Physical Intelligence Lab
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Jonathan S. Tsay, Principal Investigator
Email · CV · BlueSky · Scholar · Neurotree · My Story
I am an assistant professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. I have a background in theoretical mathematics (B.A. from Northwestern University), physical rehabilitation (D.P.T. from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine), and cognitive neuroscience (Ph.D. from UC Berkeley). If you can't find me in the lab, I am listening to a podcast, taking a long walk, working in a hipster coffee shop, or spending time with my wife, Sophia, and my cat, Kiki.
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Indranil Nyamsuren, Ph.D. Student @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I am a recent graduate from Minerva University (B.S. in Computer Science and Brain, Behavior, and Cognition). During my studies, I lived in seven different cities around the world and worked in research, education, and women's safety. These experiences fostered my interest in understanding the intersection of human cognition and computation. Prior to joining the lab, I explored this intersection by using machine learning models to classify clinical diagnoses and identify neuron subpopulations from gene expression patterns. Outside of the lab, I like walking, reading, and cooking.
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Elizabeth Cisneros, Visiting Ph.D. Student @ UC Berkeley
I am particularly interested in how people learn and refine their motor skills. Currently, my research focuses on the impact of both healthy and pathological aging on implicit and explicit motor learning. I hope this knowledge can be applied to enhance rehabilitation practices and deepen our understanding of how motor learning is influenced by healthy and pathological aging. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, climbing, knitting, baking, and attending one too many concerts.
Ding Wei, Visiting Ph.D. Student @ Tsinghua Univ.
I am interested in how humans and foundational agents manipulate objects. Specifically, I am investigating the affordance spaces of humans and foundational models, and employing these insights to benchmark and optimize robotics. With a multidisciplinary background in computer science, neuroscience, and robotics, I am eager to explore projects at the intersection of these fields. Outside of work, I love dancing (jazz, waacking, and pole) and traveling for delicious food.
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Sophie Elliott, Undergraduate @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I am an undergraduate student at CMU studying cognitive neuroscience. I am interested in studying the interactions between brain and behavior for individuals with developmental disorders. Outside of the classroom, I am a member of the CMU varsity swim team, a first-year orientation leader, and a peer tutor for the student academic success center. In my free time I enjoy crocheting, playing with my dogs, and spending time outdoors.
Anjuli Niyogi, Ph.D. Student @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I am a Ph.D. student in Cognitive Neuroscience at CMU, supervised by Jonathan Tsay. I am broadly interested in the intersection between cognition and action. Specifically, I use (1) computational modeling to study action selection and (2) psychophysical tasks to understand the role of time in motor memory formation. I am originally from Northern California and also completed my undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley. Coming to CMU has also been an opportunity to experience life in a new city. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy traveling, playing board games, and experimenting in the kitchen.
Sritej Padmanabhan, High School Student @ North Allegheny
I am a high school student interested in neuroscience and computational neuroscience research. I hope to apply my skills in computer vision to investigate the underlying causes of movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. Outside the lab, I enjoy spending time with my family, playing the flute, and advocating for youth populations.
Pam Villavicencio, Visiting PhD Student @ University of Barcelona
I am a PhD student at the University of Barcelona, where I am part of the Vision and Control of Action lab. My background is in kinesiology (BKin, University of British Columbia) and physiology (MSc, University of Barcelona), and my current research focuses on motor control and sensorimotor adaptation. I am passionate about understanding and applying principles of motor learning to develop more effective rehabilitation interventions. Outside of the lab, you can find me cycling, swimming, or at a coffee shop!
Mabel Ziman, Research Assistant @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I am interested in the different processes involved in sensorimotor learning, how they can help us understand healthy and intelligent behavior, as well as inform us on movement disorders. I am particularly interested in proprioception and the role of the cerebellum in learning strategies. Outside of the lab I enjoy music, bouldering, and learning languages.
Noella Horo, Undergraduate @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I am an undergraduate student at CMU studying Computer Science with a concentration in machine learning. I am particularly interested in the intricasies of movement, and how the brain perceives, tracks, and controls movement. Outside of the lab, I can be found crocheting, dancing, or watching a film.
Maoxin (Max) Xia, Ph.D. Student @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I am a Ph.D. student in Cognitive Neuroscience, co-advised by Jonathan Tsay and Timothy Verstynen. My research explores the cognitive and computational principles underlying motor control and decision-making, especially in sequential learning and future planning. I was born in Tianjin, China, and I couldn’t love this city more. I am a solo traveler who has visited over 20 countries alone. My favorite book is One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Sage Rohrbach, Undergraduate @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I am an undergraduate student studying Neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University. I am interested in how the mind influences physical wellbeing— both in the context of brain injury rehabilitation and everyday human function. Outside of class, I am a team lead for Design for America, a writer for CMU’s student newspaper, The Tartan, and a part of Dancer’s Symposium. In my free time, I enjoy running, hiking, and drawing!
Kiki, Lab Meow-nager
Kiki reminds us to embrace curiosity and find moments of happiness amidst our scientific endeavors.
Sophia Sun, Undergraduate @ Carnegie Mellon Univ.
I’m an undergraduate studying Statistics & Machine Learning at Carnegie Mellon University. I’m interested in motor-skill acquisition and long-term retention for complex visuomotor tasks (e.g., piano, golf), and in how different practice schedules influence retention and transfer. I’m drawn to data-driven approaches like statistical analysis to draw conclusions about association and effect. Outside the lab, you might find me cooking, playing farming games, looking at otters, or wandering parks and zoos.
Former Mentees:
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Yifei Chen, UC Berkeley, 2022-2023
Undergraduate honor’s thesis student in Cognitive Science
Explicit re-aiming in response to scalar feedback.
Next stop: Psychology Ph.D. Student @ Princeton Univ.
Hrach Asmerian, UC Berkeley, 2021-2023
Undergraduate student in Cognitive Science
Large-scale citizen science reveals predictors of sensorimotor learning.
Next stop: Research Associate @ Cedars-Sinai
Carolyn Irving, UC Berkeley, 2020-2023
Post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Psychology
Signatures of contextual interference in implicit sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: Neuroscience Ph.D. Student @ UC Berkeley
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Anisha Chandy, UC Berkeley, 2021-2023
Undergraduate honors thesis student in the Department of Molecular Biology
Next stop: Media, Medicine, and Health M.S. @ Harvard Medical School
Ines Sebti, University of Cambridge, 2022-2023
Masters student in Cognitive Neuroscience
Exploring semantic-gestural associations with ecological training and markerless tracking.
Next stop: Neuroscience Lead @ Brain Health
Joseph Kelly, UC Berkeley, 2022-2023
Post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Psychology
The effect of cerebellar degeneration on explicit sensorimotor strategies.
Next stop: Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student @ Northwestern Univ.
Tara Najafi, UC Berkeley, 2020-2023
Undergraduate honors thesis student in the Department of Molecular Biology
Implicit sensorimotor adaptation is preserved in Parkinson's disease.
Next stop: Medical School Student @ Univ. of Miami
Mihai Cipleu, UC Berkeley, 2021-2023
Undergraduate honors thesis student in the Department of Psychology
The effect of low vision on explicit re-aiming during sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: Medical Assistant @ Pediatric Associates
Sheer Karny, UC Berkeley, 2021-2022
Undergraduate honors thesis student in Cognitive Science
Differential effects of aging on implicit and explicit processes supporting sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: Junior Lab Specialist @ UC Irvine
Lauren Schuck, UC Berkeley, 2021-2022
Undergraduate SURF scholar in the Department of Psychology
Cerebellar degeneration impairs strategy discovery but not strategy recall.
Next stop: Clinical Research Coordinator @ Icahn School of Medicine
Heran Yosif, University of Delaware, 2021-2022
Post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Physical Therapy
The detrimental effect of stroke on sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: Medical Student @ Thomas Jefferson University
Joie Tang, University of Delaware, 2021-2022
Post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Physical Therapy
The detrimental effect of stroke on sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: Doctor of Physical Therapy Student @ Univ. of Delaware
Kristel Cosio, UC Berkeley, 2021-2021
Summer scholar from the NIH Bridges to Baccalaureate program
The effect of target location on implicit sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: District Intern @ U.S. House of Representatives
Faiven Amare, UC Berkeley, 2021-2021
Summer scholar from the NIH Bridges to Baccalaureate program
The effect of target location on implicit sensorimotor adaptation.
Phoebe Lo, UC Berkeley, 2020-2021
Optometry doctoral student in the Department of Optometry and Vision Science
Low vision impairs implicit sensorimotor adaptation in small but not large errors.
Next stop: Associate Optometrist @ Coachella Valley Optometry
Steven Tan, UC Berkeley, 2020-2021
Optometry doctoral student in the Department of Optometry and Vision Science
Low vision impairs implicit sensorimotor adaptation in small but not large errors.
Next stop: Optometrist @ Bellevue Eye Specialists
Arohi Saxena, UC Berkeley, 2019-2020
Post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Psychology
The benefits of immersive virtual reality on cognition and sensorimotor control.
Next stop: Medical Student @ Washington Univ. at St. Louis
Jiaying Xu, UC Berkeley, 2019-2020
Post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Psychology
The role of attention on implicit sensorimotor learning.
Next stop: Founding engineering at an AI startup
Alan Lee, UC Berkeley, 2018-2020
Undergraduate student in the Department of Computer Science
Moving outside the lab: the viability of assessing sensorimotor learning online.
Next stop: Software Engineer @ Google
Cindy Lin, UC Berkeley, 2018-2019
Undergraduate student in the Department of Computer Science
The effect of visual uncertainty on implicit sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: Masters in Data Scientist @ Harvard Univ.
Noah Bussell, UC Berkeley, 2018-2019
Undergraduate student in the Department of Chemical Engineering
The effect of visual uncertainty on implicit sensorimotor adaptation.
Next stop: Chemistry Ph.D. Student @ Columbia Univ.
Aoran Zhang, Carnegie Mellon University, 2021-2025
Undergraduate student in the Department of Statistics
Large Reaching Datasets Quantify the Impact of Age, Sex/Gender, and Experience on Motor Control
Next Stop: Ph.D. Student @ Rice University
Ashley Statham, Carnegie Mellon University, 2021-2025
Undergraduate student in the Department of Psychology
Impact of Handedness and Hand Dominance on Implicit and Explicit Sensorimotor Learning
Next Stop: Physical Therapy Aid @ Shepherd Center
Graham Haedrich, University of Waterloo, 2021-2025
Undergraduate student in the Department Mechanical Engineering
Impact of Handedness and Hand Dominance on Motor Acuity
Next Stop: Distributed Systems Engineer @ Tesla
Elise Mitchell, Carnegie Mellon University, 2021-2025
Undergraduate student in the Department of Psychology
Impact of Handedness and Hand Dominance on Interlimb Transfer
Next Stop: Ophthalmic Technician @ Wills Eye Hospital