About Sankar Balasubramanian
Computational Designer | AI Architect | XR Developer | Mechanical Engineer
I'm a passionate Computational Design Researcher specializing in AI, XR, and Human-Computer Interaction, focused on enhancing engineering design to enable immersive, intuitive, and perceptive human experiences.
My interests lie in designing intelligent systems and building architectures for AI that foster meaningful human–machine collaboration, with the goal of shaping a more sustainable and thoughtful future for all.
I envision a future where machines can think, communicate, and feel like humans do.
Core Expertise
The Person Behind the Work
In a world of resumes and bullet points, here's the unscripted version — my journey, passions, and vision in my own words
▶A 5-minute glimpse into who I am beyond the credentials
🤖Plot twist — the above video, that's me, well but not me me.
The face? AI-cloned. The voice? AI-generated from my own.
Consider it my love letter to artificial intelligence: I let it play me, so I could focus on being me.
Key Achievements
A summary of academic excellence, research contributions, and leadership roles
Education
- Ph.D. Scholar at IISc Bangalore in Computational Design & XR
- University First Rank Holder & Best Outgoing Student (PG)
- University Eleventh Rank Holder (UG)
- GATE-ME Merit Scholarship (2015-17)
Research
- 17+ International Publications & Patents
- Best Paper Awards: iCoRD'23, PLMSS'23, IPRoMM'24
- Distinguished Paper Awards at Multiple Conferences
- Research Focus: XR, AI, Human-Computer Interaction
Awards
- Third Prize: NPCI Pravega Hackathon 2026 (CREAM)
- First Prize: NPCI Pravega Hackathon 2025 (SereneVR)
- Runner-up: HIVE Conclave 2025 (GAITMATE)
- Triple Award Winner: IEEE SSH 2024 (ZenVR)
- Elite Academician - DST and TI Inc.
Leadership
- Founder: Team Eureka Electric Mobility Club
- Life Member: Association for Designers of India (ADI)
- Student Member: ACM, IEEE, Design Research Society
- Secretary: College Science Club (GCE)
Academic Qualifications
A comprehensive educational journey spanning engineering, design, and management
Ph.D. in Computational Design
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
2020 - 2026M.E. in Engineering Design
Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli
2015 - 2017M.B.A. in Professional Management (Part Time)
M.S. University, Tirunelveli
2015 - 2017B.E. in Mechanical Engineering
Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli
2010 - 2014Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) & SSLC
A.V.Rm.V. Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Tirunelveli
2008 - 2010Professional Experience
Teaching, research, and mentoring experience across academic institutions
Research Scientist
RISE Lab, Centre for Biomedical Engineering (CBME), IIT Delhi
May 2026 - PresentPrincipal Software Architect
CreatED
Oct 2025 - Jan 2026Teaching Assistant
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
Jan 2024 - Apr 2024Teaching Assistant
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
Jan 2023 - Apr 2023Assistant Professor — Mechanical Engineering
Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai
Jul 2017 - Aug 2020What People Say
Testimonials from colleagues, students, and collaborators
"Mr. Sankar is more than a teacher to me."
Aswin Raj S
Deputy Manager - R&D @ TVS Motor Company | MSc in Sustainable Automotive Electrification
Click for more recommendations →
"I had the opportunity to be mentored by Sankar Sir during my internship at SCALE Lab and was fortunate enough to be the last intern that he mentored at IISc. Looking back, I can definitely say that he did justice to every bit of that role, if not far beyond!"
Deepthika S
Aspiring Industrial Designer | Ex-Product Design Intern @CPDM, IISc | Cognify '25 Finalist
Click for more recommendations →
"Sankar Sir is hands down the best mentor I have worked with. What sets him apart is not just his knowledge or research expertise, but the genuine effort and care he puts into mentoring his students."
Pawni Yadav
Incoming Analyst, Bain & Company | Research @ IIT Delhi CBME | NSUT IT '27
Click for more recommendations →
"When I first interacted with sir, one thing stood out, his curiosity, subject knowledge and application were outstanding. This one attribute of his was proven multiple times over during the course of the projects we did together."
"Working with Sankar sir during my internship at IISc has been an amazing learning experience of my academic journey. Over the course of a year, I had the opportunity to learn not only technical skills such as AI workflows, prompt engineering, and structured problem-solving, but also a more thoughtful approach to learning itself."
Aadya Bharti
NID | Integrating Technology and Design | Passionate about Sustainable Innovation
Click for more recommendations →
"Prof. B Sankar had taught me 3 courses at Thiagarajar College of Engineering."
Saravanapandian A
Manufacturing Process Engineer at TVS Motor Company | MSc, The University of Manchester
Click for more recommendations →
"I have come to know Sankar, during the past two years of my academics at IISc, as a great colleague, mentor, supporter, and motivator. I have had the pleasure of working with Sankar on several team projects during my M."
Mathangi Krishnan
IISc MDes CPDM 2021 | Biomedical Engineering graduate | Product Designer
Click for more recommendations →
"Sankar and I worked on numerous projects together, he's an open minded energetic individual who brings fresh ideas to the table and is an able team player. We also had courses together at IISc, he's brilliant at finding solutions from domains he hasn't seen before."
"Mr. Sankar is a PhD student at CPDM and I have had the privilege to befriend and know him."
"I am delighted to provide a strong recommendation for Mr. Sankar, who has been an exceptional mentor and guide throughout my academic journey."
Kishore Kumaar H
Mechanical Design Engineer | Passionate Product Designer
Click for more recommendations →
"Prof. B."
Eswara Prasath M
Senior Engineer - Data Analytics (R&D - Vehicle Validation) @Mahindra and Mahindra Limited | M.Tech in AI @ IIT Madras
Click for more recommendations →
"I had the pleasure of being a student of Prof. B."
"I would describe Prof. B."
Venkatesh Ravindran
Automotive Systems Engineer | Model Based Development | ADAS Development
Click for more recommendations →
"Prof.B."