Rakesh Patibanda, an accomplished Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) expert, brings a multidisciplinary approach to human-centered research, design, and technology development. His expertise lies in identifying user needs, applying human-centered research methods, and leveraging technology affordances to craft compelling and effective products.
With a solid decade of industry and academic experience, Rakesh has designed mobile games and developed gamified mental and physical health platforms. As a strong advocate for human-centric design, he consistently adopts cutting-edge methodologies to address users’ pain points and requirements.
Rakesh is now pursuing his PhD at the Exertion Games Lab at Monash University, under the mentorship of Prof. Florian ‘Floyd’ Mueller and Prof. Elise van den Hoven, who leads the Materialising Memories program at UTS. His research interest lies at the intersection of play, technology, and the human body. Specifically, Rakesh’s PhD research focuses on understanding the design of play involving technologies that enable users to share bodily control. As technologies allowing users to share control over their actions, such as AI or self-driving cars, become increasingly pervasive, his work holds substantial implications for the fields of game design and human-computer interaction. Rakesh greatly appreciates collaborations with academic and industry experts, as they enhance his understanding of the opportunities, risks, and advancements within these influential sectors.
Before starting his PhD, Rakesh completed his Master of Design by Research under the guidance of Associate Prof. Jonathan Duckworth and Prof. Florian ‘Floyd’ Mueller.
