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This pictorial presents a design investigation at the intersection of paper and computer vision for tangible interfaces. Through this exploration, we uncovered various characteristics of paper that connect tangible interactions with concealing and revealing printed fiducial markers for detection-particularly through the affordances of paper craft and fiber. We illustrate a variety of paper structures that construct and deconstruct fiducial markers. We also demonstrate how these structures enable untethered functional physical inputs, such as push buttons and sliders. We showcase four proposals that extend these material insights into tangible interface applications, including interactive data physicalizations and functional paper prototypes. Furthermore, we continue the legacy of pictorials by exposing fabrication drawings for others to engage with this work at a more practical level.

Many toys and kits have been developed to help cultivate computational thinking in young children in the past decade. However, a majority of these kits ask children to move a robot/character around a limited space, constraining what could otherwise be generative and creative learning experiences into pre-defined activities and challenges with uniform outcomes. How can we expand what children can program and how they can create code? In this work, we present CodeAttach, a learning kit designed to engage young children in computational thinking through physical play activities. CodeAttach consists of three parts: (1) an interactive hardware device, (2) a mobile application to program the device, and (3) supporting materials for different play activities. With CodeAttach, children can attach the device to the supporting materials or other everyday objects to create their own props for physical play. The device offers different inputs and outputs and supports children to change the rules of existing physical activities or create new activities by programming this device. We outline the principles guiding the design of CodeAttach, its initial development process, and insights from early playtest with young kids and expert researchers.

RoomShift is a room-scale dynamic haptic environment for virtual reality, using a small swarm of robots that can move furniture. RoomShift consists of nine shape-changing robots: Roombas with mechanical scissor lifts. These robots drive beneath a piece of furniture to lift, move and place it. By augmenting virtual scenes with physical objects, users can sit on, lean against, place and otherwise interact with furniture with their whole body; just as in the real world. When the virtual scene changes or users navigate within it, the swarm of robots dynamically reconfigures the physical environment to match the virtual content. We describe the hardware and software implementation, applications in virtual tours and architectural design and interaction techniques., Comment: CHI 2020

We introduce shape-changing swarm robots. A swarm of self-transformable robots can both individually and collectively change their configuration to display information, actuate objects, act as tangible controllers, visualize data, and provide physical affordances. ShapeBots is a concept prototype of shape-changing swarm robots. Each robot can change its shape by leveraging small linear actuators that are thin (2.5 cm) and highly extendable (up to 20cm) in both horizontal and vertical directions. The modular design of each actuator enables various shapes and geometries of self-transformation. We illustrate potential application scenarios and discuss how this type of interface opens up possibilities for the future of ubiquitous and distributed shape-changing interfaces., Comment: UIST 2019

This pictorial presents our material-driven inquiry into carbon-coated paper and kirigami structures. We investigated two variations of this paper and their affordances for tangible interaction; particularly their electrical, haptic, and visual aspects when shaped into three-dimensional forms through cutting, folding, and bending. Through this exploration, we uncovered distinct affordances between the two paper types for sensing folds and bends, due to differences in their material compositions. From these insights, we propose three applications that showcase the possibilities of this material for tangible interaction design. In addition, we leverage the pictorial format to expose working design schematics for others to take up their own explorations.

HOT SWAP is a game platform based on unique physical controllers that are designed to activate the physical and social space around players. The controllers require players to keep track of and utilize multiple physical input components that must be exchanged as a crucial gameplay component. In this paper, we reflect on the design process of two iterations of HOT SWAP games and our initial observations on how they facilitate embodied interaction. The games presented in this paper are designed to probe how game interfaces can be more social, tangible, and customizable for embodied experiences.

We present Mechamagnets, a technique for facilitating the design and fabrication of haptic and functional inputs for physical interfaces. This technique consists of a set of 3D printed spatial constraints which facilitate different physical movements, as well as unpowered haptic profiles created by embedding static magnets in 3D printed parts. We propose the Mechamagnets taxonomy to map the design space of this technique for designers and makers. Furthermore, we leverage the use of magnets by instrumenting these objects with linear Hall effect sensors to create functional digital inputs. We showcase Mechamagnets with a series of novel physical interfaces made with this technique.

We present Compositional 3D Printing, recasting the 3D printer as a tool for expression that responds to real-time design decisions, analogous to composing a piece of music using a mixer. Our paradigm supports a wide range of inputs and interactions for designers, to be used in the moment; not only before printing, but anytime during production. We propose the design space of this digital fabrication paradigm, and outline methods and technical details with which researchers and practitioners can expand this space.

This paper presents Mechamagnets, a technique to rapidly prototype tactile mechanisms for tangible interfaces. We demonstrate how to embed different passive tactile mechanisms in physical systems through a combination of magnets and digitally fabricated parts. We also discuss how DIY materials and 3-axis magnetometers can instrument Mechamagnet interfaces into functional prototypes.

This paper describes the Light Orchard, an installation that encourages crowds to collaboratively interact with a tangible field of information, visualized by 36 lantern stations. The interface is presented through as a stack of lantern shades, which can track user interaction through touch, motion, and sound. The system is designed as a platform capable of displaying multiple different games, animations, and simulations, and adapts to support many different group interactions.

Laser cutting is widely used by industrial designers and mechanical engineers as a rapid modeling tool. However, designing and fabricating laser cut assemblies can be a complex and tedious process, especially for novice designers. Through our research, we developed Joinery, a parametric joint generation tool for laser cut assemblies. Through Joinery, designers simply define connections between parts of an assembly, while the system generates the joints. Joinery supports fabrication-aware design through six different joint profiles that cater to different material and design needs. In this paper, we illustrate the use of Joinery as a creativity support tool in an industrial design process, and present several artifacts resulting from the tool. In addition, we discuss our findings from deploying this system in a college-level industrial design class.

Diversity is key to flourishing ecosystems. This paper describes Game of Light, an installation designed to encourage participatory interaction with crowds at CHI 2017. Extending Conway's classic Game of Life, this game adds support for multiple differentiated agents and continuous participant interaction during play. The interface is presented through the use of modular lanterns, which users can configure and install in a 6x6 grid. We developed various algorithms that govern how lanterns interact and animate based on their neighbours' configuration; and guided by this feedback, users work together to optimize the diversity of the space. A system on the backend simulates and drives the lantern animations, while controlling the actual physical grid. This installation consists of a tall wooden frame which suspends up to 36 lanterns. Through the use of this installation, we hope to encourage dialogue about the value of diversity in our daily lives.