling user activities, co-designing with users, and utilising novel fabrication methods to create new interactive interfaces that fit the user and the context.

Biography: Anusha Withana is an Associate Professor and an ARC DECRA Fellow at the School of Computer Science, the University of Sydney, where he leads the AID-LAB. He works in the research field of human-computer interaction (HCI), mainly focusing on creating personalized interfaces using computational fabrication methods. His research work has been published in top-tier HCI conferences and journals such as ACM CHI/UIST/IMWUT. He has won multiple awards, including the Most Innovative Engineers in Australia Award 2020, and his research has been featured in leading media outlets such as CNN, Discovery TV, SBS, Straits Times, Gizmodo, and Engadget.