Steven Feiner, a professor at Columbia University, has been conducting VR and AR research for over 25 years, designing and evaluating novel 3D interaction and visualization techniques, and pioneering experimental applications of AR and VR. In 1996 he created “The Touring Machine” – the first mobile outdoor AR system that used a see-through head-worn display, integral orientation trackers, a backpack holding a computer, differential GPS, a digital radio for wireless web access, and a hand-held computer with stylus and touchpad interface. 

Feiner's research encompasses user interface design and the application of AR and VR to fields as diverse as tourism, journalism, maintenance, construction, and medicine. He has authored numerous influential papers and projects that demonstrate AR's potential to provide intuitive, context-aware interfaces for complex tasks. Through his teaching and mentorship, Feiner has also played a critical role in nurturing the next generation of AR researchers and practitioners.