Image taken from Albert: The Rock Paper Scissors Robotic Hand project I had the pleasure of being invited back to IaaC, Barcelona, to teach on the Masters in Robotics and Advanced Construction (MRAC) programme. The students were fantastic, as usual, and were not only able to come up with some really innovative projects, but also… Continue reading Invited again to teach the Masters in Robotics and Advanced Construction (MRAC) at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IaaC), Barcelona
News
Shortlisted for two categories at the Times Higher Education Awards Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Very excited and honoured to have been shortlisted in two different categories at the inaugural edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It’s a big occasion for us to be shortlisted in such a large scale event, and motivates us to continue working on our… Continue reading Shortlisted for two categories at the Times Higher Education Awards Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Received the 2023 Innovation Award for Creating Impact on Global Challenges by Middlesex University Dubai
Extremely humbled to receive the 2023 Innovation Award for creating impact on global challenges by Middlesex University Dubai! The award was given to me for the work that I’ve done through the VRX lab in the last year. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work with such innovative technology and to be a part… Continue reading Received the 2023 Innovation Award for Creating Impact on Global Challenges by Middlesex University Dubai
VRx Lab Space officially opened at Middlesex University Dubai
Super proud moment as the VRX Lab space was officially opened by Rebecca Lawrence, Chair of the Middlesex University Dubai University Board of Directors; Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University; and Professor Carole-Anne Upton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Global Innovation and Impact. Really excited about the new space, which I hope will lead to some impactful… Continue reading VRx Lab Space officially opened at Middlesex University Dubai
PhD Work with Robothespian now on Display at Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Madrid
Following on from the previous post, where my PhD work with the Robothespian was displayed at CCCB, Barcelona from July to December 2022, the exhibition titled Brain(s) (Cerebros in Spanish) has now moved to the Espacio Fundación Telefónica in Madrid. The exhibition explores humankind’s ongoing fascination with the brain and how history, art, science and… Continue reading PhD Work with Robothespian now on Display at Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Madrid
Overcoming Phobias with Virtual Reality: Featured in Wired Middle East
I was recently interviewed for an article published by Wired Middle East magazine where we delved into the transformative power of virtual reality (VR) in conquering phobias. The feature highlighted the remarkable effectiveness of VR as a therapeutic tool, offering useful insights into its implementation and potential it holds for the future. Click here to… Continue reading Overcoming Phobias with Virtual Reality: Featured in Wired Middle East
PhD Work with Robothespian on Display at Centre of Contemporary Culture Barcelona
[First two images courtesy Mel Slater @melslater] Work that I carried out during my PhD at the EventLab is now on display as part of Brain(s), an exhibition at the Centre of Contemporary Culture Barcelona (CCCB). The exhibition explores humankind’s ongoing fascination with the brain and how history, art, science and philosophy have studied and… Continue reading PhD Work with Robothespian on Display at Centre of Contemporary Culture Barcelona
Featured in an article in The New Yorker – Are We Already Living in Virtual Reality
[Image courtesy of The New Yorker] Regardless of whatever else I do in my life, this is probably something I’m always going to be proud of. I was featured in an article published in the New Yorker, talking about virtual reality. I have a very small part, but the line is absolutely iconic. I had… Continue reading Featured in an article in The New Yorker – Are We Already Living in Virtual Reality
Research paper titled: ‘A Virtual Reality Embodiment Technique to Enhance Helping Behavior of Police Toward a Victim of Police Racial Aggression’ published in Presence
The research paper titled ‘A Virtual Reality Embodiment Technique to Enhance Helping Behavior of Police Toward a Victim of Police Racial Aggression’ published in Presence: Virtual and Augmented Reality. This project which started out in 2018, was carried out when I was part of Virtual Bodyworks, in collaboration with Jigsaw. The project used Virtual Reality… Continue reading Research paper titled: ‘A Virtual Reality Embodiment Technique to Enhance Helping Behavior of Police Toward a Victim of Police Racial Aggression’ published in Presence
Multiple radio interviews on Dubai Eye 103.8 in 2024
I’ve been happy to visit the Dubai Eye 103.8 studio multiple times in the last few months to talk about various topics within tech. November 11 (The part starts at 15:13) – XPENG (Chinese EV manufacturer) has just released their own humanoid robot, titled Iron. We discussed what it is capable of doing, and what… Continue reading Multiple radio interviews on Dubai Eye 103.8 in 2024
Invited Again to Participate in panel discussion at GITEX 2024 (DWTC)
Happy to be back at GITEX 2024! Participated in a panel discussion talking about automation, supply chain, and the future. With 6,500+ companies participating and an audience of 180,000+, it was an honour to be invited. Automation, Robotics and the Future of Supply Chain When: Tuesday, 15 October 2023 at 2:30PM Where: Tech Talks Sessions,… Continue reading Invited Again to Participate in panel discussion at GITEX 2024 (DWTC)
Presented a tutorial at the 21st International Conference on Intelligent Environments (IE2024)
Dr. Nishtha Lamba and I were invited to present a tutorial at the 21st International Conference on Intelligent Environments (IE2024). Our proposal to present a 90-minute session on developing highly realistic doppelgänger avatars for use within research and content creation was accepted and was well attended during the conference, with in-person and online attendees joining… Continue reading Presented a tutorial at the 21st International Conference on Intelligent Environments (IE2024)
Presented at Middlesex University’s CAPE Education Summit 2031 Learning Framework
I was happy to present the research and teaching that is being done through the VRX Lab at the Middlesex Dubai campus as an example of fostering interdisciplinary pedagogy. The event was a cross-campus event held online, with various speakers from across three campuses sharing their experiences and expertise on working towards implementing the new… Continue reading Presented at Middlesex University’s CAPE Education Summit 2031 Learning Framework
Promoted to Associate Professor at Middlesex University Dubai
I’m delighted to share that I’ve been awarded a promotion to Associate Professor at the department of Computer Engineering and Informatics (CEI) at Middlesex University Dubai. I joined Middlesex University Dubai in 2019 and have been lucky to be a part of such a vibrant community of academics and students here in Dubai. Being given… Continue reading Promoted to Associate Professor at Middlesex University Dubai
Awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
Delighted to have received this award by Advance Higher Education and The Middlesex UKPSF Recognition Scheme (MURS). They had very kind words to say about the web-based portfolio application that I had submitted. Feel free to check it out by clicking here. Pasting an excerpt from their comments below. “Your dedication to your role and… Continue reading Awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
Back on Dubai Eye 103.8 to talk about research with Brain-Computer Interfaces
Spoke about the new study published by researchers at Meta, using brain signals (MEG) to decode and generate visual images. Discussed how it works, the neuroscientific basis as well as ethical implications about the technology. Listen here: (My part starts at 21:20)
Invited to Participate in 2 panel discussions at GITEX 2023 (DWTC)
Participated in two panel discussions, across the one-week tech exhibition. With 6,000+ companies participating and an audience of 170,000+, it was an honour to be invited. Connected Offices: Future of Work When: Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 1:30PM Where: Tech Talks Sessions, Hall 13 GITEX, Dubai World Trade Centre With: Hamza Khan, Stuart Fry, Michael… Continue reading Invited to Participate in 2 panel discussions at GITEX 2023 (DWTC)