iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 29/09/2026

Join us Dec. 3 for the Neurotechnology Frontier Symposium at UChicago: AI, brain-computer interfaces, and adaptive therapies. Keynotes from Emily Graczyk, Helen Mayberg, John Rogers, and Frank Willett. 9am–6pm, KCBD 1103 neuroscience.uchicago.edu/neurotechnol...

Flyer of the event: https://neuroscience.uchicago.edu/neurotechnology-frontier-symposium

151

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 13/09/2026

Our work "Embodied AI" (embodied-ai.tech) was on display at the art festival Ars Electronica 2026 last days! Super exciting to see it as a video installation, including new videos and demos by Yun Ho and Romain Nith that were not on the original paper! (Big thanks to Cameron, Miles & Ken)

Miles and Cameron showing our work at Ars Electronica

000

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 31/08/2026

Check out our work "myo action" which uses electromyograohy (EMS) and muscle stimulation (EMS) to speed up voluntary reaction time (I know, sounds impossible!): lab.plopes.org#myoaction (w/ newly minted Prof. Yudai Tanaka). Nice article about it written at HacksterIO: www.hackster.io/news/myo-act...

Bruno wearing muscle stimulation device before hitting a pickle ball!

140

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 26/08/2026

We have four art works from the University of Chicago that will be shown at Ars Electronica, including a brand new installation showcasing our recent work on Embodied AI (embodied-ai.tech). If you come to Linz, please come check it out! (Org by Cameron, Ken & Jason)

040

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 26/08/2026

Sign up for our UIST 2026 workshop on "Augmenting Human Dexterity From multisensory feedback and motor capabilities to skill acquisition". Bring a demo, come share it, discuss, see keynotes, etc! All info: augmenting-dexterity.web.app p.s.: Spots are limited, register now!

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 17/08/2026

Big update: lab.plopes.org Integration Lab has been so busy we haven't had the time to say huge thanks to the current members who joined us this summer adventure and our recent graduated alumni (Jas & Jasmine who are now professors and Lonnie & Bruno, now PhD students!)

image of all lab members , alt text in lab website

image of recent alumi, alt text in lab website

000

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 14/08/2026

#UIST2026 workshop list is exciting. You can have a whole day of haptics! "Haptics beyond Vibration: Generative AI to Advance Multisensory Interfaces" + "Augmenting Human Dexterity: From Feedback and Motor Capabilities to Skill Acquisition"! Sign up: uist.acm.org/2026/worksho...

000

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 12/08/2026

Had a lot of fun on the Big Brains podcast talking about learning through embodied AI and haptics: youtu.be/CZXp8ipKX5k?... (full podcast is on YouTube too: youtu.be/R-iTnlFQzoQ?...)

000

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 06/08/2026

I published the keynote I have at the Taiwan Human Computer Interaction conference: * Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Ij... * Drawings from attendees at TAI CHI: vision.plopes.org/taichi * Slides from my talk: lab.plopes.org/taichi

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 20/07/2026

Two-Millisecond Passthrough Headset for Perceptual Studies By Meta's Eric Penner, Josephine D'Angelo, Clinton Smith, Nathan Matsuda, Navaneethan Siva, Phillip Guan "we find that 2 and 14 ms latencies are preferred over 23 and 29 ms when attempting to catch a ball"

140

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 12/06/2026

I am writing a small reflection about serving as technical program chair for CHI. If you have questions that I can try to answer in that essay (I already got a bunch in instragram) send them my way (you can DM, you can email me annon, reply below—whatever and I'll try to incorporate it!).

000

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 04/06/2026

Our Embodied AI (embodied-ai.tech) is also an art piece at #CVPR2026 art gallery! Watch the backend representation of an AI system that moves a dancer's body with muscle stimulation. Video: youtu.be/iRg6_SKpKrI (See all art pieces at #CVPR: thecvf-art.com/archive.php?...)

141

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 04/06/2026

What does it look like: Linear resonant actuator (LRA, same vibration as in your phone) provide a single dimension of asymmetric vibration = feels like a force in a direction. How do we get multi directions for 2D cues? We rotate the LRA to where the robot feels forces! 2/3

111

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 04/06/2026

New paper at #ICRA2026 with/led by Matt Walter's team at TTIC. HapCompass: wearable haptic device for teleoperation that gives directional cues via asymmetric vibration! By mapping the robot's tactile measurements—improves teleoperation performance + better imitation learning!1/3

111

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 24/05/2026

Letting an AI control my muscles (for science, and yes, it's a research prototype not a product!). Work done by Yun Ho and Romain Nith and published at ACM CHI (best paper award). All details at embodied-ai.tech

010

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 16/05/2026

I had way too much fun making an example for my class: this is an FPGA driving a screen directly over VGA, no drivers, no adapter, nothing else: just pure H sync and V sync fun ;) almost a game of pong!

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 09/05/2026

Reflection from latest conference our lab attended (ACM CHI): lab.plopes.org/essays/chi20... which includes all the talks we gave, demos, seeing our alumni, catching up with friends, fixing broken demos, and other fun moments we had at the conference!

Two photos of our lab during CHI 2026. Both photos are part of the article and have alt text on the html page, follow the link to read it.

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 07/05/2026

The most interesting question some folks asked me at #CHI2026 was: "did you not do a video with all the lab's paper this year?" Indeed, given the chairing work, I wasn't able too, but the enthusiasm of these folks helped me do it now 🙏! Here you go: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VVt...

Title of the video says novel devices we showcased ayt ACM CHI 2026

031

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 02/05/2026

We did it! Students final boards from hcipcb.plopes.org class are on their way to @JLCPCB . As soon as they arrive it's solder and debug time for them: good luck and enjoy your 1st electronics adventure with a cortex MCU! Super start TAs: Dylan, Yun Ho and Romain Nith

040

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 28/04/2026

A year ago we made seeingwiththehands.com lead by @tengshanyuan.info , Gene S-H Kim and Xuanyou Liu! On a personal note, it is insane to see how much has changed in just 365 days: Shan-Yuan is a professor now, Gene is a PhD at MIT, Zed is a PhD at Northwestern (and I survived CHI organizing).

A quadrant of four images each showing the seeing with hands prototype ion action. All of these are from the paper and have alt text on the paper so you can read them via text as well: https://lab.plopes.org/published/2025-CHI-SeeingWithTheHands.pdf

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 19/04/2026

That's it... #CHI2026 done. Hope you enjoyed the program!

070

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 17/04/2026

Want to ask question to our keynote speakers, use our slido: app.sli.do/event/eYDGwP... #Chi2026 please RT

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 17/04/2026

Want to ask question to our keynote speakers, use our slido: app.sli.do/event/eYDGwP... #Chi2026 please RT

100

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 15/04/2026

So many conferences in the @acm-sigchi.bsky.social family. Amazing to see this in one slide!!! (Town hall just started at #CHI2026 with kick off by @nehakumar.bsky.social come to the room!)

Slide of the town hall with all conference logos

010

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 15/04/2026

Yudai Tanaka (yudai-tanaka.com) rounding up his PhD brilliantly: not only we can accelerate reaction time ("Preemptive Action" I did w/ @umd_emd + @shn_kasa) but we can do it WHILE preserving AGENCY! How = EMG (you decide to move) + EMS (super fast muscle action) #CHI2026 at 11.15, room M2-M211

Bruno Felalaga holding a camera while wearing an EMG device and muscle stimulation, he is shooting a photo of a bird, and the Myo Action device will wait for his EMG signal and then fire the EMS in a few milliseconds, so so so fast that EMS can build up muscle contraction EXTREMELY fast and speed up bruno's finger that presses the button.

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 15/04/2026

If you missed the talk (room full, I know!) then you can watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd-E... And read the paper here: lab.plopes.org/published/20...

000

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 15/04/2026

@tengshanyuan.info (now Prof. NTU) new paper is an **argument** we wrote together on why #Haptics Should Balance Virtual & Real-world Fidelity — see it at P1-133 "Embodied Interaction" session. Paper: lab.plopes.org/published/20... p.s. His last contribution while working my group until last year

Figure 1 of the paper: a chart showing we need to balance haptic fidelity in virtual world (y axis) with that of REAL world (X axis)

000

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 15/04/2026

Today at #CHI2026: 9AM Next Generation Wearable Haptics Should Balance Virtual & Real-world Fidelity—argument paper w/ @tengshanyuan.info at P1-133 11AM MyoAction: Accelerating Voluntary Actions via Electromyography and Muscle Stimulation—new work by Yudai Tanaka at M2-M211

Two images of these respective papers side by side. One showing a hand being accelerated by Myo Action and the other is a diagram of new haptic actuators.

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 14/04/2026

Must watch talk from @jonfroehlich.bsky.social on stage to receive his societal impact award from @acm-sigchi.bsky.social

Jon on stage showing a slide that says "but that's not HCI"--hci luminary (as in a statement he is quoting from such a person)

181

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 13/04/2026

So what if we correct for the overshoot? Would it lead to better force recalls? Could it lead to better EMS systems that teach you physical skills (e.g., embodied AI systems, tutorial systems, etc). Yes, it can.

Making coffee with model correct EMS is easier. This user is happy pushing down his coffee grounds.

100

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 13/04/2026

How hard is it to learn a force you felt by muscle stimulation? And could we ever use this to build systems that teach you new physical skills requiring controlled forces? Our master student Mithil Guru is presenting this at #CHI2026. Tue 9AM "Haptics + XR" session at P1-119 at @chi.acm.org

Making coffee with EMS is hard, this user is struggling to replicate a force as they push down on the coffee grounds

171

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 05/04/2026

That time of the year where Romain Nith and I teach PCB (w @kicad.org and @jlcpcb.bsky.social ) to folks with no electronics/EE background, it's awesome it is to see them make physical devices from scratch! This is hcipcb.plopes.org class at @uchicagopsd.bsky.social @uchicagocs.bsky.social

Pedro and Romain smiling after ordering all the PCBs

040

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 03/04/2026

I'm still so mind blown by all her work I shared a screenshot of Instagram rather than the actual photo... ! Congratulations @xjasminelu.bsky.social

010

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 03/04/2026

I can't put this into any other words except that "you should check our Dr. Jasmine Lu's work at jasminelu.site " .... A huge congratulations to @xjasminelu.bsky.social on her absolutely stellar PhD and to Eric Paulos Ken Nakagaki and Greg Abowd for serving on this most incredible committee!

Everyone celebrating with Jasmine in front of her PhD slide!

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 24/03/2026

But how do people perceive having their bodies moved by an AI? In a study, we found participants successfully completed physical tasks while guided by generative EMS, even when EMS instructions were (purposely) erroneous! (we injected some cool errors) 6/7

Images (with consent from participants and blurred where requested) of people interacting with our system to perform real tasks, like use a analogue camera they ever used before, or a weird tool (a magnetic sweeper).

100

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 24/03/2026

Here, the same "help me" request generates two different movements because, a spray can with paint should be shaken, but a spray can with oil needs no shake: the multimodal AI gets this entirely from context (i.e., sensors, POV image from smart glasses, etc) = no custom code! 5/7

Two usages of our system, here, the same request "EMS help me" generates two different instructions because, a spray can with paint should be shaken and only then pressed, but a spray can with oil should only be pressed (no need to shake): the multimodal AI gets this entirely from context (i.e., sensors, POV image from smart glasses, etc) = no custom code!

100

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 24/03/2026

To implement our form of Embodied AI we use computer-vision + large-language-models + lots of user-worn sensors (smart glasses, GPS, etc) to generate contextually-relevant EMS instructions, constraining these to a muscle-stimulation knowledge base that cares of joint limits! 4/7

System diagram from our embodied ai, note how it uses many sensors, smart glasses to see what the user sees, microphone to hear them, in order to generate contextually relevant instructions

200

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 24/03/2026

Instead, in embodied-ai.tech we explore a different approach where muscle-stimulation instructions are AI-generated considering the user’s context (e.g., pose, location, surroundings). The resulting system can perform physical assistance without any custom programming! 3/7

Four tasks our system can do, bike rack, open pill bottle, spray and open a weird window.

200

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 24/03/2026

I have been working on electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) for physical assistance for more than a decade (in affordance++, we showed EMS can help manipulate tools!). But, EMS-assistance is highly specialized and non-contextual—it ignores your body pose & ignores your needs 2/6

100

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 20/03/2026

Text or video is not only form AI can take. In embodied-ai.tech (#CHI2026, Best Paper 🏆) we create an embodied AI that acts via muscle stimulation to perform physical tasks: e.g., place a bike on a bus rack and more! www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJM2... ... Yun Ho (www.yunho.org) and Romain Nith!

173

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 17/03/2026

Great keynote by Olaf Blanke at #augmentedHumans20026 touching on consciousness and neuroscience at #AHS2026

031

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 16/03/2026

I'm chairing the first session of #augmentedhumans2026 on #haptics, sensory substitution and perception! What a collection of incredible papers! (They will be soon online, but DM if you want a preview). #AHs2026

030

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 16/03/2026

#augmentedhumans2026 conference started (#AHs2026) with a record number of papers and participants! Thanks to the organizing committee for all the hard work! Papers will be in the ACM DL very soon!

010

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 07/03/2026

20 years of tangible and embodied interaction conference (#TEI2026 ) and it's happening in our campus and department at the university of Chicago! (Led by Ken Nakagaki!). Exciting program and tours coming up this week. Join us!

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 28/02/2026

Humbled that I was asked (and able) to say a few words at Jun Rekimoto's final lecture for his retirement from UTokyo. See online the lovely archive they put together, a most inspiring legacy!

090

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 27/02/2026

Super excited to be a part of this effort for the next generation of organic batteries! Thanks to the leadership of Shrayedh Patel and funding from the climate institute at UChicago! organicbattery.climate.uchicago.edu

010

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 17/01/2026

And finally, come to CHI 2026 in Barcelona, we can promise at least that it's the biggest paper program in CHI history!

020

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 29/11/2025

We are hiring PhD students in our Human-Computer Integration lab at the University of Chicago. You can apply via UChicago: 1. Computer Science (deadline Dec 11) 2. Data Science (Dec 16) 3. Neuroscience Institute's CNS (Dec 3) ... Join us to work on how future devices will integrate with the body!

Alex rocking his chemical haptics device that lets you modulate friction using liquids.

Yun giving a TV reporter a drum lesson using muscle stimulation!

Shan-Yuan with an exoskeleton without batteries. Yudai with his wearable brain stimulator.

Jas with a nose implant that lets you smell in stereo. Jasmine with her slime-mold powered watch.

110

Pedro Lopes @pedrolopes.org · 28/11/2025

I get a bunch of emails/comments about my single-take videos we do to showcase our lab's work, so we gathered them in one page: lab.plopes.org/videos.html (including an annotated history of how we started making these, and how they transformed over the years, to become more improv!)

Pedro and Yudai with a TMS coil. Laughing.

040