Human-Robot Interaction in Practice, with Jessica Turner

People and Emerging Technologies: Human-Robot Interaction in Practice

The August 2025 Design and Innovation Meetup promises to be a highlight of our year, featuring Dr. Jessica Turner, a Senior Lecturer in Au Reikura School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences and the University of Waikato.

She’s a Tauranga-based researcher in Human Centred Computing, and will be talking about her (and her students) work in understanding how we can design, prototype and evaluate robots that work alongside people. From how appearance influences perceptions to robotic campus ambassadors, we'll explore how humans can interact with robots in everyday contexts.

If you’re interested in the interface of design and engineering, how we can build useful and likeable technologies, and how we can build prototypes and experiments to test these things, then this is the session for you! This will be a hand on and interactive session, as Jessica is kindly also welcoming us into to their brand spanking new Computer Science lab, and giving us a chance to play with some of their kit!

This is a great chance to see another exciting development for our city’s innovation ecosystem, as well as – as ever - connect with likeminded innovators from around the region.

Please note the change of location – still city centre but at the new Computing Lab 145 Durham St.