Building a symbiotic loop between computing interfaces and human abilities

Myo Action: Accelerating Voluntary Actions via Electromyography and Muscle Stimulation

Yudai Tanaka, Che-Wei Hsu, Bruno Felalaga, and Pedro Lopes.

Myo Action detects the earliest muscle activity before visible movement begins, then uses electrical muscle stimulation to accelerate the action the user already intended. The system shortens reaction time while preserving voluntary control.

Next Generation Wearable Haptics Should Balance Virtual and Real-world Fidelity

Shan-Yuan Teng, Yudai Tanaka, Alex Mazursky, and Pedro Lopes.

This review argues that wearable haptics should be evaluated by two forms of fidelity: how convincingly a device renders virtual touch and how little it interferes with real-world touch. It organizes existing approaches into feel-through, on-demand, relocated, and remote actuators, then outlines design tradeoffs for systems that move seamlessly between virtual and physical tasks.

Increasing Input Accuracy of Embodied Devices via Muscle Stimulation

Lonnie Chien, Yudai Tanaka, Noor Amin, Jas Brooks, and Pedro Lopes.

This work uses electrical muscle stimulation to physically guide input on embodied devices. By helping the body reach the intended target, the technique improves accuracy while allowing the user to remain actively involved in the movement.

Primed Action: Preserving Agency while Accelerating Reaction Time via Subthreshold Brain Stimulation

Yudai Tanaka, Hunter Mathews, and Pedro Lopes.

Primed Action explores whether imperceptible brain stimulation can prepare the motor system before a response is needed. The stimulation accelerates reaction while the user still decides whether and when to act.

Vestibular Stimulation Enhances Hand Redirection

Kensuke Katori, Yudai Tanaka, Yoichi Ochiai, and Pedro Lopes.

We stimulate the vestibular system to subtly alter how users perceive their own motion. In virtual reality, this expands hand redirection and allows a smaller physical movement to support a larger virtual interaction.

Haptic Source-Effector: Full-Body Haptics via Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation

Yudai Tanaka, Jacob Serfaty, and Pedro Lopes.

Haptic Source-Effector produces touch sensations across the body using non-invasive stimulation of the brain rather than actuators placed at every output location. The work investigates a new path toward lightweight, spatially flexible haptics.

Best Paper Honorable Mention · Best Demo Honorable Mention

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.

This project integrates practical electrical muscle stimulation into a smartwatch-sized form factor. The device can move individual fingers while remaining compact enough to resemble an everyday wearable.

Best Paper Honorable Mention · top 2%

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.

ReaWristic delivers electro-tactile feedback at the wrist and visually redirects the sensation toward individual fingers. This approach creates finger-specific touch experiences without placing hardware on the hand.

Full-Hand Electro-Tactile Feedback without Obstructing Palmar Side of Hand

Yudai Tanaka, Alan Shen, Andy Kong, and Pedro Lopes.

This wearable system creates tactile sensations across the full hand using electrodes placed away from the palm. Users can still grasp objects and touch surfaces naturally while receiving spatial feedback.

Best Paper · top 1%

Interactive Benefits from Switching Electrical to Magnetic Muscle Stimulation

Yudai Tanaka, Akifumi Takahashi, and Pedro Lopes.

We compare electrical and magnetic approaches to muscle stimulation as tools for interaction. Magnetic stimulation enables contact-free actuation through clothing and suggests new ways to make body-based interfaces easier to wear.

Electrical Head Actuation: Enabling Interactive Systems to Directly Manipulate Head Orientation

Yudai Tanaka, Jun Nishida, and Pedro Lopes.

Electrical Head Actuation uses muscle stimulation to turn a user’s head toward interactive targets. The project examines direct physical guidance for attention, training, and immersive experiences.

Best Demo