Matthew Pan

Matthew Pan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Queen's University and a core member of the Ingenuity Labs Research Institute. He leads the Machine Intelligence and Human-Robot Interaction Laboratory (MItHRIL), focusing on human-robot interaction, haptics, and virtual/augmented reality technologies for practical applications in assistive robotics and entertainment.

His educational background includes:

• PhD and MASc in Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia
• BASc in Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo

Dr. Pan's research centers on human-robot interaction, haptics, and virtual/augmented reality, with applications in assistive technologies and human augmentation. His work explores affective computing, psychophysiological responses, and haptic feedback systems to enhance natural human-robot collaboration. Key projects include robotic handover systems, mixed reality interfaces, and social robotics for Disney Parks.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a strong focus on robotic handovers, human search/approach, and haptic proxies in virtual reality. His work integrates machine learning for adaptive robot behaviors and studies social cues (gaze, touch, gestures) to improve interaction fluency. Trends indicate growing emphasis on real-world deployment of social robotics in assistive and entertainment contexts.

Dr. Pan actively advises graduate students in the MItHRIL laboratory and has led industry projects at Disney Research, developing animatronic technologies and interactive guest experiences for Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Parks.

The MItHRIL laboratory serves as an interdisciplinary hub for robotics research, combining expertise in mechanical engineering, computer science, and human factors to advance intelligent systems for human augmentation and collaborative robotics.