Profile

HCI researcher and creator. Research Scientist at CyberAgent, Inc., Visiting Researcher at The University of Osaka, and Guest Researcher at the University of Tsukuba. After graduating from the College of Media Arts, Science and Technology at the University of Tsukuba, Tanaka went on to its graduate school and, following a JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC), received a Ph.D. in Informatics in 2025.

Tanaka’s research explores interfaces that make use of everyday materials. Main works include ProgrammableGrass, an artificial grass display that combines adjustable-length green grass with fixed-length yellow grass to control its color pixel by pixel at 8-bit levels, and Popping-Up Poster, a pin-based poster device that transforms its surface to catch customers’ attention in stores. Since undergraduate studies, Tanaka has also made films, VR works and installations. The Spirit in Mirror, a mirror animation in which a forest spirit appears only inside the mirror, received the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award for Regional Digital Content. Other major awards include the Excellence Award in the Knowledge Capital Division of the 12th Knowledge Innovation Award, the Excellence Award in the Game & Interaction Division of the 29th Campus Genius Contest, the Excellent Oral Presentation Award at Expressive Japan 2021, and the University of Tsukuba President’s Award.