Speaker Bio
Dr. Adwait Sharma is an Assistant Professor/Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Bath, UK, where he leads the Advanced Interaction and Sensing Lab. His research focuses on developing novel design and technical solutions for scenarios where traditional input methods fall short—particularly when users’ hands are occupied. Adwait holds a PhD from Saarland University (Max Planck Institute) in Germany and has worked with research groups across six countries, including the National University of Singapore, the Media Interaction Lab in Austria, and Meta Reality Labs in Toronto. His work has been published in top-tier HCI venues such as ACM TOCHI, CHI, UIST, and DIS. Learn more at: https://adwaitsharma.com.
Always-Available Computing for Everyone: Subtle Finger Motions to Friendly Robots
Dr Adwait Sharma, University of Bath
Thursday 4th December 2025. 13:00-14:00 GMT. The Buncar.
Everyday tasks often require our hands, making it difficult to interact with technology seamlessly. In this talk, Adwait will present his research on finger-based interactions and robotics that enable always-available computing, designed to work even when hands are busy.
He will start by exploring how subtle finger movements can be used safely and naturally during everyday activities, including a framework that supports interaction across all phases of hand grasping. He will show gesture sets that align with natural hand movements while minimizing accidental triggers in real-world settings.
Next, he will discuss how computational techniques can optimize sensor layouts to improve gesture recognition, making these interactions more accurate and reliable. Finally, he will show how insights from gesture-based interaction can extend to domestic robots, such as vacuuming robots, which can serve as interactive tools when idle.
This work highlights a vision for always-available, human-centered technology that supports daily life, rehabilitation, and healthcare applications, from fine hand gestures to assistive robotics.