This paper presents WeavePrint, a parametric and multi-material additive manufacturing method for woven-like structures. By fusing traditional weaving logic with computational generation, WeavePrint overcomes limitations in pattern programmability, mechanical tunability, and build size. A parametric generator creates plain, twill, satin, and image-based jacquard patterns, while supporting curved-surface mapping and continuous vertical roll-to-roll printing for scalable production. Systematic tensile and compression tests quantify how overlap length, filament width, and multi-material combinations influence inter-layer adhesion and global mechanics. We define four motion primitives: bending, twisting, curved extension-contraction, and hinged extension-contraction, implemented through straight, diagonal, and curved weaves to produce predictable deformations. Demonstrations in wearable supports, robotic components, and rehabilitation devices highlight its broad potential in human-computer interaction. By unifying parametric modeling with multi-material continuous fabrication, WeavePrint provides a scalable route to programmable, anisotropic, and dynamically responsive interactive fabrics.

CHI ’25, Yokohama, Japan

CHI ’25, Yokohama, Japan

Tangible narrative allow children to interact with physical objects and provides an immersive storytelling approach to influence their cognition and behavior. However, research on using tangible narratives to encourage behaviors in children remains limited. To improve children’s eating behaviors, we combined narrative transportation theory with behavior change principles to conduct a design study, called TangibleTale. Specifically, we conducted a formative user study (N = 12 pairs) to identify the characteristics of children’s engagement with tangible narrative and their interactions with parents, which were then incorporated into a design workshop (N = 12) to develop an interactive product comprising tangible elements and an accompanying app. With the produced outcomes, we conducted a comparative experiment (N = 24 pairs) in a home setting to verify and explore the role of tangible narrative in child–parent mealtime interaction. Finally, we formulated design guidelines for a tangible narrative that can serve as a reference to assist in creating more impactful products that foster positive behavioral growth in children.

To support children’s food interaction and enhance their understanding of food through morphing food technology, we develop a design exploration through the Research through Design (RtD) methodology. Our exploration integrates four stages: (1) defining design objectives through empathy with stakeholders, (2) investigating morphing food materials to understand their deformation mechanisms, (3) designing and iteratively developing tools based on user feedback, and (4) conducting a workshop-based evaluation. Our design outcome is a toolkit, comprising a morphing food library, trigger tools, and instructional interfaces. The workshop showed that through interaction with morphing food, children learned not only scientific principles but also developed culinary skills, as well as the diversity of food forms and functions. We discussed the detailed findings, insights, and implications for future design.

In this work, we present MorphingScents, a thin-film, five-layer, flexible, shape-changing odor-emitting mechanism that uses Joule heating to drive both scent release and morphological changes, aiming to provide lightweight, intricate, dynamic, and aesthetic olfactory displays and experiences. Based on the direction of scent release and shape change, we propose two fundamental scent release mechanisms: Inward Gathering Release and Outward Dispersing Release. Combining four deformation mechanisms and three multi-scent release methods, we compiled a shape-changing olfactory interfaces library and further provided a detailed design and fabrication pipeline. We conducted a series of technical tests, including relation to heating and deformation angles and olfactory concentration across different areas, thicknesses, and directions of the odor layer. We demonstrated five applications. We conducted a user-involved workshop to validate MorphingScents’s usability and feasibility. Finally, we discuss the potential for expansion, usage precautions, and design iterations of MorphingScents.

Shape-changing interfaces use physical changes of shape as input or output to convey information, and interact with users. Plants are natural shape-changing interfaces, expert in adjusting their shape or modality to adapt to the environment. In this paper, plant-derived natural shape-changing phenomena are systematically analyzed. Then, several corresponding plant-inspired design strategies for shape-changing interfaces are summarized with recent advancements including material selections and syntheses, fabrication methods, and actuating mechanisms. Practical applications across diverse domains aim to prove the advantages and potential of plant-inspired shape-changing interfaces in agriculture, healthcare, architecture, robotics, etc. Furthermore, the opportunities and challenges are also discussed, such as design thinking in interdisciplinary tasks, dynamic behavior and control principles, novel materials and processes, application scenario and functionality matching, and large-scale application requirements. This paper is expected to inspire in-depth research on plant-inspired shape-changing interfaces.

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.

This paper presents TacTex, a textile-based interface that provides high-resolution haptic feedback and touch-tracking capabilities. TacTex utilizes electrotactile stimulation, which has traditionally posed challenges due to limitations in textile electrode density and quantity. TacTex overcomes these challenges by employing a multi-layer woven structure that separates conductive weft and warp electrodes with non-conductive yarns. The driving system for TacTex includes a power supply, sensing board, and switch boards to enable spatial and temporal control of electrical stimuli on the textile, while simultaneously monitoring voltage changes. TacTex can stimulate a wide range of haptic effects, including static and dynamic patterns and different sensation qualities, with a resolution of 512 × 512 and based on linear electrodes spaced as closely as 2mm. We evaluate the performance of the interface with user studies and demonstrate the potential applications of TacTex interfaces in everyday textiles for adding haptic feedback.

We present IntelliTex, a low-cost and highly accessible double-coating fabrication method for washable and reusable functional textiles with customized input functionalities. Specifically, off-the-shelf textiles are firstly coated with conductive carbon black using pen ink, which endows textiles with rich sensing capabilities, such as pressure, stretch, slide, and temperature. Secondly, textiles are coated with polyurethane to enhance the sensing stability over wash cycles for good reusability. To support user customization, we enrich the design space of double-coating by exploring various coating methods and diverse textiles to be coated. We further contribute a comprehensive library of input components and an online document to make our approach accessible to novice users. Finally, five application examples and a user study showcase the versatile functionalities and user accessibility of our method, with which we hope to support designers, makers, and researchers to easily create functional textiles ready to use in everyday life.

Touch fastening structures are widely used to quickly assemble and disassemble an object with multiple parts. However, such structures are under-explored in the context of additive manufacturing for personal fabrication. We proposed Touch-n-Go, a method for designing touch-fastening structures with customizable mechanical properties such as holding capacities or shearing strength. Additionally, the customization of fastener patterns enables both static and dynamic connections, and the dynamic connections grant the freedom of rotation and translation. To facilitate the customization process, we developed a design tool that allows the integration of fastening structures on the surface of a 3D-printed object. Furthermore, we validated the fastening properties of Touch-n-Go through a series of experiments, and the result exhibits performances that match or even surpass off-the-shelf fasteners. Finally, we demonstrated the implementation of Touch-n-Go through a collection of applications.

Snap-through instability, like the rapid closure of the Venus flytrap, is gaining attention in robotics and HCI. It offers rapid shape reconfiguration, self-sensing, actuation, and enhanced haptic feedback. However, conventional snap-through structures face limitations in fabrication efficiency, scale, and tunability. We introduce SnapInflatables, enabling safe, multi-scale interaction with adjustable sensitivity and force reactions, utilizing the snap-through instability of inflatables. We designed six types of heat-sealing structures enabling versatile snap-through passive motion of inflatables with diverse reaction and trigger directions. A block structure enables ultra-sensitive states for rapid energy release and force amplification. The motion range is facilitated by geometry parameters, while force feedback properties are tunable through internal pressure settings. Based on experiments, we developed a design tool for creating desired inflatable snap-through shapes and motions, offering previews and inflation simulations. Example applications, including a self-locking medical stretcher, interactive animals, a bounce button, and a large-scale light demonstrate enhanced passive interaction with inflatables.

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.

This paper presents MagneDot, a novel method for making interactive magnetic shape displays through an integrated fabrication process. Magnetic soft materials can potentially create fast, responsive morphing structures for interactions. However, novice users and designers typically do not have access to sophisticated equipment and materials or cannot afford heavy labor to create interactive objects based on this material. Modified from an open-source 3D printer, the fabrication system of MagneDot integrates the processes of mold-making, pneumatic extrusion, magnetization, and actuation, using cost-effective materials only. By providing a design tool, MagneDot allows users to generate G-code for fabricating and actuating displays of various morphing effects. Finally, a series of design examples demonstrate the possibilities of shape displays enabled by MagneDot.

In this paper, we present X-Hair, a method that enables 3D-printed hair with various forms, properties, and functions. We developed a two-step suspend printing strategy to fabricate hair-like structures in different forms (e.g. fluff, bristle, barb) by adjusting parameters including Extrusion Length Ratio and Total Length. Moreover, a design tool is also established for users to customize hair-like structures with various properties (e.g. pointy, stiff, soft) on imported 3D models, which virtually shows the results for previewing and generates G-code files for 3D printing. We demonstrate the design space of X-Hair and evaluate the properties of them with different parameters. Through a series of applications with hair-like structures, we validate X-hair’s practical usage of biomimicry, decoration, heat preservation, adhesion, and haptic interaction.

Existing methods in human-computer interaction to enhance children’s eating habits predominantly rely on digital interactive technologies, which pose the risk of increasing sensory stimulation and diverting children’s attention away from the food itself. Drawing inspiration from shape-changing food research, we propose an approach that combines deformable wafer paper for food preparation. We summarize the principles of wafer paper controllable deformation and develop a toolkit to facilitate its use. We support children in creating personalized, transformable food items using this method, aiming to provide a playful, convenient, and safe food-making experience tailored for children, thereby enhancing children’s mealtime engagement and habits.

"Like poles repel, unlike poles attract" is a fundamental principle of magnetism commonly used in instantaneous haptic interaction. Through the assembly design of basic five magnets, MagneChase creates a potential barrier between repulsion and attraction. This allows MagneChase modules to change the direction of their interacting force when brought closer. Applying this interaction principle, we provide application examples of kinetic roleplay to enhance tangible play experiences. A preliminary user study suggests that children were captivated by the magnetic phenomenon and derived pleasure from engaging with MagneChase. We also discuss the potential for MagneChase as a tangible kit to promote enlightenment learning in gameplay.

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 field of Human-Computer-Interaction (HCI) has been consistently utilizing kinematic mechanisms to create tangible dynamic interfaces and objects. However, the design and fabrication of these mechanisms are challenging due to complex spatial structures, step-by-step assembly processes, and unstable joint connections resulting from the inevitable matching errors within separated parts. In this paper, we propose an integrated fabrication method for one-step FDM 3D printing (FDM3DP) kinematic mechanisms to create dynamic objects without additional post-processing. We describe the Arch-printing and Support-bridges method, which we call All-in-One Print, that compiles given arbitrary solid 3D models into printable kinematic models as G-Code for FDM3DP. To expand the design space, we investigate a series of motion structures (e.g., rotate, slide, and screw) with multi-stabilities and develop a design tool to help users quickly design such dynamic objects. We also demonstrate various application cases, including physical interfaces, toys with interactive aesthetics and daily items with internalized functions.

4D printing encodes transformability over time, which empowers users to create artifacts by on-demand deformation. The creative process of 4D printing shape-changing artifacts can be challenging because of its discontinuous fabrication steps, such as digital designing, specific path planning, automatic printing and manual triggering. We hypothesize that switching from typical 4D printing reliant on 3D printers to a more “handcrafted” method can allow users to understand and continuously reflect upon the artifact and its transformability. Towards this vision, we introduce 4Doodle, a hybrid craft approach that integrates unique deformation controllability and five techniques for freehand 4D printing, using a 3D pen. To tackle the shape-changing challenges of uncertain hands-on fabrication, we develop a mixed reality system to help novices master the manual skills of 4D printing. We also demonstrate a series of 4D printed artifacts with fully human intervention. Finally, our user study shows that 4Doodle lowers the skill-acquisition barrier associated with handcrafting 4D printed artifacts, and it has great potential for creative production and spatial ability.

Access to computer-aided fabrication tools, such as 3D printing, empowers various craft techniques to democratize the creation of artifacts. To afford new blow molding techniques in the field of Human-Computer Interaction, we make efforts to simplify this challenging handy fabrication and enrich the design space of blow molding by taking advantage of the thermoformability and heat deformability of 3D printed thermoplastics. We propose a novel and democratized blow molding technique, PneuFab, enabled by FDM 3D-printed custom structures and temporal triggering methods. Then we implement and evaluate a design tool that allows users to play with parameters and preview the resulting forms until achieving their desired shapes. Showcasing design spaces including artifacts with complex geometries and tunable stiffness, we hope to expand access and dive into what more the digital blow molding fabrication can be.

Ground surfaces are often carefully designed and engineered with various textures to fit the functionalities of human environments and thus could contain rich context information for smart wearables. Ground surface detection could power a wide array of applications including activity recognition, mobile health, and context-aware computing, and potentially provide an additional channel of information for many existing kinesiology approaches such as gait analysis. To facilitate the detection of ground surfaces, we present LaserShoes, a texture-sensing-enabled system using laser speckle imaging that can be retrofitted to shoes. Our system captures videos of speckle patterns induced on ground surfaces and uses pre-processing to identify ideal images with clear speckle patterns collected when users’ feet are in contact with ground surfaces. We demonstrated our technique with a ResNet-18 model and achieved real-time inference. We conducted an evaluation in different conditions and demonstrated results that verified the feasibility.

Orthoses with electronic functions have emerged as a promising medical product in response to the increasing demand for rehabilitation training, therapy assistance, and health monitoring. However, fabricating this “smart orthosis” often requires long development cycles and exorbitant prices. We introduce E-Orthosis, an integrated fabrication approach with construction toolkits for healthcare professionals to quickly embed electronics in off-the-shelf orthoses with customized functions cost-effectively and time-efficiently. Specifically, we develop components with magnets and pogo pins to support rapid attachment and sustainable use, and textile-based electrodes with snap installation to improve the wearing experience. We also provide a circuit iron tool to apply circuit traces on complex surfaces of orthoses directly and a hot punch tool to embed magnet ports and electrodes. Three application examples, technical evaluations, and expert reviews demonstrate the functionality of E-Orthosis and the potential for democratizing rapid-developed and low-cost smart orthoses for patients.

We introduce Thermotion, a novel method using thermofluidic composites to design and display thermochromic animation effects on object surfaces. With fluidic channels embedded under the object surfaces, the composites utilize thermofluidic flows to dynamically control the surface temperature as an actuator for thermochromic paints, which enables researchers and designers for the first time to create animations not only on two and three-dimensional surfaces but also on the surface made of a few flexible everyday materials. We report the design space with six animation primitives and two modification effects, and we demonstrate the design and fabrication workflow with a customized software platform for design and simulation. A range of applications is shown leveraging the objects’ dynamic displays both visually and thermally, including dynamic artifacts, teaching aids, and ambient displays. We envision an opportunity to extend thermofluidic composites to other heat-related practices for further dynamic and programmable interactions with temperature.

Nature has been a plentiful source of materials, replenishment, inspiration, and creativity. Nature collage, as a crafting technique, is a fun and educational activity for children to explore nature and engage their creativity. However, the raw material collection is limited to static things such as leaves, ignoring inspiration from nature sounds and dynamic elements such as babbling creeks. Using a mobile application, we hope to encourage children's creativity by renewing collage materials collection and careful observation in nature. To explore this, we conducted a formative study with children (N=20) and a design workshop with experts (N=6) to formulate NaCanva, an AI-assisted multi-modal collage creation system for children. Drawing on the interactivity between children and nature, NaCanva enables the multi-modal material collection, including images, sound, and videos, which differs our system from traditional collages. We validated this system with a between-subject user study (N=30), and the results suggested that NaCanva unleashes children's creativity in nature collage creation by enhancing children's multidimensional observation and engagement in nature.

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.

Bridges are unique structures appeared in fused deposition modeling (FDM) that make rigid prints flexible but not fully explored. This paper presents X-Bridges, an end-to-end workflow that allows novice users to design tunable bridges that can enrich 3D printed objects' deformable and physical properties. Specifically, we firstly provide a series of deformation primitives (e.g. bend, twist, coil, compress and stretch) with three versions of stiffness (loose, elastic, stable) based on parametrized bridging experiments. Embedding the printing parameters, a design tool is developed to modify the imported 3D model, evaluate optimized printing parameters for bridges, preview shape-changing process, and generate the G-code file for 3D printing. Finally, we demonstrate the design space of X-Bridges through a set of applications that enable foldable, resilient, and interactive shape-changing objects.

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.

3D printing, as a rapid prototyping technique, usually fabricates objects that are difficult to modify physically. This paper presents FlexTruss, a design and construction pipeline based on the assembly of modularized truss-shaped objects fabricated with conventional 3D printers and assembled by threading. To create an end-to-end system, a parametric design tool with an optimal Euler path calculation method is developed, which can support both inverse and forward design workflow and multi-material construction of modular parts. In addition, the assembly of truss modules by threading is evaluated with a series of application cases to demonstrate the affordance of FlexTruss. We believe that FlexTruss extends the design space of 3D printing beyond typically hard and fixed forms, and it will provide new capabilities for designers and researchers to explore the use of such flexible truss structures in human-object interaction.

3D printing technology makes Do-It-Yourself and reforming everyday objects a reality. However, designing and fabricating attachments that can seamlessly adapt existing objects to extended functionality is a laborious process, which requires accurate measuring, modeling, manufacturing, and assembly. This paper presents ShrinCage, a 4D printing system that allows novices to easily create shrinkable adaptations to fit and fasten existing objects. Specifically, the design tool presented in this work aid in the design of attachment that adapts to irregular morphologies, which accommodates the variations in measurements and fabrication, subsequently simplifying the modeling and assembly processes. We further conduct mechanical tests and user studies to evaluate the availability and feasibility of this method. Numerous application examples created by ShrinCage prove that it can be adopted by aesthetic modification, assistive technology, repair, upcycling, and augmented 3D printing.

As sensors and interactive devices become ubiquitous and transition outdoors and into the wild, we are met with the challenge of mass deployment and actuation. We present E-seed, a biomimetic platform that consumes little power to deploy, harvests energy from nature to install, and functions autonomously in the field. Each seed can individually self-drill into a substrate by harvesting moisture fluctuations in its ambient environment. As such, E-seed acts as a shape-changing interface to autonomously embed functional devices and interfaces into the soil, with the potential of aerial deployment in hard-to-reach locations. Our system is constructed primarily from wood veneer, making it lightweight, inexpensive, and biodegradable. In this paper, we detail our fabrication process and showcase demos that leverage the E-seed platform as a self-drilling interface. We envision that possible applications include soil sensors, sampling, and environmental monitoring for agriculture and reforestation.

Thermoplastic and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) based 4D printing are rapidly expanding to allow for space- and material-saving 2D printed sheets morphing into 3D shapes when heated. However, to our knowledge, all the known examples are either origami-based models with obvious folding hinges, or beam-based models with holes on the morphing surfaces. Morphing continuous double-curvature surfaces remains a challenge, both in terms of a tailored toolpath-planning strategy and a computational model that simulates it. Additionally, neither approach takes surface texture as a design parameter in its computational pipeline. To extend the design space of FDM-based 4D printing, in Geodesy, we focus on the morphing of continuous double-curvature surfaces or surface textures. We suggest a unique tool path - printing thermoplastics along 2D closed geodesic paths to form a surface with one raised continuous double-curvature tiles when exposed to heat. The design space is further extended to more complex geometries composed of a network of rising tiles (i.e., surface textures). Both design components and the computational pipeline are explained in the paper, followed by several printed geometric examples.

Wearables have emerged as an increasingly promising interactive platform, imbuing the human body with always-available computational capabilities. This unlocks a wide range of applications, including discreet information access, health monitoring, fitness, and fashion. However, unlike previous platforms, wearable electronics require structural conformity, must be comfortable for the wearer, and should be soft, elastic, and aesthetically appealing. We envision a future where electronics can be temporarily attached to the body (like bandages or party masks), but in functional and aesthetically pleasing ways. Towards this vision, we introduce ElectroDermis, a fabrication approach that simplifies the creation of highly-functional and stretchable wearable electronics that are conformal and fully untethered by discretizing rigid circuit boards into individual components. These individual components are wired together using stretchable electrical wiring and assembled on a spandex blend fabric, to provide high functionality in a robust form-factor that is reusable. We describe our system in detail- including our fabrication parameters and its operational limits-which we hope researchers and practitioners can leverage. We describe a series of example applications that illustrate the feasibility and utility of our system. Overall, we believe ElectroDermis offers a complementary approach to wearable electronics-one that places value on the notion of impermanence (i.e., unlike tattoos and implants), better conforming to the dynamic nature of the human body.

This paper presents A-line, a 4D printing system for designing and fabricating morphing three-dimensional shapes out of simple linear elements. In addition to the commonly known benefit of 4D printing to save printing time, printing materials, and packaging space, A-line also takes advantage of the unique properties of thin lines, including their suitability for compliant mechanisms and ability to travel through narrow spaces and self-deploy or self-lock on site. A-line integrates a method of bending angle control in up to eight directions for one printed line segment, using a single type of thermoplastic material. A software platform to support the design, simulation and tool path generation is developed to support the design and manufacturing of various A-line structures. Finally, the design space of A-line is explored through four application areas, including line sculpting, compliant mechanisms, self-deploying, and self-locking structures.

In this paper, we explore personalized morphing food that enhances traditional food with new HCI capabilities, rather than replacing the chef and authentic ingredients (e.g. flour) with an autonomous machine and heterogeneous mixtures (e.g. gel). Thus, we contribute a unique transformation mechanism of kneaded and sheeted flour-based dough, with an integrated design strategy for morphing food during two general cooking methods: dehydration (e.g. baking) or hydration (e.g. water boiling). We also enrich the design space of morphing food by demonstrating several applications. We end by discussing hybrid cooking between human and a design tool that we developed to ensure accuracy while preserving customizability for morphing food.

Low-cost fabrication machines (e.g., 3D printers) offer the promise of creating custom-designed objects by a range of users. To maximize performance, generative design methods such as topology optimization can automatically optimize properties of a design based on high-level specifications. Though promising, such methods require people to map their design ideas--often unintuitively--to a small number of mathematical input parameters, and the relationship between those parameters and a generated design is often unclear, making it difficult to iterate a design. We present Forte, a sketch-based, real-time interactive tool for people to directly express and iterate on their designs via 2D topology optimization. Users can ask the system to add structures, provide a variation with better performance, or optimize internal material layouts. Users can globally control how much to 'deviate' from the initial sketch, or perform local suggestive editing, which interactively prompts the system to update based on the new information. Design sessions with 10 participants demonstrate that Forte empowers designers to create and explore a range of optimized designs with custom forms and styles.

We present a printed paper actuator as a low cost, reversible and electrical actuation and sensing method. This is a novel but easily accessible enabling technology that expands upon the library of actuation-sensing materials in HCI. By integrating three physical phenomena, including the bilayer bending actuation, the shape memory effect of the thermoplastic and the current-driven joule heating via conductive printing filament, we developed the actuator by simply printing a single layer conductive Polylactide (PLA) on a piece of copy paper via a desktop fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer. This paper describes the fabrication process, the material mechanism, and the transformation primitives, followed by the electronic sensing and control methods. A software tool that assists the design, simulation and printing toolpath generation is introduced. Finally, we explored applications under four contexts: robotics, interactive art, entertainment and home environment.

We present 4DMesh, a method of combining shrinking and bending thermoplastic actuators with customized geometric algorithms to 4D print and morph centimeter- to meter-sized functional non-developable surfaces. We will share two end-to-end inverse design algorithms. With our tools, users can input CAD models of target surfaces and produce respective printable files. The flat sheet printed can morph into target surfaces when triggered by heat. This system saves shipping and packaging costs, in addition to enabling customizability for the design of relatively large non-developable structures. We designed a few functional artifacts to leverage the advantage of non-developable surfaces for their unique functionalities in aesthetics, mechanical strength, geometric ergonomics and other functionalities. In addition, we demonstrated how this technique can potentially be adapted to customize molds for industrial parts (e.g., car, boat, etc.) in the future.

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.

To meet the increasing requirements of HCI researchers who are looking into using liquid-based materials (e.g., hydrogels) to create novel interfaces, we present a design strategy for HCI researchers to build and customize a liquid-based smart material printing platform with off-the-shelf or easy-to-machine parts. For the hardware, we suggest a magnetic assembly-based modular design. These modularized parts can be easily and precisely reconfigured with off-the-shelf or easy-to-machine parts that can meet different processing requirements such as mechanical mixing, chemical reaction, light activation, and solution vaporization. In addition, xPrint supports an open-source, highly customizable software design and simulation platform, which is applicable for simulating and facilitating smart material constructions. Furthermore, compared to inkjet or pneumatic syringe-based printing systems, xPrint has a large range of printable materials from synthesized polymers to natural micro-organism-living cells with a printing resolution from 10μm up to 5mm (droplet size). In this paper, we will introduce the system design in detail and three use cases to demonstrate the material variability and the customizability for users with different demands (e.g., designers, scientific researchers, or artists).

Nature has engineered its own actuators, as well as the efficient material composition, geometry and structure to utilize its actuators and achieve functional transformation. Based on the natural phenomenon of cells' hygromorphic transformation, we introduce the living Bacillus Subtilis natto cell as a humidity sensitive nanoactuator. In this paper, we unfold the process of exploring and comparing cell types that are proper for HCI use, the development of the composite biofilm, the development of the responsive structures, the control setup for actuating biofilms, and a simulation and fabrication platform. Finally, we provide a variety of application designs, with and without computer control to demonstrate the potential of our bio actuators. Through this paper, we intend to enable the use of natto cells and our platform technologies for HCI researchers, designers and bio-hackers. More generally, we try to encourage the research and use of biological responsive materials and interdisciplinary research in HCI.

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.