Three doctoral researchers from the Institute for Future Technologies represented ESILV at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST 2025), one of the leading international conferences on Human–Computer Interaction (HCI). At this event, the students received the “Most Useful” Award.
At the 38th ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, held in Busan, South Korea, three PhD candidates from the Institute for Future Technologies participated in one of the most influential academic events in interface design and interactive systems.
The symposium gathered researchers and practitioners from multiple disciplines exploring emerging paradigms in human–computer interfaces, tangible interaction, and multimodal technologies.
UIST: A Premier Forum for Human–Computer Interaction Research
Organised by the ACM Special Interest Groups on Computer–Human Interaction (SIGCHI) and Computer Graphics (SIGGRAPH), UIST is recognised as a major forum for presenting innovations in interface design and interaction techniques.
The 2025 edition highlighted advances in human-centred AI, immersive environments, and multimodal feedback systems, emphasising collaboration between researchers and industry professionals.
ESILV students awarded with the “Most Useful” Award
In the Student Innovation Contest, Louis Badr, class of 2023 and PhD Student at Institute for Future Technologies, and Thomas Juldo class of 2022 and PhD student in swarm robotics at the Institute of Future Technologies (IFT) and Institut des systèmes intelligents et de robotiques (ISIR), received the “Most Useful Award” for their project “ModalPlayground: Collaborative Spatial Design of Multi-modal Haptic Feedback.”
Their research explores how spatially distributed haptic feedback—vibration, temperature, and light—can enhance interactive experiences across contexts such as museums, learning environments, and accessibility design.
ModalPlayground introduces a “haptic painting” metaphor that enables designers to create feedback zones by drawing on a digital interface or by physically walking through the space to define tactile areas. The system uses ultra-wideband positioning technology to track user movement and deliver high-precision, flexible feedback, enabling multiple users to collaborate in real time.
This methodology turns the act of designing haptic experiences into an immersive, shared process that links digital creation and embodied interaction.
Exploring Biomaterials in Interactive Device Fabrication
During the Doctoral Symposium, Madalina Nicolae, class of 2021 and PhD Candidate at Saarland University, HCI Lab (DE), De Vinci Innovation Center (FR) and Polytechnic Institute of Paris (FR), presented her research poster titled “Rethinking the Fabrication of Interactive Devices Through Biomaterials: Towards New Paradigms of Making and Materiality in HCI.”
Her work focuses on integrating organic and biodegradable materials into the design of interactive devices, opening the way to more sustainable and sensorially prosperous forms of interaction.
This approach challenges conventional manufacturing methods and redefines how materiality is understood within HCI research. Her participation at UIST provided a platform for academic exchange on sustainable design practices and embodied interaction in interface creation.
Madalina Nicolae
Towards a Human-Centred Research Ecosystem
The Institute for Future Technologies’ presence at UIST reflects ESILV’s commitment to research that connects engineering, design, and user experience.
Projects in haptics, digital fabrication, and interactive materials advance knowledge in Human–Computer Interaction and strengthen the school’s role within the global research community.
About UIST
The ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) is the premier international venue for innovations in human–computer interfaces.
Sponsored by ACM SIGCHI and SIGGRAPH, UIST brings together experts in interface design, graphics, ubiquitous computing, and AI-driven interaction to exchange ideas and present advances shaping the future of HCI.
Learn more about research in interaction and design at ESILV.