About

Hi, I'm Yu Xia

I'm a passionate Technical Artist and researcher specializing in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), computer graphics, and games. My work bridges the gap between art, technology, and user-centered design, leveraging my expertise in technical art, UI/UX design, and hardware development.

Feel free to contact me:
Email: yuxia.hci@outlook.com
Portfolio: yuxia.pro

Research Interests

Human-Computer Interaction
Computer Graphics
Virtual Reality
Game and Play
Human-AI Interaction

Education

The University of Sydney
Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts (Illumination Design)
Sydney, Australia | Feb 2020 - Jan 2022
Courses: Design Programming, Software Development in Java, 3D Computer Design Modeling, Interface Design, Light and Vision, Photometry and Colorimetry

Beihang University
Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
Beijing, China | Sep 2015 - Jun 2019
Courses: C Language Programming, Computer Software Technology, Microcomputer Principles, Electronics, Mechano-Electronic Transmission

Professional Experience

GALA SPORTS Company
Technical Artist
Shenzhen, China | May 2022 - Jul 2023

Conducted research and optimization of rendering pipelines, including refactoring post-processing pipelines with compute shaders to improve GPU performance.
Designed data-driven usability studies for internal tools, gathering feedback from artists to improve workflows.
Developed custom shaders to achieve specific visual effects and optimized them for performance while maintaining visual fidelity.
Utilized profiling tools to analyze performance bottlenecks and provide recommendations for architectural refinements.

PUDU Robotics Company (Intern)
HCI System Designer
Shenzhen, China | Nov 2021 - Jan 2022

Designed user-centered workflows to improve robot-customer interactions, supported by extensive user research.
Created an adaptive robot expression system to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction.
Developed a framework for evaluating human-robot interaction, combining qualitative and quantitative studies to identify areas for improvement.

Research Projects

Wing Chun Training Robot: Trust-Based Interaction Design for Martial Arts Training
Sydney, Australia | May 2021 - Oct 2021

Investigated the role of Human-Robot Trust (HRT) in martial arts training, focusing on Chi Sau in Wing Chun.
Designed a virtual prototype of a training robot using Rhino Grasshopper, incorporating trust-based interaction principles to enhance efficiency.
Developed adaptive training modes tailored to user skill levels, ranging from beginners to advanced practitioners.
Collected feedback from martial arts instructors and proposed improvements, such as integrating tactile and auditory feedback mechanisms.

Skills

Programming: C#, C/C++, HLSL, Java, Python, R, SQLite, Processing, p5.js, Git, LaTeX, PyTorch
Software: Unity3D, Adobe Suite, Rhino, SolidWorks, ANSYS, Blender, Substance, Figma, Linux, Vim, Matlab, AutoCAD
Hardware: Arduino, Ultrasonic Sensors, Infrared Sensors, Pressure Sensors, Servo Motors, Breadboard Prototyping, Circuit Design