Vijay Rajanna

Who Am I ?

Google Scholar

I am a Human-Computer Interaction and Machine Learning researcher. I currently work at Sensel where we are creating the world's most advanced touch technology to revolutionize the way humans interact with the digital world. At Sensel, my research has been focusing on developing novel algorithms and features to build core competencies in the areas of accurate force sensing, precise touch tracking, and creating rich haptic experiences.

I received a Doctoral Degree in Computer Science from Texas A&M University, and I was advised by Dr. Tracy Hammond

. I was a member of the Sketch Recognition Lab where I was involved in the development of sketch, gesture, and activity recognition systems.

During my dissertation research, I developed gaze-assisted, multi-modal, accessible interaction methods for addressing impairments and disabilities. Also, using various machine learning models, I performed predictive analytics built on eye movements data applied to the domains of security, education, and economics.

Research

My areas of research include:

Human-Computer Interaction, Human-Centered Computing, HCI Experimental and Observational Methods, Machine learning, Statistical Analysis – parametric and non-parametric, Eye Tracking Analytics, Interaction Modeling (Fitts’ Law), Gaze-assisted Interaction, Virtual Reality (VR), Gaze Contingent VR, Accessibility, Cognitive Systems, Haptics, Multi-modal Interaction, Gesture Recognition, Activity Recognition, Sketch Recognition, Wearables, Data Visualization, and Cognitive Psychology.

Texas A & M University

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Computer Science

Graduation - December 2018

Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. USA

Master of Science, Software Systems

Graduation - December 2011

Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India.

Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering

Graduation - June 2008

Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka, India

Work Experience

I have over eight years of industry experience working for research and development firms. Most of my projects span across the domains of HCI, intelligent systems, machine learning, and data analytics.

Organization

Sensel, Inc. Sunnyvale, California

Designation

Senior Research Engineer. January 28th, 2019 - Present.

Nature of work

I am responsible for conducting research and development toward inventing solutions for human interface design to create and improve the world’s most advanced touch technology. My research has been focusing on building core competencies of Sensel in the areas of accurate force sensing, precise touch tracking, and creating rich haptic experiences. I work cross-functionally with engineering and design teams to integrate these novel technologies into consumer electronic devices such as laptop touchpads, automotive interactive surfaces, gaming peripherals, virtual reality, and so on.

I develop new algorithms and features to enhance touch and sensor performance across a variety of hardware and use-cases. Also, I am responsible for developing and evaluating new user experience concepts and prototypes that showcase Sensel’s force-sensing touch technology. Furthermore, to ensure that users have the best experience when using Sensel devices (e.g., touchpad), I design and conduct user studies to set the target accuracy and sensitivity metrics of the sensors. Lastly, to support mass production, I develop automated robotic tests that validate the quality of sensors.

Organization	Ocular Data Systems, Inc. Pasadena, California [advised by: Dr. Rich Diephuis, Ron Waldorf.]
Designation	Research Internship. June 1st, 2018 – Aug 24th 2018, and Jan 10th, 2018 - May 3rd, 2018
Nature of work	Developed the initial version of a virtual reality eye tracking system and related algorithms to analyze pupil and smooth pursuits. The system has an application for workplace safety.

Organization	GazeIT Lab, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark. [advised by: Dr. John Paulin Hansen ]
Designation	Research Internship. May 16th, 2017 - August 31st, 2017.
Nature of work	Developed gaze typing interfaces for virtual reality, and investigated how the keyboard design, selection method, and motion in the field of view impact typing performance and user experience.

Organization	IBM - Cognitive Environments Lab, Watson Research Center, New York. [advised by: Dr. Rachel Bellamy, Dr. Maryam Ashoori ]
Designation	Research Internship. May 16th, 2016 - August 26th, 2016.
Nature of work	Developed a visual feedback system and implemented abilities to handle a meeting in a voice-enabled cognitive agent powered by IBM Watson cognitive services.

Organization	IBM - CIO Lab, New York.
Designation	Research Internship. May 26th, 2015 - August 14th, 2015.
Nature of work	Developed mobile interfaces with human-centered design, which assist in navigating robots in a data center, floor map generation, temperature monitoring, and asset management.

Organization	National Instruments Corporation, Austin, Texas.
Designation	Intern/Co-op-Software Eng/IMAQ Software. May 19, 2014 - August 8, 2014
Nature of work	1) Redesigned the User Interface and Interaction aspects of IMAQ Software. 2) Conducted a feasibility study on leveraging vision-based object tracking algorithms to track user activities.

Organization	National Instruments, Bangalore, India.
Designation	Staff software engineer. July 2012 to July 2013
Nature of work	1) Conducted research and development in "Computer Vision" for implementing image-processing algorithms, deployed in industrial inspection systems. 2) Performed multicoring and platform portability of vision algorithms on to various real time architectures.

Organization	NOKIA India Private Limited. Bangalore, India.
Designation	Engineer, System Software. June 2010 to July 2012
Nature of work	Conducted research and development toward implementing FlashLite adaptation layer on Symbian operating system to enable flash content on Webkit, Symbian WRT based browsers, and standalone applications.

Organization	Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions, Bangalore. India
Designation	Software Engineer. July 2008 to May 2010
Nature of work	Developed windows based applications that aid in calibration and analysis of Electronic Control Units in automobiles. Calibration tunes engine parameters for desired performance metrics.

Organization	NDS Services Pay TV Technologies, Bangalore. India.
Designation	Project Trainee - Internship. February 2008 to July 2008
Nature of work	Developed applications for Set-Top Box which are broadcasted on Media Highway Core platform.

Teaching, Recognition, Organization, and Professional Service

TEACHING
Spring 2017: Instructor of Record
Course: CSCE 206 - Strctured Programming in C++.
Number of students: 71.
Resonsibilities: Composing syllabus, teaching, creating exams and assignments, and final grading
Students' Feedback: URL
Fall 2016: Instructor of Record
Course: CSCE 206 - Strctured Programming in C++.
Number of students: 46.
Resonsibilities: Composing syllabus, teaching, creating exams and assignments, and final grading
Students' Feedback: URL
Teaching Assistant: Graduate and Undergraduate Courses
Computer-Human Interaction (CSCE 436)
Artificial Intelligence (CSCE 420)
Human-Centered Computing (CSCE 655)
Strctured Programming in (CSCE 206).

RECOGNITION
COGAIN Impact Award - A Fitts' Law Study of Click and Dwell Interaction by Gaze, Head and Mouse with a Head-Mounted Display. Authored by John Paulin Hansen, Vijay Rajanna, Scott MacKenzie, and Per Bækgaard. ETRA 2023, University of Tübingen, Germany
Beyond Scope Award - ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research and Applications, Seattle, WA, June 8-11, 2022.
First place winner - Student Research Week, graduate engineering poster category - Texas A&M University, Spring 2018.
Finalist - US south regional 3 Minute Thesis Competition, Conference of Southern Graduate Schools. Arkansas, Spring 2018.
Invited speaker at the Professional Development Award Ceremony by the Offfice of Graduate and Professional Studies. TAMU, Spring 2018.
Winner - challenge by the College of Engineering - Hackathon ’18 - Diversifying Space and Place (24 Hrs) - Texas A&M University, Spring 2018.
First place winner - 3 Minute Thesis Competition, doctoral category - Texas A&M University, Fall 2017.
People's choice award - 3 Minute Thesis Competition, doctoral category - Texas A&M University, Fall 2017.
Texas A&M representative at the - US south regional 3 Minute Thesis Competition, doctoral category - Fayetteville, AR in Feb 2018.
Certificate of appreciation for supporting Teaching for Transformational Learning, Texas A&M, Spring 2018.
Beyond Scope Award, in recognition of duties beyond expectation as the Video and Demo Chair at ETRA-2022, WA ,.
Research training program on Human Computer Interaction, Expert Resource Person, Nirma University, India, 2022.
Awarded the Basic Level Professional Development Certificate by the Offfice of Graduate and Professional Studies. Texas A&M, Spring 2018.
The Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) Travel Award sponsored by the Vice President of Research, Texas A&M, Fall 2017.
The Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (OGAPS) Research and Presentation Grant, Texas A&M, Fall 2017.
Received Graduate Teaching Fellow award by the Dwight Look College of Engineering - Texas A&M University, Spring 2017.
Received X - Factor award at the TAMU Diversity Accessibility Hackathon (24 Hrs) - College of Architecture, Texas A&M, Feb 2017.
Awarded second place in the IAP Research Poster Competition at Texas A&M, March 2017.
Finalist - ACM Student Research Competition, TAPIA 2017, Atlanta, GA.
Received Graduate Teaching Fellow award by the Dwight Look College of Engineering - Texas A&M University, Fall 2016.
Publication “Let Me Relax” received the Best Student Paper award at MobiHealth 2015, London, UK.
Awarded first place in the Graduate Poster Competition at the TAPIA 2016 conference, Austin, TX.
Awarded third place in the Student Research Competition at the ASSETS 2016 conference, Reno, NV.
Recognized as a CIRTL Associate - Fellow of the Academy for Future Faculty, Texas A&M University, Fall 2016.
Awarded second place in the university-wide “Student Research Week 2015” at Texas A&M University.
Awarded second place in the Accessibility Mapping Challenge at GIS Day 2016, Texas A&M University.
MS thesis research “Accelerometer-Based Gesture Recognition Framework” was awarded as an excellent project.
Department of Computer Science and Engineering one time scholarship - Spring 2016.
Received Graduate Teaching Fellow award by the Dwight Look College of Engineering - Texas A & M University, Fall 2016.
ACM Travel Grant - Student Research Competition - ASSETS 2016, Reno, Nevada - Fall 2016
ACM Travel Grant - Doctoral consortium and Poster presentation - IUI 2016, Sonoma, California - Spring 2016
TAPIA Scholarship - Doctoral consortium and Poster presentation - TAPIA 2017, Atlanta, Georgia - Fall 2017
TAPIA Scholarship - Doctoral consortium and Poster presentation - TAPIA 2016, Austin, Texas - Fall 2016
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - CHI 2017, Denver, Colorado - Spring 2017
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - ETRA 2016, Charleston, South Carolina - Spring 2016
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - SAP 2016, Anaheim, California - Summer 2016
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - TAPIA 2015, Boston, Massachusetts - Spring 2015
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - TAPIA 2014, Seattle, Washington - Spring 2014
Honored with the Best Performance Award for the year 2009 at Bosch.
Received Best Performance Award at NOKIA for FlashLite design and other contributions.

RECOGNITION

COGAIN Impact Award - A Fitts' Law Study of Click and Dwell Interaction by Gaze, Head and Mouse with a Head-Mounted Display. Authored by John Paulin Hansen, Vijay Rajanna, Scott MacKenzie, and Per Bækgaard. ETRA 2023, University of Tübingen, Germany

Beyond Scope Award - ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research and Applications, Seattle, WA, June 8-11, 2022.

First place winner - Student Research Week, graduate engineering poster category - Texas A&M University, Spring 2018.

Finalist - US south regional 3 Minute Thesis Competition, Conference of Southern Graduate Schools. Arkansas, Spring 2018.

Invited speaker at the Professional Development Award Ceremony by the Offfice of Graduate and Professional Studies. TAMU, Spring 2018.

Winner - challenge by the College of Engineering - Hackathon ’18 - Diversifying Space and Place (24 Hrs) - Texas A&M University, Spring 2018.

First place winner - 3 Minute Thesis Competition, doctoral category - Texas A&M University, Fall 2017.

People's choice award - 3 Minute Thesis Competition, doctoral category - Texas A&M University, Fall 2017.

Texas A&M representative at the - US south regional 3 Minute Thesis Competition, doctoral category - Fayetteville, AR in Feb 2018.

Certificate of appreciation for supporting Teaching for Transformational Learning, Texas A&M, Spring 2018.

Beyond Scope Award, in recognition of duties beyond expectation as the Video and Demo Chair at ETRA-2022, WA ,.

Research training program on Human Computer Interaction, Expert Resource Person, Nirma University, India, 2022.

Awarded the Basic Level Professional Development Certificate by the Offfice of Graduate and Professional Studies. Texas A&M, Spring 2018.

The Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) Travel Award sponsored by the Vice President of Research, Texas A&M, Fall 2017.

The Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (OGAPS) Research and Presentation Grant, Texas A&M, Fall 2017.

Received Graduate Teaching Fellow award by the Dwight Look College of Engineering - Texas A&M University, Spring 2017.

Received X - Factor award at the TAMU Diversity Accessibility Hackathon (24 Hrs) - College of Architecture, Texas A&M, Feb 2017.

Awarded second place in the IAP Research Poster Competition at Texas A&M, March 2017.

Finalist - ACM Student Research Competition, TAPIA 2017, Atlanta, GA.

Received Graduate Teaching Fellow award by the Dwight Look College of Engineering - Texas A&M University, Fall 2016.

Publication “Let Me Relax” received the Best Student Paper award at MobiHealth 2015, London, UK.

Awarded first place in the Graduate Poster Competition at the TAPIA 2016 conference, Austin, TX.

Awarded third place in the Student Research Competition at the ASSETS 2016 conference, Reno, NV.

Recognized as a CIRTL Associate - Fellow of the Academy for Future Faculty, Texas A&M University, Fall 2016.

Awarded second place in the university-wide “Student Research Week 2015” at Texas A&M University.

Awarded second place in the Accessibility Mapping Challenge at GIS Day 2016, Texas A&M University.

MS thesis research “Accelerometer-Based Gesture Recognition Framework” was awarded as an excellent project.

Department of Computer Science and Engineering one time scholarship - Spring 2016.

Received Graduate Teaching Fellow award by the Dwight Look College of Engineering - Texas A & M University, Fall 2016.

ACM Travel Grant - Student Research Competition - ASSETS 2016, Reno, Nevada - Fall 2016

ACM Travel Grant - Doctoral consortium and Poster presentation - IUI 2016, Sonoma, California - Spring 2016

TAPIA Scholarship - Doctoral consortium and Poster presentation - TAPIA 2017, Atlanta, Georgia - Fall 2017

TAPIA Scholarship - Doctoral consortium and Poster presentation - TAPIA 2016, Austin, Texas - Fall 2016

Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - CHI 2017, Denver, Colorado - Spring 2017

Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - ETRA 2016, Charleston, South Carolina - Spring 2016

Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - SAP 2016, Anaheim, California - Summer 2016

Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - TAPIA 2015, Boston, Massachusetts - Spring 2015

Department of Computer Science and Engineering Travel Grant - TAPIA 2014, Seattle, Washington - Spring 2014

Honored with the Best Performance Award for the year 2009 at Bosch.

Received Best Performance Award at NOKIA for FlashLite design and other contributions.

ORGANIZATIONS
LEAD - Google Developer Group TAMU, Fall 2017 - Spring 2018
LEAD - Google Developer Group TAMU, Fall 2016 - Spring 2017
Organizer - Google Developer Group TAMU, Spring 2016 - Fall 2015
Executive Committee - TAMU Academy for Future Faculty, Fall 2016 - Spring 2017
Vice President, Social Events - Computer Science and Engineering Graduate Student Association, Spring 2015 - Fall 2015
Social Officer - Computer Science and Engineering Graduate Student Association, Spring 2014 - Fall 2014

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Conferences - Members of the program committee: ETRA 2023: Presentation Chair ETRA 2022: Demo and Video Chair ESIDA 2022: Exploratory Search and Interactive Data Analytics IUI 2022: Accessibility Chair IUI 2021: Tutorial Chair \| Student Consortium - Mentor MedAI 2020: EAI International Workshop on Medical Artificial Intelligence - Member of technical program committee IUI 2020: Member of the paper review committee ETRA 2019: Area Chair IUI 2017: Member of the paper review committee WIPTTE 2014, 2015: Member of the paper review committee
Reviewer - Conferences and Journals: 2023: CHI, MobileHCI, HAI, COGAIN 2022: TEI, IMWUT, ETRA, CHI, IJHCS, IDC 2021: CHI, IEEE VR, IUI, IJHCS, MobileHCI 2020: IUI, IDC, IEEE VR 2019: CHI, ETRA, IEEE VR 2018: IUI, CHI, DIS, ETRA 2017: CHI, UIST, IDC, DIS, IUI, CSCW, CIPTTE 2016: UIST, IUI, ETRA, CIPTTE 2015: WIPTTE, IJHCI, CAD
CHI: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems IUI: Intelligent User Interfaces TEI: Tangible and Embedded Interaction IMWUT: Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies DIS: Designing Interactive Systems HAI: International Conference on Human-Agent Interaction ETRA: Eye Tracking Research and Applications COGAIN: Communication by Gaze Interaction MobileHCI: Human Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services IEEE VR: IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces UIST: User Interface Software and Technology IDC: Interaction Design and Children IJHCS: International Journal of Human-Computer Studies IJHCI: International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction CAD: Computer-Aided Design WIPTTE: Workshop on the Impact of Pen and Touch Technology in Education
External Examiner: Ph.D. thesis review A novel hybrid MAC Schemes for optimizing network parameters in WSN [ Visvesvaraya Technological University, 2021 ] Design and Implementation of Techniques for Optimal Virtual Machine Utilization in Cloud Computing [ Visvesvaraya Technological University, 2020 ]
Judge CES 2022 Innovation Awards [ Judges panel ] CES 2021 Innovation Awards [ Judges panel ] Student Research Week - 2017 IDEA challenge - 2015
Mentoring - Research Aadil Hamid (MS, 2016 - 2018) Rahul Bhagat (MS, 2016 - 2018) Amy Li (BS, 2017 - 2018) Jeff Zaho (BS, 2017 - 2018) Purnendu Kaul (MS, 2014 - 2016) Siddhartha Karthik (MS, 2014 - 2016)
Mentoring - Senior Capstone Spring 2018: GoCooking, Team: Fall 2017: Evaluation of Artistic Works Through Web-based Eye Tracking, Team: Bailey Bauman, Regan Gunhouse, Antonia Jones, Willer Da Silva, Shaeeta Sharar. Fall 2015: PhysiotherAPPy, Team: Alex Davis, Rin Davis, Jacob Hile, Kavila Krishnan, Patrick Sheehan. Fall 2015: Gaze Interaction on Larger Displays, Team: Nick Hanneman. Fall 2014: KinoHaptics, Team: Patrick Vo, Jerry Barth, Matthew Mjelde, Trevor Grey Spring 2014: PebFit, Team: Chris Lowetz, Hunter McElroy, Aurea Del Moral
Mentoring - Aggie Challenge: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2015, Spring 2015, Fall 2014, Spring 2014.