In this panel, we will focus the discussion on the present and future of spatial user interfaces. The discussion will include both the technologies and their applications. We want to explore the current limitations, possible future solutions and how other fields such as artificial intelligence, body implants, or robotic-enhanced interactions will contribute to these interactions. New applications will also bring new possibilities, but they might also raise controversy, leading to a discussion about where the ethical limits are.

Panelists
Hrvoje Benko is a senior researcher at Microsoft Research. He explores novel interactive computing technologies and their impact on human-computer interaction. In particular, his research interests include augmented reality, computational illumination, surface computing, new input form factors and devices, as well as touch and freehand gestural input. He is fascinated by the intersection point where the digital technology world meets the curved, physical, 3D space we live in. Dr. Benko is the author of more than 30 scientific papers and journal articles. He served as General Chair (2014) and Program Chair (2012) of the ACM User Interface Systems and Technology conference. For his publications he received the best paper awards at both ACM UIST and ACM SIGCHI. His work has been featured in the mainstream media and on popular technology blogs. In 2010, he worked with Microsoft Hardware to turn one of his research projects into a product called Microsoft Touch Mouse. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Columbia University in 2007 with prof. Steven Feiner. More detail can be found on his website: http://research.microsoft.com/~benko/.
Otmar Hilliges is currently an Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich in the Computer Science Department where he leads the Advanced Interactive Technologies Lab. Previously he was a Researcher at Microsoft Research Cambridge and prior to that a post-doctoral researcher also at Microsoft Research. He was awarded a Diplom (equiv. MSc) in Computer Science from Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany (Summa Cum Laude 2004) and his doctoral degree in Computer Science from LMU Munchen, Germany (Summa Cum Laude 2009). His research interests are in Human Computer Interaction, interactive graphics and applied Machine Learning. He regularly publishes in the premier HCI conferences and his work has been awarded with multiple best paper awards at CHI, UIST, CSCW and ISMAR. He has recently received an ERC starting grant for his research on synthesis of interactive technologies. His group is also active in adjacent areas such as graphics, robotics and computer vision. He routinely serves on the program committees of several HCI conferences and reviews for many journals including ACM ToG, ACM ToCHI, IJHCS, IEEE ToSMC, IEEE JVR. Finally, his work has led to 23 patents (12 issued, 11 pending) in diverse topics ranging from input recognition algorithms to 3D reconstruction methods and interaction techniques.
Website: http://ait.ethz.ch/people/hilliges/
Alex Olwal (Ph.D., M.Sc.) is a Senior Research Scientist at Google, Affiliate Faculty at KTH, and Research Affiliate at the MIT Media Lab.

Alex designs and develops interactions and technologies that embrace digital and physical experiences. He is interested in tools, techniques and devices that enable new interaction concepts for the augmentation and empowerment of the human senses. Alex's research (www.olwal.com) includes augmented reality, spatially aware mobile devices, medical user interfaces, ubiquitous computing, touch screens, as well as novel interaction devices, sensors and displays.

He has previously worked with the development of new technologies for Human-Computer Interaction at MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA), KTH - Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm), Columbia University (New York, NY), University of California (Santa Barbara, CA) and Microsoft Research (Redmond, WA). He has also been a lecturer at Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, RI) and at Stanford University (Stanford, CA).
Website: http://www.olwal.com/
Katsuhiro Harada is a game director and producer at Bandai Namco Entertainment. He is best known for producing the Tekken video games series since the first installment of the series, until the present days, with Tekken 7 that will be released in 2017. He also produced the Soulcalibur series and the Pokken Tournament, and he also currently works on Summer Lesson, a title that will be released this Autumn along with Playstation VR. More details in http://tekken.wikia.com/wiki/Katsuhiro_Harada
Moderated by:
Aitor Rovira is a postdoctoral researcher at the Nara Institute of Science and Technologies where he focuses his research in Augmented Reality and Haptics. He obtained his PhD for the University College London, supervised by Prof. Mel Slater. Before that, he obtained his MSc for the University of Girona (Spain), carrying out his thesis at the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (Lafayette, LA, USA) as a visiting researcher.

His research interests include Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Human-Computer Interaction, and how these technologies can contribute in other non-technological fields, with a special attention in Health Sciences, such as in Social Psychology. His interests also include Human Perception, Haptics, and Machine Learning in order to deliver realistic experiences in Mixed Reality systems.

More information in http://imd.naist.jp/people/aitor-rovira/