Understand, Predict, and Enhance User Behavior in Mixed Reality

Nov 21st 10-11 am

Meeting ID: 520 960 7561

Guest: Dr. Yukang Yan

Assistant Professor at University of Rochester / Postdoctoral Researcher at Carnegie Mellon University

ABSTRACT:

My research focuses on the enhancements in human computer interaction in Mixed Reality. As the integration of digital and physical worlds through Mixed Reality expands the interaction space beyond traditional screens, it has a significant impact on how users perceive and interact with the world and themselves. Through conducting user studies, I aim to observe and model the behavioral and perceptual patterns of users as they interact with Mixed Reality. Based on these findings, I design and develop interaction techniques that are tailored to these behavioral changes in order to facilitate user input and information display. These techniques include multimodal input methods utilizing hand gestures, head movements, and facial expressions, as well as adaptive user interfaces that take into account the user’s mental state and environmental context to optimize information display. Additionally, I explore augmentation methods that allow users to surpass their capabilities in the real world, such as embodying healthier virtual avatars or non-humanoid avatars to gain unique experiences not possible in reality.

BIO:

Dr. Yukang Yan is an Assistant Professor in the ROCHCI group in the Department of Computer Science, University of Rochester. Before that, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Augmented Perception Lab, Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. He earned both his Ph.D. and Bachelor’s degree from Tsinghua University. His research focus lies in Human-Computer Interaction and Mixed Reality. He published journals and papers at ACM CHI, ACM UIST, ACM IMWUT, IEEE VR, with ACM CHI 2020 Honorable Mention Award, ACM CHI 2023 Honorable Mention Award, IEEE VR Best Paper Nominee Award. His thesis won Outstanding Doctoral Thesis at Tsinghua University.