Bingjian Huang
PhD in Computer Science
Interests: human-computer interaction, robotics, haptics
Binjian Huang brings together haptics, robotics and human-computer interaction to build technologies that connect human perception with machines.
During his PhD at the University of Toronto, he developed VibraForge, an open-source toolkit now used by research labs around the world. As he graduates, Huang reflects on the value of interdisciplinary thinking and creating work that extends beyond the lab.
This Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.
Your research spans haptics, robotics and wearable devices. What drew you to working across disciplines rather than within one area?
I genuinely believe the most interesting innovation happens when ideas from different fields collide.
I think of each field as a node, and I try to draw lines between them — connecting haptics, robotics and perception in ways that create something larger than any one area could on its own.
VibraForge has been adopted by researchers globally. What does it mean to see your work extend beyond your own lab?
For research to be truly impactful, it cannot stay a lab prototype. It has to become something people actually use.
Receiving both praise and critique from real users has been one of the most rewarding parts of my PhD. It keeps me honest and pushes me to continue improving the toolkit.
How did navigating a new language, culture and academic system shape your experience as a PhD student?
Toronto is a vibrant city, and its culture and diversity have shaped my experience. What I value most, though, is the people — my supervisors, lab mates and fellow students who made these years wonderful. Some of my favourite memories come from insightful conversations with professors and casual hangouts with friends.
What first drew you to computer science, and what led you to pursue it at the graduate level?
CS gave me both a tool and a mindset — the ability to learn other fields (EE, ME, neuroscience, you name it) and the confidence to build whatever I want.
“CS trains students to be generalists, which matters more than ever in the AI era. It’s less about mastering a specific programming language and more about knowing what you want to create and which tools will help you get there. ”
What are you most proud of accomplishing during your time at U of T — whether in your research, collaborations or academic journey?
I am most proud of seeing my work grow beyond me. VibraForge started as a lab prototype and is now an open-source toolkit used by more than 20 labs worldwide, including MIT, EPFL, HKUST and Qualcomm XR. I've also mentored five undergraduate and master's students, several of whom went on to PhD programs at U of T, Princeton and NYU.
What's next for you, and how do you see your work in computer science shaping that path?
I'm finishing my PhD this year and currently interning at Meta Reality Labs, where I work on dexterous robot teleoperation with haptic feedback. Longer term, I plan to keep building at the intersection of human perception and embodied AI, making the loop between humans and machines feel more natural, whether in academia or industry.