Daria is an experienced entrepreneur and project manager specializing in emerging technologies and multidisciplinary research.

As the founder and CEO of WE/AR Studio – ranked among the world’s top 25 AR/VR companies – Daria has partnered with tech leaders like Intel, Qualcomm, Cisco, and Lenovo, demonstrating her ability to manage complex, cross-sector collaborations. 

With a strong background in deep tech R&D and cross-disciplinary project leadership, she has led impactful projects across various domains. Her expertise in orchestrating sizable, dynamic teams has been key to her success in executing high-stakes projects.

Daria founded the XR Ukraine Community to strengthen the XR industry and foster innovation and collaboration both nationally and internationally. She is also a board member of Euromersive and serves as Ukraine Ambassador in Women in Immersive Tech, roles that highlight her dedication to building robust networks for strategic support.

In her work, Daria focuses on amplifying technology’s influence in the humanitarian, healthcare, education, and security spheres.

Daria Fedko

University of Birmingham

Research, development and independent consultancy relating to human-centred design and interactive computer systems, especially Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Realities ("XR").  Active and award-winning track record in defence, healthcare and heritage applications.

Emeritus Professor, eXtended Reality and Human-Centred Design

University of Birmingham (UK)

My place of employment for over 16 years, originally as Chair in Interactive Multimedia Systems.  Principal activities are research (human factors, virtual, augmented and mixed reality environments and telerobotics), and teaching.  I took early retirement in July 2019, but returned part-time as Emeritus Professor in October 2019.

Director, Human Interface Technologies Team

Human Factors Integration Defence Technology Centre

Supporting the HFI DTC Programme via external presentations (to MoD and others), support to the DTC Director, exploitation activities, etc.

Research Director

Virtual Presence Ltd

VR Solutions was bought by London-based Virtual Presence Ltd in 1997 and had further acquisition &quot;experiences&quot; with Muse technologies and AVS (US) until 2003.

Director

VR Solutions Ltd

Virtual Reality spin-out company from the National Advanced Robotics Research Centre - VR research, development and consultancy for industry.

Advanced Robotics Research Ltd

In charge of Sensors, World Modelling and HCI projects.  My HCI Team developed telepresence systems based around a Cybermotion mobile robot, including a high-speed, head-slaved stereoscopic camera system.  Commissioned the UK's first transputer-based VR Systems (from Division) and the world's first tactile feedback glove, Teletact.  Appeared on numerous TV programmes relating to VR, including the BBC's 9 O'Clock News, This Morning (with Richard and Judy!) and the first ever BBC Horizon feature on VR, "Colonising Cyberspace" (available on YouTube).

Project Manager

British Aerospace

Initial position was as a Human Factors researcher, later Section Leader, then Group Leader (Ergonomics).  Research included weapons systems design, underwater, nuclear and space telerobotics, etc.

Group Leader, Ergonomics

NASA Ames Research Center

12 June, 1987 - my first experience of Virtual Reality, courtesy of colleagues Steve Ellis and Scott Fisher at NASA Ames Research Center and the NASA VIEW System.  Changed my whole life (and career)!

The day I became a VR convert!

XR Pioneer since 1987; Emeritus Professor; Human Factors Specialist. "XR's loveable curmudgeon" 🤣. All comments on LinkedIn are my own, but they're damned good ones 😉

An XR veteran of 37 years, 17 in the commercial/industrial sector and another 20 as a Professor (Chair) at the University of Birmingham.  Today, Bob is Emeritus Professor and an independent consultant in XR, Telepresence and Human Factors.  He is a Chartered Psychologist and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors.  In the 1980s he specialised in Human Factors for defence and teleoperated subsea, nuclear and space systems, including research at the UK’s National Advanced Robotics Research Centre. One of the first Europeans to experience NASA Ames' VR VIEW system in 1987, he established the UK’s first industrial VR team at the Centre.  He developed the world’s first tactile feedback glove, "Teletact" in 1990, and a unique keyhole surgery simulator, MIST, whuch became a European de facto trainer for a decade. After a BBC appearance in 1993, Bob launched the world’s first industrial VR collaborative project, involving some 20 large and small companies, fully funded by those companies. In May 1996, he became an Academician of Russia's Higher Education Academy of Sciences and was recognised by the Cosmonaut Training Centre's Director for “introducing VR to the cosmonaut space programme”. Later, he was made an Honorary Cossack at a ceremony near Starocherkassk in South Russia!  He works closely with the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and hospitals across the UK, evaluating VR technologies for military medic training and for patient mental and physical rehabilitation. Bob was the UK Human Factors Integration Defence Technology Centre’s Research Director for over 6 years; many of his previous academic team’s simulation projects originated here, including mixed reality for military command systems and defence medical training, IED disposal training and the exploitation of small unmanned air, subsea and land systems. His team also specialises in Virtual Heritage, undertaking innovative VR archaeology, maritime and drone-/submersible-based survey projects (heritage is Bob's No.1 "passion" in XR!). A Plymothian by birth, he was Team Leader for the 2020/2021 Virtual Mayflower & 1620s Barbican Project.  He has received many national and international VR/Human Factors awards, including the MoD Chief Scientific Adviser’s Commendation for contributions to Defence Science & Technology, and national and regional awards for his and his team's healthcare R&D.

Specialties: Human Factors / Ergonomics; simulation, Virtual Environments, XR (VR, AR and MR).  Applications in defence, healthcare and heritage.

taplio

The Battle

Daria Fedko

Prof Bob Stone

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