Keynote 2: Flying Robots as Interfaces for Spatial Computing

Spatial computing has made remarkable advances in visual and auditory immersion, yet interaction with digital content remains constrained by static displays, handheld controllers, and wearable devices. This talk explores a different vision: autonomous flying robots that become dynamic interface elements capable of bringing interaction directly to the user. Drawing on a series of systems developed in our lab, I will present how flying robots can provide on-demand haptic feedback, reconfigure to render richer physical interactions, transition autonomously between free-space and handheld interaction, and act as mobile displays that bring digital content into the physical world without requiring fixed infrastructure. Together, these systems illustrate how mobility fundamentally changes the design space for human-computer interaction, enabling interfaces that appear when needed, move through the environment, and adapt to users and tasks in real time. I will conclude by discussing the technical challenges and research opportunities in developing aerial interfaces for the next generation of spatial computing systems.