Željko Nenadić is a fourth-year Interactive Media student at NYU Abu Dhabi. His work revolves around the areas of technology design, programming, and engineering. Throughout his time as an undergraduate student, he has created multiple projects with the goal of automating long and complex tasks with the help of simple technology.
From an early age, Željko was interested in the fields of robotics and computer science. During his first years as an undergraduate student, he began experimenting with sensors and ways in which a computer could perceive its surroundings. He explored ways in which a computer could enhance how a human interacts with the environment, either by assisting the human’s senses or by replacing the human.
An example of his work is a vertical semi-automated drawing machine that is capable of drawing both raster and vector images on any smooth vertical surface. This machine can either assist the user in drawing or draw autonomously. Another project is a self-sustainable vase designed to optimize the growth of plants without any human input. This device is meant to completely replace a human in an interaction with the environment.
He is currently developing his largest project, which was inspired by his studies on technologies for surveillance. With the combination of coding, design, and engineering, Željko is creating a wearable piece of technology that would enable its user to be aware of their surroundings in any situation or environment. He intends to explore how even the simplest technologies can greatly assist human-computer-environment interactions.