Designing immersive systems at the frontier of augmented reality and human interaction.
Dedicated to advancing location-based AR and understanding how spatial computing reshapes human cognition and behaviour. Postdoctoral Researcher at HIT Lab NZ (University of Canterbury) collaborating with Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Senior Lecturer at Yoobee Colleges.
Biography &
Interests
Dr. Yasas Sri Wickramasinghe is a Postdoctoral Researcher at HIT Lab NZ (University of Canterbury) and Senior Lecturer at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation, where he specialises in immersive technologies and human-computer interaction. He holds a PhD in Human Interface Technology from the University of Canterbury, with a dissertation on designing multiplayer location-based AR games that connect remote players and places.
His research is conducted in collaboration with industry partners including Sony Interactive Entertainment (Japan) and Niantic, Inc. Earlier in his career he co-founded NavitaZ VR Labs under the MIT Global Startup Labs programme (2015) and served as a Technical Lead at 99X Technology. He also led the development of Sri Lanka's first large-scale MOOC platform, which grew to over 150,000 registered learners. He writes regularly on immersive media and software engineering at ReadClub.me and Medium.
Research Focus
- check_circleLocation-Based Augmented Reality
- check_circleXR & Spatial Computing
- check_circleHuman Interface Technology
- check_circlePlayer Experience & HCI
Education
- schoolPhD, Human Interface Technology — University of Canterbury
- schoolSpec. in VR — Goldsmiths, University of London
- schoolBSc (Hons) IT — University of Moratuwa
Work
Experience
Postdoctoral Researcher
HIT Lab NZ, University of Canterbury
Design, implementation, and evaluation of VR applications in collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment (Japan). HCI research in immersive environments, mentoring postgraduate students, and developing multi-modal XR experimental platforms.
Senior Lecturer
Yoobee College of Creative Innovation
Teaching master's-level courses in Strategic Information Systems, Database Management, and IT Project Management. Recognised for innovative, gamified, and high-engagement teaching methods. Supervising capstone and thesis projects.
Lecturer & Platform Lead
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in HCI, Database Systems, and Software Engineering. Co-designed and launched Sri Lanka's first large-scale MOOC platform (open.uom.lk), scaling to over 150,000 registered learners with fully automated course delivery.
Technical Lead / Senior Software Engineer
99X Technology, Sri Lanka
Led engineering teams building large-scale enterprise applications. Introduced AR features and Agile practices. Received three consecutive Excellence Awards and was a Top-3 Emerging Xian nominee.