Date: 2025-05-28, 16:00h-17:00h UTC+2 (CEST)

Speaker: Yujie Tao, PhD student at Stanford University, part of the Stanford SHAPE Lab and Virtual Human Interaction Lab.

Title: Sensory Augmentation to Support Presence in the Ordinary

Abstract: The human mind often wanders, drifting to thoughts about the past or future that pull us away from the present moment. Modern technologies—such as social media and immersive platforms—further amplify this tendency, drawing our attention away from our immediate surroundings and into the digital world. How might interactive technologies reconnect us with ordinary, present-moment experience?

In this talk, I will share my research on sensory augmentation—systems that enhance human perception. I will showcase wearable devices designed to help users refocus their attention and spark curiosity about everyday objects. I will also highlight how sensory augmentation can enrich communication in face-to-face social interactions.

Biography: Yujie Tao is a third-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science at Stanford University, part of the Stanford SHAPE Lab and Virtual Human Interaction Lab. Yujie works at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction and multisensory perception, exploring new ways to augment human senses for positive impact. Her website: http://yujietao.me/.