Michael Yin

Michael Yin is a PhD student specializing in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research at the University of British Columbia (UBC), under the supervision of Professor Robert Xiao. His research focuses on designing systems to support human emotional expression and reflection, exploring how technology can merge with complex and profound human emotions. Michael's research spans virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), streaming interaction, and game design, aiming to help people find meaning in joy, sadness, and uncertainty through technology. He completed his undergraduate studies in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto and has a passion for narrative-driven video games, badminton, and long-distance running.

• 2020–Present·University of British Columbia·Graduate Research Assistant
  • Conducting HCI research at UBC X-Lab, focusing on emotional support and interaction design in virtual reality.
• 2016–2017·University of Toronto·Research Assistant
  • Working in Kyros Kutulakos' lab studying depth extraction through structured light imaging.
• 2016·University of Toronto·Research Assistant
  • Developing wearable devices in Roman Genov's lab for biomedical performance monitoring, predicting motion types and intensity using cleaned EMG signals.

• 2019–Present·University of British Columbia·PhD
  • Specializing in Human-Computer Interaction with a focus on virtual experiences and emotional design, supervised by Robert Xiao.
• 2014–2018·University of Toronto·Bachelor's Degree
  • Engineering Science major, completed undergraduate thesis "Optimization of Curling Game Strategy Using Markov Reward Processes."