I research Human Computer Interaction and programmable touch technology (i.e, haptics). Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, working with Dr. Katherine Kuchenbecker. Prior to that, I completed my PhD under the supervision of Professor Karon MacLean in the Department of Computer Science at University of British Columbia.
My research goal is to make haptics accessible to users with various backgrounds, goals, and preferences. From simple vibration messages to robotic arms with a dozen degrees of freedom, haptic devices have many applications in virtual reality, teleoperated surgery, education, and entertainment. Yet, haptic technology is complex and specialized, thus, its impact is currently limited. I aim to change this by designing tools that let anyone to access, create, and adapt haptic technology for their needs.
In my PhD, I researched users' perception of tactile sensations and devised simple, yet effective haptic personalization tools such as VibViz for ordinary users. In my Postdoc, I made haptic hardware accessible to designers by curating an online visual collection of 105 haptic devices, called Haptipedia.
In my research, I triangulate knowledge and methodologies from human computer interaction, information visualization, machine learning, and mechanical engineering.