Chairholders
Profile
Daniel Wigdor
Mathematical and Computational Sciences (Mississauga)
University of Toronto
Chair title
NSERC–Facebook Industrial Research Chair in Human-Machine Interaction
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Associate Chairholder since 2018
Summary
Professor Wigdor's research focuses on human-machine interaction. In particular, he studies human capabilities (such as perceptual, psychophysical and physical) and needs (such as sociological, psychological and task-specific), and he invents new technologies to augment those capabilities, thus enabling users to meet those needs. The goal of the research, conducted under this Chair, is to apply this work to inventing the future of virtual and augmented reality.
In partnership with Facebook, which through its Oculus division is a world leader in virtual reality, this research will examine how a personal network of always-connected digital devices can help people live better lives. The research program envisions a future in which users are always wearing sensors and output devices, such as heart rate monitors, eye trackers, and see-through head-mounted displays. This will enable an always-present representation of digital information in the physical world. The research program then seeks to build platforms that will ensure the realization and the user benefits of this world.
A key feature of this Chair is that ownership of all related intellectual property will remain at the University of Toronto, and will be available for exploitation by future start-ups from Professor Wigdor's group. With his track record of starting successful tech companies-with two multi-million-dollar companies established, and another already in development-it is expected that this project will seed a new tech sector in Canada around user interface technologies for virtual and augmented reality. Facebook Canada is excited to partner with Professor Wigdor throughout this project, and may seek to obtain licenses of resulting technologies.
Partners
- Facebook Canada
- Fields Institute
Contact information
Mathematical and Computational Sciences (Mississauga)
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
Email: daniel@dgp.toronto.edu
Website:
http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/~dwigdor
