computer interfaces that intercept the user’s nervous system
Yudai Tanaka is a PhD candidate in the dept. of Computer Science at University of Chicago advised by Pedro Lopes. His work is supported by Google PhD Fellowship and Siebel Scholars Program.
His research explores computer interfaces that generate sensory feedback by interfacing directly with users’ brains and nervous systems (e.g., transmitting signals straight to nerves; or even delivering senses directly to the brain). Yudai envisions that these interface as the foundation for the next generation of interactive systems, able to augment physical abilities and accelerate skill acquisition.
Yudai has published his work in top Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) venues, including ACM CHI & UIST, earning 🏆 Best Paper Award (CHI’23), 🏅 Best Paper Honorable Mentions (CHI’24, UIST’24) and ⚙ Best Demo Awards (CHI’22, UIST’24). His research has been featured in IEEE Spectrum, New Scientist, and CBS.
Curriculum Vitae| Google Scholar| Twitter| Email: yudaitanaka [at] uchicago.edu
news
2025.10 honored to be named a 2025 Google PhD Fellow!
2025.09 honored to be named a Siebel Scholar!
2025.07 two papers got accepted to UIST 2025 (congrats to the team)!
2025.03 serving as Web Chair for CHI 2026 and as Demo Chair for TEI 2026.
2024.12 passed PhD candidacy; huge thanks to my committee members: Pedro Lopes, Chris Harrison, Ken Nakagaki, and Hiroshi Ishii.
2024.11 serving for UIST 2025 as Data Chair again.
2024.10 presented reaWristic (done in Meta Reality Labs) at ISMAR 2024.
2024.10 best demo honorable mention at UIST 2024 for source-effector!
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key publications (fully refereed): nervous system interception
Primed Action: Preserving Agency while Accelerating Reaction Time via Subthreshold Brain Stimulation
Yudai Tanaka, Hunter Mathews, and Pedro Lopes.
Video | Paper | Publication | Talk
Vestibular Stimulation Enhances Hand Redirection
Kensuke Katori, Yudai Tanaka, Yoichi Ochiai and Pedro Lopes.
Video | Paper | Publication | Talk
Haptic Source-Effector: Full-Body Haptics via Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation
Yudai Tanaka, Jacob Serfaty, and Pedro Lopes.
CHI ’24 Best Paper Honorable Mention (top 5%)
UIST ’24 Best Demo Honorable Mention
Video | Paper | Publication | Talk
Can a Smartwatch Move Your Fingers?: Compact and Practical Electrical Muscle Stimulation in a Smartwatch
Akifumi Takahashi, Yudai Tanaka, Archit Tamhane, Alan Shen, Shan-Yuan Teng, and Pedro Lopes.
UIST ’24 Best Paper Honorable Mention (top 2%)
Video | Paper | Publication
ReaWristic: Remote Touch Sensation to Fingers from a Wristband via Visually Augmented Electro-Tactile Feedback
Yudai Tanaka, Neil Weiss, Robert Cole Bolger-Cruz, Jess Hartcher-O’Brien, Brendan Flynn, Roger Boldu, and Nicholas Colonnese.
ISMAR 2024
Video | Paper | Publication
Interactive Benefits from Switching Electrical to Magnetic Muscle Stimulation
Yudai Tanaka, Akifumi Takahashi, and Pedro Lopes.
UIST 2023 (acceptance rate: 25.1%)
Video | Paper | Publication | Talk
Full-Hand Electro-Tactile Feedback without Obstructing Palmar Side of Hand
Yudai Tanaka, Alan Shen, Andy Kong, and Pedro Lopes.
CHI ’23 Best Paper (top 1%)
Video | Paper | Publication | Talk
Electrical Head Actuation: Enabling Interactive Systems to Directly Manipulate Head Orientation
Yudai Tanaka, Jun Nishida, and Pedro Lopes.
CHI 2022 (minor revision: 12.5%)
CHI ’22 Best Demo
SIGGRAPH E-tech 2022
Video | Paper | Publication
more publications in HCI (fully refereed)
LipIO: Enabling Lips as both Input and Output Surface
Arata Jingu, Yudai Tanaka, and Pedro Lopes.
CHI 2023 (acceptance rate: 27.6%)
Video | Paper | Publication
DigituSync: Dual-User Passive Exoskeleton Glove That Adaptively Shares Hand Gestures
Jun Nishida, Yudai Tanaka, Romain Nith, and Pedro Lopes.
UIST 2022 (acceptance rate: 25.9%)
Video | Paper | Publication
DualVib: Simulating Haptic Sensation of Dynamic Mass
by Combining Pseudo-Force and Texture Feedback
Yudai Tanaka, Arata Horie, and Xiang ‘Anthony’ Chen.
VRST 2020 (acceptance rate: 26.5%)
Video | Paper | Publication | Talk
other publications
Understanding Crowdsourcing Requesters’ Wage Setting Behaviors using Bayesian Growth Curve Modeling
Kotaro Hara, Yudai Tanaka.
CHI 2022 Late-Breaking Work
Paper | Publication | Talk
yudai tanaka 