While interactive technologies show promise for autistic children, current designs often overlook the heterogeneity of this population, offering standardized experiences that fail to account for individual profiles. We present WeJoy Mat, a multi-sensory embodied system designed to mediate parent-child co-play through a mirrored game paradigm. We conducted a mixed-methods study with 11 dyads, triangulating gameplay logs, behavioral rating, and qualitative interviews. Our analysis revealed that interaction outcomes were not driven by specific sensory modalities alone, but were moderated by the fit between these modes and children’s individual cognitive-behavioral phenotypes. Consequently, the system functioned as an active "third actor" within the interaction triad, where parents provided scaffolding while the mat redistributed agency and facilitated parallel synchrony. Our work advocates for a shift from rigid presets to flexible, parent-controlled tools that effectively move design away from correction to truly neuro-affirming environments that support the unique needs of each child.

Biomimicry, a methodology adapted from nature, always inspires optimum solutions and innovative technologies in human history. To get children interested in, excited about, and inspired by biomimicry, we introduce KiPneu, a robotic platform that facilitates biomimicry education through hands-on, solution-oriented learning and a digital learning environment. KiPneu allows children to mimic flexible animal locomotion, like fish swimming or worm squirming, using low-cost building blocks and non-electrical pneumatic actuators. We provide five types of non-electrical tangible valves to adjust robot motion characteristics, such as direction and speed, through engaging tangible programming. Additionally, to facilitate the whole learning process, KiPneu comes with interactive instructional interface that visualize and simulate the pneumatic system. To validate KiPneu’s educational efficacy, we conducted a three-day workshop with 21 children aged 5-12. Pre-and-post surveys revealed KiPneu not only enhanced their understanding of animal locomotion mechanisms but also spurred interest in creative construction using acquired knowledge.

Grandparent-grandchild relationships are essential and evolving in life. As grandchildren enter adulthood and grandparents age, it becomes harder to maintain close relationships between grandparents and young adults. To facilitate intergenerational relationships, we developed CoRoot, a collaborative planting system for connecting grandparents-adult grandchildren. In this system, grandparents and grandchildren grow vegetables together (Planting Toolkit) and share the growing process or stories (Vegetable Planting Diary). We conducted a preliminary study with two families to identify design issues and refine the prototype. Subsequently, we conducted a field study with four families for six weeks to better understand real-world use. We found that CoRoot promotes the connection between grandparents and young adults. In collaborative planting, grandparents shared their knowledge and life experiences. Grandchildren learned skills from older adults and gained a deeper understanding of them. We further discussed how CoRoot fosters engagement, knowledge exchange, and lasting connections in intergenerational relationships.

The advent of conductive thermoplastic filaments and multi-material 3D printing has made it feasible to create interactive 3D printed objects. Yet, challenges arise due to the volume constraints of desktop 3D printers and the high resistive characteristics of current conductive materials, making the fabrication of large-scale or highly conductive interactive objects can be daunting. We propose E-Joint, a novel fabrication pipeline for 3D printed objects utilizing mortise and tenon joint structures combined with a copper plating process. The segmented pieces and joint structures are customized in software along with integrated circuits. Then electroplate them for enhanced conductivity. We designed four distinct electrified joint structures in the experiment and evaluated the practical feasibility and effectiveness of fabricating pipes. By constructing three applications with those structures, we verified the usability of E-Joint in making large-scale interactive objects and showed the path to a more integrated future for manufacturing.

Observation is common for children to connect with nature, increasing their knowledge and awareness of biodiversity. However, it is challenging for them to make and document their observations due to a lack of observation and drawing skills. Therefore, we designed an interactive drawing tool, Bio Sketchbook, which scaffolds children in systematic observation, observational drawing, and knowledge acquisition. It can recognize plant species and generate contour drawings from children’s photographs, guiding them to observe and draw multi-dimensional plant features with a digital magnifier and in-context biological information. Our in-situ user study with 19 children revealed that Bio Sketchbook provided an engaging experience and effectively supported children in recording and retaining biodiversity information and in balancing observations with screen time. Additionally, Bio Sketchbook intervened in children’s interaction with plants by prompting observational behaviors, encouraging them to directly touch and establish rapport with plants, and arousing their interest and knowledge of plants.

Laser cutting revolutionizes the creation of personal-fabricated prototypes. These objects can have transformable properties by adopting different materials and be interactive by integrating electronic circuits. However, circuits in laser-cut objects always have limited movements, which refrains laser cutting from achieving interactive prototypes with more complex movable functions like mechanisms. We propose MechCircuit, a design and fabrication pipeline for making mechanical-electronical objects with laser cutting. We leverage the neodymium magnet’s natures of magnetism and conductivity to integrate electronics and mechanical structure joints into prototypes. We conduct the evaluation to explore technological parameters and assess the practical feasibility of the fabrication pipeline. And we organized a user-observing workshop for non-expert users. Through the outcoming prototypes, the result demonstrates the feasibility of MechCircuit as a useful and inspiring prototyping method.

The amount and quality of mathematical language in the family are positively associated with promoting children’s mathematical abilities. However, mathematical language in many families is poor. Through need-finding investigation, we developed MathKingdom, a voice-agent-based game that helps children aged 4–7 learn and use rich, accurate mathematical language (e.g., mathematical expressions related to measurement, sequence, patterns). The game has four flows, in which users can wake up, transform, decorate, and perform as their avatars, as well as practice basic mathematical vocabulary, mathematical single sentences, coherent mathematical statements, and free expression. We refined the system design through wizard-of-oz testing and then evaluated it with 18 families. The results showed that MathKingdom effectively engaged children, enhanced their mathematical language skills and mathematical abilities, and encouraged parent-child conversations about math.

From transoceanic bridges to large-scale installations, truss structures have been known for their structural stability and shape complexity. In addition to the advantages of static trusses, truss structures have a large degree of freedom to change shape when equipped with rotatable joints and retractable beams. However, it is difficult to design a complex motion and build a control system for large numbers of trusses. In this paper, we present PneuMesh, a novel truss-based shape-changing system that is easy to design and build but still able to achieve a range of tasks. PneuMesh accomplishes this by introducing an air channel connection strategy and reconfigurable constraint design that drastically decreases the number of control units without losing the complexity of shape-changing. We develop a design tool with real-time simulation to assist users in designing the shape and motion of truss-based shape-changing robots and devices. A design session with seven participants demonstrates that PneuMesh empowers users to design and build truss structures with a wide range of shapes and various functional motions.

Visual storytelling is a new approach to creative expression based on verbal and figural creativity. The keys to visual storytelling are narrating and drawing over a period of time, which can be beneficial but also demanding on creativity for children. Informed by need-finding investigations, we developed StoryDrawer, a co-creative system that supports visual storytelling for children aged 6–10 years through collaborative drawing between children and artificial intelligence (AI). The system includes a context-based voice agent and two AI-driven collaborative strategies: the real-time transformation of children's telling into drawings, and the generation of abstract sketches with semantic similarity to existing story content. We conducted a 2 × 2 study with 64 children to evaluate the efficacy of StoryDrawer by varying the two strategies in four conditions. The results suggest that StoryDrawer provoked participants’ creative and elaborate ideas and contributed to their creative outcomes during an engaging visual storytelling experience.

We designed and built Bubble Beats, a breathing exercise game based on music rhythm, which maps breathing into musical gameplay mechanics using sensors-based technology. Bubble Beats aims to explore the effectiveness of combining music rhythm and breathing exercises. In the game, children blow bubbles to the music rhythm with visual guidance. Initial user tests show that Bubble Beats can effectively motivate children and improve their adherence to breathing exercises. We will continue to iterate and upgrade the system to attract and match a more diverse population, for example, patients recovering from pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.

Baby care is an onerous task for parents because inappropriate baby care practices and activities can be harmful to infants. This paper introduces a baby care kit, ModHera, designed for parents to monitor their babies’ vital signs and adopt standard baby care practices. ModHera consists of three baby wearable modules: a shaken baby syndrome (SBS) prevention module, a respiration monitor, and a body temperature monitor module. A wearable wristband is developed for parents to receive the monitoring data and notifications generated by the baby wearable modules. Moreover, ModHera has an APP to record the monitoring data. Three scenarios were demonstrated to introduce the applications of ModHera, and user interviews were conducted to assess the usability of ModHera. The results show ModHera can assist parents in taking care of babies and help ease their burden of baby care.

Observational sketching is a common method to facilitate repeated observations that increase individual knowledge and awareness of biodiversity. However, this method presents a high barrier of entry for some novices, particularly young children. In this paper, we introduce Bio Sketchbook, a novice AI-assisted sketching partner to help children draw from observation and guide them to repeatedly observe different biological features. We describe our design process and goals, the interaction design of Bio Sketchbook, and results from a preliminary user study with six children. Our findings reveal Bio Sketchbook as a promising AI partner to encourage children to sketch from observation and gain biodiversity science education.

Computer-supported digital-physical tutorial systems have been widely used in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) education for their advances in conveying multimodal contents. However, there is limited work in comparing strengths and weaknesses of the teaching effects between the human teachers and the non-human tutorial systems in ICH education. In this paper, we designed an introductory course and presented BatikGuide, a tangible tutorial system that provides multimodal instructions on Batik art and real-time evaluations. Followed by, we conducted a comparative experiment and analyzed the data collected from the quantitative scales, observation, and semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that there is no obvious disparity between BatikGuide and the human teacher. Although the human teacher could have better performance in professional instructions, BatikGuide remains the potential in stimulating learning motivation, large-scale replication, and public dissemination. According to these findings, we discussed the prospects of computer-based systems in ICH education and preservation.

Co-creative systems have been widely explored in the field of computational creativity. However, existing AI partners of these systems are mostly virtual agents. As sketching on paper with embodied robots could be more engaging for designers' early-stage ideation and collaborative practices, we envision the possibility of Cobbie, a mobile robot that ideates iteratively with designers by generating creative and diverse sketches. To evaluate the differences in co-creativity and user experience between the co-creative robots and virtual agents, we conducted a comparative experiment and analyzed the data collected from quantitative scales, observation, and semi-structured interview. The results reveal that Cobbie is more satisfying in motivating exploration, provoking unexpected ideas and engaging designers in the collaborative ideation process. Based on these findings, we discussed the prospects of co-creative robots for future developments of human-AI collaborative systems.

To meet the increasing requirements of HCI researchers who are prototyping a variety of forms to create novel interfaces under a ubiquitous situation, we present WeaveMesh, a low-fidelity and low-cost rapid prototyping system that produces 3D objects in a mesh structure. Inspired by hand-weaving craft, WeaveMesh supports a highly customizable software platform, which is applicable for simulating and facilitating freeform surface constructions composed of woven lines arranged in a regular grid, which can serve as a guide for easy assembly. In addition, mobilizable connectors are suggested to support flexible assembly, which can be revised, recycled, and reused to facilitate short iterations. Furthermore, compared to common additive and subtractive techniques, WeaveMesh has a better balance between time and material saving. In this paper, we will introduce the system in detail and demonstrate the feasibility of the technique through various 3D models in the area of interactive media, products and architecture.

There is a prosperity in wearable media in data monitoring. Since the apparel can show personal tastes, emotions and attitudes, what if our clothes could express affective information throughout different situations? This paper presents a system for enhancing the experience of situated-base affective communication by information visualization. The paper discusses the leading features in a variety of specific contexts such as the information monitoring, the remote communication and the customization.

Objects, whether toys or not, are likely to become the center of children's game, which can trigger children's exploration and imagination, and build the world's environmental and psychological statements by manipulating something, to enhance the autonomy of children and inspire their creativity. This paper, based on scaffolding learning theory, puts forward the learning principle of constructive play suitable for learning in play school, suitable for cognitive behaviors of children aged 5 to 8 years old, and aims to encourage children to think creatively in the course of play, rather than learning knowledge and solve problems. We redesign the images, most commonly used by children RPG storytelling, and embed interactive intelligence, to better help children play games, stimulate their imagination and creativity in storytelling, and encourage them share with their companions and parents.

Abstract Piying, the world's intangible culture heritage, is a characteristic Chinese folk shadow play and one of the origins of modern movie. The spirit of traditional Piying is to express rich emotion and stories through impromptu action change by professional artists. Now Piying gradually fades away in people's lives, encountering the risk of extinction. We focus on transforming the traditional Piying play into an interactive system, which can be seamlessly performed by ordinary people and bring a strong sense of immersion to the users. Two interactive systems were developed, with Kinect‐based interaction or sensors, users can create own digital Piying animations by employing their body movement as input. A field study was presented with 20 students in a primary school. The result showed that our system was far more effective in emotion induction and Piying understanding than traditional one. We demonstrated this system in a charitable foundation and a workshop of a tangible conference. It is also honored to be collected by China's intangible cultural heritage network. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Piying is an old Chinese art form and one of the origins of the modern movie. In Piying, the shadow of fur made characters with delicate carving could be seen by audience in front of the curtain. The artists behind the curtain control the actions of shadows using sticks fastened to the characters.

The hearing handicapped children show a penchant for dancing and dance plays an essential part in education of deaf children. This paper introduces the Music-touch Shoes, a pair of shoes particularly designed for hearing handicapped dancers: The rhythm and tempo of music can be communicated and perceived through the vibrotactile interaction. The vibrotactile interface is applied to shoes because feet are among the body parts which are most directly involved in performing dancing rhythm. The different sequences, intensity and frequency of vibrations reflect different rhythm and tempo of music. This project sought to explore a way of making up for the shortage of hearing ability through interaction with other senses, such as vibrotactile sense, to fulfill the same dancing entertainment demand of the hearing handicapped people.