Dr. Francisco R. Ortega

About This Site

This website is intentionally designed to be simple, accessible, and compatible with a wide range of browsing technologies. It works seamlessly with text-only browsers (such as Lynx and w3m) and older web browsers, ensuring that information is accessible to all users regardless of their technology constraints or preferences.

The site follows web accessibility standards (WCAG) and includes features for screen readers, keyboard navigation, and users with various disabilities. This commitment to accessibility reflects our lab's broader values of inclusive design and ensuring technology serves all people effectively.

About Me

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Colorado State University, where I have been since Fall 2018. I serve as the Director of the Natural User Interaction Lab (NUILab), a multi-disciplinary research group that is interested in Human-Centered Computing with a big emphasis in 3D user interfaces

I earned my Ph.D. in Computer Science in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and 3D User Interfaces (3DUI) from Florida International University (Advisors: Dr. Barreto and Dr. Rishe). Following my doctorate, I held positions as a Post-Doctoral Researcher and Visiting Assistant Professor at FIU from February 2015 to July 2018.

My research has resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications, including books, journals, conferences, workshops, and magazine articles in venues such as IEEE TVCG, ACM PACMHCI, ACM ISS, ACM SUI, IEEE ISMAR, ACM UIST, ACM CHI, IEEE VR, and IEEE 3DUI, among others. I am the first author of "Interaction Design for 3D User Interfaces: The World of Modern Input Devices for Research, Applications, and Game Development" published by CRC Press.

Since my tenure-track appointment at CSU, I have brought over $5 million in external funding. My work has been supported by the Office of Naval Research, DARPA, the National Science Foundation (including an NSF CAREER award in 2023), and various other agencies, companies, and non-profit

Research Directions

My research focuses on advancing human-computer interaction through innovative interface technologies and understanding how people interact with emerging computing systems. My work spans several interconnected areas that aim to make technology more natural, efficient, and accessible.

Core Research Areas

Multimodal and Unimodal Interaction (Gesture-Centric): I focus on gesture elicitation (a form of participatory design), gesture-centric multimodal interaction, and other type of input devices and interaction techniques. . Recent interests include microgestures and their applications in various domains including VR sketching.

3D User Interfaces and Virtual/Augmented Reality: My work addresses fundamental challenges in 3D user interfaces, including gesture recognition, multimodal interaction combining gesture and speech, and developing effective interaction techniques for immersive environments.

Information Access Effort in Augmented Reality: My interest includes the tradeoffs between physical and digital clutter, tasks, visual cues, notifications, timers automation bias, and other factors affecting visual search and information retrieval in AR and VR head-mounted displays.

Cognitive Load and Training Optimization: My research assesses cognitive load and manages extraneous load to optimize training effectiveness in extended reality (XR) environments, with applications in military and professional training contexts.

VR for Well-being and Social Impact: I explore the use of virtual reality for stress reduction through forest bathing experiences and investigate how VR nature experiences can boost executive functioning and well-being, particularly in older adults.

Extended Reality and Privacy: We are exploring how we can improve privacy for AR and VR HMDs.

Accesibility for XR: We are investigating interaction techniques for people with Cerebral Palsy (and others with motor control challenges). We are also looking at other areas of accesibility.

For a complete list of publications, please visit my Google Scholar profile.

I welcome inquiries from prospective graduate students interested in these research areas. Please see the contact section or visit NUILab for more information about joining our research group.

Teaching

I teach courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, covering topics in computer science with an emphasis on human-computer interaction, user interface design, and emerging technologies. My teaching philosophy emphasizes hands-on learning, critical thinking, and the practical application of theoretical concepts to real-world problems.

I believe in fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment where students from diverse backgrounds can thrive. My lab has included students from various majors including Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Biology, Psychology, Engineering, and Architecture, and from many countries around the world.

Student Opportunities

I am always looking for motivated undergraduate and graduate students to join our research efforts. If you are interested in working on cutting-edge research in VR/AR, gesture interaction, or related areas, please reach out via email with your CV and a brief description of your interests.

Contact Information

I receive too many emails. For urgent matters, please indicate this in your email subject line. For research collaboration inquiries or prospective student questions, please include relevant details about your background and interests.