Biography

Hrvoje Benko is a Director of Research Science at Meta Reality Labs Research and an Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington Information School. At Meta, he leads research on novel interaction techniques, devices, and interfaces for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). He is responsible for setting the vision and research direction of the HCI research organization at Meta Reality Labs Research as well as driving the research and development on novel wristband input and output solutions for AR and VR experiences. Prior to joining Meta, he was a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, where he conducted highly influential research on topics ranging from multi-touch interaction and room-scale virtual environments to haptic devices and perceptual illusions. Benko received a PhD in Computer Science from Columbia University.

Benko and his colleagues won the UIST 2022 Lasting Impact Award for OmniTouch, the first wearable projector & depth-camera system that enabled touch interaction everywhere, and developed the open-source RoomAlive Toolkit, which enables the creation of room-sized dynamic projection-mapping experiences that don’t require headsets or glasses. His team’s work on a research prototype multi-touch mouse was reported on in a paper that received the UIST 2009 best paper award and was later commercialized as the Microsoft Touch Mouse. His team’s novel approach to visualizing contact points on a multi-touch display to allow users to better understand their interactions was incorporated in the Windows OS. Benko has received many best paper awards and honorable mentions at CHI, UIST, ISS, and CSCW, has co-authored more than 100 scientific articles, and is a co-inventor on more than 70 issued patents.

Benko has been an active participant in the SIGCHI community, serving UIST as General Chair (2014), Program Co-Chair (2012), and member of the steering committee; CHI as Associate Chair for many years; and TOCHI as Associate Editor since 2016 and Information Director (2016–2018).