Gowdham Prabhakar
HCI engineer, music producer, and robotics builder. His research bridges human experience and technology across HCI, Music Technology, XR, Assistive Technology, Human-Robot Interaction, and New Media Art. He founded HIVE Lab with the conviction that India needed a serious home for Music Technology research — and a lab that refuses to stay inside a single discipline.
B.E. Electronics (Anna University) → M.Des (IIITDM Kancheepuram) → PhD HCI (I3D Lab, CPDM, IISc Bangalore, with Prof. Pradipta Biswas) → Postdoc (Multi-Sensory Devices Group, UCL) → Assistant Professor, IIT Kanpur.
Music Production
Passionate about music since childhood, Gowdham bridges technical expertise with musical expression — producing original compositions and using music as a lens for interaction research.
Iyal
Debut album — Tamil compositions bridging classical sensibility and contemporary production.
Listen on SoundCloud ↗Poovil Thenai
First single — a Tamil composition exploring nature and longing through contemporary sound design.
Watch on YouTube ↗New York Nagaram
Cover of the iconic AR Rahman composition — a tribute to the artist who first inspired the music journey.
Watch on YouTube ↗Music as a Research Medium
Cognitive load mapped to musical notes · Eye-gaze controlled DAW · GraviTone gravity-well interface · Swarings ring-based MIDI controller · Music Glove wearable tabla interface
For the full list of HIVE Lab projects see the Projects page. Selected highlights below.
GraviTone — Gravity-well Musical Interface
A novel instrument where gravity wells control pitch, rhythm, and dynamics — presented at NIME 2025, Canberra.
Mouth Interface for XR
Enabling disabled artists and users to navigate XR environments using mouth-based interaction. Published at CHI 2026.
CAVE-E — Virtual Earthquake Environment
VR-based simulation of collapsed buildings for disaster training and rescue robot evaluation.
Swarings — Ring-based MIDI Controller
Wearable ring controllers for real-time MIDI performance. Presented at UIST 2025, Busan.
Serpentine Synergy — Soft Continuum Robot
Dual-function soft robot operating as both a continuum manipulator and a snake robot for search and rescue.
Phantom Visions & HUX AI
Generative AI artworks and interactive experiences presented at IndiaHCI 2024 Arts Track, IIT Bombay.
Music Glove & Tabla Glove
Wearable glove interfaces for Indian classical percussion — enabling tabla performance through gestural sensing.
Digital Theremin & Musical Haptics
Touchless expressive instrument and tactile music perception platform — extending musical interaction beyond touch.
ICU/CCU Patient Interaction & Eye-Gaze HUD
Communication systems for non-verbal ICU patients using eye tracking and AAC — giving voice to those who cannot speak.
PathBuddy & Tourette’s Assistive System
Assistive navigation platform and a system for people with Tourette’s Syndrome — inclusive design for diverse neurologies.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation & PRANA
Non-invasive neurostimulation device and PRANA — a multi-sensory immersive installation exploring physiological feedback and presence.
Focused Clarity & Gaze Flow
Attention and cognitive interaction platform, and gaze-based interaction system for adaptive human-AI experiences.
Kinetic Arts & BluePrint
Electronics-driven motion sculptures and an interactive exhibition platform — design and technology as spectacle.
PhD thesis: Interaction Design and Distraction Detection of Drivers in Automotive — IISc, 2016–2021. Graphical abstract ↗ Presentation ↗
HMI for Music Production (FL Studio)
Eye tracking + hand gesture control of a DAW — early prototype of what became HIVE’s Music Tech research.
On-Road Obstacle Detection — TATA Elxsi
Faster-RCNN on GPU for real-time obstacle detection in ADAS. 8-month collaboration with TATA Elxsi.
DataLev — Acoustic Levitation Data Physicalisation
Mid-air data physicalisation using acoustic levitation. Published at CHI 2023 with UCL collaborators.
From Preparedness to Action: Synthesising Insights on Robot Usage in Post-Earthquake Search Operations
Heads Up eXperience (HUX): Always-On AI Companion for Human Computer Environment Interaction
Serpentine Synergy: Design and Fabrication of a Dual Soft Continuum Manipulator and Soft Snake Robot
Tactile Melodies: A Desk-Mounted Haptics for Perceiving Musical Experiences
A Brief Survey on Interactive Automotive UI
A Wearable Virtual Touch System for IVIS in Cars
Cognitive Load Estimation Using Ocular Parameters in Automotive
Interactive Gaze & Finger Controlled HUD for Cars
Eye Gaze Controlled Projected Display in Automotive and Military Aviation
Detecting Drivers’ Cognitive Load from Saccadic Intrusion
Additional journal articles — Frontiers in Psychology, J. Eye Movement Research, ACM DGOV
When Assistive Technologies Become Provocations: Unpacking Access in HCI Practices Using Crip Technoscience, Mouth Interfaces, and XR
Swarings: Exploring Expressive Freedom Through Ring-Based Musical Interaction
Exploring the Trapped-in-Debris Experience: Behavioural and Verbal Analysis in XR Earthquake Simulations
From Awareness to Action: XR Systems for Earthquake Preparedness, Evacuation, and Rescue
NeuroXR: Neurophysiological Signals, Affective Computing and Cognition in Extended Reality
GraviTone: A Tangible Musical Interface Using Gravity Well for Sound and Music Creation
Key Dimensions for Human-Robot Interaction in XR for Rescue Robots
To Show or Hide — Investigating the Effect of Cursor Visibility in Gaze-Controlled Interfaces
Multi-Modal Interaction for Soft Continuum Robots during Post-Earthquake Search Operations
DataLev: Mid-air Data Physicalisation Using Acoustic Levitation
Evaluation of Laser Pointer as a Pointing Device in Automotive Best Paper Award
Comparison of Three Hand Movement Tracking Sensors as Cursor Controllers Best Paper Award
Additional papers at AutomotiveUI, British HCI, IEEE TENSYMP, ICT4SD, SFTE, AVIAMAT
HIVE Lab Era (2022–present)
Real-time Visual Feedback System for Minimizing Risk of Jaywalking or Distracted Walking
A Musical Instrument — Swarings 2
Wearable Musical Device for Simulating Indian Classical Percussion Audio — Music Glove
GraviTone
Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation Device with Physiological Feedback
An Ear Device for Nerve Stimulation
IISc Era (2016–2021)
Wearable Laser Pointer for Automotive User Interface
System and Method for Monitoring Cognitive Load of a Driver
A System for Man-Machine Interaction in Vehicles
Developments and Trend Maps for Soft Continuum Manipulators and Soft Snake Robots
Institute Gold Medal — IISc Bangalore
AI4AI event, 2025 — outstanding research contribution
Best Paper — IEEE ICICICT 2017
Laser Pointer as Pointing Device in Automotive
Best Paper — IEEE ICCICCT 2016
Three Hand Tracking Sensors as Cursor Controllers
ACM Travel Grant
Automotive UI 2017, Doctoral Consortium
Runner-up — RPD 2019
Research in Product Design, CPDM, IISc
Runner-up — KALPANA 2015
Tata Center, IIT Bombay — Dynarack housing system
MIT Media Lab
2024
Stanford HCI Group
2024
Imperial College London
2025
University of the Arts London
2025
Brunel University London
2024
ZHdK, Zurich
2023
Virginia Tech
2024
TH Ingolstadt, Germany
2023
IISc Bangalore — CiSTUP
2022
Featured in national and international press across research milestones.
Human Machine Interaction ↗
DES 638 · 9 Credits · Odd Sem
Electronics for Designers ↗
DES 634 · 9 Credits
Music Technology: Sound Design & Musical Interfaces ↗
DES 648 · 9 Credits Past works ↗
Game Tech Explorers ↗
School Connect · IIT Madras · 2025
CARE Grant
Collaborative research in human-centered interaction systems.
Institute Special Grant
IIT Kanpur institute grant for HIVE Lab infrastructure and research.
Lab Startup Grant
Seed funding to establish HIVE Lab facilities and initial projects.
Intelligent Dashboard Control System
Faurecia-funded automotive HMI research project.