Human-AI Integration Lab (HAL-UCSB)

Misha Sra


Assistant Professor, UCSB Computer Science
Courtesy appointments in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, the Media, Art & Tech program and the Cognitive Science Program. Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Responsible Machine Learning and Mind & Machine Inteligence.
Director of the Human-AI Integration Lab (HAL-UCSB)
Email: sra@ucsb.edu || Orcid || Google Scholar

Augmenting Capabilities with Transformative AI/XR

As AI decouples intelligence from consciousness, as XR transforms perception, and as matter becomes machine manipulable, three questions about the future arise:

  • What will newer AI-infused interfaces look like where digital bits occupy space and algorithms have faces?
  • How do we design seamless human-AI interaction techniques when AI is part of the physical world?
  • How will a shift from data-centered to Interactive AI embedded in our physical world transform our capabilities and enrich our lives?

To answer these questions, our current work focuses on eXtended Reality (virtual, augmented and mixed reality or XR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). In particular, we investigate the design, engineering and study of adaptive and explainable interfaces, tools, and systems for augmenting human physical capability. We are currently working in the areas of: (1) motor skill acquisition and recovery (e.g., fitness training, sports training, physical rehab therapy), (2) realtime guidance and feedback for physical tasks (e.g., repair, maintenance, cooking), and (3) human-AI creative collaboration for physical skills (e.g., playing an instrument, choreography).

The future is a heterotopia of "worlds within worlds, mirroring and yet upsetting what is outside," connected within and without in one seamless continuum.

PhD APPLY



  • For Fall 2024, I am actively looking for technical and motivated students who can demonstrate expertise and creativity with prototyping XR, electrical or mechanical systems and have significant prior programming experience, with or without AI. Please use the CS admission process, pick HCI as your area of interest, and include a link to your portfolio of work. Deadline is Dec 2023. For the 2024 cycle, I am specifically interested in students who are interested in exploring the design of task guidance systems from all perspectives.

    In your email, please give me a sense of why our lab is right for you and how you would contribute. What novel ideas would you bring to the lab? What new projects would you want to work on (don't just pick a project from the ones on this page)? I'd like to see a portfolio that documents the different research projects you have worked on and specifies your role in each of them, links to publications etc. I will not respond to your email if it's obvious you have never looked at our lab's website.

We are looking for applicants who:

  • care deeply about designing tools, systems, interfaces for augmenting human physical abilities;
  • are interested in psychology, neuroscience and kinesiology and can correlate findings with the design of new systems to augment human abilities;
  • have the technical skills needed to turn ideas into working prototypes such as AI, XR (e.g., Unity), EE (sensors);
  • have an understanding of the human-centered design process and are able to think deeply about the problem before engineering a solution;
  • are creative and not afraid to pick up new skills and knowledge needed to implement their ideas;
  • are a team player and happy to collaborate;
  • are able to communicate their thoughts effectively through writing, presentations etc.;
  • are highly self-motivated and take ownership of projects without needing micro management.

RESEARCH



Emotion Awareness

Design of an Emotion-Aware Painting Application With an Interactional Approach for Virtual Reality. ACII 2023.

LAB MEMBERS



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Misha Sra
Assistant Professor of Computer Science

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Sherry Chen
PhD student, CS

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Yimeng Liu
PhD candidate, CS

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Atieh Taheri
PhD candidate, ECE

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Andrew Huard
PhD student, ECE

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Arthur Caetano
PhD student, CS

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Avinash Nargund
PhD student, ECE

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Zichen Chen
PhD student, CS

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Kojiro Takeyama
Visiting Researcher, Toyota Research

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Alejandro Aponte
PhD student, MAT

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Purav Bhardwaj
Visiting student, NID, India

ALUMS



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Carlos Gilberto
Visiting PhD student, MechE. UNAM, Mexico City

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Giuliana Barrios Dell'Olio
Visiting Master's Student, CS 2020-2021. Now at McKinsey & Company

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Jake Guida
MS'20, CS (now at Adobe)

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Mengyu Chen
PhD'23, MAT (now at JP Morgan Chase)

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Austin Mac
BS'23, CS (now at Roblox)

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Jungah Son
PhD'23, MAT

APPLY


For Fall 2024, I am actively looking for technical and motivated students who can demonstrate expertise and creativity with prototyping XR, electrical or mechanical systems and have significant prior programming experience, with or without AI. Please use the CS admission process, pick HCI as your area of interest, and include a link to your portfolio of work. Deadline is Dec 2023.

CONTACT


The Human-AI Integration Lab is housed in the Computer Science Department at UCSB located in Phelps 3515.



© Human-AI Integration Lab