Portfolio Showcase

Skills, projects & collaboration stories

A closer look at the technologies that power my 3D experiments, product thinking, and research collaborations.

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Core Skills

Full-stack creative engineering

The toolkit that powers immersive 3D experiments, fast web applications, and thoughtful product design. From custom GLSL shaders to collaborative XR research, these are the skills I rely on daily.

Creative Engineering

  • TypeScript & modern ECMAScript
  • Next.js App Router architecture
  • React 18 concurrency patterns
  • Tailwind CSS + design token systems
  • Node.js & Edge API orchestration
  • Testing with Vitest + Playwright

Real-Time 3D & Graphics

  • Three.js & React Three Fiber
  • WebGL shader authoring (GLSL)
  • Gerstner wave water simulation
  • Physics interactions (cannon-es)
  • Procedural lighting & post-processing
  • 3D asset pipeline (Blender, Maya)

Experience Design & Research

  • UX research & rapid prototyping
  • Figma component libraries
  • Narrative design for XR experiences
  • Inclusive design facilitation
  • Product strategy & roadmap definition
  • Cross-functional workshop leadership

Also in my toolkit

Figma component systemsGLSL shader authoringStory-driven UI writingDesign crit facilitationTechnical leadershipXR user research

Projects

A showcase of immersive talks across VR training, AI research tooling, and playful web applications.

ForestVR
Immersive Emergency Response Training

ForestVR

#1

Immersive Emergency Response Training

ForestVR is a virtual reality training platform focused on emergency response skills, with particular emphasis on forest fire prevention and response training. The platform uses immersive VR technology to create realistic scenarios that build critical skills through hands-on experience.

Role

Led development of user experience design and interaction systems

Technologies

Unreal EngineC++VR Development
Visit Website

ForestVR Details

Experiential Learning

Develop life-saving emergency skills through hands-on practice. Master fire extinguisher operation, evacuation planning, and crisis communication through realistic simulations.

Immersive VR Technology

Experience real-world emergency scenarios safely in VR. Feel the pressure of critical decisions as your actions directly impact fire spread, equipment effectiveness, and team communication.

Advanced Simulation

Powered by cutting-edge technology including LLM-driven conversations with virtual team members, physically accurate fire propagation, and interactive equipment handling optimized for Meta Quest and PC VR.

Role

Led development of user experience design and interaction systems

Forest AI NPC Plugin
Intelligent Wildlife and NPC System

Forest AI NPC Plugin

#2

Intelligent Wildlife and NPC System

A sophisticated plugin for Unreal Engine that provides AI-powered wildlife and NPCs with realistic behaviors and voice-based interaction capabilities. I created this plugin to enhance virtual ecosystems with natural interactions and environmental awareness.

Role

Creator & Developer

Technologies

Unreal EngineC++OpenAI APIAI Behavior Systems

Key Features

  • AI Wildlife System with realistic animal behaviors
  • Intelligent NPCs with context-aware conversation
  • Voice Recognition & Response using OpenAI APIs
  • Fire Propagation System with environmental impact
GitHub Repository

Forest AI NPC Plugin Details

Role

Creator & Developer

Key Features
  • AI Wildlife System with realistic animal behaviors
  • Intelligent NPCs with context-aware conversation
  • Voice Recognition & Response using OpenAI APIs
  • Fire Propagation System with environmental impact
SafeBite
Food Recall Alert System

SafeBite

#3

Food Recall Alert System

SafeBite helps consumers stay informed about food safety issues through a user-friendly interface to search and filter food recall data from the FDA and USDA.

Role

Collaborated with a team of developers to create the system

Team

zhicong@umich.edutifang@umich.edujethao@umich.edubeckyjin@umich.eduinfcode@umich.edu

Technologies

FastAPIStreamlitPolarsWhoosh

Key Features

  • Full-text search and multi-criteria filtering
  • RESTful API with comprehensive documentation
  • Admin dashboard with data statistics and visualizations
  • Optimized data processing and caching
Visit Website

SafeBite Details

Role

Collaborated with a team of developers to create the system

Team
z
zhicong@umich.edu
t
tifang@umich.edu
j
jethao@umich.edu
b
beckyjin@umich.edu
i
infcode@umich.edu
Key Features
  • Full-text search and multi-criteria filtering
  • RESTful API with comprehensive documentation
  • Admin dashboard with data statistics and visualizations
  • Optimized data processing and caching
Schedule Studio
University of Michigan Course Selection System

Schedule Studio

#4

University of Michigan Course Selection System

Schedule Studio reimagines the course selection experience at the University of Michigan, addressing student feedback about the challenges of the current system. It provides an intuitive, centralized platform for exploring, planning, and registering for courses.

Role

Designed user experience based on student feedback

Team

Tao Zhang (taozhang@umich.edu)Yuxin Hao (jethao@umich.edu)Jane Wei (janewei@umich.edu)Kai Lu (lukai@umich.edu)

Technologies

UI/UX DesignUser ResearchFigmaPrototyping

Key Features

  • User-centered design process with extensive student feedback
  • User needs analysis and story mapping
  • Intuitive information architecture
  • Seamless course planning workflow
Visit Website

Schedule Studio Details

Role

Designed user experience based on student feedback

Team
T
Tao Zhang (taozhang@umich.edu)
Y
Yuxin Hao (jethao@umich.edu)
J
Jane Wei (janewei@umich.edu)
K
Kai Lu (lukai@umich.edu)
Key Features
  • User-centered design process with extensive student feedback
  • User needs analysis and story mapping
  • Intuitive information architecture
  • Seamless course planning workflow

Let's collaborate

I'm a University of Michigan senior blending software engineering with immersive design. Reach out for product roles, creative coding collaborations, or to chat about pastel shaders.

Email

yuxin@cutehao.com

Drop me a note about collaborations, internships, or your favourite shader trick.

Location

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Remote friendly and always up for coffee chats around campus or in the creative coding community.

Prefer socials? Ping me on @cutehao.

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