From Data to Decision: Ubiquitous Systems Shaping Healthcare and Education

Speaker: Dr. Qijia Shao
Assistant Professor
Division of Integrative Systems and Design ( ISD)
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Title: From Data to Decision: Ubiquitous Systems Shaping Healthcare and Education

Date: Monday, 15 September 2025

Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Venue: Lecture Theater F (Leung Yat Sing Lecture Theater), near lift 25/26, HKUST

Abstract:

Accurate, continuous monitoring of human physical and physiological data is essential for advancing many human-centered applications. Current methods to acquire human data, however, either necessitate heavy instrumentation of the environment, demand extensive manual inputs, or require wearable sensors that are often rigid or adhesive and lead to discomfort over prolonged use. Moreover, translating these data into meaningful insights is complicated by challenges such as user diversity and environmental variability.

In this talk, I will introduce novel sensing systems and efficient AI algorithms designed to overcome these barriers in acquiring and interpreting human physical and physiological signals. I will demonstrate how we have transformed common everyday objects—from fabrics to mouse and keyboard—into seamless, ubiquitous platforms capable of detecting both physical motions and underlying physiological states. These innovations open up new possibilities in healthcare and education. Furthermore, I will explore how the integration of physical and physiological sensing can help address fundamental challenges in human-centered sensing.

Biography:

Qijia Shao is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Integrative Systems and Design ( ISD) at HKUST. Prior to joining HKUST, he obtained his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Columbia University in 2024. His recent research focuses on developing practically deployable systems and generalizable AI algorithms, particularly for the collection and analysis of human data. Qijia's work has been recognized with notable awards, including the ACM MobiSys Best Paper Award, multiple Best Demo Awards, and honors such as IEEE Pervasive Computing Emerging Rockstar, NSF CPS Rising Star, and ACM UbiComp Gaetano Borriello Award Finalist. He has served as an Associate Editor for IMWUT/UbiComp and as a TPC member for leading conferences in mobile computing, such as ACM MobiSys, SenSys, and others. Furthermore, his contributions are making a tangible impact in the industry, with his algorithms being deployed to products through collaborations with companies like Signify Research, Snap Research, and Samsung Research.