Yang Hu

胡 杨 / jʌŋ: hu /

HCC researcher / Game engine developer / Game designer

I am a Ph.D. student and research assistant in the CUGAME Lab at Clemson University's School of Computing, where I work under the supervision of Dr. Guo Freeman.

Prior to joining Clemson, I earned my M.S. in Game Science and Design from Northeastern University (Boston, USA) and B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Arizona (Tucson, USA). My technical background spans multiple areas interactive technology development, including game engine development (e.g., custom 2D and 3D game engines from the ground up), VR systems (e.g., VR applications in Unity), eye tracking (e.g., eyetracking hardware and software on desktop and VR platforms), and digital fabrication (e.g., Arduino, 3D printing, and laser cutting for rapid prototyping).

My current research are mainly in two areas: Virtual Reality (VR) interfaces and interactive live streaming. Specifically, I investigate two problems:

(1) How VR's spatial computing environment can address 2D screen-based "attention monopolization", a phenomenon where traditional software competes for limited display space through designs that prioritize exclusive attention capture and prolonged user engagement. I investigate how VR's volumetric display space can diversify software design criteria beyond conventional metrics.

(2) How interactive and game-integrated live streaming can address "gaming initiation anxiety", a phenomenon where players, despite having available time, become hesitant to start games due to the psychological commitment needed to achieve an optimal play state (e.g., entering a "flow"). I explore how streaming platforms can evolve and ultimately blur the traditional boundaries between spectating and playing, creating a new mediated experience that supports high engagement and interaction while requiring less psychological commitment.