Olwal.Com | Resume | August 2021
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Alex Olwal portfolio www.olwal.com [email protected] Research Scientist Human—Computer Interaction olwal.com/linkedin +1 650 276 88 35 Ph.D. / Docent / M.Sc. Computer Science / Engineering Santa Cruz, CA Google Augmented Reality 2020– / Research 2018–2020 / ATAP 2017–2018 / Wearables 2015–2017 / [x] 2014–2015 Research MIT Media Lab / Columbia University / University of California, Santa Barbara / Iowa State University / KTH / Microsoft Research Teaching Stanford / Rhode Island School of Design / KTH Royal Institute of Technology Academia Docent (Human-Computer Interaction) / Ph.D. (Computer Science) / M.Sc. (Computer Science and Engineering) 3566 citations h-index 33 48 publications 6 patents 3 best paper awards / 3 honorable mentions / 1 best demo Research Interests I am a Tech Lead/Manager in Google’s Augmented Reality team and a founder of the Interaction Lab. I direct research and development of interaction technologies based on advancements in display technology, low-power and high-speed sensing, wearables, actuation, electronic textiles, and human—computer interaction. I am passionate about accelerating innovation and disruption through tools, techniques and devices that enable augmentation and empowerment of human abilities. Research interests include augmented reality, ubiquitous computing, mobile devices, 3D user interfaces, interaction techniques, interfaces for accessibility and health, medical imaging, and software/hardware prototyping. Employment Google AR Technical Lead / Manager | Staff Research Scientist 2020–Current Augmented Reality Leading the AR Visualization and Sound team and Interaction Lab. Stealth project. Google Research Technical Lead / Manager | Senior Research Scientist 2018–2020 Perception Led the Biointerfaces Team (co-founder) and Interaction Lab (10+ research scientists/engineers, PMs, UX researchers/designers) Led two funded multi-year programs with VP-support for R&D in wearables, AI and Wearable Subtitles accessibility, leveraging novel sensing and display hardware opportunities. olwal.com/wearablesubtitles (Best demo honorable mention award) Google ATAP Technical Lead / Manager | Senior Research Scientist 2017–2018 ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) Recruited and led 15-person software/hardware engineering team and ramped up wearable project with subsequent successful graduation to Google Research. Google Wearables / Project Aura Technical Lead | Senior Research Scientist 2015–2017 Wearables, Augmented and Virtual Reality / Project Aura, Glass and Beyond Founded the Interaction Lab to accelerate organization’s capabilities for rapid hardware prototyping of wearables and interface technology. In-person presentations and demos to Google Hardware VP-level leadership, incl. Rick E-Textile microinteractions Osterloh (SVP Hardware) and Ivy Ross (VP Design). olwal.com/e-textile (Best demo award) Google [x] Senior Interaction Researcher 2014–2015 R&D in sensors, display and interaction techniques Member of Google Glass Interaction Research team, developing new concepts and innovations to inform Google [x] roadmaps. Software and hardware prototyping, user interface design and research. Working closely with optics scientists, UX designers and usability researchers. In-person presentations and demos to leadership, incl. Sergey Brin, Larry Page, Sundar Pichai, Ruth Porat. Stanford University Lecturer / Adjunct Lecturer 2016 / 2017 / 2018 Teaching: Introduction to the Design of Smart Products KTH Royal Institute of Technology Affiliate Faculty / Researcher 2009–2010 / 2014–2017 Virtual Reality for phobia treatment and rehabilitation Established partnership with clinical partners, co-authored funded grant proposal and mentored junior researchers. Multi-user surgery planning groupware + 3D visualization of 2D X-rays Surgery planning groupware and 3D visualization Human-Computer Interaction researcher and software developer of cross-platform multi-user, multi-device interaction software for interaction with medical imagery. Co-authored funded grant proposal for 3D interaction with 2D imagery, recruited and mentored junior research students. MIT Media Lab Research Affiliate 2014–2017 Tangible Media group Worked with postdoctoral researchers, senior Ph.D. students and visiting research to advise on research projects and co-author research publications. We made significant contributions to the emerging user interface paradigm of Shape- Changing User Interfaces through the inFORM, Physical Telepresence, Sublimate, and Shape Displays publications and projects. We explored implicit sensing in furniture, objects and devices through bio-sensing (Zensei) and multi-spectral inFORM and Physical Telepresence olwal.com/inform illumination ( SpecTrans ) . MIT Media Lab Postdoctoral Fellow 2011–2013 Tangible Media Group; Camera Culture Group Conducted research and development of new user interface technology in collaboration with postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students, and co-authored Jamming User Interfaces research publications. 3D gaze tracking for radiologists with Harvard Medical olwal.com/jamming (Best paper award) School, and software/hardware engineering for high-speed laser speckle sensing (SpeckleSense) and deformable physical interfaces ( Jamming User Interfaces ) . Advisor on wearable eye diagnostics projects (Retinal Imaging) and 3D desktop interfaces ( SpaceTop ) . SpeckleSense Rhode Island School of Design Faculty 2012 Department of Digital + Media Teaching: Introduction to Creative Programming Microsoft Research Ph.D. Intern 2006 Adaptive Systems and Interaction Group SurfaceFusion: Hybrid RFID and Computer Vision for Interactive Surfaces. We introduced a hybrid technique that combines RFID and computer vision, to avoid the need for visual markers for interaction with tangible, physical objects on interactive surfaces. ColumbiaSurfaceFusion University Staff Associate Researcher 2001–2003olwal.com/surfacefusion Advisor: Steven Feiner. Multimodal Augmented Reality: SenseShapes, MAVEN, Unit Tactam / Space + Time Founder, Principal Scientist 1999– Public installations, interactive exhibit and museum technology Example: Exhibition interaction, concept, design for MegaMind Science Center Rule Communication Co-founder, Head of R&D 2005–2014 Electronic marketing platform: e-mail, mobile, social media Various IT companies Software Engineer, Doera Service Provider (1999–2000) 1997–2000 Computer Technician, Digital Communication Media (1998–1999) Software Developer, Universum Communications (1997–2000) Academia Docent KTH Royal Institute of Technology Human—Computer Interaction Docent Lecture Programmable Perception: Augmented Reality through 2016 matter, tele-robotics and electronic tattoos Ph.D. KTH Royal Institute of Technology Computer Science Dissertation Unobtrusive Augmentation of Physical Environments: 2009 Interaction Techniques, Spatial Displays and Ubiquitous Sensing M.Sc. KTH Royal Institute of Technology Computer Science & Engineering Thesis Unit—A Modular Framework for Interaction Technique 2002 Design, Development and Implementation Visiting Researcher University of California – Santa Barbara 2005 Augmented Reality: Immaterial Displays, Interactive FogScreen, POLAR Exchange Student Iowa State University 2000 Virtual Reality Applications Center Teaching Assistant KTH Royal Institute of Technology 1997–2002 Computer science and programming labs Thesis supervision and doctoral committee member Ph.D./Lic. committee member (4) Aditya Shekhar Nittala, Martin Weigel, Günter Alce, Sebastian Rauh M.Sc. thesis supervisor (8) Finn Ericson, Dimitrios Lachanas, Henrik Lenberg, Johan Persson, Lars Ringborg, Oskar Rönnberg, Ludvig Suneson, Ermioni Zacharouli B.Sc. thesis supervisor (2) Flaviano Musarra, Henrik Sjelin Course development, lectures, and teaching 2016–18 Stanford University Introduction to the Design of Smart Products 2012 Rhode Island School of Design Introduction to Creative Programming 2006–09 KTH Royal Institute of Technology Multimodal Interaction & Interfaces, Independent studies Advanced Graphics and Interaction, Evaluation Methods in Human—Computer Interaction Grants (~$4.5 million USD) 2016 KTH (Researcher) Pilot projects KTH-SLL 2016 | Stockholms Läns Landsting (SLL) 2016 KTH (Researcher) Smart Systems 2015 | Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) 2014 KTH (Researcher) Startup Funding | Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) 2013 Tactam Innovation Project | Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) 2013 Rule Communication Innovation Project | Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) 2010 MIT (Post-doc) Post-doctoral Fellowship| Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) 2010 MIT (Post-doc) Post-doctoral Grant | Foundation Blanceflor 2010 Rule Communication Project Grant | Sweden's Innovation Agency (VINNOVA) 2009 Rule Communication Project Grant | Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology (HI) 2009 KTH (Researcher) Project Grant | Swedish Knowledge Foundation (KK-Stiftelsen) 2008 KTH (Ph.D. Student) Personal Grant | Innovation Bridge (Innovationsbron) 2008 KTH (Ph.D. Student) Personal Grant | Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) 2005 UCSB (Visiting Researcher) Ph.D. Fellowship | Sweden—America Foundation 2003–2009 KTH (Ph.D. Student) Various conference travel grants | KTH Royal Institute of Technology Boards and Committees 2009–15 Swedish Computer Graphics Association, Board member 2005–09 KTH, Member of hiring committee. Evaluation, interviewing and hiring of new faculty. Publications 32 first-tier publications 3545 Citations h-index 32 i10-index 50