Dinesh K. Pai is a Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, where he directs the Sensorimotor Systems Laboratory. He holds cross-appointments at UBC’s Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS), Institute of Applied Mathematics, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, ICORD International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, and Brain Research Centre. His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Cornell University and a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. His research spans sensorimotor computation with applications in computer graphics, robotics, biomechanics, haptics, and neurobiology. Recent work focuses on human body modeling, garment simulation, soft tissue dynamics, and friction measurement, leveraging machine learning and physics-based simulation techniques. Pai’s publication trends reveal a strong interdisciplinary focus on human-centered computational models, with increasing integration of machine learning for 3D pattern adjustment, body shape generation, and cloth simulation. His work bridges computer graphics with biomechanics and neuroscience through sensorimotor computation. UBC’s 2012 Killam Research Prize CHCCS 2020 Achievement Award Tier 1 Canada Research Chair His research has been supported by significant grants including NSERC Discovery and Idea-to-Innovation grants, a Major Thematic Grant from the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, and a Human Frontier Science Program grant for studying CNS modularity. As leader of ICICS’ Human Sensorimotor Systems theme, he directs a multidisciplinary team exploring computational models of human sensorimotor function. The Sensorimotor Systems Laboratory operates state-of-the-art facilities featuring a Vicon MX motion capture system, LMI HDI body scanner, eye trackers, skin measurement instruments, EMG systems, haptic interfaces, and robotic platforms for advancing human-computer interaction research.
